Anyone remember that song? Do you find that a lot of people view living off the land with the same pie in the sky attitude? Everyone is going to have a place in the country with a couple of horses. Grow their own food and what they can’t grow they’ll hunt for. They will sew, knit and weave their own textiles. They will live in a log home they built themselves from a kit. They will sell eggs to their neighbors and get rich from growing ginseng in their back yard. There will be no more keeping up with the Joneses and life will be easy. Yet these same folks do not do any of these things in their suburban lives.

They don’t realize that it is hard work. That a homegrown tomato is approximately $7.98 per lb. That horses are nothing but a money pit and dangerous to boot. That hunting is an expensive undertaking that reaps few culinary rewards. Come on, if squirrel was such good eatin’ how come they don’t serve it at Burn’s Steakhouse? And just wait, the minute the neighbors pull in that shiny new doublewide Ma’s going to be feeling a bit of envy.

Don’t you think that before buying that old Ford tractor to restore, Pa ought to first learn to change the oil in his Bronco?

-- Diana in FL (dvance4@juno.com), March 06, 2002

Answers

Boy Diana (also my wife's name), your post really struck home with me. Especially the comment about the old Ford tractor. I got myself two of 'em. One already restored and the other....well let's just say she needs some help. And the fact is,I do not change the oil in my F-150 - too easy to take it to Walmart and have it done for 15 bucks. But I do change the oil on my tractors and have managed to work on them a little. My 22 y.o. son (computer genius) enjoys it and it is one thing we can do together. I have yet to adopt the full homesteader lifestyle but like the idea.....pie in the sky...hmmm. Gosh the truth hurts! BTW - my Diana just took me to your great state for a mini-vacation. We spent my 50th b-day at DisneyWorld. Felt like a kid again!

-- SteveD(TX) (smdann@swbell.net), March 06, 2002.

It's all in what "YOU" make it.

-- jz (oz49us@yahoo.com), March 06, 2002.

The American public wouldn't accept clean squirrel. Rather have feed- lot beef... Besides, cattle give a lot more MEAT. And what, besides fly fishing, would we do with all those squirrel tails? Don't make very good shoes. Too (are ya ready?) ratty...... sick and twisted

-- Gailann Schrader (gtschrader@aol.com), March 06, 2002.

Diana,

What part of Florida are you in? I am near Tampa, wondered from your reference to Burn's if you are as well. Though, not too many homestaeders that I know eat out at Burn's much, lol!

-- Elizabeth (ekfla@aol.com), March 06, 2002.

Tomatoes $7.98 a pound you should hire a new gardener. Hunting does not have to be expensive, it does provide good meat but that may not be the most important reason for doing it. For me it has many of the same benefits as gardening, peace, solitude, and relaxation. Different strokes for different folks. Squirrel is very tasty, but the steaks would be awful small therefore very expensive. I think it is illegal to sell game animals, people have to raise them to sell legally. Squirrel farming, hum you may have hit on something. Many of the things we choose to do are because of the enjoyment we get from them, some do actually save a little money but I think the driving force is more the enjoyment and satisfaction of doing it ourselves. Herb.

-- Herb. (herbmsmith@aol.com), March 06, 2002.

Hunting is fun, but SUBSISTANCE HUNTINGis hard to do. I am a sport hunter, who hunts for meat, rather than trophys, but I would be way skinnier if the only meat I ate was from hunting.

Trapping would be much easier; lots of traps, which are out in the field, working 24/7/365 will provide much more wild meat. But you have to be there to go check them, no doubt about it.

But I can still dream. I am WAY off from living a homesteading life, still stuck in the city, but someday hope to make it out there. I do try to be frugal where I am, by necessity and want; screw the Jones, we pay the bills, not them. And why try to impress people you wouldn't want to be friends with anyway, if they judge you by possessions you have, then I'm glad they aren't my friends. No loss here.

Real good point Diane in FL, you have to be realistic in what life brings.

-- j.r. guerra in s. tx. (jrguerra@boultinghousesimpson.com), March 06, 2002.

It ain't that big of a deal to those of us who were born to it, but yeah, you are right, sitting on your butt in town until middle age and then thinking your gonna do the back breaking work and call it fun!?!?!? HAHAHAHA!!!!!!! Over the years I've seen close to half the people give up and head back to the city and back to California.

For those who would like to try their hand at a small farm without the sodbusting, moneysucking, backbreaking work, look in the real small towns for a 1 acre homestead that belonged to an old couple that farmed it for over 50 years. They had chickens and rabbits and well tended and well fertilized garden just waiting for a younger couple to take over. Those farm lots need to be protected from being further subdivided into low income housing.

-- Laura (Ladybugwrangler@hotmail.com), March 06, 2002.

Where did you get that figure for the cost of that tomato? It probably ads the labor cost but I would rather be laboring there than some dumb job I hated for some yucky thing with now vitanins left from the store.

Oh yes, horses are very expensive but only really dangerous if you take any ol' horse, or jump o with no clue!

Not all hunting is that expensive in some places if your not looking for a trophy and as for the culinary reward, well, americans have become very narrow minded in their food choices over the last hundred years. Squirrel is fabulous! Just tiny enough to not always be worth the work, but rabbit, pheasant, deer....mmmm!

I, being the the "MA", detest the sight of the double wide, shiny or otherwise!

And as the guy above mentioned, it is better for the warrenty to have the oil done. Restoring, you can take time and learn as you go if necessary.

Sheesh. This sounded all so harsh! Let's squash a few more dreams shall we....

-- Novina in ND (homespun@stellarnet.com), March 06, 2002.

