Have you noticed the word "homesteading" lately?

Now hold on a minute there!
I resemble that remark. That's all I have now is a small garden and chickens that freerange but I'm not an ignorant hick.

I've "been there/ done that" when I was younger and for whatever reason choose not to any more. I don't need to be labeled a "homesteader" or have a yard full of 4 legged animals to enjoy my life that I was born into
I like my luxuries and work hard for them off the farm so I can spend time on forums like this one instead of working my butt off till midnight

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A wise person speaks when they have something to say but a fool speaks just to say something

I've decided that I want to be known as a 'Homeinsteader'. A homeinsteader is one of them folks that would rather be home instead of racing to the store to buy milk and bread when the white death blows in and the news folks declare a 'winter french toast emergency'. A home insteader knows he can buy a pack of seeds, grow a whole row of peppers, save his seed, and repeat---year after year---for the same price as that nice looking red bell pepper in the super market. A home insteader likes to go talk to the bees or pull a few weeds instead of having to go on that 2 week vacation to the beach or run to the opening night of the newest hollywood-must-see-blockbuster. A home insteader likes to sip a cup of coffee on the porch and watch the bluebirds fight over the nest box instead of listening to the boom boom base of the next door, 20 feet away neighbor. A home insteader enjoys a nice fillet sizzling in the skillet while he's breakin down that steers carcas in the fall, the crisp juicy bite from that apple he just picked and the sound of the dogs baying when their running a rabbit up on the back hillside. I know every time that I get pulled away---to work or to school I'd as soon be home instead.

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"Only the rocks [and really embarassing moments] live forever"

"When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands..." tick-tick-tick

Actually homestead has a definition.
1.
house, outbuildings, and land: a house, especially a farmhouse, with its dependent buildings and land, considered as a whole
2.
history land claimed by settler: formerly, a piece of land occupied by a settler or squatter under the terms of the U.S. Homestead Act or the Canadian Dominion Lands Act
3.
commercial law residence exempt from forced sale: a house, adjoining land, and buildings declared as the owner's fixed residence and therefore exempt from seizure and forced sale for the recovery of debts

Now I seriously doubt many folks even on this forum actually have a homestead per item 2. Item one pretty much includes any farm regardless of weather it is working or not. Which is more how I see the word used here. Item three is the only defined form of homestead I have owned.

I have seen posts here that included homesteading issues liek the cost of driving to work. the expense of maintaining all sorts of equipment and the drain the effort took to do the gardening etc on top of working a full time job and living every detail of city life. That to me is not homesteading.

I also grew up in Kansas on a farm. at 14 I had produced my first pork for my family. helped my father farm 120 acres of wheat and basically worked my tail off. I still don't consider that homestead. that was farming.

Homesteading also has a definition but it is quite a bit looser in translation and application since the original homesteading system basically no longer exists.

Homesteading:
The term may apply to anyone who follows the back-to-the-land movement by adopting a sustainable, self-sufficient lifestyle. While land is no longer freely available in most areas of the world, homesteading remains as a way of life. According to author John Seymour, 'urban homesteading' incorporates small-scale, sustainable agriculture and homemaking.

According to the above Homesteading has gravitated from being a means by which to obtain land to a lifestyle. I think this one reflects the current day definition of homesteading the best. It also leaves a lot to the imagination as to what exactly a self sufficient lifestyle is.

I'm with Willy. I will now be known as a homeINsteader.

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" It's better to ride even if you get thrown, than to wind up just wishin' ya had."

Chris Ledoux

"Homesteading" as used today is usually used by people who prefer to think of themselves in more grandiose or noble terms than "hobby farmer". Which doesn't make it true.

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The internet - fueling paranoia and misinformation since 1873.

Dale, I think ;you just poked someone with a stick. As Erin mentioned about the term ranch, I laugh when some hollywood type talks about their "ranch"- 5 acres, six dogs, 9 cats, 4 goats, two horses and a llama. That is not a ranch its a petting zoo.

SOURDOUGH, My father and uncle tried to homestead in Alaska I think before I was born. Stayed the winter, then ran out of food and money, so went to Fairbanks to get a job. Dad ended up coming home, but uncle stayed for a while. They left guns, stove etc in their little cabin at the junction of the Johnson and Tannenau (sp) rivers. I've always wanted to go back and see the area. They had quite an adventure, which is all written down. I wish they'd gotten title to the land!

Yes! I like that term, too. I'd rather be home INSTEAD of in town!

What FarmerWilly said x 2. I couldn'ta said it better.

Wow, I never knew that there was a way to describe who I am but I will be using that description for myself from now on! Beautiful!