I had an interesting conversation with an older gentleman co-worker of mine the other night that got me thinking.
I admire this man a lot more after the conversation we had. He shall go unnamed but to sum things up he travels many hours each day for work so he can live on his own little patch of land, growing food and livestock. His family does things the old fashioned way and I truly respect the way he has raised his daughter.
He asked me, quite astonished after learning all my goals and accomplishments, how I had gotten into all of this, or how I came to love this lifestyle, especially in being in my mid twenties.
The funny thing about it… I have never been asked this question before, which now seems a little odd.
I think he was the first person to mention permaculture to me first and be astonished that I knew about the word, let alone the practice, rather than it being myself with that dumbfounded look.
It was nice for once to speak with someone that about the only thing I had to explain was what wildcrafting was, and I think that is simply because others like to call it foraging.
Back to the question at hand. I honestly did not know what to say…
I started with the most logical place. I explained that both of my parents at one point during my childhood were naturopathic doctors. Now while that was their choice, and I found it interesting, I liked plants better…
I decided to study herbology. I have been independently studying it for over seven years now. I tend to study more on subjects I like a bit more than some college students would… What can I say, I have a thirst for knowledge that is never ending.
I tried to sum my answer up as short and sweet as I could, though with this subject it is never easy.
I went on to say that the next natural thing in my studies would be to grow my own herbs for my herbal remedy preparations. In growing a small container garden I found how much stress working in the garden relieved. I am not one who is very good at regular meditation, so for this to have that big of an impact got me to thinking.
I have always loved home grown food. My parents at one point had a decent sized yard and I would help as a young child in the garden. I always remembered taking trips deeper into the country side for smoked meats, eggs, and fresh produce. Everything always tasted better to me than the food you found in the grocery stores.
It had been so long since I had done anything in a garden that I was afraid my efforts would lead in a bunch of dead plants and disappointment. I would never know unless I tried though. Nothing ventured nothing gained.
I couldn’t really plant anything but herbs, a few carrots, some strawberries, and beets in containers at my last house.
I had already grown very fond of wildcrafting. My mind spun with all the possibilities of growing some of those wild natives in my garden. I successfully transplanted a few plants into my container garden much to my delight.
I knew I would not be able to really test out my gardening skills until we moved. I decided to study up on gardening in the meantime (and by meantime it was at least a few years) Learning a bunch of different techniques made my wheels turn all the more.
I went back to the root idea of why one would garden. Sustainability. Now I already knew a bit about sustainability obviously, but I decided to research it and see what movements or ideas that might be new. I stumbled upon the tiny house movement in the process and absolutely loved the idea. I could not live in a really tiny house with all the things I need to store for my shop, arts, ect… but the idea of a little homestead with a house you built, like our forefathers used to do, was quite amazing.
I loved all the DIY, repurposing, up-cycling projects already and found incorporating many different ideas to make one ball of awesome was the way to go.
I found out how urban homesteading was now becoming a “thing” and started studying up on growing things in small spaces, since at the time I had a very small space. I figured I did not know how much space I would have in our new place, and I wanted to utilize awesome ideas that saved space even if we were on a big piece of land. Why waist space?
Another thing to note is that I am very much a pagan witch. Getting back to our roots and working with nature only seems natural for me to do. I feel more connected when I am working with the dirt beneath me, the sun above me, the rains and winds.
I get to use my alchemy skills to mix together new organic all-natural fertilizer concepts.
Another thing I love is that I have the mentality of “survival of the fittest” and “you have to evolve, because everything is always evolving, or you will not survive” I am a survivor. I feel by growing my own food, but doing it in a more efficient way, I am both surviving and evolving to new concepts.
So then we move onto my longer term goals. I have many of them… Both short and long term.
I think the simplest would be to build my knowledge on my urban homestead.
To kind of master growing on my little plot of land.
To pay off my house sooner than the loan would finish naturally.
I would like to see about getting into a college for some kind of botany or botany related field.
My husband wants to go back to college for a more tech related degree.
Basically the plan is to get into good jobs that hopefully allow for some time off/telecommuting, so that we can pay off everything we need to and be allowed to have more time for the garden, travel, etc. This of course is many years out, but it is a goal we are working hard for.
I would like to be in a career I love, but also make enough that I do not have to work 40 hours a week to pay the bills. I want to spend more time doing what I love and be more self sustaining. I am sure many people wish this as well, and it is a hard goal to accomplish, but certainly a doable one in time.
I am a little antisocial one might say. Others would never know. The idea of living in the middle of nowhere (a very pretty nowhere) growing your own food, and living off the land is a very romantic idea to me. I have no delusions that it is hard work, but it is a different kind of hard work. The sad reality is that you still need money to pay for most everything, and there is no running away from that really. You have to pay for your house, or even just the land. You have to pay for gas, pay for clothes or for the fabric to make them, internet, phones, for basic needs really.. I know there are bartering methods, and ways around some things, but if you want to keep some modern amenities, you have to pay for them. I am ok with that and am planning to keep those things, but to lessen the monthly bills as much as possible in due time.
To think there are people out there so wrapped up in the moment that they do not think of what they want their future to be like, to plan ahead, to have a plan at all… Is really saddening. Some can’t see past college, others past their current job for the moment. What is life without goals and dreams? How can one simply exist and not have a thought about the future? The latest generations are raised so differently. Most don’t even know how to cook their own food let alone grow it. This was considered to be normal back in the day. Nowadays you do not have to cook or grow your own food… hunt or fish… know how to sew.. it is all a hobby now it seems, when before that was your way of living. I am not saying it is for everyone. I just don’t see how people can rely on things being there, handed to them, that without that they would not know what to do.
I for certain know that I will be teaching my kids life skills beyond how to manage a bank account. My kids won’t have cell phones, tablets, or gaming consoles until they are much older. Will they be laughed at it, maybe… But you don’t need cell phones unless you can drive or walk places.. And you do not need to be a drone stuck inside, wanting nothing more than to game. Will they hate me for not allowing them these things? Maybe, but they will love me for the lessons later. Every person who has a mom like that does that I know of.
People who did not have parents like this do not know what they were missing. I very much believe the old ways need to be more present in the modern day teachings. There is so much we could learn from how our ancestors did things mixed with our modern knowledge and resources.
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