I have often mentioned in my writings and elsewheres that I am in the process of saving money to own a farm. I have been often quite sketchy in the details of the farm. I really do not know in my mind what it would be like. A lot will vary based on how much money I save, what is available, what techology is like, and what things I learn about in the future.

Clearly though sustainability will be a priority. The farm needs to generate as much of it's own energy, dispose of it's own waste, and provide a quality of life that mimizes it impact on the environment. Toxins need to be mimized as much as possible to provide a maximum environmental benefit.

I would like to live off the grid, and generate electricity through technologies that harness energy directly from the earth. I am particularly interested in using micro-hydro and wood, harvested from the farms forests for energy. I'm sure I'll be also consuming diesel and gasoline, but both of them can be splash-blended with either biodiesel or ethanol, to minimize it's planatry impact.

I also would like to build my own structure both for barns and house to live, one that emphasizes energy conservation as much as possible. 1 foot of insulation, built into the side of a hill, under natural shade would be ideal. Heat would be provided by gravity-fed radiant heating, put under either natural wood flooring, cut from a portable sawmill. This would be increadibly desirable, but also minimal on environmental impact.

I would raise a variety of animals, including of course beef cattle. Those animals, besides being big and requiring a significant capital investment in land, also are profitable and relatively low maintaince compared to dairying. They allow me to have another occupation, yet make a political statement and some money on the side. I also would raise a variety of crops and small animals for food stuffs such as chickens and vetigtables.

With this kind of land, it would be important to have a variety of toys to maintain it from tractors to snowmobiles, and ATVs. It's fun to ride around off-road, and it's also a good way to get around the farm, and round up animals. What fun is to have a 100 acres without getting to tear it up a little bit?

So that's what I'm invisioning for my farm as of now. I continue to read more about farming, and learning new things every day. And by the time, 10-15 years down the road when I have the resources to purchase such a thing, then I'm sure things will be even different then.