Inquiry to Homesteaders and Preppers- What Motivates you to do what you do?
I would like to get a discussion started, as I am truly curious about the primary thoughts, desires, and fears underneath your personal desire to be a homesteader and/or prepper.
Shared a post about this already? Please share it in the comments, I’d love to read it! Haven’t written about it yet? Maybe this will prompt you to! Please share a link to your post in the comments.
I know I’m about to throw a ton of questions at you, but please answer in the comments what you wish and leave the rest.
-Are you worried about the possibility of the collapse of society? Is part of you hoping it will happen?
-What steps have you taken to prepare you and your family for a possible collapse of society?
-What are your thoughts on the state of the environment/environmental protection?
-What steps have you taken to prepare for future possible environmental factors (pollution, weather, changes in climate)?
-How do you feel about the Earth?
-Are you worried about nuclear war?
-What steps have you taken to protect yourself and your family from nuclear fallout?
-Do you have a fear of “zombies” widespread disease?
-What steps have you taken to protect yourself and your family from disease?
-What are your ultimate goals/hopes with your homesteading/prepping efforts?
-What drives your homesteading or prepping?
-Does your homesteading/prepping come from a place of Love, Fear, or a bit of both?
-If you have children, how do you talk to your kids about this subject?
Thanks so much! I am truly looking forward to reading your replies and having a discussion!
Photo from the US National Archives. New Mexico. Mrs. Fidel Romero Proudly Exhibits Her Canned Food. 1946 https://catalog.archives.gov/id/513405
The driving force for me to start to be self sufficient was when my husband passed and left me with 3 kids under 13. I had to financially accommodate for his lost income and keep the mortgage going, so I said I have to feed these kids somehow, so I bought a freezer and a bag of soil and have not looked back since and that was 6.5 years ago. So my children made me do it. LOL
Wow! I am so sorry for your loss! I am in awe of your strength and perseverance!! Thank you for sharing this information with us. Your children are lucky to have you as their Momma. :)
Thank you.
I think most of the drive for us is the fact that we are animal lovers at heart. We are aware enough to understand that if we are going to eat meat as a part of our diet, then an animal must pay with its life, there is no avoiding that. But, we can avoid that animal having a miserable life while it is being raised, and that's what we endeavor to do.
We also enjoy the peace and quiet of acreage living, and what else are you going to do in your spare time with 25 acres of land at your disposal??
Oh yeah, I SO hear you on the animals as food thing. I was raised on a lot of venison, since my parents let a couple hunters hunt deer on their land, and they shared the meat with them. Then, in college I saw the movie "Earthlings" and went pescatarian for about 4 years (no meat, but I did eat seafood). Then, when I got pregnant I started craving meat something fierce. After a couple months I gave it and ate meat. I continued while breastfeeding. And, although I don't eat meat every meal or every day, I do still eat a fair amount of it. And, I still crave it....I went over 3 years without craving it, so it is strange to me to crave it now.... I, too, want to avoid animals having a miserable life....I buy organic as much as possible, but I need to do a better job of buying local, free-range meat. Thank you for bringing this up! And yes, there is nothing quite like the peace of living in the country.... :)
Upvoted but I'm too late to the post to resteem it.
I'm prepared and therefore I have nothing to fear. Most preppers I know are the least fearful people I know, and are the most prepared for a disaster. It is usually those who fail to prepare who go into full panic mode and paranoia when even a common disaster like a tornado, hurricane, or winter storm strikes.
It was only a couple of generations ago and this lifestyle was actually very common. So I'm not sure where the idea of "strange" or "fearful" or "paranoid" comes from when the mainstream media tries to paint a hyped up extreme picture of what preppers are. Maybe because hype and extreme sells shows like doomsday preppers. In reality, preppers are common people. A prepper can be defined simply as one who prepares. Nothing more, nothing less.
How prepared a person actually becomes is a personal choice. Some people simply store up some extra food and water while others focus on sustainable living.
In my opinion Humans are animals just like any other creature. We cannot destroy nature, because we are part of nature. But we can destroy ourselves and that is certainly worth prepping for. If we go too far in our destructiveness, then nature will eventually put us in our place and remind us of who is actually in control.
I love your perspective and am grateful for you joining the conversation!! Very good point about how prepping was a way of life a few generations ago. Following you now and looking forward to more conversations!
