me&thegals
A Major Squash & Pumpkin Lover
Well said, Farmfresh!
Not Happy with SS?
- Thread starter FarmerChick
- Start date
Grandma Goldie
Power Conserver
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I couldn't agree more.
delia_peterson
Covered in Compost
2dream said:
2dream
Flibbertigibbet
I have been going back through some of the post including mine.
I do love this lifestyle. It is one I have chosen. I think living with animals, gardens, etc is exactly that A LIFESTYLE. If you want to travel and take long vacations its not really possible unless you have someone to fill in the gaps. Some folks are lucky to have fill in help. Most are not.
It really got me to thinking about how it really use to be. Kids grew up and left home as early as 15 or 16 years old and in some cases younger. Parents may never see or hear from them again. Sometimes a letter was recieved every few years. But visits were rare even if they only lived what we now consider a few hours away, because a few hours to us was days to wagon travel. Social gatherings were rare except for Sunday services and those were not every Sunday. Sometimes Church was by a circuit preacher who showed up once a month or so.
Going to town was an all day affair and sometimes longer depending on how far out you were.
I have a cousin who was a dairy farmer. He and his family never had a vacation. They milked 7 days a week 365 days a year. There were no days off. Their two boys grew up there, married, and built houses there on the dairy farm. Even though my cousin died, of a heart attack milking cows, and the oldest boy died after being struck by lightening walking to the barn to milk cows, its still up and running. Not one of them seems to find their life strange or deprived. The few times I got to visit them they were the happiest folks I have ever met. No one complained about the life. Its what they chose for themselves and the boys chose to stay with it. It was more than a way to make a living. It was their life.
So I think chosing to strive for those types of lifestyles you give up much but you gain much as well. Its just not for everyone.
I do love this lifestyle. It is one I have chosen. I think living with animals, gardens, etc is exactly that A LIFESTYLE. If you want to travel and take long vacations its not really possible unless you have someone to fill in the gaps. Some folks are lucky to have fill in help. Most are not.
It really got me to thinking about how it really use to be. Kids grew up and left home as early as 15 or 16 years old and in some cases younger. Parents may never see or hear from them again. Sometimes a letter was recieved every few years. But visits were rare even if they only lived what we now consider a few hours away, because a few hours to us was days to wagon travel. Social gatherings were rare except for Sunday services and those were not every Sunday. Sometimes Church was by a circuit preacher who showed up once a month or so.
Going to town was an all day affair and sometimes longer depending on how far out you were.
I have a cousin who was a dairy farmer. He and his family never had a vacation. They milked 7 days a week 365 days a year. There were no days off. Their two boys grew up there, married, and built houses there on the dairy farm. Even though my cousin died, of a heart attack milking cows, and the oldest boy died after being struck by lightening walking to the barn to milk cows, its still up and running. Not one of them seems to find their life strange or deprived. The few times I got to visit them they were the happiest folks I have ever met. No one complained about the life. Its what they chose for themselves and the boys chose to stay with it. It was more than a way to make a living. It was their life.
So I think chosing to strive for those types of lifestyles you give up much but you gain much as well. Its just not for everyone.
old fashioned
Almost Self-Reliant
For so many years I dreamed of a self sufficient/pioneering life always wanting to grow my own meats, fruit, veggies, etc. even growing the grain and feed for livestock animals and only going to the store for staple goods (sugar, coffee, chocolate-very important 
, etc). But I've always lived in or near city or suburb. I always thought it would save alot of money, but when I've thought more about it, I'm not so sure. The cost nowadays to get enough land, materials to build house, barns, fences etc. initial seeds and trees, equipment for planting, harvesting, processing and whatever else to get started could pinch even the richest. Though true once these are done, costs would be much less but still could be a financial risk- crop failures, animal injuries/sickness/disease, even people health could break the farm bank. One person down could mean ruin especially with limited or no 911 services in more rural areas. One missed placed lightening spark or overheated outlet could burn it all to the ground, loosing everything.
