Talking about Homesteading
Homesteading might mean different things to different people...the actual definition is rather general. " A house, especially a farmhouse, with adjoining buildings and land." No mention of how much land, or how many outbuilding. We have just under an acre, live within the city limits yet on the side of town that allows farm animals. We chose this house for that reason. Land that is well suited to a garden that provides a lot of our food. We have planted many fruit trees, nut trees, and berry bushes. We have had calves, sheep for wool, a pony for transportation and more than a dozen goats for meat and milk all at one time, not to mention chickens and ducks. We have a milk house, a chicken house and two small barns. One doesn't have to have 5 acres and have a R.R address to live a homesteading life. Our son lives way out in the "sticks" yet doesn't have any aspect of a country lifestyle besides his address ! Homesteading is an attitude too, along with the physical features. Its about a life style choice, one I can't seem to ever wander too far from because it is part of my core value system to live simply and enjoy the benefits of hard work. Its also about living "green". Not sucking the resources of this world dry. I like that we are not dependant on fossil fuels for our heating and cooking if the need arose. I like that the wind and sun dry our clothes and that so many of our vegetables are grown right here on our land, organic and not having to be trucked in. I grew up in the city, never having a pet. It never felt right to me. My dreams have become my reality and that is a wonderful thing.
Living for a few years without goats was hard for me in many ways. It felt like I was a traitor to my own dreams. My dear gentle man saw that and put things right for me. Took me by the hand and led me back to that magical place of dreams come true. That is love.
Our homestead through the years
Comments
Many in our area think we're "homesteading" because we get firewood and heat our house mostly with the woodstove.
We grow our own veggies in the summer. (and a little spring and winter crops too)
And we are one of the only ones who hang our clothes out!
Yep, we're Homesteadin' in the burbs! LOL
We live on 10 acres, but have restrictive covenants that don't allow for any livestock except horses and I can only have 2 horses per 5 acres. That last part is actually a good thing as I have a habit of collecting horses. This keeps me under control.
We live in a townhouse complex, and due to *coughbscough* covenants, we are restricted in what we can do. We are planning on planting some herbs and veggies, though, and we are cutting way back on our use of electricity.
We want a place with no such covenants and a little land some day. Hearing/reading stories like yours let me know it can happen, even if we don't end up out in the sticks like we'd like.
Plus your photos are always so lovely!
~JM
Although our town is officially a city, its pretty tiny and rural.
We have two sets of signal lights now and one gas station, a dollar store and a post office that might hold 6 people in the lobby. We can still get mail delivered even if it just has our name and the town. So the word "city" is a bit of a stretch !
Your posts are inspiring.
~JM