Old-Fashioned Blended With Modern Technology

In this day of the technology era, being a homesteader, even a "modern homesteader" sounds to others like you are living like the Amish or like they did in the 1800s. People will always say, "You are living old-fashioned." Nothing could be further from the truth. Even our own family members think that.............even though we know more about the new modern technology than they do!

I have quoted my husband many times, saying, "We are  not living old-fashioned at all, but of the future.............blending old ways with new technology and ways of the modern world. One of the ways of the modern world we are trying to overcome is in the use of gasoline. Fuels. Propane for our gas stove. Kerosene for our light in the evening. Gasoline for our chainsaw, generator and truck. Some day our dream is to own an electric vehicle and charge it with our own system.

We already use an electric lawn mower and garden cart. In the garden we use an old fashioned tool, the wheel hoe. No gas fumes coming from a rototiller on our garden beds or the person using it. Plus, no buying the gas to run it or all the maintenance to keep it running or all the break downs. I can even use the wheel hoe in my beds. Not to mention the modern technology of using solar for electricity. Now who can call that old-fashioned?

The chainsaw and the generator are two items that will be hard to replace. One item my husband keeps wanting to buy is the crosscut saw. He says it will be easier to use than a chainsaw and he won't have to buy the gas. I know many people would not want to use one because the chainsaw is quicker and less work. But the fumes from one is reason enough to not want to have to use one. They also take a lot of maintenance and money for repairs. Our chainsaw is a good one, but replacing the chains, sharpening chains, etc. would all be eliminated with the crosscut saw. My husband says he would enjoy cutting wood in silence immensely.

Using computers makes us able to keep on top of technology and ways to make our jobs easier. The jobs or tools we use that are old-fashioned are often being used by us because it is a better alternative. Just because a tool is manual or doesn't use any other energy source other than your hand power doesn't mean it is not a good alternative. You can pick and choose what you want to use for each job.

What about you? Are there any tools you use around your home, in the kitchen or outside that have been used in past and are considered old-fashioned? Why do you like them? I will be doing some future posts about some of the tools I use or that I have used or plan to use. Some will be old-fashioned or antiques. Some will be new modern technology. Let me know what you would like to use that you don't use. Maybe I can do some research on those too.

Copyright © 2011  Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2011  Kathleen G. Lupole

Colder Days Coming At Peaceful Forest

Snow Days

First of December and we are having a little bit of snow this morning. Just a gentle snowfall. It means our ground will be freezing and our horses will be very happy about that. Up till now, they have been walking in deep mud in their paddock. Once their ground freezes up and they smooth it out they will be set for the winter. Winter is their favorite time. They run around like fillies once it snows and the paddock is covered. Funny how animals can enjoy the simple things in life. Of course, we have to constantly be doing chores in snow or driving in it or keeping warm in it, etc.. Completely different for us as for them.

What pleases me about the freezing of the ground is that I will be able to store more food in my pantry due to the colder temperatures. Living without refrigeration makes me have to rely on either buying ice or using cold water from our well to keep foods cold. Usually we buy meat and eat it pretty fast like in one day or I can it. In the winter, I can store food for unlimited time periods. My pantry has a door going right down to my cellar and at the moment it is still open due to the work being done on it. It has kept my pantry colder than usual, but more like refrigerator temps.

We have decided to buy a crosscut saw for getting firewood. Buying gas and having the fumes in your face when using it is two things we really need to eliminate. We have been so happy with the purchase of our Neuton electric lawn mower and garden cart that anything we can do to rid ourselves of the need for gasoline is well worth it. As for me, I cannot cut a tree down, but I can cut small ones with a hand saw. So I am thinking of getting a couple of other types of hand saws that I can use easily.

We have never owned or used a rototiller for our garden. In 2002 when my husband was in a bad work related accident and could not plow up our garden, a coworker brought his rototiller over to plow it for us. Nice gesture. But taught me one thing.....I did not want to use one for my garden. You get all those fumes in your face when you are using it. Not what I had in my mind when putting in a garden. Now we only use our raised beds and no plowing needed.

In our kitchen most of our tools are the manual type. You will not find a microwave or an electric can opener here. I love my toaster that is just placed over the burner on the stove for toasting bread. Works quickly and is very dependable if you keep an eye on it. I think the way I do things would not appeal to most people as it is too slow or too much effort. Our society is based on people who are in a hurry.............for what I do not know. I like to enjoy what I am doing while I am doing it. It makes the process relaxing and satisfying. Maybe that is why I do not resent the work we have to do around here. It doesn't seem to be that much work unless someone else is here helping us and they say how hard it is. Then we say, "oh yeah, right. It is harder than using a machine."

I look forward to the day that all those jobs are easier, but that is not to say I am in a hurry to get things done. I have always enjoyed the time my husband spent out in the woods getting firewood. He would cut the tree down and cut the wood and I would transport it to the house. If it needed splitting, I would only take it as far as the wood pile. We have a routine we follow and that seems to make the jobs so much easier. Sometime daily, I have to get outside or to the barn for a breath of air so spending time out in the woods is the most relaxing thing for me to do. It is soothing to me.

When our house is finished it will be set up for easy living for us and that is what our aim is as we get older. Raised beds for food, easy access to the root cellar from outside or the pantry, easy to maintain the energy system and as our system increases we will barely have to run the electric start generator. Our biggest job will be caring for our horses and shoveling snow.

Have a wonderful December day and I will be back tomorrow.

Copyright © 2009 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2009  Kathleen G. Lupole

Updated 2020