Hello,
I'm a long time homesteader! My papa (I was not raised by him) was a full on Amish style homesteader in Iowa (he is not Amish but lived that way, in his generation they were the back to the earth people/movement) and I learned a lot from him. I lived off road and off grid in the Ortiz mountains of NM, that is where I really cut my teeth on permaculture and high mountain sustainability. Oh, the outhouse in the dead of winter...
Currently I am WA state and have a small homestead which I prefer to call a cottage but I grow a good deal of my food, preserve it, and repeat for the next year, I have yard animals and do most things by hand, flour mill, and all the old style kitchen stuff -- I have more of a Victorian mindset than a survivalist mindset but the ends are the same. I have not really found a full community in which I fit because of my style choices and not being god fearing which so many "homesteaders" seem to be. I'm a nature girl and I love beautiful old things that are 100 years of age or older. I like poetry and art and do those things too.
I do not participate in the allopathic medical system. I literally opt'd out. Of course if I get a broken bone I will find myself in the care of a hospital. Having had to deal with modern medicine to treat hashimotos for year and never feeling great I left it and started to learn all I could from old ways, Chinese, Ayurvedic, grandmothers, midwives and naturopaths.... I healed my condition years ago and have not been on thyroid meds since and am healthier than ever. One of my main interest in fact is "backyard" medicine, wild medicine.
My presence here is about my life and homesteading is only a small fraction of who and what I am and do, however, I do contribute with post like this:
I'm interested in many things that all make up my "Cottage Life":
Martial Arts (training the mind and body).
Depth Psychology (Jung is my go to).
Weapons training (not just firearms).
Fiberarts (from raw in the grease to garment).
Questioning reality and the power structures.
Deep historical investigation.
And on...
I think I qualify for this list too. lol.
Sorry for the late reply. You are now on the list - new edition coming out this evening.
I'm also very interested in 'non-conventional' medicine. Now followed you - looking forward to more posts on that subject.
Thank you. :)
I have lots of info on the subject, that I live and use. I'll do some posts -- I've been slow on doing post like that as the few I've done get almost no attention.
I will look out for the posts.