Why Did You Join this Forum?

[Swing]

Yes, we have knowledge that can help the homesteading/survival at heart people that are stuck in the city. Even apartments. As we use to say on a forum, Homesteading is a state of mind, even if you don't have the land etc.

If you can learn to do anything for yourself, it helps. Knitting socks, crocheting blankets, dehydrating summer veggies from a farmers market.
And I think some of the single parents with children need the most of this knowledge.

Heck, even a tomato plant or two in a garden barrel on a patio is a step in the right direction.

 

[joel]

MoBookworm19, you are welcome, I enjoy your point of view.
Like many of the people here you add to the mix & I learn a lot, things I never knew I needed to know.

 

[Sourdough]

Yes, slim on the the Homesteading and Country living posts and contents.

I suspect that the actually day-in and day-out of the homesteading lifestyle is of little interest to most. The simple truth is it is "just work". Most is not interesting or exciting, it is just physical chores/labor of living on a farm or ranch.........we just prefer to "call-it" homesteading lifestyle, because that is much more "romantic".

I have never understood why people shy away from calling themselves "small" farmers or small ranchers, or living rural with a substantial garden. I guess being a homesteader is romantic and enviable.
Calling oneself a farmer or rancher communicates the assumption to many that your life is spent living and sleeping knee deep in stinky animal manure, while doing manual labor that requires little intelligence.

Being a homesteader implies a "freedom" and a fun-exciting adventure in self-sufficiency.

 

[Swing]

I came from several other forums.
Still belong to 3.
Came for friendship, knowledge.
I don't live in the country,on a homestead, farm or ranch.
Live in an apartment, in semi rough neighborhood.
Retired military, law enforcement.
Like hanging out with like minded persons.
I haven't brought anyone over from the other forums I belong too.
Cause some are already here.
And some would try to ruin what we got here.
Which is why I left there.
I came because someone told me I would be welcome.
That it wouldn't matter if I did things backwards.

Your military and law enforcement knowledge may lead you to make a post with some needed knowledge. And apartments are okay. I've lived in them myself, even while being on a homesteading or prepping forum. And country living, I love front porches. And trees.

 

[joel]

Maybe the different is that 150/200 years ago homesteader were Immigrants in a strange land, with little knowledge of framing or rancher. Living by skin of their teeth & hanging on with blood fingernails until the land killed them.

 

[Weedygarden]

I am really enjoying the conversation in this thread. There are many wonderful people who belong to this group. I have high regard for many of you.

 

[Sourdough]

Maybe the different is that 150/200 years ago homesteader were Immigrants in a strange land, with little knowledge of framing or rancher. Living by skin of their teeth & hanging on with blood fingernails until the land killed them.

OK........"but" when I moved to Alaska 1969, it was full of "homesteaders" from the lower 48 states. Federal Homesteading closed about 1974'ish in all of America, including Alaska. But even into the 80's the State of Alaska continued to have a "State" program where you could (if you were a resident) homestead Alaska owned land and get ownership of the property, for completing set requirements.

Many people dream that it will be born again. But sadly it was closed forever, and for very valid and justified reasons. I could write a book about those reasons.

 

[Weedygarden]

Many people dream that it will be born again. But sadly it was closed forever, and for very valid and justified reasons. I could write a book about those reasons.

I would personally be interested in that topic. That would be a good one to start a thread about.

 

[Spikedriver]

Your military and law enforcement knowledge may lead you to make a post with some needed knowledge. And apartments are okay. I've lived in them myself, even while being on a homesteading or prepping forum. And country living, I love front porches. And trees.

I am an apartment dweller as well. And I am not a hardcore prepper like many of you. I do believe in having some things put back for future use. I prep for short term scenarios, not TEOTWAWKI. To my mind, knowledge is the best prep and that's why I'm here. To gain knowledge. The more you know, the less you need to have...

 

[Supervisor42]

I didn't know this about you, but I have always liked you and your comments here. Maybe you are much better behaved now.

It's under my avatar and handle.
I wasn't mis-behaving, I just failed to properly bow to the Gestapo.
Him> "So, you think you are smarter than me? I am an all-powerful moderator! You must kneel before me!"
Me> No.
Him> Witness my supreme power then!

 

[Weedygarden]

It's under my avatar.
I wasn't mis-behaving, I just failed to properly bow to the Gestapo.
Him> "So, you think you are smarter than me? I am an all-powerful moderator! You must kneel before me!"
Me> No.
Him> Witness my supreme power then!View attachment 67072

I totally missed it. I was eventually banned when I wrote a post about the great migration here and why. Also, I invited many people here. That may have contributed to me being banned there. It wasn't because I lashed out at others or said unkind things as can happen in these groups. Edited

 

[rusty]

Why did I join this forum? I lost a bet.

