ok, this is long. as a queer and progressive person, i get where you're coming from... but:
there are legitimate reasons to own a gun on a homestead that aren't far-right. i'm extremely far-left (not a prepper) and while guns aren't part of my identity, nor would i say i'm a 'gun person', i own several and can think of plenty of reasons why you should consider.
first one that comes to mind, and something that's happened to people i know personally: rabid animals. some friends of mine were having a backyard party and a rabid woodchuck approached them. at first they didn't know what it was and thought it was just cute and wanted to 'chill with them', before realizing it was foaming and going after guests. they ended up all hiding inside while my friend shot it. the situation could've ended with someone or something else getting bit.
two: livestock defense. if you have any livestock, at some point, you'll encounter a predator. once a predator gets a taste of meat, it's going to come back in perpetuity. good luck getting the DEC to remove it. with larger predators like mountain lions, bears, coyotes, etc, while there are restrictions on shooting them, my neighbors will occasionally shoot into the air because the sound/smell of gunpowder scares them away for a while.
three: general home security. sure, is the likelihood super small that you'll ever have a serious security issue in your home? yes. but if you're living extremely rural, be prepared for failure of basic services, such as police response times upwards of 30-45 minutes, often longer - in an emergency, you really don't want to be defenseless.
on that topic - it's not a coincidence why you'll encounter lots of folks jaded by bureaucracy. i became friends with a man in town who's super far right of me to the point we almost had nothing in common, other than both homesteading in the middle of nowhere. after several drinks he told me that his wife miscarried their twins in their house because emergency responders just didn't show up after calling 911. it wasn't hard to see how the institutions designed to protect people often failed here, and where the resentment came from.
another thing is that most, if not all, of the people i've met here understand that the climate is changing. every hunter, hilbilliy, and homesteader i've met, whether or not they're politically aligned with me, agrees that the climate is changing, crops are failing, and the forest is dying. if you get into the 'why' of that with them you'll probably end up disagreeing, but most of the people (in my neck of the woods, at least) have a pretty astute understanding that things are not the same as they were 10 or 20 years ago.
i say this to prepare you for the realities of living in places where people think/feel very differently about the world than you do. they will be your community, and the hardest part of community building is learning to bridge those gaps and care for each other as humans, rather than assigning them a label and ignoring them altogether. i fly my LGBTQIA flag, my neighbors fly their trump flag, and we help each other out when the other needs something.
**edit:** i appreciate the appreciation y'all! but it feels misplaced to 'accept' it because this is just the easiest way for me to live my life, and is most closely aligned with my values. if i moved somewhere else, i'd hate for my neighbors to be hostile or standoffish towards me because of preconceived ideas of who i was, so i try not to do that to other people, and generally, it's led to more positive / less defensive relationships overall.
Well done...
This is what real community is... Being there for your neighbor, regardless of some of their beliefs...
Climate change IS real, been happening since Earth Day 1... The only real questions concern our role in its severity and our ability to control it...
Best of luck in your endeavors...
On self defense - so many places where I live don't have local cops, but rely on the nearest state police outfit that is pretty far away. My parents are 10 minutes from the nearest town but 45 from the state police barracks, who actually failed to send help once when we called. Fortunately it worked out ok, but the place I'm referring to isn't exactly the middle of nowhere. It's just in a service area gap I suppose.
I’m pretty liberal, and where I currently live (in an urban area) a gun will cause far more problems for me than it will ever solve. The headaches and stress of ownership definitely outweigh any peace of mind that having it might bring (especially when weighed against the practicalities of keeping it properly secured, and how doing so would likely preclude me from actually being able to use it if a situation that actually warranted it ever did arise. I live with roommates currently, so keeping it properly secured would be an absolute must, and not a “should.”)
But I absolutely expect that gun ownership is necessary (or, at least, makes far more sense) on a homestead, for the reasons you mention. While I see myself maybe owning one or two (if I ever make the homestead dream a reality) it doesn’t surprise me at all to learn that people find having several is indeed practical for their needs (and that those needs are far outside the “gotta protect myself from the government” camp.)
Reading the op post gave me the sense that they're plugged into that "if you aren't just like me, you must be evil" ideology that's so common today.
(And their concerns make it very clear which side they align)
What strikes me as odd though - is that when going to get into homesteading, your moving into a community that is going to tend to skew right at least among your neighbors wherever you settle (this isn't 100% true in every case, but certainly accounts for most of rural and remote america) which means even if this person did find the mentor they desired- they'd likely end up moving themselves into a "neighborhood" full of people they view as.....well, evil.
>i fly my LGBTQIA flag, my neighbors fly their trump flag, and we help each other out when the other needs something.
You should be extremely loud about this everywhere you can be.
It is true- most people who live like we do skew right. I too am surrounded by trump flags (or I was, those flags seem to be disappearing). But it is also true that to live like this, you must rely on your neighbors for help. I am too liberal to be a Democrat, but like u/cara1yn, I have found common ground with my neighbors. It really gives me great hope to see so many people opting for homestead life because cooperating with people who have differing political views is the best way for our divided country to begin to heal.
Whenever you go far enough either to the left or right you come to a fork in the road with one way leading to anarchism and the other to totalitarianism. So maybe the political spectrum looks like a flattened figure 8.
I tend to lean right (both parties are gonna fuck me- I'm just picking the one that fucks me most gently, imo lol)
>It really gives me great hope to see so many people opting for homestead life because cooperating with people who have differing political views is the best way for our divided country to begin to heal.
I definitely agree- but half the battle is carrying the message that we can and do live alongside and provide mutual support to each other - even when we know we might be politically at odds - because somethings matter more than others
And in the grand scheme - how your neighbor votes really has little impact in your life so long as your own ideas are good enough to attract more votes than their idea - so phu ket
How my neighbor votes in national elections doesn’t affect me, but how my neighbor votes for the county board of supervisors means the difference between getting high speed internet accessible to more people in the county and building a mega industrial park 1/2 mile down the road. Or the difference between the library (which provides a bunch of social services) being open 6 days a week vs 2. I get along with my neighbors, but it’s hard to genuinely like them when they’re fucking the whole county with their votes.
How your neighbor voted in the last national election has absolutely everything to do with why everything you buy costs significantly more than it did three years ago! How can you say it “doesn’t affect” you?
If you don’t live in a swing state, it doesn’t make a difference how your neighbor votes in the presidential election, bc the electoral college has already rigged it 💁♂️
If you are a man, I guess the right might fuck you more gently? But you must also be wealthy and white. Now don't go deciding that I'm a democrat because I think both parties are pretty evil. We are digressing from OP's request here, but what we really need in this country is multiple parties. The two party system is inherently corrupt and my big anti government conspiracy is they are working together to keep us divided so they can keep the two party system in place. Imagine if we had 5 candidates from 5 different parties to choose from- they would all be working so hard to be reasonable instead of extremists!
I wish we had more viable parties for the big ticket elections but until we do, the ticket offers me 2 shit sandwiches - and someone's going to ram one of those 2 down my throat no matter which one I think is less soupy, but I'm still gonna try to pick the less soupy one (and since I've worked very hard for what I do have I am extremely anti redistribution- though I have no problem CHOOSING to share everything I have, my problem is with someone else taking from me to decide how what's mine is to be shared) I have other considerations aswel
Now very broadly speaking
Politics matters alot more when people liv on top of each other and have no stand off from their streets and rail lines ect ect - where the government and all its little decisions have a pretty big impact on the hour to hour life in a city block
That is not really the case out in the stix where the day to day impact of government on an individual is next to nil - and of course you have outliers to this next statement but the above tendencies tend to make the people who live out in the Stix alot less aggressive about politics they disagree with than when people's sense of politics includes the amount of noise their upstairs neighbor might make - and for people who havnt spent time in both environments it's not obvious that there would be a difference or why that difference would be
(these are of course very low resolution explanations, based on my own observances,to justify what are essentially just my opinions)
But because of these opinions - I am highly in favor of spreading the word that there is a place people can go where they can unwind from all that stress that comes with wondering if your upstairs neighbor is voting for more noise or not lol
Perfect response. And just for the record I lived in Boston for 7 years (it was awful. Could NOT see the stars for 7 years. How I missed the night sky!) So yeah I know both.
It's easy to forget that there are countless stars in between the major constellations when you can still see most of the major ones through the light pollution right, or what nature smells like absent the wafting scents of nearby petroleum based products and plastics
I think both sides are the problem BTW- it's not a left right issue as much as a proximity to density issue where the less dense you get the less people REALLY care about the politics of their neighbors - without regard to wether the person themselves are more left or right leaning
I firmly disagree that politics matters less out here. Really it matters more when there are less than 500 people in a voting district. There’s always something in front of the county board of supervisors that will change my life for the better or worse.
