Now that the PBS Broadcast "Frontier House" is over, I can say I really enjoyed this show. It kinda gave me some inspiration actually. Made me realize that our situation here isn't all that far removed from what they were doing. The one family - The Cune's (I think) were such cheaters...there was a half a dozen times I wanted to jump through the TV and SMACK them! If anyone of you are interested, I'm alot like the woman, Karen...but I'm not nearly as mean to my hubby as she was.....let me know what you thought about the show....

-- Harmony (harmonyfarm57@hotmail.com), May 02, 2002

Answers

OOOPS...guess I should have scanned down the post list before asking about the show.....sorry!

-- Harmony (harmonyfarm57@hotmail.com), May 02, 2002.

My kids said that I was just like Karen. I'm not sure if I should flattered or scared. The Clunes (California family) was a bunch of whiners. It was funny when Gordan was complaining that he was losing weight and feeling dizzy and exhausted. When they brought in an Army specialist to give an opinion, they determined he was dehydrated. He he had been so melodramatic about the fact he was dying of some awful illness and it was the fault of the way they ran the show. I enjoyed it and taped it. My son said it was a PBS version of Survivor.

-- Susan in MN (nanaboo@paulbunyan.net), May 02, 2002.

Well, I was on a biz trip in Shiprock, but HAD to make sure I was back at the motel by the time the show was on! I was hooked right from the beginning & thought it was loads of fun. Lots of food for thought, whether it be on homesteading in general or the participants' reactions to their situation, each other, kids, etc. Much better than 'Survivor'. I thought all the families showed a lot of creative engineering (even the still!) once the initial shock wore off and they had to pull themselves up by their bootstraps and realize, hey, this is REAL. Was amused by the kids' reactions, the shock of having NOTHING TO DO(!), and how most of their feelings had been swayed by the time they left. The parents, too. I was all teary eyed to see them leave. I don't think I would have gone back to the 'burbs after all the work I'd put into it! Thought a lot about the integrity the young Brooks couple showed. They were lucky with only themselves to worry about and no children. Good thinking on getting the goats instead of larger livestock. Absolutely LOVED the very inconvenient situation where the girls had to hike a mile to milk the cows in a freak snowstorm in damp clothes. How many times have any of us been inconvenienced by finding ourselves caught in a leaky, cold barn with during a sudden storm with a sick animal and no flashlight, jacket, vet, or WHATEVER... That was rough on them, but they lived... and they got their milk. Most people here at work have NO IDEA some of the down-and-dirty things I'm doing only a couple of hours before I get to work. Ahem. But, the WHINING of some of the adults! Geez! I was personally disgusted to see that their first emergency was: NO MAKEUP! Horrors. As for Karen and Mark, I think they had issues before they did the show; neither of them would give in, get in the harness and pull together. She was a bit of a 'w'itch and he was a big baby. Sigh. Hope they'll be able to recover.

We are ALL mezmerized by this world of instant gratification, fast food at our fingertips, being able to get 50 miles in under an hour, the information highway. It was a good lesson for everyone. debra in nm

-- debra in nm (goatgirl@unm.edu), May 02, 2002.

I was looking forward to what y'all were going to say about this show! It has given my family a lot to think about. I feel for the kids the most. Especially the boy, Logan, who found out he had an imagination, only to go back to "reality" and spend all his time with the Play Station. They didn't have to "go back", they could go ahead and do what a lot of the Countryside readers are doing - LIVING IT ALL THE TIME!!!! I don't think it was very realistic to expect the families to put so much work into something that was not really theirs. Maybe they should do a five year homestead show where the people get to keep the land when they are done!

-- Jeri (mboerger@itol.com), May 02, 2002.

My Hubby & I watched the whole of the Frontier Series. The concept was good & I wish they had given Lehman's credit for all of the stuff they got from their store for the pioneers to use in the series. We liked the young newly married couple the best & thought that they did the best with what they had. What really "T" us off was all of the whining & complaining that one family in particular did. Also the way the woman who claimed to be a Christian, but acted very unlike one especially to her husband. We were also disappointed how little it changed the rich folks way of life & how arrogant they were especially the husband cheating etc. What kind of example is he teaching to his children? And his arrogant reply to how they each were assessed on their ability to survive a 1800"s winter in Montana. How do these people qualify for a series like this? I am sure we all know at least one family who could have done this practically blindfolded?!

-- Jan Sears - Eastern Ontario (jcsears@magma.ca), May 02, 2002.

I wish the shows had dwelled more on the how to aspects instead of just the personal relationships. I think that since they were supposed to be like the 1880's the inability for the homesteaders to hunt was not very historical. I think that maybe the families should have received a goat that had been dressed out as I think the size would equal a deer fairly well at about the time interval that a real homestead family would have gone hunting. This would have also allowed people to learn how the homesteaders kept meat before refrigeration.

I liked the idea of a five year program. Did you get the five year time from the fact that was what it took for the homesteaders to get the full deed on thier property?

At least I am sure that this program got some people wondering if they could homestead. Wonder if this forum will get any new members from people who saw the program and went a searching on the internet.

-- gail missouri ozarks (gefozarks@centurytel.net), May 02, 2002.

Seems we all are pretty much in agreement about the show and the families. Wouldn't it be really great if we could get 10 - 20 "Forum Families" to do the same for a year...starting with what they already have and having other "Forum Families" do the judging and evaluating? I would be game, although I'd have a really hard time without my washing machine and running water....What would you have a hard time doing without? That series sure made me stop and think, I guess that was what it was supposed to do...eh? Thoughts to all...Harmony

-- Harmony (harmonyfarm57@hotmail.com), May 03, 2002.

No fresh food for months at a time. That isn't a problem in the summer, of course, but Montana winters are LONGGGG!

-- Terri (hooperterri@prodigy.net), May 03, 2002.

OH!!! I know that some people back then let fresh meat freeze, but no fresh fruit, vegetables, etc.

-- Terri (hooperterri@prodigy.net), May 03, 2002.