I am not so definitively describable as a "prepper" but I do many prepper things. For me it's a quest for knowledge about who I am through struggle. I keep my free ranging livestock and garden remotely and it has been a crazy challenge over the last 5 years. I don't fear a thing or want a thing as much as I simply "drive ahead" and try to plan for my comfort. I don't keep chairs where I work because I shouldn't be sitting kind of person. The topic intrigued me however :D
And besides, when you have lil fluff waiting for her special treats who can resist.
lil fluff on a stripped down rv frame - photo by @empath
Thanks for your response!! Lovely little fluff! We had some like her when I was growing up. :) I find what you said interesting: "it's quest for knowledge about who I am through struggle." Gardening and taking care of animals can be a lot of work. You mentioned "planning for your comfort." If you don't mind me asking, what does that comfort look like to you? Thanks for engaging!
I guess they are creature comforts like the example of garlic. I love to roast garlic for my girlfriend. Growing it took me failing the first time (didnt realize its one you plant in the fall.) But I feel comforted that I have learned and stepped out of that box.
Mmmmmm roasted garlic IS yummy!!
I have planted it is the spring, from the small leftovers from the previous year, and it does just as well as the garlic that was planted in the fall. Why do you say it was a failure?
I just have too short of a season. We were able to use the tops from the spring garlic but the fall planted garlic grows all winter and almost into July for me. Just before July I recognize that 5 leaves yellowed and harvest. I suppose they just werent the size that I had hoped for until I tried the fall plantings.
I recognize this size problem from our first garlic crops. Since then I have read about and tried to cut off the garlic scapes, or flowers, so the development goes into the garlic bulbs. That has made quite a difference in our short growing season in New Hampshire. I do like garlic and we have enough to keep all year in our "cold room" and the little ones that are left in the spring I just plant.
The scapes, already cut off for this year, I keep in a jar on the counter and chop up and add it whatever I am cooking most nights.
I love the idea of getting a conversation started and these are great questions @sylviategan! May I include this post in the next issue of the Weekly Homesteading Newsletter which is a series posted every Sunday that aims to help collect awesome articles and resources like this one! This article will be linked and your username featured if you accept - please let me know if it is alright to include your article as soon as possible! Thank you and have a great day!
Of course!!!!! I'd be honored!!!!!! I'm so glad you found this. I would be very interested to read your newsletter and am very honored to be included!! Thanks!!!!
Hey there! I just wanted to inform you that your article has been included and linked in the most recent issue of the Weekly Homesteading Newsletter! Please check it out if you have the time! Thank you and have a great day!
Thank you SO MUCH!! That's so super neat!! I hope it expands the conversation! I am excited to read the other articles you've included as well. Thank you!!
Absolutely and thank YOU!
I just wrote a post about why I homestead this morning. https://steemit.com/life/@sthomestead/homesteads-aren-t-fueled-by-rainbows-and-unicorn-farts
Oh awesome!!! Excited to read it!!! Thank you for linking it here. :)
My reasons are many. Mainly, I got tired of "keeping up with the Joneses". Paying more and more for food and clothing, etc. We almost never eat at restaurants. When we do go someplace "nice" and get a steak, I usually leave thinking how much better it would've tasted at home from my grill. I haven't mastered homesteading or hobby farming or gardening, but I learn constantly. My grandfather was a farmer who I barely knew (after he retired) and sometimes I think the thing is in my blood. Maybe some of us just have it in our nature as human beings. But I don't care much what people think about how I don't follow fashion and technology. Personally it amazes me when my coworkers are so timid and distrusting when they try fresh cow's milk I buy from the Amish. It's like they don't trust nature unless it has been destroyed first. As for disease and disaster, well, I'm a paramedic. These things happen to people all the time. It doesn't have to be the whole country. If it happens to your family it is catastrophic. Other than that, it is so peaceful sitting on my back porch right now. The sun is setting, the night bugs are humming, my 3 year old is playing fetch with the dog. What's not to love about country life?
You just sortof feel it calling, huh? :) I bet it IS in your blood. I don't like keeping up with the Joneses either. Seems silly. I would totally try Amish milk! Although, I don't really like milk that much...But I'd try it! You are SO right regarding disease/disaster "if it happens to your family it is catastrophic." So So true. All the more reason to support each other, build community, help one another. I think it's great you are a paramedic! You know what do in case of accident/injury! I bet your family feels safer knowing you've got that knowledge. Thanks for painting a mental picture of your peaceful evening. There is nothing quite like a summer sunset and happy kiddos. :)
My wife had never been a milk drinker but she loves the real thing. Personally I think a brownie isn't a brownie without milk. As far as being a paramedic, whenever we are at family functions there's always someone who says,"Well at least we have a paramedic here if anything goes bad" to which I respond, "Sorry, I'm off duty!" Lol.
Hahahaha! Great response!!!
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