What I do know is all this is going to be left behind or destroyed:
 |
| That blank patch has been planted with the last of my spinach seeds. I'll take the garden box with us, but it is too heavy to transport with soil in it, so all those plants will be destroyed. |
 |
| Obviously, the boy is coming with us where ever we end up, but that gorgeous volunteer tomato plant and all the pepper plants in this garden patch will be left behind. I plan on telling our neighbors that they can have whatever it produces until the trailer park management weed whacks it down. |
I do plan on keep up my homesteading activities where ever we go, but, as far as I know right now, it could be a Tent City Homestead, Homeless Shelter Homestead, or, probably the best case scenario, the Ghetto Homestead. This is definitely a very, very scary time for us.
I am sorry times are rough all over it seems. Rent is getting higher and work is scarce. I wish your family good luck in finding a new home and witb everything you do.
ReplyDeleteThat just stinks! I'm so sorry. Admin types can be so stupid sometimes. I've followed for a while but rarely comment, I just hate the verification codes (although I do understand the reason) I hope you fins some where to settle soon. Please keep us updated and if you have a yard or garden patch spot I'll send you some seeds!
ReplyDeleteThanks. I'll definitely keep everyone updated. I probably will be alright on seeds since a try to keep enough seeds back that I can replant in case of crop failure, so I'm going to look at this as massive crop failure, even though it is corporate failure rather than a failure of nature.
DeleteI just want you to know, if you move New England wise, we'll give a hand somehow. Lots of garden space out here... Not so great with jobs, though I'm not sure what your hubs does. If there's anything we can do, just let us know. :( Did they say why they aren't renewing? Is it something you can fight??
ReplyDeleteWe've been a couple DAYS late on a couple payments, so corporate policy is to not renew. The trailer park manager actually went to corporate on our behalf, but they wouldn't budge from policy. It's crappy business on their part too, since there are already far more vacant trailers here than they can find to fill them!
DeleteThat's crap to get such short notice! My thoughts are with you and your family- best of luck. Lots of jobs in other areas of the country if need be ( former mi person myself).
ReplyDeleteI will be holding you in my thoughts as you work to get resettled.
ReplyDeleteis there anything we can do to help? set up a donation site? resources for finding housing? you have been providing a beautiful service with your blog and facebook posts (all free, i might add) that it just seems to me what comes around goes around. perhaps it's time for you to harvest some reward for all the seeds you have planted, metaphorically speaking. I enjoy following your updates, but this is frightening and I am more than happy to help in any way that is honorable and ways in which my help/assistance is best suited. PLEASE let us know!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThere has been a (rarely used) donation button on the sidebar since about the time my husband lost his job last year. I moved it up to the top so it is easier to find though. Thanks for your support!
DeleteNothing like begging for a handout!!
DeleteHardly! I put anywhere from 10-20 hours a week on maintaining this blog and the accompanying social media sites, with the primary purpose of providing valuable information to people to save them money and live a better life at the same time. I charge absolutely NOTHING for that information. Guess how much I get paid to do it? That button was put there for the purpose of giving people who feel like they are being provided a valuable service to donate something toward the continuation of that service. I don't make a big deal out of it and usually it is quite far down the sidebar. I moved it to the top on the request of several readers who wanted to chip in a little, like $5-10, toward our unexpected move.
DeletePrayers for you! Have you thought about trying to get some media coverage? Even a spot on the local news about destroying your garden could bring you good things.
ReplyDeleteI've briefly entertained that thought, but decided to wait until last minute and hold it as a back up plan of last resort. Really, my family just wants to live quietly and peacefully happily ever after.
DeleteMy thoughts are with you and your family. I have a feeling that you will make the absolute best of your situation and come out saying, I'm glad that happened to us. I KNOW you have it in you to survive and overcome this obstacle and come out so much farther ahead than what you are expecting now.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I hope you are right!
DeleteI'm so sorry to hear this update. :( I hope you find something soon. We are dealing with job loss too. It's so frustrating and scary.
ReplyDeleteHave you considered contacting Habitat for Humanity? It is a long process, but maybe consider applying now, and see if you can get in on it.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry to hear this news. People suck sometimes.
We don't qualify for Habitat since neither of us have a "real" job.
DeleteI too want to say that I'm sorry that your family has such a challenge facing you. It's because of your site and a couple of others that I'm going to be trying to live much more self sufficiently. We are in scary times and life is just difficult with our economy such as it is!thank you for all your wonderful posts and ideas. They're truly helpful. God will take care of you and your family.
ReplyDeletelet us know when you find a new place... I would LOVE to send you seeds of every kind I have (a lot of varieties) to get started up again :)
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear that you have to move, esp. on such short notice. Prayers for you to find a place quickly that meets your needs. Hoping your hubby finds a job soon. Seems if there are many vacant trailers they'd be glad to keep you even if you are a bit late a few times. Better than no income at all from the trailer. Deb
ReplyDeleteThat's what I would think to, but apparently the people that run this place follow a different business model than common sense. *shrugs*
DeleteI am so sorry :( I agree about the media coverage also if it gets down to it.
ReplyDeleteWell, this certainly stinks! Would you consider Hillsdale? I have a brother there (Mom's in Jonesville) and word is that there are jobs coming to the area. hillsdale.net is the newspaper's site. I second the media help, too. I'm in NM now, but I'm still a Michigander at heart! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteHillsdale is a definite possibility. My husband's sister lives there as a matter of fact. What kind of jobs have you heard rumors of? Our curiosity is piqued.