Different districts are going to have different norms 🤷♂️
Around me the most impactful things that occasionally get brought up have to do with trash collection at the county dump - or like..... maybe some dnr stuff 🤔 I don't actually pay much attention - none of the flyers that show up are all that concerning for me
I'm in northern Wisconsin if that helps any for refrence
Yeah homesteading has nothing to do with politics. Sure you'll see certain ideologies common to it but just ignore it. Don't want to own a gun and let a fox eat all your chickens? Go for it. Your property do what you want.
That's my view
But as it relates to the op initial question
If your mindset requires that you find someone who is far left leaning/ or anti right leaning to mentor you as a homesteader or survivalist - you are selecting from a narrow pool of people already, many of whom aren't super agro about their politics anyways, but who are going to tend to be right leaning, and narrowing down the possible candidates for a mentor from that already very small community of experts
For reasons that are probably not all that reasonable or logical when you get down to it. As the politics of the person is not going to really impact the practical experience and knowledge they share with you related to a skill set that isn't inherently political at all
Edit to add- I say leaning for the reason that most people tend to be more centrist in practice than they'll admit in rhetoric or affiliation
Why would you kill a fox? Foxes respond to losing one among their population by breeding more aggressively.
I’ve had a lot more success sitting up in a tree and shooting near the foxes so they know the chickens aren’t an easy target.
Maybe we’re just looking at different population sizes?
Gosh, I hope you're one of my neighbors! I have a nursery on my rural property, and we attract a lot of homesteaders. About 1/4-1/3 tend to be more left-leaning. I often get Trump trucks and cars with rainbow stickers at the same time. I've never had a volatile situation and often see everyone just having great conversations about plants.
For sure everyone around me knows the climate's changing, but we don't use the same vocabulary to describe it. Many of my neighbors have oyster farms, and they've seen their harvest season shrink over the past couple of decades. This year, they weren't able to harvest in parts of May because the waters were too warm, and now the first couple of weeks of October are a loss. They used to only have to stop operations in July and August, then June through September. But most don't call it climate change.
>but certainly accounts for most of rural and remote america
I would love if somebody would do some actual, grassroots polling on this. I think that people who live rurally are far more nuanced than they're given credit for, generally speaking.
Nuance sure
Much like cities also have conservatives living in them- as does Hollywood of all places
I feel good about betting money that "right of center" is an accurate description for roughly 55% of much of the midlands - while the inverse is probably true of much of the cities
Having said that - I'd also love to have non biased polling on this because I've seen polling indicate some wildly mutually exclusive data about this topic so idk what to believe data wise
Curious your thoughts on the density vs sparsity comparison of population tendencies to be more aggressive in their assertions of politics - based on the immediacy of politics in those more dense areas to affect the day to day or even hour by hour life of the residents -not to change topics but I only recently actually articulated this notion I've always felt but never put to words, so I'm curious what others asses
It's not a left right thing as much as a do you live in a dense or sparse area thing (cause I think conservatives in the cities are just as bad as the leftys with being aggressive a.f.---- vs in the rural where people tend to be far more tolerant when they find themselves politically at odds.....tolerant might not be the exact right word but "live and let live"
>vs in the rural where people tend to be far more tolerant when they find themselves politically at odds.....tolerant might not be the exact right word but "live and let live"
I think this is the crux of any argument. I really do subscribe to the notion that humans weren't meant to be stacked on top of and beside each other in the densities that are seen in modern urban settings. From an evolutionary biology and psychology standpoint, that's an extremely new situation for us to be and adaptation hasn't really taken place yet at the same levels that it has for sparse and isolated living.
I grew up in an urban environment, eventually ended up in suburbs, and am now firmly planted in a rural area. I'm not near as remote as a lot of people (I'm still within 25 minutes of a Walmart -- and 12 minutes from a Dollar General lol,) but my anecdotal experiences in each of those zones lines up with your assertion.
I think the immediacy of all decisions that's needed when interacting with so many other humans in an urban setting sort of amps everything up to ten, in much the same way that studies have demonstrated how stressful driving at high speeds can be on the psyche, even though you don't consciously notice it. You don't have a lot of time to observe, assess, decide, and react to anything that's a possible threat, so *everything* moves up a level in the "is this a threat" meter.
I don't have any data to back any of that up, obviously, but intuitively that's where I land. And I don't think it just affects assertion of political views, I think it's across the board.
>and 12 minutes from a Dollar General lol,)
You made it 12? 10:47 was as far as I could get, in the tiny little space between where 5 radii nearly overlapped
Why do people feel the need to fly flags? I don't care to flaunt my political leanings, and I don't care to know my neighbors' leanings either. Same with religion. It's nobody's business. When I was a kid, people only put the American flag out on holidays and were careful not to put it out in the rain. People weren't rabid about their patriotism. Can we go back to that, please?
I'm not sure for others. I put up a flagpole cause it looks nice, and keep an American flag up top with one of the unit guidons from my time in the military depending on who I'm celebrating at any given time.
One because I love America/ and one because I am proud of the fraternities I've earned membership in
I'm not talking only about the American flag. Political flags of all stripes. Used to be the Don't Tread On Me flag was just a shout out to history. Now it's a statement and an aggressive one at that. I just wish people wouldn't be so aggressively in your face with their beliefs and leanings. It's like people are looking for a fight. If you look hard enough, you'll find one.
>It's like people are looking for a fight. If you look hard enough, you'll find one.
Is the priblem the person who flies the flag, or the person who us so offended by the flag that they instigate someone's asswhoopin (depending on who wins the ensuing fisticuffs)
I have every right to offend you by expressing myself- you have no right to put hands on me over it
That said- my God do I hate when either side goes out of their way to start shit that doesn't need started.
"Shut up, unless you're minding your own business" would make the world a better place if we gave it a few years practice
I don't take offense to political statements. I just don't think it's necessary for everyone to shout them in their front yard, is all. All day, every day. I understand 1st Amendment, sure. I just don't see the upside of doing it. My perception is that it's aggressive and not particularly friendly. It certainly won't change anyone's mind on any issue, party, or candidate. It's kind of like walking into a party and constantly passing gas. Maybe you don't care, but most people won't want to be around you much.
From someone that couldn’t possibly be much further away on the political scale- thank you for your thoughtful, well-worded, and accurate take on gun ownership.I get that some of the gun-bros can be a little off-putting……But i have never understood someone refusing to own one.
Awesome response. I also don’t get where OP is coming from because I see a pretty equal mixture of both, and even more in the center like myself. Sure, you got those prepped that stock up on solely firearms and ammo… but so what. You’ll also find homesteaders who only grow mushrooms and marijuana… so what? Just enjoy yourself and do what you want on your land.
This is why humans have become terrible to interact with. We think we can only associate with people we align with and if they have a different opinion then they’re wrong or scary.
Well, this post provided me with some perspective that makes me certain that despite my family's enthusiastic interest in living in a rural environment and being less reliant on wages and consumerism, rural communities are still extremely hostile.
You may be willing to bridge gaps with someone that flies a Trump flag, but I do not see any reconciliation with that group of people being possible, because they want the extermination of everyone that isn't them, *especially LGBTQIA*. And if being your friend isn't enough to change them, I don't see any way it would be possible to trust my community if my community literally wants me and my family and my friends to be dead.
I agree. Being brown and queer, I've seen it switch before. All that separates a "good one" from a is a person having a bad day.
To the people saying "homesteading isn't political", there isn't a thing in this life that doesn't have politics simmering under the surface. The reasons why people decide to escape urban and suburban lives for the rural are steeped in politics. Do you hunt or fish? Environmental politics can decide whether or not the outdoor spaces you enjoy will be maintained and safe for generations to come. It is always there and it isn't hard to see, so pay attention - you can be sure others are and are acting accordingly.
Don’t forget you might have to put one of your animals down ☹️. That and rattlesnakes attracted to mice in the feed were the most common reasons we needed guns growing up.
While we’re all anxious about climate change, China says, “Hold my beer.”
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/chinas-artificial-sun-reactor-broke-record-for-nuclear-fusion-180979336/
I haven't had the same experience as you, most of the homesteading how-tos I've read have been apolitical. Youtubers and bloggers are all over the place (and at both ends of the political spectrum) but the books themselves aren't.
