What is our favorite source of knowledge on homesteading? If we lived many years in the past, the answer would have probably been all of our neighbors. In a time not long gone by, if you didn't know how to do something, there was probably someone living nearby who did. Sure, you might have to walk a half-a-day to get to them, but they were there.
Your community living around you was a vast storehouse of knowledge accessible by anyone who had the need. As a whole, they knew how to do everything that needed to be done on a homestead. They weren't dependent upon a fragile system because that system didn't even exist for them. But, sadly, times have changed. There is no living older generation that has done this before. We have no neighbors with vast reservoirs of knowledge just waiting for us to come and listen.
Image taken from freeimages.com.
Indeed, books have certainly been immensely important. But at the same time, so many modern books on animal husbandry, agriculture, and other homesteading topics teach how to do these things in an unsustainable way that is completely dependent upon the system. They tell you to give them this certain feed, add this special supplement, raise this type of chicken that can't even survive to adulthood or reproduce. Other books are written by authors who are just writing about knowledge that they themselves don't have. For example, we were given a homesteading book as a gift that was written by a city person who was just interested in homesteading but had never actually even owned an animal or land. Certainly had pretty drawings in it though (which is probably why the gifter bought it for us). Of course there are older books, like the Foxfire series of books, that are filled with firsthand accounts of those with real knowledge from a long life, but they, too, fall short as they deal with a world that is long past. Almost all of the people of Foxfire talk about a community of neighbors willing to help each other out at the drop of a hat. A community that was necessary for the life they lived. Where does that exist in the world now?
So what is a modern homesteader to do? We have found the answer to be the dispersed homesteaders we have found online (originally through YouTube). These are people working on a homestead in TODAY'S world and culture. They are rediscovering what has been lost and sharing it openly with anyone willing to hear and learn. They are actually LIVING the life that they talk about. They are passionate, giving, and open. People like @mericanhomestead, @raincountry, and Doug and Stacy were the ones who inspired us the most on the nascent parts of our journey. And now there are many more to add to that list.
And, now, we hope to be part of that diverse group of stalwart people - embarking on a life once common but now mostly forgotten. So thank you, homesteaders, for YOU through the life you've been given are the greatest source of knowledge that we have.
Thanks to @kiaraantonoviche for putting together this challenge. It was enjoyable to get to take part.
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