How many people do you know who homestead within ten miles of your home? i have been re-reading some of the Foxfire books. I think one of the biggest obstacles to homesteaders and community is that there is so much distance between likeminded individuals. We don't have a wider community to depend upon as much as they did back when. Here in Oklahoma, I think we are getting closer, thanks to local homesteading e-groups. As a result of these groups many of us are beginning to make connections. However, it is still really hard to find that with our immediate neighbors. It is definitely a process I want to focus greater attention on. It requires developing relationships with people who have agricultural interests and then sharing knowledge, labor, and time. By doing this, we become stornger individually as well. In reading the Foxfire books I notice that in early Appalachian independence was gained through an interdependence as well. It is much harder to develop this interdependence today than it was then. For one reason, this is a much busier society than existed then. People just don't have the time for one another, as they once did.

Little Bit Farm

-- Little Bit Farm (littlebit@itlnet.net), October 21, 2003

Answers

One of the ways I meet people is when I go to purchase animals from them or some other farm related product. However, believe it or not, even that was easier in Southern California, because the only people raising animals were those with a homestead mentality. Here, there are a lot more career farmers. People who have no time for small time homesteaders. I am still getting used to that.

Little bit Farm

-- Little Bit Farm (littlebit@brightok.net), October 22, 2003.

And then there are the isolationist homesteaders. I guess I believe that community is important. I don't think it is absolutely necessary, beyond the provision of things I can't supply. However, God made man to be social individuals. I don't think sharing work, and friendship is too great a threat upon my individuality. I am unthreatened by people who may not share all of the same principles of homesteading that I believe in. I also think there is room for people to grow. As for niche markets, It would take a lot of homesteaders to crowd me out. Not only that, but in early communities of settlers, there was the same threat. However, people managed to develop skills that not every person was interested in. There were basket makers, and blacksmiths, chairmakers, and bakers. I just don't see two or three people all selling eggs in the same community as such a problem. More importantly rural community helps guarantee the success of all those involved. For when Joe Farmer becomes sick or needs a vacation, there are others who in the spirit of reciprocity who can assist. It also makes large projects easier, and small projects more entertaining. Now that doesn't mean that I want to live in an intentional community. I want unintentional community, not so much for what others can do for me, but for friendship, ministry, and cooperation. I know that there are those who attempt to take advantage of others. However, it is part of life that you have to develop a sense of recognizing and understanding other people's motives. This is not too hard, if you are looking. An example of this is our local e-mail list. It is very easy after you watch a person's responses to sense who is trying to take advantage. You don't have to read for long, before you notice trends. Like someone who always seems to take any free animals they can get their hands on and then turn around and sells those gifts within a few days or a month. You must exercise good sense, and not associate with those who seem to be taking advantage.

Little bit Farm

-- Little Bit Farm (littlebit@brightok.net), October 24, 2003.

Some of it may be a self-imposed isolation on the part of people today. If you spend all day with other people at work, you may look upon your home/land as a place to "get away from everyone", particularly if you have a very long commute. And, when it is so easy to converse via e-mail, people get lazy and don't want to go visit, and e- mail is attractive in the sense that you aren't wasting gas driving anywhere.

Also, I think people have kind of confused friendship and business relationships, because as you point out, they have become too busy.

Read Working Woman Magazine for example. Every so often they'll publish something saying you should seek out and become friends with other (preferably SAHMs, because, after all, you're WORKING ;0 ) mothers of children so that you can rely on them for back-up childcare among other things. I find that simply appalling (they do say to do something nice in return, but that's 'way at the end of the article). There's a big difference between sharing several common interests/goals, and deliberately seeking someone out for what they can do for you. Just because you both have children (for example) is not enough to build or necessarily even begin a good relationship.

I think that our sue-happy society is also to blame. Look at how many people are afraid of even letting repair people on their property these days. Such an attitude is not conducive of building relationships either, which is sad.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), October 22, 2003.

I don't really know how to FIND homesteaders near me! Most of the folks out here with an acreage just want to live in the country or are married to farmers and regard themselves as SAHM's.

And, when I DO see someone with goats or whatever, I have no idea how to meet them in a social way, really. I go to beekeepers meeting once a month, but those folks are really not homesteaders.

-- Terri (hooperterri@prodigy.net), October 22, 2003.

I guess too, it depends upon what a person's definition of "homesteading" is. Is it bound up with farming as your sole livelihood, or is there room for a "hobby farmer", or someone who owns one or two goats as pets to keep the weeds down, or the beekeepers? Or people who may not farm their acreage or have animals on it, but at least thank God they aren't turning it over to strip mining or into suburbia?

Or is it just an independent way of thinking in general, which would include a lot more people?

Terri, what you might do is post a note on a community bulletin board in your library or church and see if you can set up a meeting that way, or if you haven't done so already, join the Grange. You might even be able to place a free ad in your local paper in the community section.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), October 22, 2003.

I have no desire or need to find any like minded people in my region. I have developed my lifestyle to be as self relient as possible to my standards utilizing my own skills and talents. My experience with facade homesteaders is that they will encroach on your success "in the spirit of community and like mindedness" and often negatively affect any niche markets of income that you have developed. True homesteaders on the other hand, do not rely on close community to fuel their success and do not actively seek such environments. We are the type that will share information with facade homesteaders in an effort to assist them in their own growth away from our regions and wish them well in their quest , however we dont invite anyone to live in our region. If they come to our area , they do so as a result of their own development not a community assisted facade environment.

