Description of homesteading?

[cc-rider]

Sorry.... I swear this topic has surfaced before, and I've searched and searched but can't find it!

What is YOUR definition of homesteading? How is it different from farming?

I believe homesteading is a way of life..... not necessarily making money on it, but making "things" that are more valuable than money. I believe farmers can live on homesteads, but their main objective is to make money.

What do YOU think??
CC

[piglady]

I think without money everything else is pretty hard. Raising things for the fun of it is called a hobby. Raising things for profit is called farming. Enjoying raising things for a profit is my idea of homesteading.

[Cheryl in SD]

I like the wikipedia definition...

Broadly defined, homesteading is a lifestyle of simple, agrarian self-sufficiency.

You can do it anywhere, but that seems to sum it up.

[minnikin1]

Originally Posted by piglady

I think without money everything else is pretty hard. Raising things for the fun of it is called a hobby. Raising things for profit is called farming.

I think this is oversimplification.

Homesteading is not a hobby for us. It is a lifestyle; and in our culture, it's an extreme one.

The word hobby implies that it is not a serious endeavor. (Not a definition of the word, but a connotation, I believe.)

[bumpus]

.
Doing it on your place instead of someone elses.

Home instead ... Now what do you want to do ?

Raise your own food.
garden, livestock, or both.

Why ?

What do you want to get away from, or run to.

Why ?

Can you afford it ?

.

[tn_junk]

I live in the suburbs, don't have any livestock. But consider myself a Homesteader. Every spare inch of my land has something edible planted in it. I stockpile stuff for when the S%^t hits the fan. I hunt and fish for the majority of my meat. Don't own a TV. Cook from scratch. In my heart, I am living as close to my dream of a Homestead as I can, and I think that's what important.

galump

[newfieannie]

What Galump said. Georgia.