Four Years Ago...And turning to Homesteading

Yep, four years since blogging was in my priorities. It's amazing how life is like a book. One chapter begins and before you know it, it ends.


Four years ago, we were on the chapter of going from middle school to high school. Now, here we are starting another chapter in our family.


With that new chapter comes an opportunity to make a few changes in my life. Especially during the Summer.


I grew up in Ohio, very near Wright Patterson Air Force Base. The area I grew up close to was where many different Air Force aircraft flew into and out of for practice and transport of various items. There were days where the big cargo transport planes would be so low you could see the landing gear come down. Then there were other days, where you would hear the sound of windows rattling before you ever saw the jet fly overhead. My family was not Air Force, even though my Dad was Navy. But that wasn't why my Mom and Dad ended up in Ohio from Tennessee. My Dad ended up being civilian at the base though. He worked for a while near the AF Museum.


Growing up near WPAFB. there was a little rural town called Medway. It is wedged between Fairborn and Springfield. I went to school and church with Air Force. Many families were transient and gone in 3 years. Talk about it being hard when you really found a best friend and then they had to move.


Medway had about 3500 people. It has a great history behind it. Old farm houses that I had the pleasure of growing up for bit in one that had been turned into a duplex. It has been turned back into the full house now. We only rented from people next door but it was fun roaming the barn and field. My Mom canned, grew a garden (which I hated doing when I was little), and learned early the value of sustainability. I find it ironic now that I want to get back into the sustainable homesteading life now. I guess sometimes one does go back to their rooted ways of growing up. If I were single, I would find a way to make a living at home, build a tiny house with no mortgage and live off the land. Not so much off the grid. Well water would be a must. I grew up on well water and there's just nothing like it. Well perhaps a cold stream is better. I don't want to live back in Medway. It has changed so much, had new neighborhoods placed where corn fields were, and there's just nothing there anymore. I guess leaving the old place where I grew up is better off being remembered the way it was. Medway was one of those towns where everyone cared, helped others in need, said good morning and no one ever thought of being mad at each other very long if there was a squabble. Which was rare. But one day in my teens, things started changing. People got older, new city folk moved in and the good ol' days disappeared. Then the older folk whom I grew up calling my adopted grandparents passed away.


So, that's where I'm wanting to relive some of that innocent old fashioned time where working in the garden, perhaps learning to can again (I guess I should have paid more attention to details when I was "forced" to do it), and try to feel that satisfaction of the accomplished task of knowing that hard work and saving a dollar has value. And perhaps helping our two boys find the same satisfaction. Who knows, perhaps they'll like the homesteading process and want to continue living the same way.


Where we live now is a small New England town in Massachusetts, called Dudley. In a few ways, Medway and Dudley could look alike. But the New England roads are very narrow, the cemetery tombstone are very old. Many of them are from the Revolutionary War. Dudley was known in the beginning of its' existence as a textile supplier. Clothing was made to cloth in the Civil War troops. Lots of history here in Dudley. The first house of the town still stands, is preserved and even lived in. I'm sure Medway has much history of the days around since it was founded in 1671. It was found mainly by French fur traders at the Mad River. I lived about 2 miles from one bit of the Mad River. Springfield, Ohio, was a largely settled Shawnee Indian reservation. The high school I went to is called Tecumseh (new buildings now). I must not forget to mention that General George Rogers Clark, Simon Kenton, and Daniel Boone lived about 5 miles up the road from where I grew up in Dudley, Massachusetts, "was first settled in 1714 and was officially incorporated in 1732. The town was named for landholders Paul and William Dudley. ... Union soldiers from Dudley, the 15th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, suffered heavy casualties inflicted by the Confederacy during the Battle of Gettysburg".


I can say that I love the fact that I really grew up in parts of the U.S. that really served in the various wars.


But back to the thoughts of wanting to go back to my roots of homesteading, except for raising animals. I have 3 cats and we raise honey bees. That's enough. If I didn't have to worry about the coyotes, fisher cats, raccoons and other creatures into the chickens, I might go for that. But I won't kill a chicken. I've almost become vegetarian because I can't stomach the smell of meat cooking. I just love animals too much. I grew up watching chickens, rabbits and even geese made into dinner that night. Sorry, no more.


There's nothing like feeling the soil between the fingers. Even manure (bagged), compost and various mediums are fine with me to run my fingers and toes through. If you have worms, you have pretty good soil. Lady Bugs are a good sign too. The excitement of finding that first sprout of the squash or tomato coming up. Then the first squash and tomato being picked from its vine. And oh, how do they smell! I took a break this year from gardening. The flowers are still growing. The perennials are bigger this year. The Milkweed that I planted last year is growing so big and blooming. I'm eagerly waiting to see the various butterflies and hoping to see the Monarchs fluttering from each bloom taking in their much needed food to prepare for the arduous travel to Mexico.