 

[joel]

moved to Alaska would be easier, to many it would be a stranger in a strange & wonderful land.
Cabbage the size of pumpkins & weeks with no light or darkness.
I wish, when I got out of school, I have lived there for a year, but I was in love.............................

 

[dademoss]

Kinda on/off topic, Mods feel free to delete. If you EVER go to a forum and see this"Outdoor Hub, LLC (d/b/a Carbon Media Group)," at the bottom of the home page, run like hell. I watched them buy and completely destroy more than one outdoors/hobby forum. Catfish1.com was one of them.

 

[bkt]

I came over from PS, too. The purpose is to learn and discuss with like-minded people. I haven't been disappointed!

 

[Spikedriver]

Kinda on/off topic, Mods feel free to delete. If you EVER go to a forum and see this"Outdoor Hub, LLC (d/b/a Carbon Media Group)," at the bottom of the home page, run like hell. I watched them buy and completely destroy more than one outdoors/hobby forum. Catfish1.com was one of them.

Carbon Media is the devil of outdoor forums. Most of the forums the members here have mentioned, seem to have been taken over by them...

 

[Weedygarden]

Why did I join this forum? I lost a bet.

C'mon, rusty. You have to tell us the rest of this story. That was just a teaser.

 

[ButtercupKid]

I was invited by Angie, and took her up n her offer. I visit here every day. I'm quiet and not a talker, but I love to read and have gotten to ' know ' many of you. I have a lot of respect and reguard for your contributions.

 

[Supervisor42]

Carbon Media is the devil of outdoor forums. Most of the forums the members here have mentioned, seem to have been taken over by them and killed...

I promised myself I would not get on the soapbox about them

.
I despise people that destroy things, especially things that are the result of years of other's hard work.
(Spike, I edited your quote)
Hopefully it won't get me banned .

 

[Biggkidd]

Your military and law enforcement knowledge may lead you to make a post with some needed knowledge. And apartments are okay. I've lived in them myself, even while being on a homesteading or prepping forum. And country living, I love front porches. And trees.

Hi ya Angie long time no see. As you can see after countless invites I finally made my way over here. After I lost the link you gave me for the 2nd or 3rd time I got it from another on the other forum. Although I haven't posted much. Still getting a feel for the place and people so far I like what I see.
I noticed someone made a comment about why we call ourselves homesteaders instead of small ranchers or farmers. Well I surely can't speak for all but for my part it's because as soon as you admit to having a small farm or ranch someone has to stick their nose in and cause gooberment issues!!!! YMMV SO homesteaders we will continue to be. lol

And just think you and everyone else thought I'd go back to FB.

 

[elkhound]

I suspect that the actually day-in and day-out of the homesteading lifestyle is of little interest to most. The simple truth is it is "just work". Most is not interesting or exciting, it is just physical chores/labor of living on a farm or ranch.........we just prefer to "call-it" homesteading lifestyle, because that is much more "romantic".

I have never understood why people shy away from calling themselves "small" farmers or small ranchers, or living rural with a substantial garden. I guess being a homesteader is romantic and enviable.
Calling oneself a farmer or rancher communicates the assumption to many that your life is spent living and sleeping knee deep in stinky animal manure, while doing manual labor that requires little intelligence.

Being a homesteader implies a "freedom" and a fun-exciting adventure in self-sufficiency.

i know a guy had a heck of a youtube channel. he was teaching and showing great content and teaching. he made a mistake and used the term farm once. thats all it took. usda was on his front porch in a couple days to talk with him about all the chickens he was butchering. they thought he was selling butchered livestock and more and was NOT inspected or certified as a farm. that soured him to no end..and that was the end of him making vids.

the term farm or ranch implies you are selling a product.

 

[Sourdough]

Somewhat along the same line......Ok maybe with same stretch.

I had about 30 or 35 Tall and Large Geese here at the homestead. Mostly they were entertaining for me. They were loving and very funny. Wonderful animals. Well they got down on the road that is at the bottom of the mountain. "Alaska State Troopers" show up and things got sideways. There is an Alaska law that classifies Geese and Chickens as livestock (silly me I always thought livestock had four feet, not two).

As I stated, it got fairly sideways........but as they were ready to and serious about arresting me for my "livestock" being on the public road, yes........mostly because of my rage at such a silly law in Alaska. I cooled my temper. And about a month later I had no Geese.