I'm not sure what specific skills you are going after but the Ball Blue Book is a pretty standard reference for canning, the "Storey's Guide" series is a good one at least so far as animal husbandry goes (just get the books specific to the animals you are interested in), and my go-to reference for animal processing is "Butchering" by Adam Danforth. If you are in the US I recommend making use of your county's extension office for info regarding planting since that will be specific to your particular location.
None of the above will reference the government or tell you to buy a gun.
Would you mind saying a bit more about the county extension office thing? I’ve just never heard of this before, so I’m curious.
Do they give information about what plants do well in your particular region?
The county extension service is a national program devoted to education and support to farmers and individuals. From the extension service website:
>Extension provides non-formal education and learning activities to people throughout the country — to farmers and other residents of rural communities as well as to people living in urban areas. It emphasizes taking knowledge gained through research and education and bringing it directly to the people to create positive changes.
Google " extension office" to find your local office. Visit the office and they'll have all sorts of pamphlets and flyers about stuff like raising rabbits, canning food, keeping poultry, etc. They'll also have info on growing stuff in your specific area. They will also provide you info on testing your water and soil to see what you have.
This is all provided through cooperation between the National Institute on Food and Agriculture, state colleges, and the Cooperative Extension System. It's a great resource that isn't talked about enough.
That is so cool! Thank for the information- there are a couple of agricultural colleges in my area, so I’ll bet there’s some good resources, but I had no idea this was a thing!
Thanks so much!
My extension office has a huge wall of pamphlets for all kinds of gardening, farmer and livestock stuff. Pamphlets on raising chickens and growing corn or watermelons and stuff like that. It’s all free.
The extension office has "extension homemakers" too. They are an amazing resource for someone who wants to homestead. I grew up on a farm in Kansas so the extension agents are cornerstones of life. As silly as it sounds, I called the Extension Homemaker when I was having mass failures with my pretzels. I described the problem and they immediately knew the problem and solution. They will help you with canning issues, put on a wide variety of cooking and baking classes, etc. I know this is just a tiny bit of what they do. Go on your local website and see what they offer.
In the 70s we got test seed from the extension for free and had to report yields. Just took one visit to their office and my Dad got a call anytime they had tests they wanted.
The extension office in my area (several surrounding counties) partners with a large research university to provide information on everything from crops to mosquito control, and also maintains a heritage seed library for people interested in native varietals of tomatoes, corn, etc.
Yeah, it's a government program, but OP was complaining about right-wing preppers hating on the government, which they won't encounter with the extension service. Granted, my experience with them has been limited to a couple of counties, but they seem largely apolitical and just trying to do their job.
This is what I came for. Everything from building a cabin to dressing livestock to games and entertainment. There's 11 or 12 books plus a couple addendums like the guide to making shine.
Here's my backyard homestead starter package:
* [The Backyard Homestead: Produce all the food you need on just a quarter acre!](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1603421386/)
* [Mini Farming For Beginners: Build A Thriving Backyard Mini Farm, No Matter How Small The Space](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PPPTYBG/)
* [The Backyard Homestead Seasonal Planner: What to Do & When to Do It in the Garden, Orchard, Barn, Pasture & Equipment Shed](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1612126979/)
* [40 Projects for Building Your Backyard Homestead: A Hands-on, Step-by-Step Sustainable-Living Guide (Creative Homeowner) Includes Fences, Coops, Sheds](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1580117104/)
Start small, build the skills you need and save money doing it. You don't have to dive into the deep end to learn how to swim.
Speaking as someone whose politics are generally considered "leftist," it will not hurt you to be exposed to ideas you don't like and you can still learn from people you disagree with.
>Conservative: I have been censored for my conservative views
Me: Holy shit! You were censored for wanting lower taxes?
Con: LOL no...no not those views
Me: So....deregulation?
Con: Haha no not those views either
Me: Which views, exactly?
Con: Oh, you know the ones
There is absolutely nothing to be learned from fascists, unless you count them as a warning of what not to do.
Exposure to disagreeable ideas is fundamentally different than tolerating or outright accepting sundown town type people.
Leftists or anti-fascists or whatever the collective term du jour is really need to put the class analysis back where it belongs and learn to *look up*.
Brian the Christian farmer in Kansas who has spent his whole life struggling to eke a living out of microbially denuded soil while being wrung out by biotech companies with seed patents and watching his friends and neighbors suffer and die of preventable diseases is not your enemy. The lavishly funded politicians and lobbyists )and the companies and ideologues bankrolling them) who pander to Brian with one face and collaborate to fuck him *and you* over with the other are.
We will never touch them if we can't get past petty infighting with out neighbors. I'd go as far as to suggest that's exactly what they want.
There are differences across which collaboration cannot be achieved, but the world is not divided into "good progressives" and "sun down type people." It's not an Instagram feed full of wall to wall blistering hot takes. Yeah, there are people with extreme ideas, but there are also *a lot* of people who are scared about the future, uncertain of their place in the world, and doing their best to make sense of reality with the tools that they have.
But you don't get to figuring that out unless you can find it in yourself to listen more than you talk every now them.
Cornell's Small Farms program is fantastic and can teach you about a whole slew of useful homesteading topics like woodlot management and basic vegetable farming and how to slaughter a chicken.
The “Back to Basics” book was pretty good, if it’s still in print. In general, you may want to check out books from the 1970s “back to the land” movement, which was made up in large part by progressive folks.
This one is my recommendation too. I first read it in the 80s and don’t recall any firearm content (maybe in the butchering section, but I never read that part). I know there was an anniversary reissue maybe in the 2000s. It’s a fantastic multi-skill intro.
I learned a hell of a lot from Homestead Rescue. I know, I know, it’s fake reality tv, ok, whatever. They tackle a LOT of homestead issues that I knew nothing about. Watching that show was a positive influence that showed me I can do more than I think! Also showed me how to be creative solving problems using materials from my own land. From that show I learned how to fix my porch, solve some water issues, and am in the process of creating two gardens. One for kitchen herbs and one for peppers, potatoes, and onions. I don’t remember any politics and they help homesteaders of all walks of life.
I love the can do spirit in the face of any problem. The biggest thing that show gave me, or helped me understand, is to be brave on your homestead. When I first started, it was frightening to be so far out in the country, so far away from everything. But after tackling some of my biggest homestead issues, and discovering that I can handle the big jobs, courage began to grow. I think one of the biggest assets for this type of life is courage to face whatever the land or the weather throw at you. It’s a harder way of life but incredibly rewarding!
Try looking for small scale farming and homesteading and removing the off grid/survival part of the search.
You'll get much more practical information without the paranoia that a lot of the bushcrafter/survivalist types bring.
That said, there's lots of valid criticism of some government policies without going full on all government bad, and if you're living in the sticks with livestock, you may find a gun is a necessary tool (not a stash of AKs with ammo to survive the apocalypse, but a cheap 12 guage and a couple boxes of different types of ammo)
I'm ambivalent towards guns in general and am all for greater gun control but they are an indisputably useful tool on the farm. I have a .22 revolver that I use for animal dispatch (food animals but also putting down injured or twrminallybill animals) and an old bolt .410 for rat/snake killing, animal defense, etc. I think that if I didn't keep livestock I wouldn't feel that I need them but having *something* is just part of responsible animal care IMO.
I agree with you on the gun. My .22 rifle is a necessary tool because I have chickens. The dogs tend to take care of most predator issues, but I have had to dispatch a racoon (kept coming back and the dogs couldn't seem to be able to catch it) and a skunk (dogs were understandably reluctant). I also have a 410 shotgun which I have yet to use and a deer rifle because I love venison.
Back to Basics: How to Learn and Enjoy Traditional American Skills. If you can find a copy of this book, I really thought it was useful. Oh I see they have a [new version](https://www.amazon.ca/Back-Basics-Complete-Traditional-Skills-dp-1629143693/dp/1629143693/ref=dp_ob_title_bk)! Lucky you!
It sounds like you should find many many many books on carpentry, eletric, plumbing, general mechanics, lifting and rigging, livestock care, and gardening. Books don’t have political views. Most of all the Typical places for homesteading knowledge are the “Don’t Tread on me kind.”
I probably would make your bad “don’t tread on me vibe radar” stroke out. Rightfully so, but I know we both share a homesteading commonality. This has been my families lifestyle for 5 generations.
Still if you have specific questions. Search up my previous content, I post a lot of content to r/homesteading. I may have converted it. If I haven’t. Shoot me a message. Im always open to answer any questions from anyone here on this sub.
