"Grandma survived the great depression because her food supply was local and she knew how to do stuff".
This viral meme keeps popping up in my feeds and it's not really true .. is it?
"Grandma survived the great depression because her food supply was local and she knew how to do stuff".
One part of me loves the message because yeah, I am going to be that grandma some day but the other part of me knows this is not really true. Not for everyone anyhow. Hundreds of thousands of people barely survived the great depression. The fact is, a lot of people were completely reliant on food stamps and the government system. They scraped together food, ate bread dipped in lard and stuffed newspaper in their shoes. Many had soil in their back gardens, could have done more, but they did not plant a single seed to help themselves.
Those that planted that seed, fared much better but they were not the majority!
My mom grow up in a family that was not self reliant. My dad grew up in one that was. Their childhoods and health are dramatically different as a result. This is a very important thing to consider. Being reliant on others for our basic needs is never an ideal situation. How will they care for you when times are bad?
My mantra is: If you want to see change for the better, you have to take matters into your own hands. This resonates through a lot of what I write about and this burns through me like a fire in my daily living.
Regardless of our past or our present lifestyles, or the choices of our ancestors, the fact is skills of self sufficiency empower us. The time and effort we put into learning these skills is something we can choose to do, regardless of circumstance. Knowledge is power and we live in a time where information is at our fingertips. There is nothing but ourselves stopping us.
You get to choose.
Building a greener, more beautiful world one seed at a time.
Homesteading | Gardening | Frugal Living | Preserving Food| From Scratch Cooking|
You can also find me at: walkerland.ca
Photo: grow food not lawns
Video: @walkerland
We have been brought up in a world where everything is available for a bit of cash. We have also been brought up to feel the mystery of things just being in the stores and are rarely challenged to think about where they come from. We also hear nothing but more government regulation telling us how we "can't" do this, that or the other to make ourselves more self-sufficient. It's time to take matters back into our own hands.
It is true that "grandma" had a supply chain - even the most self-reliant homesteader needs to know their limits and how to overcome them. We are a communal creature for a reason - if we can find others who have the skills we don't have (and make sure we have as many as we can get), then we will all be better off. So, those of us still stuck in city apartments must find other ways to help ensure survival in the future.
Thanks for your article.
Thanks for the comment. Your image is really nice. Where is that?
One skill at a time and stronger community and we'll all get there. I don't think where you live or how much land you have limits people that much. where there is a will there is a way right? :)
The image on my banner is from Spokane, Washington. I've moved around a bit and try to get decent pictures wherever I go!
And yes, where there is a will there is a way. If you don't have space to grow, you still can learn to forage.
I don't like overly-reductive statements like this, so I'm glad to see you feel similarly as far as how you perceive it!
Thank you! I enjoy our conversations and an quite interested in learning more from you. You'll have to slide over to Canada some time, I think you would have a blast with the crazy Canucks of the world.
I think so! @gardengirlcanada and @daveks are making a compelling case too :)
maybe a steemit convention for homesteaders!! :) :)
This is a great thought provoking piece ❤ i am a 'northern' Canadian too. And, growing up amongst homeateads of two Grandmas and one Great-Grandma, who survived the depression, taught me so much. The homestead I grew up on had a smaller garden then Grandma's did. We all spent time helping and shared harvests through winter. We also raised cattle and ate homegrown beef. The lesson's from Great-Grandma are so valuable. To prepare. Be prepared. Don't rely on government. Her fruit trees in north central Saskatchewan are still pleantyful today. I feel your fire @walkerland to grow and learn and take care of ourselves and our families and friends through our precious seeds, plants, land, trees and water ❤❤❤
Mu husbands family come from early Saskatchewan Settlers (from the Ukraine). I can't get enough of the stories they share. It was not easy to build a life on the Prairies. They are from the Rosthern area. We've got a family cabin up at Candle Lake near Price Albert. We used to head there every summer to escape our busy lives before we made it to our homestead. I love your story and would love the hear more about it!!
That's pretty cool! I graduated high scool and did a diploma program in PA! My aunt and uncle have a spot at Candle Lake! I grew up 70kms north of PA. Pretty much in the middle of nowhere! I go back all the time. My 82 yr old grandma is holding up the homestead solo. With help from family and friends of course but mainly on her own. Sadly, with increased addictions comes increase crime. A week ago today she endured home invasion from three young men strung out on meth. So sad. She'll be ok. But, will they? 🙏
For some reason i thought you're from the states. Just trying to keep all my newfound friends clear in my mind. (I am recovering from brain injury and i blame it on that 😁) i am hoping to get back to the land soon. When i am back on my feet again ❤
Really appreciate your reply! What a small world.
Holy smokes. I am so sorry that happened to your grandma. Sad all around to see what meth is doing to lives. So many impacted. :( We haven't been back to Sask in five years, the homestead kind of ties us down. Maybe this summer though as there is a wedding to attend :)
YES I am a Canuck. I come from the Northwest Territories but there's no farm type land up there and we wanted an acreage so we had to move "south" lol ...to me everything is south. I hope you get back on your feet soon @yogajill ♥
A really interesting discussion, esp from the perspective of an urbanite. I've actually pondered this a fair amount of late. That's part of why I've enjoyed reading the various comments. Seems we are all feeling our way through these 'new' times and the fact that there is no roadmap puts us in an odd position of learning cooperation, collaboration, and harmony. We are each so different with such varied gifts. I love that the trend to homesteading and owning land to care for is occurring now with ways to share that experience that our grandparents didn't have! Nothing is either or anymore - hooray!!! Thank you so much.
There really does seem to be a shift happening in the world. I have another blog (much neglected lately because of steemit) and I get a lot of comments and emails through that from people looking to live this life, asking for a tour of our homestead or asking for advice and feedback on their own plans. The growth of people within my own homesteading "circle" is growing rapidly. It is exciting to see this change and to be part of it . I would love to see a resurgence in real communities ...like what you see on little house on the prairie. I know this is a TV show but ... there was a time when community was so much tighter and capable of weathering even the worst of storms.
That is so interesting, hearing about the interest in what you have created. It seems that would be a really positive way to introduce others to a way to get started. You're really part of the leading edge of making this happen! I read every single one of those books, more than once! ;) It's still early in the shifting and will take many years to evolve....but it feels like a much brighter, happier way to live and far better for this beautiful planet.
I agree! It certainly gives me hope of a brighter future :)
Like most things in life, the meme is true for some people and not true for others. My Dad was born during the depression. He was the 4th child out of 7. They grew everything they ate, made their own medicine and sold extras to pay for the few things they could not produce themselves. So for me, the meme is true. I spent all my summers up on Sand Mountain, AL working on the farm and learning many of the things that made me who I am today. I am no longer physically able to do enough to try to run a homestead, so instead I spend my time sharing my knowledge and curating knowledge from the people who have the best chance to survive if/when it all falls apart.
I love that you are sharing and curating knowledge. So many people are wanting to learn new skills and today they can learn so much just by reading all of the carefully curated content available on-line.
Even ten years ago, it was hard to find this kind of information. Homesteading and all that it encompasses is a pretty powerful movement.