With all the scary negatives out of the way, there is still alot of great tings too. Like being able to look out the window and see what sustains you, knowing where your food comes from, and knowing exactly what is in your food because you put it there. Knowing your kids aren't being pumped with added hormones, chemicals, additives or preservatives, etc and they are just healthy, normal, very active, curious and lovable. IMVHO all those strange things added to store bought/commercial food stuffs have a profound effect on behavior problems/mental health issues in kids (and adults) like ADHD, OCD, Bipolar etc. but not neccesarily the only contributing factors. Also too much tv, video games and "bored with nothing to do". I admit I may very well be wrong in this idea and I'm sure there really are some instances of real medical base, but I've seen so many kids (including my own) having these kind of problems and instead of changing their lifestyles (food and activities) alot of parents insist on the doctors "labeling and medicating" their kids. And the medication isn't so much for the kids as it is to calm the kids enough for the stressed parents to cope with. I have refused to label my kids as such and nor do I medicate them. I do know they are more difficult when we've eaten more processed, store bought foods and with more screen time than when these are limited or non existant like in the summer time. Good weather equals go out to play, run, bike, fresh garden foods and easier, more attentative kids. Colder weather does bring more inside time and more store bought and more problems. All another good reason for the farm idea, my kids have some chores now but would have even more with farm. But since I'll soon be 50, I'm thinking I'm getting a bit old
for such hard work, and the kids will be gone in 10 years, dh and I would be 60 and it would all be too much for us. I would aleast like to have those 10 years. Oh well, enough dreaming with mouth run a muck and I'll get down off my soap box now. No offense intended to anyone, just my thoughts for whatever they're worth.
, etc). But I've always lived in or near city or suburb. I always thought it would save alot of money, but when I've thought more about it, I'm not so sure. The cost nowadays to get enough land, materials to build house, barns, fences etc. initial seeds and trees, equipment for planting, harvesting, processing and whatever else to get started could pinch even the richest. Though true once these are done, costs would be much less but still could be a financial risk- crop failures, animal injuries/sickness/disease, even people health could break the farm bank. One person down could mean ruin especially with limited or no 911 services in more rural areas. One missed placed lightening spark or overheated outlet could burn it all to the ground, loosing everything. With all the scary negatives out of the way, there is still alot of great tings too. Like being able to look out the window and see what sustains you, knowing where your food comes from, and knowing exactly what is in your food because you put it there. Knowing your kids aren't being pumped with added hormones, chemicals, additives or preservatives, etc and they are just healthy, normal, very active, curious and lovable. IMVHO all those strange things added to store bought/commercial food stuffs have a profound effect on behavior problems/mental health issues in kids (and adults) like ADHD, OCD, Bipolar etc. but not neccesarily the only contributing factors. Also too much tv, video games and "bored with nothing to do". I admit I may very well be wrong in this idea and I'm sure there really are some instances of real medical base, but I've seen so many kids (including my own) having these kind of problems and instead of changing their lifestyles (food and activities) alot of parents insist on the doctors "labeling and medicating" their kids. And the medication isn't so much for the kids as it is to calm the kids enough for the stressed parents to cope with. I have refused to label my kids as such and nor do I medicate them. I do know they are more difficult when we've eaten more processed, store bought foods and with more screen time than when these are limited or non existant like in the summer time. Good weather equals go out to play, run, bike, fresh garden foods and easier, more attentative kids. Colder weather does bring more inside time and more store bought and more problems. All another good reason for the farm idea, my kids have some chores now but would have even more with farm. But since I'll soon be 50, I'm thinking I'm getting a bit old
for such hard work, and the kids will be gone in 10 years, dh and I would be 60 and it would all be too much for us. I would aleast like to have those 10 years. Oh well, enough dreaming with mouth run a muck and I'll get down off my soap box now. No offense intended to anyone, just my thoughts for whatever they're worth.- Thread starter
- #55
FarmerChick
Super Self-Sufficient
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If younger----oh what I would do.
but for me now, nearing 50, I will not head into total off grid SS lifestyle.
Not even going to try.
I will conserve, do my homemade foods, save money and resources, live as simple as possible (and that means cutting down on animals on the farm definitely)
never give up the farming type life, but will live with conveniences that make my life easier.
I will never haul wood when older for a woodstove, won't ever hoe a garden (my rototillers etc do that work
) and do as much with technology as I can without going overboard in use.
I am looking for that happy medium definitely. No more worrying about "how far I can go into SS and all that mess"----I need to just "find simple"---to me, finding simple and doing it easy is my new career..HA HA
great posts on this thread definitely!!! I loved reading it!!
but for me now, nearing 50, I will not head into total off grid SS lifestyle.
Not even going to try.
I will conserve, do my homemade foods, save money and resources, live as simple as possible (and that means cutting down on animals on the farm definitely)
never give up the farming type life, but will live with conveniences that make my life easier.
I will never haul wood when older for a woodstove, won't ever hoe a garden (my rototillers etc do that work
) and do as much with technology as I can without going overboard in use.I am looking for that happy medium definitely. No more worrying about "how far I can go into SS and all that mess"----I need to just "find simple"---to me, finding simple and doing it easy is my new career..HA HA
great posts on this thread definitely!!! I loved reading it!!
