Homesteading

Introduction Modern homesteading, also known as the back-to-the-land movement or self sufficient living, is made up of a community of people seeking independence through small scale independent farming, food preservation, and crafting. The above-mentioned were the “modern worker, who dependent on wage or salary, lodged in city flat or closely built-up suburb and held to the daily grind by family demands or other complicating circumstances, has watched for a chance to escape the cramping limitations of his surroundings, to take his life into his own hands and live it in the country, in a decent, simple kindly way” (Nearing, 1970, p. 11). The information needs of these would be homesteaders and the modern homesteaders, include an orientation to this self reliant style of living, as well as aids that teach the skills required to live the lifestyle successfully. Their needs are met by reading the written biographies of other homesteaders and homesteading reference books as well as skill-specific books, internet websites, and joining online communities. Resources Researched-Based Information Resource Back to Basics: A Complete Guide to…

Methodology I have always had a fascination with homesteading. It began with my father’s stories of growing up on a homestead and his memories of the animals and the garden. His stories bloomed into reading autobiographies of homesteaders, such as The Good Life by Scott and Helen Nearing, and Hard Times in Paradise by David and Micki Colfax. These stories are what led me to live in rural Hawaii where many collect rain water, grow our own food, and have learned to be less consumer driven. While…

The modern homesteading community, is one of people seeking self-reliance and independence for a myriad of reasons through small scale independent farming and food preservation and crafting. The homesteader is more that just a famer and embodies a broad and contradictory spectrum of motives, affiliations, and material practices. (Wilbur, p.154). As Rebeca Kneale Gould states “the homesteader has converted to a new way of life in which the practice of everyday life is a chosen ‘answer’ to a…

While this homesteading program has ended, the desire to own a piece of land where one could be independent and self-sufficient has not. Today people are digging up their front yards and planting gardens, unplugging from the grid, and striving for a lifestyle and an ideology that is totally different than the one they know. They are the modern homesteader. The term modern homesteader or just simply homesteader is the most common used by researchers to define a group of people “leading a…

Homesteading in Montana became a way of life in 1862, several citizens from all around fled to Montana to claim land and began farming and ranching. Although this might sound easy there were many stipulations and processes in order to make homesteading possible. From families, wives, operations and much more led into the boom. “The ready available of free or inexpensive land and the new methods of dry farming made the Montana homestead boom possible” (Malone, Roeder and Lang 238). “Three…

Homesteading hacks save you time and money. They help you find creative ways to do things, even with items that you have never thought about. Below we delve into hacks for homesteading with almost no money. We will classify the hacks into different sections based on the home area they are applicable to: 1.The Garden Watering plants You can use the leftover water from boiling or steaming vegetables to water your garden. Boiling or steaming vegetables leave vitamins and minerals in the water.…

Name : Tutor: Course: Date: Homesteading Three major philosophies led to the homesteading in the United States of America. Three theories can be used to explain why homesteading took place in the United States. “Economic Determinism”, was put across by Frederick Turner. ”. It identified aspects of social progress that resulted in economic success of a country. Social progress was to be achieved through trade, ranching, intensive farming and agriculture. Most of the named aspects directly…

Historically, governments have encouraged homesteading with actual legal acts to encourage the migration to unpopulated, less desirable regions. There was usually government support offered for a specific length of time and/or until de- fined goals were reached. The modern homesteading social movement can be traced to the 1960s in America. It came as a reaction to rabid materialism and the intense “keeping up with the Joneses” mentality. The appeal is a simpler life and existing more in…

The homesteading lifestyle is not just about having a garden and some chickens. This diverse group of homesteaders, with different political views and economical class, all share an ideology that is not written a sacred text book with a list of rules. Authur Wilber said it best in his article when he said "the homesteader is more just a farmer and embodies a broad and contradictory spectrum of motives, affiliations, and material practices. (2013, p.154). Through their differences, homesteaders…

Homesteading: Do You Know What It Really Means Today The various Homestead acts, yes there were more than one, essentially gave an individual, called an applicant, ownership of land, with stipulations attached, without paying cash for it in the United States. The first act was signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln in 1862. A person was given a grant for 160 acres or 65 hectares, which was considered a one quarter section. People from all walks of life applied for the grants, and this…