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livingontheland - Re: [Livingontheland] Back to the Land: Why it Failed and Why we Need to Try Again Anyway

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  • From: Liz <liz@allslash.org>
  • To: Healthy soil and sustainable growing <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] Back to the Land: Why it Failed and Why we Need to Try Again Anyway
  • Date: Fri, 12 Oct 2007 23:43:59 -0400

At 10:12 PM 10/12/2007, you wrote:

But in general IMHO the writer exaggerated, romaticicized and idealized the
back to the land movement. Few had such noble motives. Far too many just
used the fancy talk to hide the fact they were lazy, unskilled, soft, and
aimless. And by now they're retired or about to find out what they said
about the system is true.

That was my impression as well. I kept seeing, "But it was so haaard!" and wondering what their problem was with that. It looked to me as though what was really difficult for them was letting go of the consumer culture they claimed to despise so much. I know people who are living off the land now, and yes, it's hard. They've had to just let go of much of what they thought was essential. They had to learn to appreciate what they had, not resent what they didn't have. It has been a life-changing experience internally as much as externally, and not everyone can do it. The people who can't do it aren't going to make it through the bad times to come.

But this isn't anything new. My English grandparents emigrated to Canada in 1902 as part of the Barr Colony in western Canada. Most of the emigres had no idea what it meant to work the land--they were enticed by offers of free land and an easy life on the Canadian prairie where soil was rich and anything would grow. Many of them brought fine furniture and wardrobes of expensive clothing with them, even grand pianos. Some of them managed to survive the trek across thousands of miles of unsettled country pulling covered wagons with ox teams. Some fewer of them survived the first winter, living in sod houses or tents. Many of them went back to England or to more civilised parts of Canada. But the ones who stayed and survived founded a quickly thriving town, and then a city, Lloydminster.

It is harder now to make it on the land, but not because the work itself is harder than it used to be. It's because people's wants are bigger than they used to be. But yes, we have to do it anyway.

Liz in SW VA
http://life-as-a-spectator-sport.com




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