No Rules For Homesteading Anywhere You Want To!
One thing I see time and time again on homesteading forums and magazines is the question, "how can you be homesteaders if you are using a computer?" Okay, I can come back with, "how can you be a homesteader if you are using a motor vehicle, a refrigerator, paying an electric bill or buying food from the grocery store?" What I have said right from the start is, "there are NO rules to be a homesteader!" You can live anywhere and do whatever you want. If you want to be or consider yourself a homesteader, than you are one. Yes, the idea situation would be no bills from electric or fuel companies. All your food comes from your land as in gardens and livestock. But even back in the day, they still bought flour and sugar and other supplies.
I have been working on a fictional book from a blog I started as just fun. And since it takes place in the 1830s, I have had to learn and do research about the things they used and how they lived. Our house was built back in 1850, and I could see how they used the root cellar and pantry in connection with each other to store food. They just learned to do what needed to be done. Our house had much more land with it back then. And in fact, was known as the old Tucker farm. According to the old deeds we have, there was also a sawmill on the property and we know there was a big barn. Nothing is left of either now. All over in the state land around us are old foundations. We could see it was a thriving community at one time.
Once a bustling community.......now gone.
Now it is all hunting camps, our neighbor up the road and us. I like it that way, but I like to imagine all the bustling of the surrounding area in those days. I have researched my area and have read how the people sort of forced the Indians out of the area. Not for any reason except they were afraid of them and thought of them as savages, not as people. Across the road from us and through the woods, you come to the creek as it comes around a bend and there is the ruins of an old mill. It is a beautiful setting. If I had my choice, that is where I would have built a house. With no road to it. It would have been a nice setting to live this life in.
Modern Technology For Modern Homesteaders
Anyway, in answer to the question about using a computer......well, I am a modern homesteader. I like technology. I like using computers and mine are powered by my solar system. They go hand in hand. If you have to drive to a library to use the internet or borrow a book, you are wasting time away from your homestead. I find that I have more friends into homesteading than I would ever personally know in my area. Lots of farmers, but that is not the same. Books and magazine are outdated the day they are published and for sale. The internet is constant. New information and new contacts by the minute.I can run a home based business because of my computers and internet and never leave my homestead to do it. I can check what is wrong with my horse or chicken by going to Google or Homesteading Today to ask someone. It is a whole new world out there just waiting for us! Every day when we fire up our solar system and turn on the laptops we have the entire world before us. Sometimes, I have sales that came in while we were sleeping........now that is definitely, modern homesteading!
Copyright © 2010 Kathleen G. Lupole
All Photographs Copyright © 2010 Kathleen G. Lupole
3 comments:
How exciting and fun to dream of doing something like this and to think you're actually doing it. :)
Katlupe, you sound so serene and content with your choosen life and that makes me truly happy. Not alot of people live the life they want. Hugs to you
I love that you mix modern and old fashioned! :)
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