theoutlands
Official Resister
This is kind of a rather loosely-defined question, partially because there's no real good (to me) concise definition of what a "homesteader" *is*! However, in light of so many of the "Weekly Prep Thread" responses and some other scattered expressions, I thought it might be interesting (to me, at least) to see how many were/are/will-be/would-like-to-be/can't-stand-the-thought-to-be homesteaders. So, with that in mind, I figured I'd whip out a roughly functional definition of a Homesteader - and hey, we can even discuss the parameters of the definition here.
Essentially, a Homesteader, for this poll, "maintains land through ownership or lease for the purpose of agricultural production in order to provide for personal needs and to trade with others." To that end, someone who lives in town and grows a veggie garden every year for their own eating and for selling or swapping with neighbors for the stuff they don't have room to grow counts, an apartment-dweller who buys #2 peaches by the pick-up load and makes jellies (arguably) counts, and a suburbanite who raises a backyard full of meat rabbits counts - they all count just as much as the person out in "the sticks" who raises their own crops year-round for seasonal eating, livestock for milk and meat, poultry for eggs and meat, grains for livestock feed, beehives for honey, and a woodlot for firewood.
NO - I don't think the future is bleak enough to require that level of personal sacrifice.
NO - but the idea is intriguing, so can I come visit your farm?
Not anymore - Tried it and that just is NOT the way of life for me at ALL!
Not anymore - due to personal reasons I can't control (health, really good job, spouse, etc)
Not at the moment - current situation has all my energies tied up in non-agricultural pursuit, but that could change in a hurry (inc. people starting to seriously look into it as a way of life)
Working towards it - have made the decision, now I gotta find the land or fill it w/ growing things
Bugout Homesteader - once TSHTF, my bugout place is a homestead
Living it right now - remember, this is in any degree as previously stated, from Todd and Charlie's "zen prep" living on down to certain ppl's canning in the suburbs!
Essentially, a Homesteader, for this poll, "maintains land through ownership or lease for the purpose of agricultural production in order to provide for personal needs and to trade with others." To that end, someone who lives in town and grows a veggie garden every year for their own eating and for selling or swapping with neighbors for the stuff they don't have room to grow counts, an apartment-dweller who buys #2 peaches by the pick-up load and makes jellies (arguably) counts, and a suburbanite who raises a backyard full of meat rabbits counts - they all count just as much as the person out in "the sticks" who raises their own crops year-round for seasonal eating, livestock for milk and meat, poultry for eggs and meat, grains for livestock feed, beehives for honey, and a woodlot for firewood.
NO - I don't think the future is bleak enough to require that level of personal sacrifice.
NO - but the idea is intriguing, so can I come visit your farm?
Not anymore - Tried it and that just is NOT the way of life for me at ALL!
Not anymore - due to personal reasons I can't control (health, really good job, spouse, etc)
Not at the moment - current situation has all my energies tied up in non-agricultural pursuit, but that could change in a hurry (inc. people starting to seriously look into it as a way of life)
Working towards it - have made the decision, now I gotta find the land or fill it w/ growing things
Bugout Homesteader - once TSHTF, my bugout place is a homestead
Living it right now - remember, this is in any degree as previously stated, from Todd and Charlie's "zen prep" living on down to certain ppl's canning in the suburbs!