And So It Begins...

This week marks the beginning of my independence.

That may sound like a strangely grand statement, but let me explain:

I quit my job on Friday.

I'm not the kind of person to make a big decision on a whim - I thought about this for quite some time. I agonized and questioned...wondering if I could get through just another few weeks. I knew in my heart it was time to go. I didn't feel like I mattered in the company anymore, and I didn't feel like I was getting much out of it. I couldn't shake the feeling that I wasn't where I needed to be...so I left.

I had something else on my mind anyway - homesteading. That's right. I wanted a place of my own, with a vegetable garden, chickens, and goats. I wanted a big farm dog following me as I filled water buckets and dumped grain in troughs. I wanted to wake up every morning and know that everything on this little piece of land sustained me both physically and spiritually.

This is my dream. This is my goal...but how the hell do I do this?!

It's not like I grew up in the country, at least not in the truest meaning of the word. I grew up in a small town with my parents and younger sister. Our house was a humble 1970s bungalow with a meager vegetable garden in the back, along with a maple tree and two pines - all of which have since been removed. I lived in the suburbs, the nearest farm being miles away. Not exactly the ideal background for a budding farmer.

I also don't have land! I live in a one-bedroom rented apartment, with just a few meters worth of a front lawn. I barely have any savings, and now...no full-time job to speak of. Fuck.

So, this is my starting point. This blog will serve as my personal journal - following my progress in fulfilling my dreams. It won't be easy, and at times it will not be pretty - but it will be honest.

This is what I want, and if I can achieve my dream - so can you. I will share everything I learn along the way here, and I welcome your advice and input.

So, come with me...