Homestead mailing list

["Frank Fries" <frank.fries AT imagewireless.ca>]

Hi all,

I have read a number of posts in the archives where the definition of a 
"homesteader" is discussed, as well as recent discussions.

I think you likely all know that some expressions are only used in certain 
regions, or amongst certain groups, and others are a little more 
universal....

The expression "a rose by any other name would smell as sweet" is, I think 
quite widespread ?  If you are not familiar with it, it is fairly intuitive 
to most people that it basically means "words only mean what we all agree 
that they mean".

Any language is just a bunch of sounds if you don't understand it - and 
languages and what words mean change over time....just read some old english 
from medieval times, or talk to some very young person (preferably using 
texting shorthand) and you will see that languages change.

The area I grew up in and live in, was "settled" later than a lot of other 
areas on this continent.  The governments of the time was granting 
"homesteads" to settlers in the period from 1872 to 1930.  As I understand 
it, you were granted a "homestead" and you had a specified period (a few 
years - perhaps 3-5) to "prove up" your homestead - which consisted of a 
defined number of improvements, including a minimum number of acres to be 
broken and seeded and the building of a house of some kind.  Free title to 
the land did not transfer until the homestead was "proved up" and could not 
be sold before this. You could only be eligible for one homestead (land 
grant).  Homesteads were all for one quarter section.

Some new settlers chose to buy farms that were already broken instead.  This 
was less work of course but required money.

In my area,  the people who "homesteaded" these land grants (homesteads), 
were referred to as "homesteaders".  I suspect that in the early days, this 
distinguished between those who did it the hard way (the homesteaders) and 
the others who did not "homestead" but bought instead.

When I was growing up, the original "homesteaders" were all becoming 
somewhat elderly or had already expired.  When people referred to "the 
homesteaders" when I was a child, it was usually with respect for the people 
who worked so hard settling this land and building the original communities 
and was not completely unrelated to the term "senior citizen".

So when I hear "homesteader", I think of people who came before - not a 
current thing.

In those early days, many of those original "homesteaders", who were granted 
a "homestead" by the government, likely considered themselves to be "modern" 
and "progressive" using the newest tools and machinery with their horses and 
oxen.  Many of them went on to buy more land and farm it.  This would be the 
start of the "agri-biz" model.

I know my view of the word is quite localized - but it is the "language" I 
grew up with.  I am always bemused by these discussions.

Gene's description of a "back to the lander" has some resonance with me.

I grew up on a farm - and wished I was a town kid when I was a kid (they 
were in town and got to play with all the other kids, etc).  I resented that 
as a farm kid, we all had chores and had to milk the cow, work in the 
garden, gather the eggs, help butcher and pluck chickens, etc.  I was glad 
to leave for the city when I was a young man.

I soon missed the country and longed to be able to move back to it.  I came 
to appreciate and value the work ethic I was raised with, and the knowledge 
of where food really came from. That is, it doesn't come from the store - 
they only sell it - it actually came from somewhere else.  Some people are 
starting to realize that now, particularily with all the food recalls

Eventually, I got the chance to get back to the country.

I don't expect to ever live off of my quarter but I surely take pleasure in 
the things I can do to be more self-reliant.  I have become more interested 
in the garden every year, and every year I have learned a little more about 
growing and canning/preserving food, etc.  I cut my own wood for heat 
because I have 50 acres of bush on the quarter and I am happy that I am able 
to do so.  These things all add to "quality of life" for me, even though 
mostly they are a bunch of extra work compared to living in town.

I look forward to feeding the animals, and get a real kick out of watching 
the lambs bounce around the pasture in the spring.  This year was the first 
year we sold any amount of lambs - the money they brought in was fine, but 
it was not the reason for raising them.  We raise them first of all because 
we like to, second because we know they are good food and have not been 
raised with a bunch of chemicals and hormones added and lastly, we can sell 
the excess - this year over 20 lambs.

So, I am not sure if I am a "homesteader" or not (I am not THAT old).

I do see that I take pleasure and pride in raising some of my own food and 
have that in common with most of you.  Most of you have knowledge and 
experiences that are valuable to share.

Not all of what I read can be directly applied.  Some of the areas you live 
in are quite a bit different from mine, but it is the attitude and the 
approach you tend to use that I value.  Mostly, you try and work with mother 
nature, rather than trying to overpower her.

As an example, I read with interest the discussion about gypsum being added 
to soil to loosen heavy clay.  I had never heard of adding gypsum - nobody 
here does that.  There is some heavy clay to the south of me (but not on my 
land) and also there was in the area I grew up in.  I would be curious if it 
will work here (although just adding something to the soil sounds like the 
"agri-biz" model) <g>.

Frank,