Self-Sufficiency vs. Homesteading

[Diavolicchio]

I very, very, very seldom ever eat the stuff ... I just said I like it!!

I believe it was LdyChef who was blessed with a whole CASE of it one year for Christmas.

Just the thought of that makes me throw up a little in my mouth.

My sister told me many years ago that when she was in college she once took a Greyhound bus to get back to school. On that trip, she witnessed a woman feeding her 2 young kids cold Spam right out of the can. She said it was only a matter of time before the young girl projectile vomited it about 4 rows down the aisle. It's not simply that she barfed it up that's disgusting; it's that she barfed it up with such force that it shot about 10 feet in front of her.



Fortunately, it was in the direction AWAY from my sister.

 

[Up-the-Creek]

Way too much gross stuff Diav,.... Enough Spam talk,...back to the regular scheduled program.

Man,...there goes my late night snack.

 

[Diavolicchio]

Way too much gross stuff Diav,.... Enough Spam talk,...back to the regular scheduled program.

Man,...there goes my late night snack.

Fair enough.

 

[Up-the-Creek]

Way too much gross stuff Diav,.... Enough Spam talk,...back to the regular scheduled program.

Man,...there goes my late night snack.

Fair enough.

Thank you!

 

[Up-the-Creek]

I'm curious how the folks on here would compare the concepts of Self-Sufficiency to Homesteading, as well as the personalities of the folks who tend to identify with one term over the other. I know some people would equate these two terms, but others will probably see distinct differences between the two.

Any thoughts?

My thoughts on being self-sufficent brings up things and people from my childhood that used that term very loosely. The back to the land movement or as my father termed it,.."the hippy movement". I have met many folks who used that term to describe what they were doing,...in reality Im not sure if they knew what they were doing. This day and time I do not believe anyone can be 100% self-sufficent.

Homesteading I think is an outdated term. I can't see anyone being able to persay homestead this day and time. I think it is a better term to describe people than so called being "self-sufficent".

As far as myself and my family,..I do not consider us self-sufficent or homesteaders. For us it is more our culture. This is what we do. My family has been here for many generations,...it is passed down knowledge. This is just the way we live, no definition needed.

 

[Diavolicchio]

I can't help but picture that poor little girl though. . .

 

[Diavolicchio]

I think the term Homesteading has come to mean many things for many people.


John

 

[Up-the-Creek]

I can't help but picture that poor little girl though. . .

http://www.meticulum.com/pke4.gif http://www.meticulum.com/pke1.gif http://www.meticulum.com/pke2.gif

cute.

 

[Farmfresh]

As far as myself and my family,..I do not consider us self-sufficent or homesteaders. For us it is more our culture. This is what we do. My family has been here for many generations,...it is passed down knowledge. This is just the way we live, no definition needed.

Thanks for re-booting this thread!

I think you are REALLY lucky to have a generational culture like you do. In some ways I have the generational thing going as well.

My great grandparents on all sides were farmers. My grandpa's dad was a fruit farmer primarily while he was also the Dean of a school as his "for pay" job. I have childhood memories of picking peaches then eating those peaches until I was about sick. They owned 80 acres which was sold off and the money split up as soon as they died.

My grandma's parents also owned 80 acres, but they raised cattle, pigs, and corn on theirs. Again the beautiful farm with rolling pastures and it too was sold PRONTO.

My dad's side of the family were all farmers too. Some of my uncles still are.

My grandparents wanted to get as far away from the farm as possible. They wanted life in the big city. My parents wanted the same thing big city lights, fast food, and city jobs. It is now very hard to get back all that was lost.

 

[Up-the-Creek]

As far as myself and my family,..I do not consider us self-sufficent or homesteaders. For us it is more our culture. This is what we do. My family has been here for many generations,...it is passed down knowledge. This is just the way we live, no definition needed.

Thanks for re-booting this thread!

I think you are REALLY lucky to have a generational culture like you do. In some ways I have the generational thing going as well.

My great grandparents on all sides were farmers. My grandpa's dad was a fruit farmer primarily while he was also the Dean of a school as his "for pay" job. I have childhood memories of picking peaches then eating those peaches until I was about sick. They owned 80 acres which was sold off and the money split up as soon as they died.

My grandma's parents also owned 80 acres, but they raised cattle, pigs, and corn on theirs. Again the beautiful farm with rolling pastures and it too was sold PRONTO.

My dad's side of the family were all farmers too. Some of my uncles still are.

My grandparents wanted to get as far away from the farm as possible. They wanted life in the big city. My parents wanted the same thing big city lights, fast food, and city jobs. It is now very hard to get back all that was lost.

Our farm has been in the family now for four generations. It is no longer a working farm and hasn't been in sometime. Myself and my DH are striving toward making it work again. It is slow progress though. Also half of the land was lost due to some bad decisions my parents made but with what we have left we can still do a lot with it. What keeps me going,..my great-grandfather bought this land to make sure his grandchildren had a place to call home, a place to sustain themselves. I am going to make sure that his great-great-grandchildren have that. It isn't in me to let his dreams die and I am it,...nobody else choose to walk this path,..but for him I am proud to do it. Plus I LOVE being here!