Mountain Lane Homesteaders

The wild woods were calling

Another chapter in the Dream. 

We had made it to Montana.  We loved the house we were renting.  We spent hours sitting near the river at night while being warmed by the fire from the pit we had made out of river rocks.  We rested and recovered from the hard times we had faced.   

We felt God had given us this place as a refuge for a season.

After several months of simply being, and enjoying, we began to think about what must come next.  What we saw locally in houses for sale was depressing.  Nothing in our price range was going to satisfy our souls need for beauty that was for sure.

As "fate" would have it I one day came across a magazine I had never seen before. The Feb/March 2004 issue of Mother Earth News had a cover story called "Build Your Home for $5000".  I picked it up, read the article, and bought the magazine to bring home and show to Sam.  Thus the adventure began. 

We started looking up anything and everything we could find on the internet about people who had moved to bare land and built their own homes.  Every personal story we read was full of adventure and challenge.  Each persons story was as individual as their handprint.  The reasons people did what they did were vast.  Many had philosophies about the earth, many just wanted to be far from the reaches of mainstream society, and many just wanted to have a beautiful home of their own in the woods.  Whatever their reasons, their stories inspired us.  I have added some links in the sidebar to a few of the stories we enjoyed. 

We began to look for undeveloped land.  Prices in our area were rising rapidly due to growth so we knew we needed to move quickly.  We had hoped to find a place with at least 20 acres.  We looked and looked (I am a shopper arounder and a very SLOW decision maker).  One of the first properties we looked at captured our hearts but wasn't as many acres as we wanted.  We continued looking.  We found another one with 20 acres......it was too costly.  We found another one (20 acres).....but wells in the area had to be dug so deep for a tiny flow of water that it would have priced us out just to put in a well.  Most other places we were finding were either treeless or so far out it was another mountain safari to reach them.  Since Sam works in town and we don't homeschool, the daily trips would have been too much. 

Our thoughts kept returning to that first property we'd seen.  Lots of trees, a creek on the property, 10 miles out of town but still on a county road, only 7 acres.  After about one full year of looking (I did say I was slow!) we finally decided to make an offer on the 7 acres.  It had just been sold. I was heartsick.  I had trouble letting go.  For a week I mourned.  Then I decided to pray.  A dear neighbor agreed with me and we began to pray that if God had this property for us and we had moved too slow, that He would return it.  That was in mid February 2005. 

One month later, on March 15th I got an e-mail from Sam at work.  The bold red letters said, "GUESS WHAT!  THE 7 ACRES IS OPEN!"  This time there was no waiting.  We made an offer that day.  It was accepted and the land we thought we had lost had been graciously returned to us.  In my heart I knew it was God's confirmation that this was where He had been leading us.

Our next challenge was to get the bank to believe that a city couple from Iowa who had never built anything could and would really build a house for the small amount they said they could.

Stay tuned!

That's so exciting!

12:21 PM, Monday, August 7, 2006 .. Posted by clairebear

It seems that's just how God is sometimes. Its seems like you just have to ask, and then He gives you all and more that you wanted. :) I am glad for your family that you are going to try this new adventure.

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12:57 PM, Monday, August 7, 2006 .. Posted by Farmwife410

I just love reading your story!! God has really blessed you all very much. I love how he continues to know just what we need!!
Rie

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3:49 PM, Monday, August 7, 2006 .. Posted by Janny

Oh I'm hanging on your every word..LOL!
I can't wait for the next saga.....hurry...I'll be here ready to read it.LOL!! :)
~ Janny ~

Enjoying this story

6:28 PM, Monday, August 7, 2006 .. Posted by teapots66

I agree. I can't wait to hear the rest... and I'm going to check out the sidebar articles. Like your blinkie, too!

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11:41 AM, Tuesday, August 8, 2006 .. Posted by southernbelle

Congratulations for being featured hsblogger this week! I can't wait to read the rest of the story.

Congratulations!

11:50 AM, Tuesday, August 8, 2006 .. Posted by HSBFrontPorch

Looks like someone else actually beat me over here to congratulate you. Wow, these bloggers are fast!!
You are doing a great job with your blog and I'm loving following along with your story.

Be sure to email me with your home address so we can mail your gift to you!

Thanks for blogging with us!
~Nancy Carter
Senior Editor of HomesteadBlogger
SeniorEditor@HomesteadBlogger.com

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12:46 PM, Tuesday, August 8, 2006 .. Posted by bayleysmom17

I look forward to reading your blog everytime you write. It's so intersting and fun to read. It's such and adventure and it's your real life! I can't wait till you write again!

Congrats on being Featured Blogger of the Week!

5:04 PM, Tuesday, August 8, 2006 .. Posted by kayinpa

Aww man! I hate waiting. LOL! You have me on the edge of my seat. I immediately went to Mother Earth's website to look for that article. Here is the link!

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Homesteading_and_Self_Reliance/2004_February_March/Our_Handmade_Home

Just thought I would share it. Thanks for sharing your story!

Blogger of the WEEK! WOW!

8:38 PM, Tuesday, August 8, 2006 .. Posted by teapots66

Hey, you won a garlic book, and you're featured on the Front Porch! How cool is that? Congrats! You really should save all these entries for a book of your own, like that Alaska couple.

AH!

9:16 AM, Wednesday, August 9, 2006 .. Posted by HarvestMom

You found me! Oh the Lord does work in those wonderful ways doesn't He..I was hiding like Jonah LOL! Thank you for posting on my entry this am Darcy! I read your blog to my husband last night...I was afraid to actually post on your blog because I'M AFRAID LOL! With 9 children it is hard for me to think of everything...I think the Lord had you find me so I could be encouraged. I'm adding you to my friends list so I can keep track of your happenings because it is obviously what the Lord wanted me to read. My husband, I think, has been waiting for the ok that his wife is at peace with his vision before getting in depth plans going.
Blessings, Theresa