DeleteParagon Metals is supposed to be expanding soon, for one. There's also a talk that happened in Lansing last month by the Agricultural Leaders of Michigan, saying that they're having trouble finding people with the right skills to work in agriculture. Might want to search for them and see what's up. Ritz-Craft in Jonesville has been doing well, but I'm not sure what they have open.
DeleteYou technically have longer than 30 days if you contest it. Let them take the eviction to court to buy you some time. , evictions aren't easy for landlords to get especially if you have a child, it could drag on for quite a long time. Every state has some sort of legal aid service so find someone to talk to. Hope all the best for you. Read more about your rights and options through here:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.michiganlegalaid.org/library_client/resource.2005-09-29.6042542161/html_view
I am sorry to read this news about your family and pray that you'll find the right place soon.
ReplyDeleteFlowerLady
This could be a very exciting time. A new start possibly. As stressful as it seems, sometimes when parts of our life come to an end, other opportunities open up.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.hillsdalerentalmanagement.com/category/rental-residential/
http://jobview.monster.com/getjob.aspx?jobid=113210981&WT.mc_n=olm_sk_feed_indeedb
Just a couple resources above. Do some research, go on a drive, check out a few areas and remain positive.
Check with the Lansing Housing Commission, as they offer assistance with rent and have places you can possibly rent. Another idea is to contact the Tenant Resource Center; think they're still in East Lansing and see if you were evicted legally. If not, you may be able to stay!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry for your news on many levels. The scary part, the heartbreaking part, the wastefulness part. You've honed some homesteading skills, and I guess the foundational part of homesteading is starting somewhere new and making something out of it. I'll be praying and rooting for you, anxious to hear how you put the lessons you've so generously shared with us to work in whatever new *digs* come along.
ReplyDeleteTry to look at it where something better may come out of all of this! Having a moving sale can really lift up finances as well when it does not look like there is money to move, we have been in this kind of situation a few times and it always worked out although it can be stressful! Good luck on your new adenture!
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry to hear about this. Your blog is one of the few I follow, and you've inspired me to have a survival garden and I thank you for all that you do! Times are getting really tough all over. I see a lot of good resources others have posted here for you. Good things can come out of this stressful situation, I trust. You'll be in my thoughts and prayers.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry!!! It just stinks. You have had so challenges as it is. It is time for some really good news to come your way. I live on SS Disability or I would send you $ to help. Prayers will have to do. I hope good news comes to you and by spring (planting) time you are settled somewhere and your biggest worry is what to plant. Please keep blogging as often as possible. All of us want to hear from you and how your family is doing. I wish you were in the Texas panhandle, I would find you and keep you supplied with hugs. Take care and know that many of us care about you.
ReplyDeleteI just stumbled across your blog and have offered up prayers for your housing situation. My husband was un/under employed for around three years. Since my children were old enough to work and contribute, we held on, but left with huge debt. I home schooled for over 25 years and live a small time homesteader life. Were you denied renewal because of your gardens or homeschooling?
ReplyDeleteYeah we had to leave Michagn too. Love that state. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteHey, I'm so sorry to hear this! Hope it all gets sorted and isn't to stressful! And as someone else has said, this could be the start of something new and exciting, even if it is a little scary. All the best. xx
ReplyDeleteMy heart goes out to you...We were kicked out of a rental because the company thought we had too many kids...We were barely making rent payments as well, so we didn't have a deposit and first months rent when we got the boot. We actually lived in our van for several weeks before living on my parents floor for 4 weeks. Then we had to leave, and were homeless again until we bought a cheap RV to live in. We are now in a small RV and staying month to month at an RV park. Atleast it is a place to sleep :) Hugs and prayers for you that everything will work out well for you!
ReplyDeleteP.S. we did the tentcity thing too when we were living out of our van...At least it was a place to spread out a little :)
I feel bad for the kids but side with the trailer park.
ReplyDeleteYou took such a conniving approach to all this. Wouldn't communicate with your management office, avoided seeking permissions because you "knew you would say no!" as you put it.. If anything your "adventures" taught me to look over my lease and draw a proper diagram to have approved by my trailer park.
You should also consider the lesson you're teaching your kids, that it's okay to play dumb with your contracts and disrespect other peoples property. Nip that in the bud now before they get older so you can supply a greater quality of education to your kids.
I would love to see a positive and more respectful gardening experience the next time around.
Good luck.
Wow. You seem to have some MAJOR misconceptions over what happened here. First off, there was NOTHING in the lease about gardening or not. The ONLY thing even related was that PERMANENT changes, like planting trees had to be preapproved, which is why my trees and bushes have always been in containers. Everything else that has been done is temporary and had verbal approval from management before we even signed a lease. Secondly, the reason we are not being allowed to renew has nothing to do with the garden and everything to do with a corporate policy that doesn't allow for renewal when there have been late payments, even if they are only a couple DAYS late a couple times like ours have when we've fallen short of funds with my husband out of work. The manager even contacted corporate to try to get an exception made for us because she sees us as such good tenants and, when that falled, she's been gushing about what great tenants we are to prospective landlords that have called to check our rental history.
DeleteAs for our future place, both of the landlords at places under current consideration have been alerted as to my intentions toward the yard and one went outside to discuss details of what sounded like a wonderful and exciting project to him and the other gave the all clear to do whatever I wanted to the yard and started pumping me for tips for his own garden!
Honey. I read your posts. I know exactly what you did.
Delete