Van dwelling vs. Homesteading

[Chancebond]

Ok, so this has been a hot topic for myself for a long time! There were times when I gave up on Van dwelling, and there were times when I gave up on homesteading (to become the other)! I have been so confused lately that I don't know where to begin! I mean, here's what I've come up with so far (only pros):

Van-Dwelling:
Travel
Cheap
Meet people
B.O.V. (Bug out vehicle)
Small carbon footprint

Homesteading:
Own food
Raise poultry
Heat house naturally
Hardly any carbon footprint
Place to Bug out to of in city at time
More room
Hiking
Hardly any taxes, if you live in Alaska, and make hardly any money!
Self-sufficient (nor relying on the Government!

As you can see, I need help! If you can, list some more things that you can think of for both! Also please list some Cons!

 

[Spirituallifetime]

Been down the homesteading route and it is more expensive than you would think! It is incredibly expensive to get permits to build and solar home can cost more because you have to build it so it will be hooked up to the grid. Raising livestock cost a lot of money because you have to bring in feed for the livestock, it takes a lot of acreage of good grass for the livestock to be self sufficient and when winter comes there is no grass.

 

[Spirituallifetime]

Forgot to say that I can't wait to get out of this homesteading thing! The wife has a list of projects that doesn't end, projects means money and that means working 14 hours a day to produce the money into the unforeseeable future.

 

[1977dodge]

I recently purchased a small parcel in AZ 
but for the first year I am going to be living in my camper van 
which i had done for a short while 
my intention is to build or purchase a small cabin 
and not have it actually attached to the land so no improvements will have been made 
my solar system will be built on a trailer so that i can go mobile if an extended trip is planned 
i think it does take a special mind set to deal with the different life style most of us grew up with 
but being on my own and enjoying my own company i dont forsee any major issues .

 

[minimotos95]

I like both and my goal is to actually have a homestead once I find a place I like and get the money together.
For me vandwelling is the way to live until I can buy a little land outright like 2-20 acres and build a dugout homestead, minimum of 1000w solar, a well, garden, rabbits, chickens, mini bike track and a shooting range. and eventually a dugout shop/garage. Who knows, even then I might still be in the van for months out of the year...

To me they are essentially the same but different, land costs more up front but feeding and maintaining a van costs more than property taxes on a small property.
With a van you can travel, avoid seasons you dislike and see new scenery, with a homestead you can have more comforts like more solar. a wood stove or sleeping quarters for a whole family.

Depending on how high the water table is a well can cost thousands and might need re-drilled after some years. ouch. buying a transfer and storage tank then making runs to town is expensive too.


I've seen road worthy chicken coops so I guess that's an option if someone wanted poultry on the road.

 

[SoulRaven]

Having both an off grid cabin and being a van dweller, I can tell you that the homesteading idea is not all it's cracked up to be any more. When I bought mine there were pretty much no restrictions. Now, you need a permit to sneeze.

Everything of value may disappear when you make a simple grocery run, we can no longer dig a well or capture rain water, and there are now all kinds of building codes. I can't even cut trees on my own land without a permit now, and got into trouble for taking down 10 trees for firewood. I think they watch you via satellite or something, because there's no other way they could have known about those trees, unless the fish and game guys are checking that too.

Maybe some areas are different, but I have a suspicion that before long, big brother is going to make it really hard for homesteaders everywhere.

Homes out here burn to the ground because of no fire departments, but fish and game is always lurking to catch you doing anything questionable. Government doesn't want us to be able to live in freedom, and owning land is just one more way they can control us.

I like my cabin, but there are a lot of down sides, and more all the time.

 

[AltTransBikes]

To each their own of course, for me rv living is a means to an end, to eventually find places to land.
I have and can live in a van/rv for a certain amount of time but I do not entertain any thoughts of perpetual dwelling in a motor vehicle.

 

[vanman2300]

Ever considered starting out as a van dweller and over time honing skills in survival? No land problems or costs. You can slowly make a transition to total independence or not if van dwelling is your way to go.

 

[Patrick46]

Forgot to say that I can't wait to get out of this homesteading thing! The wife has a list of projects that doesn't end, projects means money and that means working 14 hours a day to produce the money into the unforeseeable future.

heck....that's the exact same way it is for my house...and I'm not happy about it.

mini bike track and a shooting range. and eventually a dugout shop/garage.

here's someone whos after my own heart! ^^^

 

[compassrose]

I figure on living in the bus until I am no more. I will buy a piece of land to park the bus in so I have a warmish spot in the winter (FL/AL). I can have a small garden if I wish. I later plan on buying a place in the Southern Appalachians (probably TN) where I can have cool summers, and a small garden if I wish. No lawn to mow as everything would be paths and raised beds. Wide row raised beds is the way to go for gardens. Once you do the initial work up front (making the bed frames and getting a couple filled with good soil), the rest is fairly easy. David & I were what I called "lazy gardeners". Once we got all the beds in (took two years to do ALL of them in a 60 ft X 60 ft garden), planting was the hard work. Harvesting was pretty easy and we had enough beds that we could allow several to lie fallow every other year. Potatoes we raised in a barrel so we never "dug" potatoes.