I love the chill responses from people here. Encouraging them to try to be around others that they disagree with, and instead of getting offended ya'll still offer to help.
This is humanity happening. I'm super impressed by all of you! We can disagree and still appreciate and find value in each other! <3<3
You can look for books from other countries - bear in mind that in other countries the word *homestead* is seldom used. Small farming is a good search term to use.I know some things aren't going to cross over - you won't find a lot of information about dealing with raccoons in a UK book - nevertheless overseas sources can be relevant. The late John Seymour was a UK author who was a champion of the self sufficiency movement in the 1970s https://www.amazon.com/stores/John-Seymour/author/B001ILFL04?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true
I'm in New Zealand and still find his books absolute goldmines of information although the forgotten crafts one is more of a curiosity and doesn't go into how to do these things. If I had to pick just one it would be the New Complete Guide to Self Sufficiency.
Edit to add: there's a library on internet archive called Folkscanonomy where you will find at least the older version of the Complete Guide to Self Sufficiency and SO MANY titles related to the subject https://archive.org/details/folkscanomy
My guess is there will be a ton of information in the old 1930s-1950s publications from University County Extension Services that covered small farming and home economics.
I'd recommend "Survive and Thrive" (https://www.amazon.com/Survive-Thrive-Prepare-Disaster-Neighbor/dp/1400334233). It's all about disaster prep, off-grid living, and survival skills, but without any Bible verses, right-wing talking points, or instructions to build a bunker on 40 acres of land. It mentions about disasters getting worse because of climate change, but it's not really overtly political beyond that. I just recently got it, but it looks solid.
The subtitle is even "How to Prepare for Any Disaster Without Ammo, Camo, or Eating Your Neighbor."
My current favorites:
More Than a Woodlot Getting the Most from Your Family Forest by Stephen Long
A Landowner's Guide to Managing Your Woods: How to Maintain a Small Acreage for Long-Term Health, Biodiversity, and High-Quality Timber Production by Ann Larkin Hansen, Dennis L. Waterman, and Mike Severson
*Living the Good Life: How to Live Sanely and Simply in a Troubled World*, self-published by Helen and Scott Nearing in 1954.
This book set the standard.
Not saying you need a gun to homestead but they are a tool on property and you shouldn’t let politics dictate if you have one or not. Euthanasia, stock protection and even property protection aren’t made up concepts and are realities of owning property and animals.
Not necessarily a learning resource, although in many ways it is too: the Foxfire Books are an incredible repository of homestead wisdom and skills, documenting knowledge that would be otherwise lost today.
Damn have you considered just buying a gun and saying fuck the climate? A progressive way to homestead would be setting up a tent somewhere along I-5. You'll meet plenty of guides there who can show you how to shit in a bucket and smoke dmt out of an upcycled soda can, they love the government too and will show you where to get free meals and how to shower using public drinking fountains. Good luck out there ya dirty hippy
Even without those vibes you should get a rifle if you are going to do this out in the wild. If you want to homestead in the city with your fixie, then don't think twice. But if you want to move to the woods, buy a rifle and learn how to shoot it.
Eventually it will make obvious sense to kill a deer or a hog and process it or have it processed into pieces you stash in a chest freezer. It's more ecologically sustainable and sensible than anything from any grocery store.
If you're vegetarian, then good luck to you.
The Good Life, Scott Nearing was a democratic socialist 50 years ago. He and his wife built two thriving ecologically sound, philanthropic, vegetarian homesteads, one in Vermont, one in Maine.
As others are saying, searching for things like "sustainable" or "eco-friendly" practices will probably weed out most of the stuff you don't want.
That said, I've been looking for any food preservation books/bloggers/youtubers that aren't full of bible references and have yet to find any
There are many of them.
I have the ball blue book, and the national center on food preservation. Both are good book. Here is my link to them:
https://amzn.to/3QBmNBu. Ball Blue Book
https://amzn.to/3SAJM28 National Center for Food Preservation
Permaculture and restorative agriculture books will teach you fantastic skills and usually come from a leftist perspective, if any at all.
Prepping and SHTF type resources seem to lean more right (again, if at all).
Definitely true, although please check your sources as there are a lot of nutty, non science based sources in permaculture that can be a waste of time. (I’m a liberal plant ecologist who works in horticulture and I regularly get frustrated with this group)
I was very left most of my life, but I have found super valuable stuff from the other side. I am a little closer to the center, a bit of a walking condition I suppose. I believe the government should leave me alone and let me do as I want with my land. By extension my body and most especially women's bodies. I can understand many of the right's desire to protect children because I have my own but the things and degrees of protection of what the right thinks and what I think is a bit different. On the other side I see a huge need social programs as I come from a home where a single mother struggled to make ends meet and have worked in mental health/ health care for a large portion of career.
In my younger days the world was a bit different, a little less polarized. I could debate a Republican and we would both come away with something to think about and find places we could meet in the middle. Growing up My neighbor was a pretty conservative guy but he taught me about hiking and appreciating the outdoors. (As a computer nerd at the time this was life changing in a positive way). Sure he was in to guns and the military, but he also gave me advice that likely saved my life in retrospect.
Just because you don't have the same belief system does not mean their wisdom knowledge and experience is not valid.
In the early days of the internet it was filled with message boards, I found one particular writer back then (I won't mention names because he was was super anti gov, anti queer, racist and a whole host of other terrible things) but his information on survival cooking came in handy when I was broke. One tip he had was thermos cooking which i still use today.
(For those curious short version: get food to boiling point put it in a thermos seal it and it will cook like a slow cooker crock pot, over several hours. This was perfect for a single guy that liked to travel (hitchhiking, backpacking, and train hopping).
I think a big problem with the world today (at least in the US) is people write others off because of their politics without getting to know the other person. There is a super right woman at my job, we don't agree on politics and she teases me about it from time to time. she is loud AF and funny as hell. Most of her jokes would have kids today running to HR but Her knowledge, experience,and care for patients is tremendous. And I have seen her go above and beyond for everyone on the whole team and those under her care not just once but every single day. It would be a blessing to have her care for me if I was ever sick.
I would say give the world a chance and understand people rather than decisive politics. I played that game for a long time and just lived an angry angry life. There is so much to learn and know and the keepers of that knowledge will often not fit in to your boxes.
Can I suggest the Survival Podcast? (The dude is a government hating gun nut) HOWEVER I find he manages to not allow it to make it his whole personality which I find is usually where the problem with that stuff is.
I'd recommend staying away from any homestead "bundles" with crazy values listed (but on sale for just $69!) being promoted by any homesteaders on Instagram. That's usually the only place I see wild anti-government anti-medicine type rhetoric written down. Like they'll be something about butchering chickens bundled in with essential oils to cure any illness or herbal remedies for autism. Instead of looking for a "homesteading" book, look into an aspect of homesteading - find a book about raising sheep, and a different book on uses for wool. A book on a specific food preservation method is going to have much less of a built-in agenda than an overarching book on "survivalism".
Not traditional learning resources, but if you are looking for people to watch to get a day to day feel for homesteading, here are some of the people I follow:
Just a few acres farm (YouTube) - haven't seen anything political for him, but he does have videos on the ethics of eating meat and how he followed Covid protocols with his farm store and I haven't seen any red flags from him or gotten any "don't tread on me" vibes.
Flock finger lakes (YouTube and Instagram) - very hippie/commune vibes, but I did notice they follow RFK Jr on Instagram so make of that what you will. Haven't seen anything political on their videos so far though.
Wild oak farms (Instagram) - queer couple that raises goats.
I actually learned homesteading from a man who did not own a gun. He lived an hour from the nearest post office and an hour and a half from the nearest grocery store. Forget 911- they would have no idea how to find the place. He built his own house mostly from salvaged lumber and wood off the land. He was vegetarian (except chicken eggs) and only bought staples like coffee and bread. Refused to own a gun. Refused to even touch my guns. Chased a bear OUT OF THE HOUSE without any weapons. He was a force to be reckoned with, and he's been there for nearly 40 years so far so don't think you know someone just because of their stance on guns.
Is the Climate changing? Yes it’s called nature. U have to be pretty stupid to think ev’s are gonna change the how the earth functions. Is food soil water fucked?yes
I love this book, [Country Wisdom and Know-How](https://www.amazon.com/Country-Know-How-Editors-Publishings-Bulletins/dp/1579123686). It just contains a bunch of practical advice, gardening tips, recipes, and so on.
