Dear MOTHER
“Thank you, MOTHER EARTH NEWS, for helping this city boy convert to the country lifestyle. I couldn’t have done it without you.”
City Boy Makes Good
I first discovered MOTHER EARTH NEWS when a copy was sitting on the coffee table of a friend’s country home. I was a city boy at the time, and dreamed of someday having my own homestead. But how could I make it happen? I had no money, no experience, and no clue where to start.
My first move away from city life was when I bought a used step van to outfit as my new home. I spent months adding everything I needed to live on the road — water tanks, a bed with storage underneath, a fold-down desk, a gas stove, a furnace, cupboards, a toilet — all hidden inside so that the outside looked like a generic delivery van. This allowed me to park it anywhere without having to rent a parking space. When I wasn’t working summers as a waiter, I was driving through the country in search of a homestead. I saw many that I liked, but I was waiting for the one that I loved.
After five years, I had enough money saved up to buy land in High Springs, Florida. The property had a large lake filled with bass, bluegills, and catfish. I was able to buy 20 acres — 10 acres stripped land and the other 10 established woods — for $25,000.
During my homestead search, I met and married my wife. Early
