Self-Sufficiency vs. Homesteading

[Farmfresh]

I am SO glad for you!

It must have been a horrible disappointment for my forefathers when their kids were more interested in the cash than they were the farming life.

 

[FarmerChick]

My Dad wanted better than what he had growing up.
They had a small farm and he had to take care of the pair of draft horses, dolly and polly. He said he hated them. I heard alot of funny stories about dolly and polly wanting to kill Dad...HAHA

He joined the marines at age 16 and left and never looked back.

Remember that farming in my parents day was during the depression times. It was everyone's goal to climb the ladder and do better somehow, anyway they could. And with technology on the advance, great things were out there to buy to make life a heck of alot easier than when they were kids.

I am so glad my parents did well in life and made money!

It got me to work hard and do well when younger. When I moved to NC at age 29 I paid for my entire house and land in cash. Starting life debt free is the way to go if you can.

I don't think I wanted SS lifestyle til my money became lower and lower as I moved away from the city areas and into a state that was not as developed as the North where I grew up.

When I lived in the more populated areas, I didn't notice all the farm land being converted into industrial parks. I didn't notice people not having gardens etc. But as it changed and I ended up in a rural area, I do notice now.

Real farming for income is hard. You fight many battles, from critters eating your plants, to bugs, to weather, to bones aching from hard work, to animals which means vetting to --you name it. And after growing it you have to sell it.

Not many want to do it for income. So when they get their hands on land they sure sell it and make great money. I don't think it is ever feasible for everyone to become farmers at all. You either have this type of mentality and love of land, or you don't. So as long as there are others that don't want to play in the dirt, then I can supply them food and make money.

I don't think it is that people are more interested in cash or money---I think they have other passions in life. Land is not for everyone. Land is not a job opportunity for everyone. If your passions lie elsewhere, then inheriting a bunch of land doesn't set ones mind to farming..lol

It is good others have different passions, like being doctors, airline pilots, dentists, etc. etc. Follow your passions in life and you live good usually. For some that is land and farming. For others it isn't.



just chatting there..LOL

 

[valmom]

Up-the-creek: that is so cool to have a legacy from your older generations to preserve.

 

[Farmfresh]

I totally understand the "different strokes for different folks" concept, but it still disappoints me. I am pretty passionate about my gardening, canning, meat raising ways. City farmer yes, but that SS mentality is deep set.

I tried to instill those values in my kiddos when they were growing up. Some of it took. Some of it didn't.

My D1 got the animal fever. She has always had an affection (or affliction - depending on how you look at it ) for animals. She has grown up into a first rate veterinary technician (was even an vet ER nurse for a while), but she can't cook to save her life (has no interest) and watching her saw or hammer would make a good comedy video for TV.

D2 is a gourmet chef at home and works in dietary at a hospital. She caught the cooking fever for sure. She is also quite handy at painting, cleaning and several home repairs. She likes to garden some, but the passion is not there and she really doesn't like sweating or getting dirty and much prefers a pot of lovely flowers.

My GEEK son is a glow in the dark red head with the lily white skin and freckles to match. He gets sun burnt in a strong light bulb. We all call him the "cave troll"! He likes chickens a LOT and small cuddly pets, but is FAR too tenderhearted to ever cull an inefficient layer. He is a picky eater (at 6'2") and hates even mowing his tiny lawn, so gardening is out of the question. He will do wiring and some home repair, but if he can PAY to have it done he is FAR happier.

If I had a big old homestead I would have to hope for interested grand kids or it too would go on the sale block.

 

[hikerchick]

I think parents who have expectations about the way their kids should live their adult lives are setting themselves up for disappointment.

My only wish for my daughter is that she find what she loves and be able to do it.

It does not matter to me one bit if it happens to be the same things that I love or not. It's her life to live, not mine.

 

[Up-the-Creek]

I think parents who have expectations about the way their kids should live their adult lives are setting themselves up for disappointment.

My only wish for my daughter is that she find what she loves and be able to do it.

It does not matter to me one bit if it happens to be the same things that I love or not. It's her life to live, not mine.

I do not wish for my kids to do the same thing that I am doing and I am not trying to plan out their lives. I think it is important for someone to preserve the family home to give everyone else that wants to go out and do their thing a sense of having a home to go to. Does that make sense? For my brother and my sister who does not live around here it is important for them to be able to come home, to relax, unwind. My kids, neice, or my nephews should have that too. I will hold on to it as long as I am able with hopes to pass it to another one in the generation to come who feels the importance of it as I do. As far as raising my kids,..I want them to be here where they can learn to do things most kids don't get the chance to. Like knowing where their food comes from. Whether they use the knowledge as adults is up to them, but they will have it if need be, and they will have a home to come to if the need arises. It's not about the farming,...it's about security.

 

[bibliophile birds]

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.

that's basically my story as well. my great-grandfather was born here (on the hill where i live but that house burned down decades ago). my grandparents, parents, sister and her family, and one uncle and his family still live on the farm, as well as myself. two other uncles and their families use it as a weekend retreat (which they abuse to no end and contribute almost nothing).

farming went the way of the dodo when i was a kid. we've always kept some cows and a lot of horses (we're primarily an equestrian school now) but my dad is the only one in the family who wanted the farm to be anything other than pretty show ponies. i think he finally just gave up because he couldn't do it on his own.

luckily, i got the farming bug, although much later than my dad would have liked. now i'm the one that the whole family thinks is insane. they keep asking me why i would want to raise chickens and pigs when i have a perfectly good job that could keep me traveling almost year-round. i think it's been seeing how people all over the world are still connected to their foodways and cultures that got the ball rolling. but a lot of it has been my niece being born. i just can't imagine her growing up without the benefit of the traditions her mother and i grew up with.

and i want to eat good food that i know is grown and raised in a sustainable way.

 

[me&thegals]

I think parents who have expectations about the way their kids should live their adult lives are setting themselves up for disappointment.

I think you're spot on. I hope to develop this attitude before my kids reach adulthood, because I think I will have a hard time if we end up with nothing in common. I know they will become (and already are) their own selves, but it would be nice to share a few interests.

 

[bibliophile birds]

I think parents who have expectations about the way their kids should live their adult lives are setting themselves up for disappointment.

My only wish for my daughter is that she find what she loves and be able to do it.

It does not matter to me one bit if it happens to be the same things that I love or not. It's her life to live, not mine.

my dad always jokes about wondering where he went wrong to end up with a liberal daughter who runs off to Africa to help poor people and wants to convert the entire farm to organics...

i just remind him that when i was small he always said never to let anyone get in my way and that i could be and do anything i wanted. it was just his mistake to think that what i wanted would be something that made sense to him!

I know they will become (and already are) their own selves, but it would be nice to share a few interests.

my mom commented the other day about how, while i might not share any of herinterests, she's realizing that sharing some of mine is a lot of fun. she's taken up reading lately, which she never used to do and she's getting more and more interested in organics. just the other day (i don't think she knew i could hear her) she started rattling off the benefits of home-grown meats and telling her friend that she could soon buy them from me. it was really sweet.

 

[Diavolicchio]

If you raise your children with the hopes that they'll end up to be responsible, independent free-thinkers, then allow them to be.

If your greatest hope for your children is that they be HAPPY, then ALLOW them to be. Don't saddle them with YOUR expectations.

Trying to steer your child in the direction of what YOU want is no different than those lunatic pageant mothers forcing their miserable kids to win the contests that they themselves never could.

It's sad to watch.