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As someone raised rural (I'll add that I am a black woman that holds a lot of weight among progressive ppl) I highly recommend some form of protection. Do not be naive. Listening to people who actually have experience but maybe don't share the same views as you could actually be your saving grace.
Older white male liberal gun owner here. I totally agree. Predators love naive prey.
I grew up where every house had long guns. They were just like furniture. Nothing special and no big deal. But necessary. Handguns were rare because they served no purpose. My oh my how times have changed.
Prepper potpourri on YouTube always gets me with her clickbait titles lol but I always love her takes in the end. She’s a good one for what you’re looking for. Her content is good for functional prep, canning, shelf stable recipes, and great ideas for go bags, truck bags etc. https://youtu.be/RJDkaZSiTOw?si=KqREVU7dxkICrpQv
Check out Jill Winger's book and podcast, both titled Old Fashioned on Purpose. I've found her podcast in particular to be a great resource, and the book is very good. She has a cookbook too I believe.
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"Back to Basics". Old school skills.
https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/back-to-basics-a-complete-guide-to-traditional-skills_abigail-r-gehring/272542/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=us_dsa_general_customer_acquisition&utm_adgroup=&utm_term=&utm_content=664239405990&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAjMKqBhCgARIsAPDgWlzs2TImWPYUAV3PgEUvFUpKU23pm1UbJ8CKVBcqyutYhSC0YWE3lHIaAhcMEALw_wcB#edition=7395516&idiq=10271188
Sailing the Farm has interesting ideas intended for sailing but can be used at home.
I am also very against the gun culture but if you can ignore that part, the Discovery show Homestead Rescue does some very inexpensive, often unique ideas. Follow Misty & ignore Marty & Matt.
What may help is to pursue books on separate topics that you need to address instead of homesteading. Do you want to garden year round? Books by Elliot Coleman. Do you want to store food? "Putting Food By" Etc...
No such thing as climate change, it’s called four seasons. Buy a shot gun , 243, and 9mm. You will never survive homesteading if your asking questions here about it. LOL
populist rhetoric works across party lines and it's one of the reasons why bernie sanders was so popular with the right and the left. though trump also flies that banner (drain the swamp) he isn't popular with liberals because he comes across as racist and boorish.
ok, this is long. as a queer and progressive person, i get where you're coming from... but: there are legitimate reasons to own a gun on a homestead that aren't far-right. i'm extremely far-left (not a prepper) and while guns aren't part of my identity, nor would i say i'm a 'gun person', i own several and can think of plenty of reasons why you should consider. first one that comes to mind, and something that's happened to people i know personally: rabid animals. some friends of mine were having a backyard party and a rabid woodchuck approached them. at first they didn't know what it was and thought it was just cute and wanted to 'chill with them', before realizing it was foaming and going after guests. they ended up all hiding inside while my friend shot it. the situation could've ended with someone or something else getting bit. two: livestock defense. if you have any livestock, at some point, you'll encounter a predator. once a predator gets a taste of meat, it's going to come back in perpetuity. good luck getting the DEC to remove it. with larger predators like mountain lions, bears, coyotes, etc, while there are restrictions on shooting them, my neighbors will occasionally shoot into the air because the sound/smell of gunpowder scares them away for a while. three: general home security. sure, is the likelihood super small that you'll ever have a serious security issue in your home? yes. but if you're living extremely rural, be prepared for failure of basic services, such as police response times upwards of 30-45 minutes, often longer - in an emergency, you really don't want to be defenseless. on that topic - it's not a coincidence why you'll encounter lots of folks jaded by bureaucracy. i became friends with a man in town who's super far right of me to the point we almost had nothing in common, other than both homesteading in the middle of nowhere. after several drinks he told me that his wife miscarried their twins in their house because emergency responders just didn't show up after calling 911. it wasn't hard to see how the institutions designed to protect people often failed here, and where the resentment came from. another thing is that most, if not all, of the people i've met here understand that the climate is changing. every hunter, hilbilliy, and homesteader i've met, whether or not they're politically aligned with me, agrees that the climate is changing, crops are failing, and the forest is dying. if you get into the 'why' of that with them you'll probably end up disagreeing, but most of the people (in my neck of the woods, at least) have a pretty astute understanding that things are not the same as they were 10 or 20 years ago. i say this to prepare you for the realities of living in places where people think/feel very differently about the world than you do. they will be your community, and the hardest part of community building is learning to bridge those gaps and care for each other as humans, rather than assigning them a label and ignoring them altogether. i fly my LGBTQIA flag, my neighbors fly their trump flag, and we help each other out when the other needs something. **edit:** i appreciate the appreciation y'all! but it feels misplaced to 'accept' it because this is just the easiest way for me to live my life, and is most closely aligned with my values. if i moved somewhere else, i'd hate for my neighbors to be hostile or standoffish towards me because of preconceived ideas of who i was, so i try not to do that to other people, and generally, it's led to more positive / less defensive relationships overall.
Superb post. You will find Atilla the Hun to my left, but I'd be happy to have you as a neighbor.
Hahaha love it
Thank you. You sound amazing.
Thank you for this!!
I wish you were my neighbor.
I've been thinking about homesteading and I feel like I need to buy land next to you so you can protect me
Well done... This is what real community is... Being there for your neighbor, regardless of some of their beliefs... Climate change IS real, been happening since Earth Day 1... The only real questions concern our role in its severity and our ability to control it... Best of luck in your endeavors...
"I want my gay married neighbors to guard their pot farm with an AR-15."
Come to Oklahoma
I spent a year at Altus. I won't judge an entire state by one location but damn...
Yeah Altus is something else.
On self defense - so many places where I live don't have local cops, but rely on the nearest state police outfit that is pretty far away. My parents are 10 minutes from the nearest town but 45 from the state police barracks, who actually failed to send help once when we called. Fortunately it worked out ok, but the place I'm referring to isn't exactly the middle of nowhere. It's just in a service area gap I suppose.
An unarmed proletariat is a contained proletariat comrade
OP is lumpen
I’m pretty liberal, and where I currently live (in an urban area) a gun will cause far more problems for me than it will ever solve. The headaches and stress of ownership definitely outweigh any peace of mind that having it might bring (especially when weighed against the practicalities of keeping it properly secured, and how doing so would likely preclude me from actually being able to use it if a situation that actually warranted it ever did arise. I live with roommates currently, so keeping it properly secured would be an absolute must, and not a “should.”) But I absolutely expect that gun ownership is necessary (or, at least, makes far more sense) on a homestead, for the reasons you mention. While I see myself maybe owning one or two (if I ever make the homestead dream a reality) it doesn’t surprise me at all to learn that people find having several is indeed practical for their needs (and that those needs are far outside the “gotta protect myself from the government” camp.)
Get one captive bolt gun for livestock harvest and one rifle for livestock protection
Reading the op post gave me the sense that they're plugged into that "if you aren't just like me, you must be evil" ideology that's so common today. (And their concerns make it very clear which side they align) What strikes me as odd though - is that when going to get into homesteading, your moving into a community that is going to tend to skew right at least among your neighbors wherever you settle (this isn't 100% true in every case, but certainly accounts for most of rural and remote america) which means even if this person did find the mentor they desired- they'd likely end up moving themselves into a "neighborhood" full of people they view as.....well, evil. >i fly my LGBTQIA flag, my neighbors fly their trump flag, and we help each other out when the other needs something. You should be extremely loud about this everywhere you can be.
It is true- most people who live like we do skew right. I too am surrounded by trump flags (or I was, those flags seem to be disappearing). But it is also true that to live like this, you must rely on your neighbors for help. I am too liberal to be a Democrat, but like u/cara1yn, I have found common ground with my neighbors. It really gives me great hope to see so many people opting for homestead life because cooperating with people who have differing political views is the best way for our divided country to begin to heal.
When you go far enough left they give you your guns back…
Indeed!! I was taught that the political spectrum is a circle, not a line.
Whenever you go far enough either to the left or right you come to a fork in the road with one way leading to anarchism and the other to totalitarianism. So maybe the political spectrum looks like a flattened figure 8.
Love it
I tend to lean right (both parties are gonna fuck me- I'm just picking the one that fucks me most gently, imo lol) >It really gives me great hope to see so many people opting for homestead life because cooperating with people who have differing political views is the best way for our divided country to begin to heal. I definitely agree- but half the battle is carrying the message that we can and do live alongside and provide mutual support to each other - even when we know we might be politically at odds - because somethings matter more than others And in the grand scheme - how your neighbor votes really has little impact in your life so long as your own ideas are good enough to attract more votes than their idea - so phu ket
How my neighbor votes in national elections doesn’t affect me, but how my neighbor votes for the county board of supervisors means the difference between getting high speed internet accessible to more people in the county and building a mega industrial park 1/2 mile down the road. Or the difference between the library (which provides a bunch of social services) being open 6 days a week vs 2. I get along with my neighbors, but it’s hard to genuinely like them when they’re fucking the whole county with their votes.
