Homesteading? The roots, the people..the lifestyle

[laurazone5]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homesteading

I am not a fan of wikipedia because it can be altered, but this is pretty much the definition.

Homesteading is a lifestyle of self-sufficiency.

It is characterized by subsistence agriculture, home preservation of food, and may also involve the small scale production of textiles, clothing, and craftwork for household use or sale.

Pursued in different ways around the world—and in different historical eras—homesteading is generally differentiated from rural village or commune living by isolation (either socially or physically) of the homestead.

Use of the term in the United States dates back to the Homestead Act (1862) and before.

Modern homesteaders often use renewable energy options including solar electricity and wind power.

Many also choose to plant and grow heirloom vegetables and to raise heritage livestock.

Homesteading is not defined by where someone lives, such as the city or the country, but by the lifestyle choices they make.

This sure does sound a lot like the 'hippies' of the 60's.
Not the drug trippin' free sexin', lazy no job havin' hippie, but the REAL ones......the folks that didn't trust 'the man' and worked the land, made and bartered their wares, lived communally.....
They were open minded insomuch that they knew what it felt like to be hated because of their appearance/life choices, making them more welcoming and loving towards others facing the same kind of discrimination/judgey behavior.

Am I in La La land and wrong about what homesteading really is???

[bowdonkey]

You're right on Laura.  IMHO, it was just a back to the land movement by city folk. Alot of misunderstanding and stereotypes attached to anyone remotely considered a hippie.

[laurazone5]

Hippies have non-materialistic values, and a commitment to peace and love.
They got their name because they were “hip" or aware of what was going on in the world around them.
The hippie movement grew out of the earlier beatnik movement, which was a group of nonconformists living in San Francisco.

I guess I would be a hippie!
I am 100% ok with that!!

The older I get the less hard line I am.
Maybe because of my life experiences?
Maybe because I'm tired of strife, hate and divisions.
Maybe because I've walked a few miles in shoes that wore down till my feet bled, and woke up to my hard line ways?
Maybe because God took me down that Damascus road, so I would truly, look Up.

When I put my bare feet in the grass, my hands in the soil, the smell of earth, compost, rich green plants, burning leaves........it soothes my soul, energizes me to carry on; puts me in touch with what's real, good and right.
When I work my a double off all day (in the yard, at work, etc) and fall into bed, there is a deep satisfaction in my 'hurt so good'.

Maybe I'm just a weirdo!

[grandmotherbear]

Florida has a homesteading law. It is applied to the value of the home that is your primary residence. Nothing like what we talk about here.
Laura- glad to see you posting since I have been gone so long

[tenbusybees]

Back-to-the-land and Love-fest. Two different ideologies and goals, yet both the counter culture of the day. Both with long hair, and minimal hygiene. Which is probably how they got lumped together with one name.

I know my grandma thought that way. She even said Willie Nelson was "a dirty hippie" that she could listen to all day long, "as long as I don't have to look at him." 😂

[Woodpecker]

I’m an original hippie. I grew up on a small farm with chickens, one cow, and numerous cats & dogs and large gardens. Just because I was a hippie, with all the other hippies at Woodstock....1969 doesn’t mean anything. When I moved out of my parents into an apartment, I had as big of a vegetable garden as my dad did.

I’ve been in my home since 1983. We always had a garden. My girl loved planting veggies from seed. We still hang our clothes on the line. Things people just don’t do here anymore.

I was more of a homesteader when I was young and lived at home. I don’t can vegetables, dehydrate, or any of that. To me a homesteader lives off his land. We don’t go that far these days.

BTW...I knew many hippies and none of them were dirty! 😜 that’s a broad statement.

[bowdonkey]

Even though I was never a hippie, I leaned pretty heavy toward their "free love" doctrine. 

[Jolly]

No hippie here, just raised stone cold country.

[Deleted]

I grew up on a subsistence farm, the hippies that showed up never wanted to help, all they wanted to do was wander the cow pasture and if/when you asked them to pitch in, they would say "just sharing man" and wander off....James