My ideal piece of land would have water/electric/sewer already on it. Amazing how many lots that used to have mobile homes on them fit this description.

First I either have to win the lottery or come up with a portable income.

 

[Duck]

You can park your van on land and it's a homestead. Can't fit your land in a van. So I'd start with the van and go from there.

 

[flying kurbmaster]

if you can afford to buy land that is the best way to go especially if you are a prepper. Ideally buy in an climate that allows as big a grow season as possible, you don't need acres, one would do if you are in a good area. I have a 1/4 acre with almost 30 fruit trees and a large garden. I have fruit most of the year as well as vegetables. I also have a chiken coop,however at this time there are no chickens in it. Chickens don't need to be fed if you let them out they can take care of themselves, in the right environment, however you will have to either fence them in or have some food treats to keep them at your place.. It is cheaper to live with this setup then to be driving around looking for parking, maintaining, insuring, having to purchase all your food when vandwelling. That is only true if it is paid for, if you are having to pay a mortgage then it is cheaper to live in a van however as a prepper and I don't consider myself one, travelling in a van doesn't make much sense, when the shit hits the fan, as you preppers beleive it will, gaz will run out in a day, where you are is your new homestead. You better hope you happen to be in the right spot with all the tools stored under your bed to stay warm. fed along with a source of water or be prepared to walk away. I know without even trying I could live on my lot for several months or more before needing outside help if I had to and my lifestyle wouldn't change much

 

[flying kurbmaster]

no plans for a pond I am a vegetarian a pond to me sounds like a mosquito hatchery, and I just don't have the space but a good idea if you are into fish, I saw a video somewhere about a guy in Australia he was raising fish in tanks and not only was he getting fish but somehow creating great fertilizer as well.

 

[highdesertranger]

everybody has good points here. I feel having home base is a good idea. but you are going to have added expenses. chancebond you only listed the pros, maybe you should also list the cons. it would give you a more realistic picture. highdesertranger

 

[Chancebond]

High... I asked you, the people to list the cons...
Chance

 

[highdesertranger]

wow, now I have homework. highdesertranger

 

[akrvbob]

I agree with Compassrose, I don't see the two as conflicting at all but finding a balance between them.

The balance would be different for all of us, but I think almost all of us could find one that worked.

I don't have much of a green thumb, so a piece of land in the mountains/forest and a piece of land in the desert would be just about perfect.
Bob

 

[Brian_and_Jesse]

We chose to make a bargain with a friend.

He owns land and several cabins waaaaay in the backwoods, a fifteen minute ATV ride from the cabin we used to own.  We pay him $1 a year and can stay in a particular cabin any time we want to, and for as long as we want to.  (We don't want to ... yet.)

We sold him a huge $4,000 tipi with a great wood stove, and we can stay in that if we'd rather.  We're thinking of buying another one to carry with us on our toad, just in case we get stuck somewhere... else.  

It's far easier to hunt, fish, and gather than it is to raise livestock.  Chickens and rabbits wouldn't last five minutes there anyway - the bears would thank you for dinner though, as would the cougars when they take down your goats.

DH and I have more survival skills than he does, and it takes two to hunt successfully 'under the radar,' so DH will help him to hunt and cut firewood, and we'll provide schooling for his kids if TSHTF, and I'm a doctor, so as long as I'm spared, I have a useful skill to trade.  I'm not licensed anymore, but no one's going to care about that if the lights go out!

I believe in education (like wilderness survival skills, medical skills, linguistics, musical skills, and so on) and the barter system.  No need to own property, and no need to have money.

As things stand, I believe that we'll be living in an RV until we're planted - God Willing.


Jesse.
P.S.  This guy's selling land today at bank giveaway prices.  Lots in Virginia, North and South Carolina, etc., for approximately ten cents on the dollar.  http://www.landwatch.com/default.aspx?ct=D&pid=205003005&mltmid=23111

For those of you who're so inclined.

 

[highdesertranger]

brian and jesse very cool post. I hope to run into the two of you one day. highdesertranger

 

[Spirituallifetime]

Great post. I would like meet you and got to see one of those tipis. We have chickens and ducks, the coyotes get a few now and then. But not worth all the work and cost too much to keep.