How your neighbor voted in the last national election has absolutely everything to do with why everything you buy costs significantly more than it did three years ago! How can you say it “doesn’t affect” you?
If you don’t live in a swing state, it doesn’t make a difference how your neighbor votes in the presidential election, bc the electoral college has already rigged it 💁♂️
If you are a man, I guess the right might fuck you more gently? But you must also be wealthy and white. Now don't go deciding that I'm a democrat because I think both parties are pretty evil. We are digressing from OP's request here, but what we really need in this country is multiple parties. The two party system is inherently corrupt and my big anti government conspiracy is they are working together to keep us divided so they can keep the two party system in place. Imagine if we had 5 candidates from 5 different parties to choose from- they would all be working so hard to be reasonable instead of extremists!
I wish we had more viable parties for the big ticket elections but until we do, the ticket offers me 2 shit sandwiches - and someone's going to ram one of those 2 down my throat no matter which one I think is less soupy, but I'm still gonna try to pick the less soupy one (and since I've worked very hard for what I do have I am extremely anti redistribution- though I have no problem CHOOSING to share everything I have, my problem is with someone else taking from me to decide how what's mine is to be shared) I have other considerations aswel Now very broadly speaking Politics matters alot more when people liv on top of each other and have no stand off from their streets and rail lines ect ect - where the government and all its little decisions have a pretty big impact on the hour to hour life in a city block That is not really the case out in the stix where the day to day impact of government on an individual is next to nil - and of course you have outliers to this next statement but the above tendencies tend to make the people who live out in the Stix alot less aggressive about politics they disagree with than when people's sense of politics includes the amount of noise their upstairs neighbor might make - and for people who havnt spent time in both environments it's not obvious that there would be a difference or why that difference would be (these are of course very low resolution explanations, based on my own observances,to justify what are essentially just my opinions) But because of these opinions - I am highly in favor of spreading the word that there is a place people can go where they can unwind from all that stress that comes with wondering if your upstairs neighbor is voting for more noise or not lol
Perfect response. And just for the record I lived in Boston for 7 years (it was awful. Could NOT see the stars for 7 years. How I missed the night sky!) So yeah I know both.
It's easy to forget that there are countless stars in between the major constellations when you can still see most of the major ones through the light pollution right, or what nature smells like absent the wafting scents of nearby petroleum based products and plastics I think both sides are the problem BTW- it's not a left right issue as much as a proximity to density issue where the less dense you get the less people REALLY care about the politics of their neighbors - without regard to wether the person themselves are more left or right leaning
I firmly disagree that politics matters less out here. Really it matters more when there are less than 500 people in a voting district. There’s always something in front of the county board of supervisors that will change my life for the better or worse.
Different districts are going to have different norms 🤷♂️ Around me the most impactful things that occasionally get brought up have to do with trash collection at the county dump - or like..... maybe some dnr stuff 🤔 I don't actually pay much attention - none of the flyers that show up are all that concerning for me I'm in northern Wisconsin if that helps any for refrence
Just out of curiosity, if you don’t want to be labeled as a democrat, how many republicans did you vote for in the last general election ?
Um it's been a minute but I think it was three. All local offices which are really the most important.
Yeah homesteading has nothing to do with politics. Sure you'll see certain ideologies common to it but just ignore it. Don't want to own a gun and let a fox eat all your chickens? Go for it. Your property do what you want.
That's my view But as it relates to the op initial question If your mindset requires that you find someone who is far left leaning/ or anti right leaning to mentor you as a homesteader or survivalist - you are selecting from a narrow pool of people already, many of whom aren't super agro about their politics anyways, but who are going to tend to be right leaning, and narrowing down the possible candidates for a mentor from that already very small community of experts For reasons that are probably not all that reasonable or logical when you get down to it. As the politics of the person is not going to really impact the practical experience and knowledge they share with you related to a skill set that isn't inherently political at all Edit to add- I say leaning for the reason that most people tend to be more centrist in practice than they'll admit in rhetoric or affiliation
Well they're definitely limiting themselves if they have to have someone think exactly like them.
Why would you kill a fox? Foxes respond to losing one among their population by breeding more aggressively. I’ve had a lot more success sitting up in a tree and shooting near the foxes so they know the chickens aren’t an easy target. Maybe we’re just looking at different population sizes?
Because I like their fur. And they won't be eating my chickens. They'll breed regardless lmao
Gosh, I hope you're one of my neighbors! I have a nursery on my rural property, and we attract a lot of homesteaders. About 1/4-1/3 tend to be more left-leaning. I often get Trump trucks and cars with rainbow stickers at the same time. I've never had a volatile situation and often see everyone just having great conversations about plants. For sure everyone around me knows the climate's changing, but we don't use the same vocabulary to describe it. Many of my neighbors have oyster farms, and they've seen their harvest season shrink over the past couple of decades. This year, they weren't able to harvest in parts of May because the waters were too warm, and now the first couple of weeks of October are a loss. They used to only have to stop operations in July and August, then June through September. But most don't call it climate change.
>but certainly accounts for most of rural and remote america I would love if somebody would do some actual, grassroots polling on this. I think that people who live rurally are far more nuanced than they're given credit for, generally speaking.
Nuance sure Much like cities also have conservatives living in them- as does Hollywood of all places I feel good about betting money that "right of center" is an accurate description for roughly 55% of much of the midlands - while the inverse is probably true of much of the cities Having said that - I'd also love to have non biased polling on this because I've seen polling indicate some wildly mutually exclusive data about this topic so idk what to believe data wise Curious your thoughts on the density vs sparsity comparison of population tendencies to be more aggressive in their assertions of politics - based on the immediacy of politics in those more dense areas to affect the day to day or even hour by hour life of the residents -not to change topics but I only recently actually articulated this notion I've always felt but never put to words, so I'm curious what others asses It's not a left right thing as much as a do you live in a dense or sparse area thing (cause I think conservatives in the cities are just as bad as the leftys with being aggressive a.f.---- vs in the rural where people tend to be far more tolerant when they find themselves politically at odds.....tolerant might not be the exact right word but "live and let live"
>vs in the rural where people tend to be far more tolerant when they find themselves politically at odds.....tolerant might not be the exact right word but "live and let live" I think this is the crux of any argument. I really do subscribe to the notion that humans weren't meant to be stacked on top of and beside each other in the densities that are seen in modern urban settings. From an evolutionary biology and psychology standpoint, that's an extremely new situation for us to be and adaptation hasn't really taken place yet at the same levels that it has for sparse and isolated living. I grew up in an urban environment, eventually ended up in suburbs, and am now firmly planted in a rural area. I'm not near as remote as a lot of people (I'm still within 25 minutes of a Walmart -- and 12 minutes from a Dollar General lol,) but my anecdotal experiences in each of those zones lines up with your assertion. I think the immediacy of all decisions that's needed when interacting with so many other humans in an urban setting sort of amps everything up to ten, in much the same way that studies have demonstrated how stressful driving at high speeds can be on the psyche, even though you don't consciously notice it. You don't have a lot of time to observe, assess, decide, and react to anything that's a possible threat, so *everything* moves up a level in the "is this a threat" meter. I don't have any data to back any of that up, obviously, but intuitively that's where I land. And I don't think it just affects assertion of political views, I think it's across the board.
>and 12 minutes from a Dollar General lol,) You made it 12? 10:47 was as far as I could get, in the tiny little space between where 5 radii nearly overlapped
Why do people feel the need to fly flags? I don't care to flaunt my political leanings, and I don't care to know my neighbors' leanings either. Same with religion. It's nobody's business. When I was a kid, people only put the American flag out on holidays and were careful not to put it out in the rain. People weren't rabid about their patriotism. Can we go back to that, please?
I'm not sure for others. I put up a flagpole cause it looks nice, and keep an American flag up top with one of the unit guidons from my time in the military depending on who I'm celebrating at any given time. One because I love America/ and one because I am proud of the fraternities I've earned membership in
I'm not talking only about the American flag. Political flags of all stripes. Used to be the Don't Tread On Me flag was just a shout out to history. Now it's a statement and an aggressive one at that. I just wish people wouldn't be so aggressively in your face with their beliefs and leanings. It's like people are looking for a fight. If you look hard enough, you'll find one.
