Get to know us

We are Jim and Marie Kline, and this blog post tells the story of how we arrived at this fork in the road—Homesteading: Should we or shouldn't we? I’m semi-retired and worked in corporate America as an accountant and financial manager for over 30 years. Marie is a former book editor and currently works as a registered nurse at our local hospital. We were married four months ago after both of us lost our former spouses to cancer. (How we met and fell in love is another story to be covered later.)

As you can imagine, losing your spouse is a devastating experience. The life that once was, is no longer. Plans evaporate, priorities wither, perspectives change. We lived through an in-your-face, gut-wrenching season and learned firsthand how fleeting our lives here on earth really are. From that experience, one of our takeaways was a desire to live our best lives in the remaining days God allows us—to enjoy the little things more fully, to love those around us more deeply, to enjoy that which God created, to slow down and smell the roses. As a result of our change in perspective, we are now considering a lifestyle jump that includes homesteading.

I have always been an analyzer and researcher, and it served me well in my career. Before making any big decision, I like to thoroughly do my research so that I can make a wise decision. So I begin here, at the start of our conversation, trying to answer some basic questions:

• What does it take to be a modern-day homesteader?

• What area of the country is best for homesteading?

• What do I need to look for in a prospective homestead property?

• What skills would I need to learn?

• What equipment is necessary?

• What is the initial cost of setup?

• What are other essential things we need to consider so we can live simpler, more self-sustaining lives?

These are the types of questions I hope to explore over the next year as we decide whether to take the plunge and begin to homestead…or not. I plan on posting my findings related to “homesteading” as well as interview some folks who are already doing it, and hopefully learn some new skills along the way.

We hope you'll join us on this journey and follow along!