What does a man do when he isn't busy assuring freedom for coming Generations? Well he farms and invents. Thomas Jefferson was quite a man. He was a farmer and many apple varieties were introduced by him. He was a scentist and you can go see some of his inventions here:

http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bljefferson.htm

The man of the 18th century was much more well rounded than the man of today. There wasn't this trend toward specialization. Rather all men considered themselves competent and capable of invention. Today we are specialized perhaps too much. We are Jack of one trade, master of one trade. As homesteaders we need to think like Thomas Jefferson. We need to look at our homesteads and see the potential for invention. Sometimes I think that in our society we are so inundated with technology that we believe it can't be done better. That is a mistake. If that was how the great inventors had thought we would have no technology.

Little Bit Farm

-- Little bit Farm (littlebit@farm.com), February 21, 2002

Answers

Yes, we are becoming very specialized. I am now taking courses to help in my job and for a later career prospect, called "Product Management" which is nothing more then knowing how to start,run and end a job. Homesteaders back 40 - 50 - 100 yrs ago were capable of doing many things and talked about many things. Even some of the others such as Franklin,Washington,Hamilton,etc. who were not homesteaders persay had gardens and such and yet all were very capable of handling war,politics,religion,work,inventions,etc. Jefferson also did not like cities and wanted a agrarian society. I wonder what this country would be like if we had followed his thinking?

-- TomK(mich) (tjk@cac.net), February 21, 2002.

Jefferson certainly was a gifted and extraordinary individual. (One of my favorite presidents) He also came from a very wealthy family and inherited some 2500 acres of land at the age of 14. More of a "gentleman farmer", I would say.

-- Bob (woods_hick@yahoo.com), February 21, 2002.

I love Monticello ! I go there 4 or 5 times a year. But what I most admired about Jefferson was that he was a true American. He died owing everyone to the equilivent tune of about 3 million bucks in todays market. I always said if you got to go than leave them in tears.

-- Joel Rosen (JoelnBecky@webtv.net), February 22, 2002.

"Question with boldness even the existence of a God, because, if there be one, he must more approve the homage of reason than that of blindfolded fear." TJ

-- paul (wprimeroselane@msn.com), February 22, 2002.

TJ was a deist, as were several of the 'founding fathers'.

-- Joe (CactusJoe001@AOL.com), February 22, 2002.

Joel: To TJ's benefit--it would be good to note that He inherited alot of debt from his father (and also father-in-law).

Not that he didn't like to spend.

What I don't think anyone has mentioned--is the tremendous research into plants and vegetables he made. You can buy his farm journals and they are just amazing. He loved to be brought seeds and plants from all over the world and was always noting their success or failure in his journal.

The gardens are just beautiful. I once saw a lady very covertly deadheading in the garden for seeds. It is very hard to control when you are a seed-saver:)

-- Ann Markson (tngreenacres@hotmail.com), February 22, 2002.

Unfortunately, I've only been able to go to Monticello just the once but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The house was very nice but it was the agricultural aspects that entranced me. I toured the garden and anything else related to agriculture that I could find twice and peppered the docents with questions in between their set spiels. They finally brought out the head gardener and he took me around for a while too. Alas, my wife and the friends that we were on the road trip with bodily dragged me away.

Virginia and North Florida doesn't share much in common in terms of climate and environment so much of what Jefferson grew won't grow at DunHagan but I'm slowly beginning to work on what will. Jefferson was responsible for a great deal of the agricultural progress of his day primarily for two reasons: He was *very* open minded to trying out new plants and ideas AND he kept excellent notes! The note keeping is something I need to work on myself.

Now if I just had a staff of slaves like he did to do all the heavy work so I could think and direct...

.......Alan.

-- Alan (athagan@atlantic.net), February 22, 2002.

Everyone has the potential to be a gifted and extraordinary individual. They just need to think beyond the scope of what they have been told. Our minds are only limited by the boundaries we place upon them ourselves. JD Belanger used to talk a lot about thinking outside the box. What is the Box in your mind? What do you have to think beyond?

Little Bit Farm

-- Little bit Farm (littlebit@farm.com), February 22, 2002.

oh he was a charming fellow. Many slaves (yes, inherited) and very strongly beleived to be the father of some 7 of them...Not that he would ever have admitted such a thing...egads....

-- Novina in ND (homespun@stellarnet.com), February 22, 2002.

Little Bit: You ask "What is the Box in your mind? What do you have to think beyond?"

The short answer is to challenge our own preconceptions about reality and ask our selves if we really have it "right" or correct. Ask lotsa "what if" questions. Stretch our thinking by slaughtering any and all sacred calves that inhibit our freedom of thought and try to look anew at everything.

I posted that piece about the prez of Pakistan. The advice he was giving his Muslim bretheren is good advice for us all.

Honest self appraisal is a good thing, regardless of whether we come from a backward nation or not. Thats one step to thinking outta the box.

-- john (natlivent@pcpros.net), February 22, 2002.