What is about your homesteading life that gives you the most joy?

For me, it is first of all, the animals. My sheep, my chickens, my dogs... there's no mind games, they're just happy to see you, and they're easy to please. Food, shelter, and fresh water, and they're happy. No jumping through hoops at all.

The next is all the fresh, natural food that I am able to feed my family. Food minutes, or hours, from the ground to the table. Fresh, healthy, whole and full of nutrition that I have grown and produced myself. After that would be knowing that the excess of what I have can be given to my elderly mother who is independent and loathe to accept help of any kind from anyone. This is one that i can help her out, by making her believe that she is helping me out, by taking excess food off my hands.

Being a stewart of God's good earth, and taking care of my little corner of it. Living lightly on the land, and giving back where I can. I can't change the world, but I can make my little corner the best that it can be. I can do my part to take care of me and mine, and after that reach out to those in the community who are in need.

Last, but not least, is being able to teach our kids a lifestyle that is vanishing. Our kids have, by necessity, played a vital role in running our ranch. We depended on them alot, and could not have done it without them, as my husband has had to work out to make a go of it. Our kids have learned alot of valuable skills over the years; Mechanicing, welding, haying, calving, lambing, fencing, irrigating, you name it... all the things it takes to make a ranch run smoothly. I think that all that has contributed to them making responsible choices for their own lives, and I am proud of them for the choices they have made!!!

-- (trigger@mcn.net), August 23, 2000

Answers

All those things that are mentioned above I agree with ! I must also add political assylum. One small piece of earth that is not altered by a concensus of greedy fools who seem to think that I am too stupid to think or act for myself. I once said that I wanted 500 yards of "kill space" and I settled for 100. I often pondered that many homesteaders were political or intelligent refugees and this forum proved that to be the case. While we say we love food, animals,organic farming, religious freedom and homeschooling in one voice there is a second voice of rugged independence that shines through our words.

I read Kens article in Countryside(Neighbors) and I was a Pioneer Neighbor. I was proud to be one and if labels apply than hang that one on me. I hope I have taught my children the joys of homesteading. That is--I can do it myself, I can make work what others said was broken and contrary to popular belief I don't need anyone to agree with me to know I'm right.

I pray that I can die in peace on this little piece of land without having to fight governments, principalities and darkness. However, even while I type this, I have been interupted several times by a great storm building over Texas but that problem is for a different post. It is very probable that we are a vanishing breed ! I wonder what the people "who knew it all" will eat when there are no more farms to grow them food ? I only know that my homestead gave me assylum from a world gone mad.

-- Joel Rosen (Joel681@webtv.net), August 23, 2000.

Joel, you are one awesome guy. It seemed really important that I tell you that. People like you prove to me that I am headed in the right direction. Thanks. Cathy in N.Y.

-- Cathy Horn (hrnofplnty@webtv.net), August 23, 2000.

Good question, Joel..."what will the know it alls do...?" I am always so surprised at the ignorance of the kids at the school that I work at, and it is a country school! They haven't picked food out of gardens, and think milk comes from plastic jugs at the grocery store. Sad....

-- Leann Banta (thelionandlamb@hotmail.com), August 23, 2000.

Teaching my son part of what I know (not all, just part. My daddy told me he taught me all I know, not everything he knew. I thought he did it to stay ahead of me, but now I understand, you keep the young ones wondering and they look for information on their own and share it with you to show their accomplishment). When I see him wearing bibs instead of "big butt baggies" and fighting weeds instead of the kids down the street, I figure our lifestyle is worth it. When I see him sleeping at night with a smile on his face and an arm around our hound dog after working the garden harvest all day with his mother and I, I KNOW that weve chosen the right lifestyle.

-- Jay Blair (jayblair678@yahoo.com), August 28, 2000.