I have to disagree Dianne. I LOVE MY HORSES. Horses are dangerous if not handled properly. As far as expensive. Again depends on the situation, how much pasture, if able to do routine vetrinary care, etc. Anyone willing to work hard can do it. Your talking to an ex city girl that is making a living in the country.

-- tracy (murfette@stargate.net), March 06, 2002.

Okay, I was having a bit of fun here. My point is that those who will actually "homestead" will also do homestead activities with little land. We traded in 5 acres for 1 in town (note to Elizabeth: Riverview and I've never been to Burns)and we miss the old place. Commuting got to be too much. We raise rabbits, & chickens. I sew, knit, brew beer, bake all bread, garden, can, etc. The only thing that I don't have room for is goats and cheesemaking. But I have to wonder about those who say that they want the lifestyle yet don't do any of the things that their however small place will allow.

-- Diana in FL (dvance4@juno.com), March 06, 2002.

Diane, there's a lot of truth in what you say, I think we have only ourselves to blame. Everyones posts are about how happy they are,which is probably true, I know I am. Is the work hard? You better believe it. Too many people today expect instant gratification. Just like a movie all of lifes problems should resolve in two hours or so. That's pretty sad, a lot of good people give up to easy. Everything starts out as a dream then the cold hard hand of reality strikes. That's when some folks tuck their tails and wimper away while others are either to stupid or stubborn to quit. You tough it out long enough and the exhaustion is tempered by the satisfaction of doing for yourself, not to mention the sense of freedom.Personally, I like that. I've been remodeling (read repairing) a 95 year old house for close to 16 years but I still dream about the log cabin too. Beats the hell out of dreaming about digging stumps. As far as people not knowing how to do things, you got to learn sometime, so take a chance. What's the worse that could happen? Go broke? I've done that before and we're still here. Get kicked in the head by a horse and die? Dying aint at the top of my to do list but sometime or other Im going to get around to it. What the hell, if it was easy it wouldn't be worthwhile. Take care, and you definately pay too much for tomatoes.

-- JJ Grandits (JJGBDF@aol.com), March 06, 2002.

Diana,

If you are in Riverview we are practically neighbors! I live just down the road in Lithia. Nice to know that I am not the only one on the forum from around here. The Florida contingent is definitely under-represented!

-- Elizabeth (ekfla@aol.com), March 06, 2002.

If I had my choice as to the very best mammalian meat, there is no question that squirrel (I'm talking gray squirrelos here!) would be at he top of the list. I also enjoy chicken, beef, pork, turkey, rabbit, catfish, lobster, and almost anything that I can subdue before it eats me! The only animal protein that gave me pause was some squid that I was served in Portugal several hundred years ago. It had been allowed to age (read "rot") for 2 weeks, then braised before serving. I have a strong stomach, but it was only because I was a (military) representative of the US that I managed to choke down the tentacles and the tail. Monica Lewinsky is the only person extant that has experienced a less delectible mouthful! GL to all!

-- Brad (homefixer@SacoRiver.net), March 06, 2002.

Around here a lot of folks want a place in the "rural atmosphere" and work like the devil, not on any homesteading kind of activity that would produce something of value, but on mowing fertilizing and manicuring huge lawns. Never ceases to amaze me!

-- Walt K. in SW PA (kraterkrew@lcsys.net), March 06, 2002.

Diana, Here is a quote that I think sums up a farmers or homesteaders life... "Think no that because it is winter, a farmer (homesteader) lie idle. Busy, sir, busy! This is the word for all farmers (homesteaders) at all times and seasons." - 1819 Farmers Almanac Kim :-D

-- Kim in Indiana (kwcountrygirl@aol.com), March 06, 2002.

Diana, Here is a quote that I think sums up a farmers or homesteaders life... "Think not that because it is winter, a farmer (homesteader) lie idle. Busy, sir, busy! This is the word for all farmers (homesteaders) at all times and seasons." - 1819 Farmers Almanac Kim :-D

-- Kim in Indiana (kwcountrygirl@aol.com), March 06, 2002.

I don't do most of those things in my 'surburban' life. I would have been happy to roast the squirrel that terrorised my house for 2 days before we caught the damn thing, but DH wouldn't let me. I am however, reasonably self sufficent, protect the enviorment with a vengence (1 mile from Indian Point, with a Proposed/Approved Government Funded Gas Pipeline 1/2 mile from MY ground Zero)I am one of those looney activists that you might read about, protecting the (your) watershed from the Donald Trumps of the world 'distaster de jour' golf club or what have you. Perhaps I mis-read your post but, while you are happy as a clam in 'homestead world', I am fighting for your right, to have it.

-- Kathy (catfish201@hotmail.com), March 06, 2002.

There are those of us who want to get the heck outta the city and get behind the sidewalks. I'm doing everything I can in this stage - paying off debts, saving money, learning everything I can, dreamin', schemin', and just generally deciding how I'm gonna get from point A to Point B. Now is the time to acquire small tools and stuff you need, books, practical experience. To those who are at their plateau of "homesteading" - fine. When the world goes to heck in a handbasket, I'll be the one feeding my family and friends on the bounties of my homestead.

-- Connie B (MykellSilver@aol.com), March 09, 2002.

Some of us are dreamers, while others are doers. Some are practical, while others are impractical romantics. Luckily, opposites tend to attract and marry each other. If we can see each others' strong points, and allow them to strengthen our weak points, then we will all be better off. Anyhow, this is how the DH and I deal with it.

-- daffodyllady (daffodyllady@yahoo.com), March 09, 2002.

Hey, Kathy, Diane, and Elizabeth-SE Florida here! Summer started yesterday and I haven't replanted the winter veggie gardens with the spring veggies yet!!

-- Mitzi Giles (Egiles2@prodigy.net), March 10, 2002.