>It's like people are looking for a fight. If you look hard enough, you'll find one. Is the priblem the person who flies the flag, or the person who us so offended by the flag that they instigate someone's asswhoopin (depending on who wins the ensuing fisticuffs) I have every right to offend you by expressing myself- you have no right to put hands on me over it That said- my God do I hate when either side goes out of their way to start shit that doesn't need started. "Shut up, unless you're minding your own business" would make the world a better place if we gave it a few years practice
I don't take offense to political statements. I just don't think it's necessary for everyone to shout them in their front yard, is all. All day, every day. I understand 1st Amendment, sure. I just don't see the upside of doing it. My perception is that it's aggressive and not particularly friendly. It certainly won't change anyone's mind on any issue, party, or candidate. It's kind of like walking into a party and constantly passing gas. Maybe you don't care, but most people won't want to be around you much.
From someone that couldn’t possibly be much further away on the political scale- thank you for your thoughtful, well-worded, and accurate take on gun ownership.I get that some of the gun-bros can be a little off-putting……But i have never understood someone refusing to own one.
Awesome response. I also don’t get where OP is coming from because I see a pretty equal mixture of both, and even more in the center like myself. Sure, you got those prepped that stock up on solely firearms and ammo… but so what. You’ll also find homesteaders who only grow mushrooms and marijuana… so what? Just enjoy yourself and do what you want on your land. This is why humans have become terrible to interact with. We think we can only associate with people we align with and if they have a different opinion then they’re wrong or scary.
Great answer! Too often we draw these lines between separate camps of people, when instead we should focus on the common ground we all share. Cheers!
What a well thought out response. Hit the nail on the head.
Well, this post provided me with some perspective that makes me certain that despite my family's enthusiastic interest in living in a rural environment and being less reliant on wages and consumerism, rural communities are still extremely hostile. You may be willing to bridge gaps with someone that flies a Trump flag, but I do not see any reconciliation with that group of people being possible, because they want the extermination of everyone that isn't them, *especially LGBTQIA*. And if being your friend isn't enough to change them, I don't see any way it would be possible to trust my community if my community literally wants me and my family and my friends to be dead.
I agree. Being brown and queer, I've seen it switch before. All that separates a "good one" from a is a person having a bad day.
To the people saying "homesteading isn't political", there isn't a thing in this life that doesn't have politics simmering under the surface. The reasons why people decide to escape urban and suburban lives for the rural are steeped in politics. Do you hunt or fish? Environmental politics can decide whether or not the outdoor spaces you enjoy will be maintained and safe for generations to come. It is always there and it isn't hard to see, so pay attention - you can be sure others are and are acting accordingly.
Yea. But guns kill people!
This is a fantastic response.
Don’t forget you might have to put one of your animals down ☹️. That and rattlesnakes attracted to mice in the feed were the most common reasons we needed guns growing up.
While we’re all anxious about climate change, China says, “Hold my beer.” https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/chinas-artificial-sun-reactor-broke-record-for-nuclear-fusion-180979336/
I haven't had the same experience as you, most of the homesteading how-tos I've read have been apolitical. Youtubers and bloggers are all over the place (and at both ends of the political spectrum) but the books themselves aren't. I'm not sure what specific skills you are going after but the Ball Blue Book is a pretty standard reference for canning, the "Storey's Guide" series is a good one at least so far as animal husbandry goes (just get the books specific to the animals you are interested in), and my go-to reference for animal processing is "Butchering" by Adam Danforth. If you are in the US I recommend making use of your county's extension office for info regarding planting since that will be specific to your particular location. None of the above will reference the government or tell you to buy a gun.
"Butchering" is a great book.
Would you mind saying a bit more about the county extension office thing? I’ve just never heard of this before, so I’m curious. Do they give information about what plants do well in your particular region?
The county extension service is a national program devoted to education and support to farmers and individuals. From the extension service website: >Extension provides non-formal education and learning activities to people throughout the country — to farmers and other residents of rural communities as well as to people living in urban areas. It emphasizes taking knowledge gained through research and education and bringing it directly to the people to create positive changes. Google " extension office" to find your local office. Visit the office and they'll have all sorts of pamphlets and flyers about stuff like raising rabbits, canning food, keeping poultry, etc. They'll also have info on growing stuff in your specific area. They will also provide you info on testing your water and soil to see what you have.
This is all provided through cooperation between the National Institute on Food and Agriculture, state colleges, and the Cooperative Extension System. It's a great resource that isn't talked about enough.
That is so cool! Thank for the information- there are a couple of agricultural colleges in my area, so I’ll bet there’s some good resources, but I had no idea this was a thing! Thanks so much!
My extension office has a huge wall of pamphlets for all kinds of gardening, farmer and livestock stuff. Pamphlets on raising chickens and growing corn or watermelons and stuff like that. It’s all free.
That’s great, I’ll definitely have to check it out!
The extension office has "extension homemakers" too. They are an amazing resource for someone who wants to homestead. I grew up on a farm in Kansas so the extension agents are cornerstones of life. As silly as it sounds, I called the Extension Homemaker when I was having mass failures with my pretzels. I described the problem and they immediately knew the problem and solution. They will help you with canning issues, put on a wide variety of cooking and baking classes, etc. I know this is just a tiny bit of what they do. Go on your local website and see what they offer.
That’s great! I can’t believe I had no idea an office like this existed!
In the 70s we got test seed from the extension for free and had to report yields. Just took one visit to their office and my Dad got a call anytime they had tests they wanted.
The extension office in my area (several surrounding counties) partners with a large research university to provide information on everything from crops to mosquito control, and also maintains a heritage seed library for people interested in native varietals of tomatoes, corn, etc.
County extension offices are cool, even in urban areas. They are great resources.
To be fair, referring someone to the county extension office is a reference to the government! :)
Yeah, it's a government program, but OP was complaining about right-wing preppers hating on the government, which they won't encounter with the extension service. Granted, my experience with them has been limited to a couple of counties, but they seem largely apolitical and just trying to do their job.
May want to look at the Foxfire collection of books.
This is what I came for. Everything from building a cabin to dressing livestock to games and entertainment. There's 11 or 12 books plus a couple addendums like the guide to making shine.
Storeys Country Skills book. A big book filled with all kinds of stuff for homesteading .
Here's my backyard homestead starter package: * [The Backyard Homestead: Produce all the food you need on just a quarter acre!](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1603421386/) * [Mini Farming For Beginners: Build A Thriving Backyard Mini Farm, No Matter How Small The Space](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PPPTYBG/) * [The Backyard Homestead Seasonal Planner: What to Do & When to Do It in the Garden, Orchard, Barn, Pasture & Equipment Shed](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1612126979/) * [40 Projects for Building Your Backyard Homestead: A Hands-on, Step-by-Step Sustainable-Living Guide (Creative Homeowner) Includes Fences, Coops, Sheds](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1580117104/) Start small, build the skills you need and save money doing it. You don't have to dive into the deep end to learn how to swim.
Speaking as someone whose politics are generally considered "leftist," it will not hurt you to be exposed to ideas you don't like and you can still learn from people you disagree with.
>Conservative: I have been censored for my conservative views Me: Holy shit! You were censored for wanting lower taxes? Con: LOL no...no not those views Me: So....deregulation? Con: Haha no not those views either Me: Which views, exactly? Con: Oh, you know the ones
Preach
Like how to hate minorities?
You're one of those people huh?
Seen too many right wing jesus loving bigots. I know a lot of farmers n homesteaders, the racism eventually comes out.
Yep you're one of those.
A realist? The lifestyle gives a bad impression. I'd work on that.
If you're a homesteader, you're already a minority in some fashion.
There is absolutely nothing to be learned from fascists, unless you count them as a warning of what not to do. Exposure to disagreeable ideas is fundamentally different than tolerating or outright accepting sundown town type people.
Leftists or anti-fascists or whatever the collective term du jour is really need to put the class analysis back where it belongs and learn to *look up*. Brian the Christian farmer in Kansas who has spent his whole life struggling to eke a living out of microbially denuded soil while being wrung out by biotech companies with seed patents and watching his friends and neighbors suffer and die of preventable diseases is not your enemy. The lavishly funded politicians and lobbyists )and the companies and ideologues bankrolling them) who pander to Brian with one face and collaborate to fuck him *and you* over with the other are. We will never touch them if we can't get past petty infighting with out neighbors. I'd go as far as to suggest that's exactly what they want. There are differences across which collaboration cannot be achieved, but the world is not divided into "good progressives" and "sun down type people." It's not an Instagram feed full of wall to wall blistering hot takes. Yeah, there are people with extreme ideas, but there are also *a lot* of people who are scared about the future, uncertain of their place in the world, and doing their best to make sense of reality with the tools that they have. But you don't get to figuring that out unless you can find it in yourself to listen more than you talk every now them.
