DW has romantic notions about retiring to a place in the country and slowly filling it up with "heirloom" breeds of small livestock.

I must admit, self sufficiency has always been high on my list of desired pastimes. Perhaps rating even with travel.

Maybe I should mention that I grew up on a small goat dairy, with chickens and pigs as well. So I'm familiar with the early morning, chores every day kind of thing. Was basically wondering if anybody here had found alternatives that allowed them to travel still.

I believe that a large part of the 25 year success of our marriage is what my family calls "the fact that I always cave in to whatever she wants". I can't seem to make them understand that unless I feel very strongly opposed to something, it really costs me nothing to make her happy. I think there have been two times in our marriage where I just put my foot down and said; NO, end of discussion. That said, if it makes her happy I'd like to let her try this.

20 years ago, when she first kicked this idea around was one of those times. But secretly, in the back of my mind I was mulling over possibilities.

I grew up near THE major state agricultural college in NYS, SUNY Cobleskill. I'd see all these kids there learning to be successful farmers. Too much work for me, remember BTDT. But then I'd think about interviewing to find a youngster to do the actual work of running the farm in exchange for free housing. I'd find myself a 50 acre farmette somewhere and build my little freehold on the back of it. Then let this hard charger live in the original house and use the rest of the farm as his education had taught him. No tithe, no rent, and no interference from me, as long as he was being a responsible steward of the land. Then we could have Cindy's little barnyard at our place, but if we wanted to leave for a trip somewhere we'd have a live-in farm-sitter. I still like this idea, and I think if he knew the profits were all his he'd be diligent about his efforts.

What do you think?

This sounds like the perfect situation to me. We are trying to start a small grazing based dairy, and have done all our homework. We know we could make it work, we just don't have enough money on hand to put down as a down payment for a farm loan. What I wouldn't give to be the "young farmer" in this!!!