[Belle]

I love hearing and reading about people and families that sell it all and head out to the woods..or wherever..to homestead with the bare basics. Guess the pioneer spirit amazes me. If you have, tell us what was the hardest modern thing to give up and why and how you are doing it now. I often wish the Homesteading magazines would go back into there archives and find homesteaders from 20 years ago that they interviewed and see how they are today. We have "homesteaded" for 25 years now...but still have the usual gadgets to make life easy for us. Electric and washing machine, indoor plumbing and all. I do realize Homesteading is different things to different people but tell me what you are all doing !! Thanks !!!

My idea of homesteading is a mix. I want off the grid and the gov. off my back and out of my business, and clean food. Right now this means getting a small organic beef operation off the ground and planning to do solar and other passive systems to my home. I buy my veggies at the farmers market but have an extensive orchard around my place with herbs in all my flowerbeds and things like asparagus, poke salad, elderberries, etc. wherever they'll fit. I'm working too many hours to pay for the cattle setup to take care of a garden, but I still hunt and fish. I intend to have a minimum of gadgets but I am NOT going back to a rock and a river for laundry! I like people more than Shrek does I guess, so I'll always have something to do with town, just on my terms. My goal is the independence of knowing I can take care of myself from start to finish, but I don't have to prove it by doing it all, especially all at once. I will no doubt end up with a grain mill, etc. eventually, and I already butcher my own meat--because I like the results better not to prove a point. That is my motto in loooong form--you asked!

 

[Belle]

Helena, your well doesn't have to stop you. You will need a really good solar power system, complete with batteries, but you can pull enough power to run that 110/220? pump just like your washer and dryer and frig. Where are you? Unless you're in Alaska where it is dark 6 months a year, you shouldn't have too much trouble--just have to throw money at it! I myself am too old to haul water etc. so I'll be keeping my minimum comforts. But!--you can buy water and energy efficient washers and dryers so they pull as little electricity and water gallons as possible (but my oh my they are fond of the little darlings) and a storage tank arrangement at ground level will solve part of your demand problem. I'm not a plumber, but I'm sure someone here knows exactly what you'd need for the house. I'll be curious to see what answers you get to that, myself, as I need a solution to it too! Belle