 

[LadyLocust]

Hi ya Angie long time no see. As you can see after countless invites I finally made my way over here. After I lost the link you gave me for the 2nd or 3rd time I got it from another on the other forum. Although I haven't posted much. Still getting a feel for the place and people so far I like what I see.
I noticed someone made a comment about why we call ourselves homesteaders instead of small ranchers or farmers. Well I surely can't speak for all but for my part it's because as soon as you admit to having a small farm or ranch someone has to stick their nose in and cause gooberment issues!!!! YMMV SO homesteaders we will continue to be. lol

And just think you and everyone else thought I'd go back to FB.

Somewhat along the same line......Ok maybe with same stretch.

I had about 30 or 35 Tall and Large Geese here at the homestead. Mostly they were entertaining for me. They were loving and very funny. Wonderful animals. Well they got down on the road that is at the bottom of the mountain. "Alaska State Troopers" show up and things got sideways. There is an Alaska law that classifies Geese and Chickens as livestock (silly me I always thought livestock had four feet, not two).

As I stated, it got fairly sideways........but as they were ready to and serious about arresting me for my "livestock" being on the public road, yes........mostly because of my rage at such a silly law in Alaska. I cooled my temper. And about a month later I had no Geese.

For the record, Farms are for raising crops and Ranches are for raising livestock. This is why it's a chicken ranch - sorry number of feet doesn't matter nor number of head of critters in most cases.

 

[Weedygarden]

For the record, Farms are for raising crops and Ranches are for raising livestock. This is why it's a chicken ranch - sorry number of feet doesn't matter nor number of head of critters in most cases.

Growing up, we always called my grandparents almost 1000 acre property in the country a farm. I actually never saw a plowed field, but they did raise crops. (You couldn't see the fields that were plowed and planted from the house) From the house, I only saw pastures with cows. I never saw the pigs, but I was in the chicken house many times. I also saw the granary where the milo, wheat and cane were kept. And there were stacks of bailed prairie grass, hay stacks. As I got a little older, I started calling it a ranch. Some discussion with family said that a ranch is a name that some people use, because it makes people seem wealthier. I don't know. I just thought about ranches having livestock, So if you have more hay land than crop land, is it a ranch? If you have more crop land than pastures or fields, is it a farm?

 

[LadyLocust]

Growing up, we always called my grandparents almost 1000 acre property in the country a farm. I actually never saw a plowed field, but they did raise crops. (You couldn't see the fields that were plowed and planted from the house) From the house, I only saw pastures with cows. I never saw the pigs, but I was in the chicken house many times. I also saw the granary where the milo, wheat and cane were kept. And there were stacks of bailed prairie grass, hay stacks. As I got a little older, I started calling it a ranch. Some discussion with family said that a ranch is a name that some people use, because it makes people seem wealthier. I don't know. I just thought about ranches having livestock, So if you have more hay land than crop land, is it a ranch? If you have more crop land than pastures or fields, is it a farm?

Uuummmmmm. . . . . I don't know. There are combo places here. They are called a Farm/Ranch Operation. I just know if you are talking critters and call it a farm, you'll get corrected and vice-versa.

 

[Weedygarden]

Uuummmmmm. . . . . I don't know. There are combo places here. They are called a Farm/Ranch Operation. I just know if you are talking critters and call it a farm, you'll get corrected and vice-versa.

LOL! I think it is easier to define some ranches as such and some farms as such. There were many ranches around my grandparents place, and it seemed like a ranch to me.

 

[Alaskajohn]

I would personally be interested in that topic. That would be a good one to start a thread about.

I would also love to know more about this.

 

[backlash]

My nephew worked on an apple ranch. They grew apples and nothing else. I never did figure out what made it a ranch and not a farm but that's what it was called.

 

[Sourdough]

I was raised on dairy farms in PA. and one "Church Farm School" in Exton, PA. was likely larger then many "Ranches".

I would suspect it is somewhat influenced by region of the country if you call it a ranch or farm.

Or in some cases......a person is described as........"All cowboy hat, and no ranch".

 

[Supervisor42]

For the record, Farms are for raising crops and Ranches are for raising livestock.

The lines have always been blurred.
In the old days, a farmer was a 'dirt-farmer' but he always had a few mules to pull the plow that grazed in pastures on his 'ranch'.
Likewise, a rancher 'a cattle rancher', also had several acres of garden he plowed to feed the workers on his 'farm'.
Almost none can be exclusively be called either a farm or ranch today.
Just the farms worked by tractors that only grow one row-crop can be called a 'farm'.
Edit: Like a 'soybean farm'.