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  • From: Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>
  • To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] Who knows? Only time.
  • Date: Sat, 8 Mar 2008 11:04:02 -0700


On Mar 8, 2008, at 9:54 AM, Clansgian AT wmconnect.com wrote:

Is homesteading a genuine, viable, feasible, permanent lifestyle? I have
intended to find out. I read a lot of homesteader's testimonies in books, and I
have two abrevieated lists of books use as references:

List one:
Far Out Is Not Far Enough (Tomi Ungerer)
You Can't Live on Radishes Alone (Jerry Bledsoe)
A Small Farm in Maine (Terry Silber)

List two:
Payne Hollow (Harlan Hubbard)
The Good Life (Scott & Helen Nearing)
Fat of the Land (John Seymour)

This is a partial list in both cases. I have found many things in the books
in the second list to be insightful, useful, and have stood the test of time.
For example, all the homesteaders in the first series of books had the notion
that they would be mineature agribusiness farmers. They would raise
vegetables, sheep, what have you, pay all their expenses with the proceeds, and maybe
eat a little of what was left. All the homesteaders in the second list
disparaged the notion of selling food off the homestead. Not only did I try this
and found the latter authors were correct, but I do not know of a single
instance of the paradigm of the former authors that has ever worked, although it is
tried or at least planned often enough.

Did not the Nearings sell maple syrup and maple sugar in Vermont, then blueberries in Maine?

But that is picking nits. I often fault you for using too many words. In this case you used the generous, right amount.

Each life is a quest for personal meaning and truth. Unlimited numbers of paths beckon. It is inspirational that yours is successful. Don't just write about authors who have inspired you. Write your own story. The timing now is propitious. Many factors of modern life that have been on weak foundations are beginning to wobble. Young people especially, need to know that there are viable alternatives. While homesteading as you do it is unlikely to become in wide practice, it is a unique and useful niche and there are many who would profit by trying it.









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