Homesteading-A state of mind, NOT location
Posted by: TammyYep, I added a new category to the blog. HOMESTEADING! I think homesteading can mean different things to different people. I don’t live out in the middle of the boonies (well, for some of you city mice, it might seem that way 
) and we’re not completely self-sufficient. I love camping with my family too much during the summer to have farm animals again. My husband gives me “the look” when I talk about going off the grid in terms of electricity and heating. I had to find a happy middle ground for us.
That middle ground is what I’ve come to call suburban homesteading. I’ve decided to focus on what I can change and do what I can do in terms of self-sufficiency and/or store avoidance. I don’t have to buy wool socks, I can buy the wool from a local spinner (and thus support a local industry) and knit my own wool socks. I have a friend who is getting an angora goat and a spinning wheel. I could see trading off my homemade maple syrup for some of her angora wool down the road. I don’t have to buy maple syrup because that is something I can make myself, utilizing the maple trees on our 2.25 acres.
One of my forum members putting it perfectly. “Homesteading is a state of mind, NOT a location. It doesn’t have to be forty acres and no electrcity. You feel it in your heart, it speaks to you if you slow down and listen.”
I have to be honest. I grew up on a farm. I was born in the boonies. Homesteading has always spoken to me but for the longest time, I’ve tried not to listen. I’ve reaching a point in my life where I don’t want to NOT listen anymore. I’m following my heart more. I want to work my land more. I’m finding immense joy, satisfaction and fulfillment in knitting my own wool socks and canning up my own homegrown produce for my family. I’m learning how to do new things geared towards that fulfillment and satisfaction (making as much maple syrup as I did this year meant learning a few new things and trying new things).
I’ve been practical. I have a growing list of things I can change. Some examples:
-gardening-bigger garden, more canned and frozen produce for the winter
-fruits-more fruit plants on the property to meet our fruit needs
-maple syrup-mark all of our maples and lay out a better plan for larger collection point and a sugar house
-clothing-Can I make more of our clothing? I already frugally obtain all of it through thrift stores and sales but some things I can make like wool socks, mittens, scarves, hats, flannel PJ bottoms and tops, sweaters, knit vests. What else?
There are other things I WANT to change but it might push my dear husband over the edge. I wouldn’t mind adding a woodstove in place of our wasteful fireplace but he hates woodstoves. I would love to have solar hot water but he’s not sure it’s worth it (and our new Energy Star furnace sure is minimizing the oil bill along with our energy saving efforts). Again, it’s about changing what I can change to the extent that I can be happy without making my husband miserable.
Remember, it’s not location. It’s state of mind. Where is your state of mind?
March 22nd, 2009 at 7:06 pm
[...] Frugal Families Blog put an intriguing blog post on Homesteading-A state of mind, NOT locationHere’s a quick excerptYep, I added a new category to the blog. HOMESTEADING! I think homesteading can mean different things to different people. I don’t live out in the middle of the boonies (well, for some of you city mice, it might seem that way ) and we’re not completely self-sufficient. I love camping with my family too much during the summer to have farm animals again. My husband gives me “the look” when I talk about going off the grid in terms of electricity and heating. I had to find a happy middle g [...]
March 25th, 2009 at 3:47 am
This is quite a quote:
“Homesteading is a state of mind, NOT a location. It doesn’t have to be forty acres and no electrcity. You feel it in your heart, it speaks to you if you slow down and listen.”
Which is true. If you opt to live laidback like they do in the country side, you can do that without having to live the city. And yes, it’s purely a state of mind.
August 31st, 2009 at 7:18 pm
[...] Homesteading-A state of mind, NOT location - Frugal Families BlogIdeas for Frugal Living Yep, I added a new category to the blog. HOMESTEADING! I think homesteading can mean different things to different people. [...]