Another reason I garden is to give the bees and other helpful creatures thrive. Watching the bumble bees and various other bees flit and fly around their preferred source of nectar and pollen is delightful. Yes, we raise honey bees. We have 3 regular hives and 2 nucs that are going great. One is without a queen right now but the nuc is making a queen currently. We will be checking this next weekend to see the progress. We have had honey by now but this year we won't have honey until perhaps August. Sooner maybe. Beekeeping and watching is fascinating. Bees aren't out to hurt a person. The problem when someone gets stung is, you are either in their path of flight, you have stepped on one, or you are in their territory and they aren't happy you are there. The weather and being queenless is one of many ways to make a bee unhappy. OR if you have eaten a banana (the smell is the same as if its a warning there's an intruder). Or, if you are wearing black or brown. Those are the colors of bears, skunks, raccoons and other intruders. Things like perfume, deodorant, hairspray are sweet and will present a reason to stay close to you. Hence the reason for the bee suit and putting your socks tucked in your pants legs.


I mentioned I took a break from gardening. Well, I should clarify that. I didn't grow a vegetable garden this year. Between graduation and a needed to Ohio, there is painting, patching, and decluttering to do. Homeschooling for the first year also took necessary precedence over getting the seeds out in time. With feeling more confident in that situation and getting the other projects done, I think gardening next year will happen. Besides, teaching a child who has difficulties will benefit from hands-on activities and learn many valuable life lessons.


Homesteading isn't only about gardening and raising livestock. It's learning the art of making bread, grinding your wheat (which is what I want to learn to do...it's healthier), learning to live on less, saving a dollar everywhere one can save, finding something you already have to use when wanting to make something, scaling back on material items, and just plainly living. One doesn't have to live off the grid to homestead. Homesteading is hugely coming back due to the economy being so volatile. People are choosing to go solar (we would but we have college to pay for). Teaching your children the value of cooking from scratch, learning how to use cast iron, learning survival skills during a winter storm when the power is out (New England is a must for power generators) and teaching your children the value of 72 hour kits is crucial these days. One thing in our church is keeping a supply of extra food. Not just for power outages but I know many friends who had to use their food storage because of long term illnesses or unemployment. IT saved them when their savings was going for the bills and mortgage (unfortunately those things don't stop when you're unemployed). Homesteading can teach one to do without and help save extra money when a family is dealing with more expenses coming in the paycheck is bringing in. With our oldest starting college, needing a car, and having a new driver in the house, food storage is so helpful. We are grateful to have shelves of food, cleaners and such stashed away along with two freezers of frozen goods. With our oldest not able to find a job yet, pulling allowances from the food budget for both boys doing chores around the house this Summer is going to be a big saver. Or, if you're in our situation with a child a who is needing a special will and trust (for us, it's both boys), a special will and trust lawyer is about $3,000. And yes, it's a high priority. Without it, the trust money goes to the government, your child go to the state, and your wishes are not granted. Again, learning to homestead can make ones life so much easier.


Homesteading includes recycling, reusing resources, going off the grid, going solar, living off the land, raising your own food, living on less, saving every penny possible, paying off your debts so there is no more mortgage, living in a tiny house if necessary, trading, bartering, starting your own business and yes, even it's leaving the big city life and finding a commune of homesteaders. It's actually being done in the Cincinnati, in one of the suburbs called Price Hill. Portland and Eugene, OR have places as such. I just read where there is actually free land. But one can even be a homesteader in the middle of the big city in an apartment. Urban Homesteading is becoming more and more found due to folks being strapped for making ends meet. Schools in the cities and other places are growing gardens to help families learn how to feed themselves on almost to nothing. There are so many resources. CSA's are a popular resource. Farmer's Markets are a big help to us during the Summer.


So, what is Homesteading exactly? It's a lifestyle of self-sufficiency. And where does one start? By reading and reading then looking around at what you have and determining what could be used as helping oneself be self sufficient. There's even the art of Poor Homesteading. I'm not making fun of that title. There are people who barely scrape their paycheck by each month. Yet, they have found free ways to build their chicken coops free materials found just for the asking, walkways to their houses with free bricks, found free stuff on Craigslist or gone to the construction sites and come away with plenty of wood to lay a new kitchen floor and yet saved it from going to the dump. It cost money to get rid of materials at the dumping yard. So, many times, companies are happy for someone asking for the leftovers. If you have good neighbors or friends who know or have stuff they don't want, ask for it.


Many homesteaders have also found their families grow closer together because they get away from the modern world of stress, busy schedules, car pools, an hour traveling to work one way, and eventually finding they don't need the social media to keep themselves entertained (wishing), and finding that it takes everyone to do the chores if livestock and a good size garden is involved. I admire those who take off with their families in a school or city bus renovated and live on the road. Many find they don't know why they didn't start sooner. If a person has the ability to work from home, can make go of a business venture, and get away from the hustle and bustle of worldly demands, hey why not.


I love the movie, "Nim's Island". I often mention that would be a perfect world for me. But it's all a matter of learning to be self sufficient and not having to depend on other parts of the world or others to provide for yourself. No more companies to spray your lawns of deadly chemicals, no more dealing with crazy neighbors, or people who just aren't happy unless they are in your business, no more noise. Just sunsets, stars to be seen from miles because one is away from the light pollution, walks along the beach because you have the money from no mortgage to go on a vacation, fresh produce that smells so good and isn't saturated in poison, fresh honey just from the hive, canned goods, watching lightning bugs or fireflies as some might call them, going fishing for fresh fish and not wondering where or what it was grown in, feeling that warm egg from the hen and you know what you fed her that day, and fresh flowers from the garden. The list is endless of the possibilities of being self -sufficient. It's a matter of making a goal, planning out that goal and making a way to have that goal become a reality. Start small. Start now.