-- Jay Blair in N. A (jayblair678@yahoo.com), October 24, 2003.

What is the happy medium?

Maybe the interdependence is of a different sort? We go to the store because for us it is easier than trying to do it ourselves. That is the same with providing any modern service, for example the internet. Why is a computer programmer sneered at because he doesn't grow his own food, raise animals, etc. He is still providing a needed service--we can't provide our own internet. Money is what makes it all possible for people to exchange one service for another.

One can only be self-reliant up to a point. I doubt that even most homesteaders would go back to pre-industrial living unless there were some total disaster. Would we have all of our modern conveniences if everybody was still handknitting or weaving all of their own clothing, etc. No....

So, I think people are still interdependent, but not necessarily locally, and certainly without the face-to-face contact of old.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), October 24, 2003.

We have several homesteaders near us, all doing different things. We do talk some and go to each other with problems and possible solutions but we do not get together on a regulay basis. I may not see another homesteading family for 6 months and then see them 4 times in a week. We like bieng alone but it is nice to have someone close if needed Joanie

-- Joanie (ber-gust@prodigy.net), October 27, 2003.

We only know of two families (and one is moving)within a ten miles from our home that have the homesteading "mindset". Others that we know of, are further away.

GT said So, "I think people are still interdependent, but not necessarily locally, and certainly without the face-to-face contact of old."

That face to face contact is what some of us long for. Times of working with friends at our sides is what I'd love to be able to do, such as having quilting bees, taking turns butchering hogs at several different homesteads, preparing fruits and vegetables to can, etc. We no longer not only don't have multigenerations living at home, where there were at least two women working together, but most people close by are not interested in ANY of the activities that we are. I have no daughters either and sometimes become weary working by myself.

-- Terry - NW Ohio (aunt_tm@hotmail.com), October 28, 2003.

Terry,

I think the multigenerations living together are going by the wayside fast--what with women waiting until later to have children (and I saw something on the news that showed one couple waiting so long that they said they were skipping a generation and having their own grandchildren!), they won't be around in many cases when these children come of age, lots of kids champing at the bit to leave at 18 (unless they have free room and board at home, then they won't leave ;-) ), and the older generation not wanting to move in with the kids (and grandkids) and either be a problem or have to deal with their problems. My parents said we could always come home, and we were there when they needed us, but not everyone is like that. All of those people who chose not to have children will have no family to pass memories on to.

I think you have to pick your activities--and you'll probably have more luck with quilting than butchering. You might even think about taking the courses to be a Master Gardener and the equivalent in Home Economics, and you should be able to meet some people that way. Maybe also become active in your local county and state fair groups as well.

At least with email, you can at least talk to people, and while it is not the same as face to face, it is better than nothing. The internet is a wonderful thing, both for easy research and meeting new friends.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), October 28, 2003.

GT,

You said:

"At least with email, you can at least talk to people, and while it is not the same as face to face, it is better than nothing. The internet is a wonderful thing, both for easy research and meeting new friends."

This is so true and I appreciate that access every day.

My husband and I were just discussing, last night, how nice it must have been to be so much a part of a community. So many of the "fun" activities were tied into what already needed to be done (quilting bees, butchering hogs, pressing apples, etc.) and most people even attended the same church. In our day, Dad has at least eight hours plus commuting time associated with his job and then there are special activities through the workplace that he is sometimes obligated (or feels that way) to attend (usually without children), then the older children might have outside jobs with a separate set of friends and activites. If you want to help in your community then there is more time spent away from home and also separate church activities for each member of the family. Whew! That tires me out just talking about it, especially since this is on top of running a home with it's chores and duties needing attention.

Our family is not involved in some of these activites right now due to time restraints, job hours and health problems but we have been in the past and it is indeed a strain on family life.

-- Terry - NW Ohio (aunt_tm@hotmail.com), November 05, 2003.

Terry, I look for activities where you can help out and still stay home. I like to knit baby hats for our local crisis pregnancy center (little ones permitting, lol). Another thing I used to do was address/stamp envelopes for recitals for a lady who sponsored up-and-coming students of opera. Even a seemingly small thing like writing a letter to the editor of your paper--how many times have you read one and thought, "Gee, I could have written that!" Or when they ask for public comments on this or that issue, take the time to make one.

I also think too that it is better to concentrate on one or two activities rather than a lot of them. And family comes first.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), November 05, 2003.

Hi GT,

That happens to be one I'm getting started with too, a group here in Ohio that makes a lot of items for premature babies - knitted, crocheted and sewn. I think I can manage the crocheted hat :-), even with my limited skill in crocheting.

Our youngest son, 15 years old, has Down Syndrom and he loves people. Even though this will take us away from home, we plan to start going for visits to a nursing home. He is very gentle with the older people and both he and they will benefit (and me too!) I hope we might be able to take our little sheltie to visit sometimes too, for those that enjoy animals.

-- Terry - NW Ohio (aunt_tm@hotmail.com), November 05, 2003.