newspaper called it homesteading ;)

[Use Less]

There was an article about a 30-something couple w/two kids that the writer called "homesteaders". Turns out they moved to a big ol' drafty house up the road from me after living in an upscale suburb. They now heat with wood, have a garden, and can their own tomatoes. She's home with the kids for now, he has a secure & good-paying teaching job in the city about 25 miles away. You mean we've been homesteaders all these years and didn't know it ?? )

[FarmboyBill]

hmmmmmmmmm Id say your about the only one on here who dosent think there either a homesteader/gardener/farmer

[Belfrybat]

I'm glad to hear the newspaper got it right. You can homestead in town as well as in the country. Kudos to the family who are homesteading in the urban area. If more would do that, we'd be much better off as a nation.

[Callieslamb]

I'm proud of this family for having the courage to change their lives and move in a different direction. They might not fit everyone's definition of a homesteader, but it seems like quite a change for them. Think of Laura Ingalls Wilder- her mom and dad took town jobs when they needed it. Not a big deal at all - and not any different than this family.

We don't call ourselves homesteaders at our house. We don't produce nearly enough of our own stuff for what we would consider homesteading. For us, it's been a journey rather than a single-time arrival. What was first a very small veggie garden - became a 1/2 acre endeavor with companion orchard and small berry plantings. What was a yearly 2 cases of canned greenbeans became a 1000 bottles a year. Perhaps this family will journey further into providing for themselves and perhaps they will be happy with the changes already made. Either way - hurray for their team.

[ceresone]

And-some of us dont really consider ourselves "Homesteaders" because we've never lived any different. Going on 75 years-living on a farm, in the country-however else you could put it. Always has gardens, chickens, horses-altho, at our age cows, etc gone.

[ronbre]

i would say it is not a competition and who cares what words we use to define ourselves..

[Use Less]

Ceresone, my thought exactly. F.B.Bill, when see how hard my friend who farms for a living works, I wouldn't presume to call myself a farmer. Gardener? You bet. Fill 3 freezers, hand along bushels to the foodbank, and take in a few hundred 25cents at a time for excess.