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[Clansgian AT wmconnect.com]

> >I am comforted to find that James has accepted, if not embraced, the 
> relevance of at least partial machine-powered homesteading.

Oh I do.  Mainly I eschew using machines when they really don't save all 
that much work if indeed they aren't more work.  I use a knife instead of a 
vegetable processor, fewer dishes rather than use a dishwasher (a great deal 
of our food is eaten with chop sticks and a single bowl), a broom instead of 
a vacuum cleaner (we have one, a modified shop vac, but it isn't used unless 
it's really needed), clothesline instead of a dryer, sourdough bread rather 
than a bread machine,  etc.

Then there is the gray area where doing it manually IS some more work, but 
not that much more work.  I don't know how your grist mill is configured, 
although ours is indeed a bit of work, it's not that bad.  The 10 yo can do 
it, not ten pounds of flour at a time, but enough for biscuits.  The cross 
cut 
saw and axe are more work than a chainsaw (although not usually much more 
time), but not nearly as much more as is imagined.   A roto-tiller is not 
appropriate for my type of gardening, but make no mistake turning the whole 
thing with a shovel is more sweat than a tiller.  But I'm just not in a 
'get-er-done' attitude in the garden.

There are things I just can't do manually in anything like an equitable 
way.  I can't freeze food or keep lights going without a really LOT of 
effort.  
We could do without both, but I'd rather not.


James</HTML>