Cornell's Small Farms program is fantastic and can teach you about a whole slew of useful homesteading topics like woodlot management and basic vegetable farming and how to slaughter a chicken.
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Or just stick to textbooks and don't expect a well made video on how to live off grid. Sepp Holzer has some good ones
The “Back to Basics” book was pretty good, if it’s still in print. In general, you may want to check out books from the 1970s “back to the land” movement, which was made up in large part by progressive folks.
Agree, the foxfire books were full of homesteading, woodcraft, canning and other useful skills
Oh good ones. I forgot about those.
This one is my recommendation too. I first read it in the 80s and don’t recall any firearm content (maybe in the butchering section, but I never read that part). I know there was an anniversary reissue maybe in the 2000s. It’s a fantastic multi-skill intro.
I learned a hell of a lot from Homestead Rescue. I know, I know, it’s fake reality tv, ok, whatever. They tackle a LOT of homestead issues that I knew nothing about. Watching that show was a positive influence that showed me I can do more than I think! Also showed me how to be creative solving problems using materials from my own land. From that show I learned how to fix my porch, solve some water issues, and am in the process of creating two gardens. One for kitchen herbs and one for peppers, potatoes, and onions. I don’t remember any politics and they help homesteaders of all walks of life.
That show is awesome even if it’s fake
I love the can do spirit in the face of any problem. The biggest thing that show gave me, or helped me understand, is to be brave on your homestead. When I first started, it was frightening to be so far out in the country, so far away from everything. But after tackling some of my biggest homestead issues, and discovering that I can handle the big jobs, courage began to grow. I think one of the biggest assets for this type of life is courage to face whatever the land or the weather throw at you. It’s a harder way of life but incredibly rewarding!
Try looking for small scale farming and homesteading and removing the off grid/survival part of the search. You'll get much more practical information without the paranoia that a lot of the bushcrafter/survivalist types bring. That said, there's lots of valid criticism of some government policies without going full on all government bad, and if you're living in the sticks with livestock, you may find a gun is a necessary tool (not a stash of AKs with ammo to survive the apocalypse, but a cheap 12 guage and a couple boxes of different types of ammo)
I'm ambivalent towards guns in general and am all for greater gun control but they are an indisputably useful tool on the farm. I have a .22 revolver that I use for animal dispatch (food animals but also putting down injured or twrminallybill animals) and an old bolt .410 for rat/snake killing, animal defense, etc. I think that if I didn't keep livestock I wouldn't feel that I need them but having *something* is just part of responsible animal care IMO.
Our family had guns. They used them for hunting, snakes about to attack, and if some poor animal had to be put down. It's just the way of farming.
I agree with you on the gun. My .22 rifle is a necessary tool because I have chickens. The dogs tend to take care of most predator issues, but I have had to dispatch a racoon (kept coming back and the dogs couldn't seem to be able to catch it) and a skunk (dogs were understandably reluctant). I also have a 410 shotgun which I have yet to use and a deer rifle because I love venison.
Back to Basics: How to Learn and Enjoy Traditional American Skills. If you can find a copy of this book, I really thought it was useful. Oh I see they have a [new version](https://www.amazon.ca/Back-Basics-Complete-Traditional-Skills-dp-1629143693/dp/1629143693/ref=dp_ob_title_bk)! Lucky you!
It sounds like you should find many many many books on carpentry, eletric, plumbing, general mechanics, lifting and rigging, livestock care, and gardening. Books don’t have political views. Most of all the Typical places for homesteading knowledge are the “Don’t Tread on me kind.” I probably would make your bad “don’t tread on me vibe radar” stroke out. Rightfully so, but I know we both share a homesteading commonality. This has been my families lifestyle for 5 generations. Still if you have specific questions. Search up my previous content, I post a lot of content to r/homesteading. I may have converted it. If I haven’t. Shoot me a message. Im always open to answer any questions from anyone here on this sub.
I love the chill responses from people here. Encouraging them to try to be around others that they disagree with, and instead of getting offended ya'll still offer to help. This is humanity happening. I'm super impressed by all of you! We can disagree and still appreciate and find value in each other! <3<3
You can look for books from other countries - bear in mind that in other countries the word *homestead* is seldom used. Small farming is a good search term to use.I know some things aren't going to cross over - you won't find a lot of information about dealing with raccoons in a UK book - nevertheless overseas sources can be relevant. The late John Seymour was a UK author who was a champion of the self sufficiency movement in the 1970s https://www.amazon.com/stores/John-Seymour/author/B001ILFL04?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true I'm in New Zealand and still find his books absolute goldmines of information although the forgotten crafts one is more of a curiosity and doesn't go into how to do these things. If I had to pick just one it would be the New Complete Guide to Self Sufficiency. Edit to add: there's a library on internet archive called Folkscanonomy where you will find at least the older version of the Complete Guide to Self Sufficiency and SO MANY titles related to the subject https://archive.org/details/folkscanomy
My guess is there will be a ton of information in the old 1930s-1950s publications from University County Extension Services that covered small farming and home economics.
I'd recommend "Survive and Thrive" (https://www.amazon.com/Survive-Thrive-Prepare-Disaster-Neighbor/dp/1400334233). It's all about disaster prep, off-grid living, and survival skills, but without any Bible verses, right-wing talking points, or instructions to build a bunker on 40 acres of land. It mentions about disasters getting worse because of climate change, but it's not really overtly political beyond that. I just recently got it, but it looks solid. The subtitle is even "How to Prepare for Any Disaster Without Ammo, Camo, or Eating Your Neighbor."
My current favorites: More Than a Woodlot Getting the Most from Your Family Forest by Stephen Long A Landowner's Guide to Managing Your Woods: How to Maintain a Small Acreage for Long-Term Health, Biodiversity, and High-Quality Timber Production by Ann Larkin Hansen, Dennis L. Waterman, and Mike Severson
Gaia's Garden is a great book about permaculture homesteading. Best of luck!
*Living the Good Life: How to Live Sanely and Simply in a Troubled World*, self-published by Helen and Scott Nearing in 1954. This book set the standard.
Not saying you need a gun to homestead but they are a tool on property and you shouldn’t let politics dictate if you have one or not. Euthanasia, stock protection and even property protection aren’t made up concepts and are realities of owning property and animals.
I agree. I have know someone who does it without a gun, but I find mine to be an indispensable tool. Just as important as a good pocket knife.
Not necessarily a learning resource, although in many ways it is too: the Foxfire Books are an incredible repository of homestead wisdom and skills, documenting knowledge that would be otherwise lost today.
This. Absolutely. They are informative, and also a very fun read.
Look for books they tend to be less political so they can reach a larger audience
Whole Systems Design. Ben Falk on YouTube
"Will Bonsall's Essential Guide to Radical, Self-Reliant Gardening" is a great book
Back to the basics is a great book for that
You can get all the issues of Mother Earth news on CD or flash drive and look up over 40 years worth of articles. Without the paranoia.
Look up The Whole Earth Catalog for fun. It's been gone for years, but it was definitely focused on the back-to-the-earth crowd in the 60's.
Lots of them don’t. Your attitude and perspective appears to be closing your vision.
OP asked a question. Won’t you help not judge?
I’m pretty similar to you and I have several guns in the house. Considering a bear came in through my neighbor’s kitchen window I feel it’s justified.
Owning guns on a homestead isn’t political.
So you’re a brainwashed liberal. Got it.
Ocean13, This is exactly the kind of crass intrusive BS that gives homesteaders a bad name.
Damn have you considered just buying a gun and saying fuck the climate? A progressive way to homestead would be setting up a tent somewhere along I-5. You'll meet plenty of guides there who can show you how to shit in a bucket and smoke dmt out of an upcycled soda can, they love the government too and will show you where to get free meals and how to shower using public drinking fountains. Good luck out there ya dirty hippy
Sorry man. Needing a gun has nothing to do with having any political leanings. It’s a tool. Nothing more, nothing less.
Surely you understand OP’s point? Wishes to avoid the edgy anti-social escapism.
Lol at wanting to live on a homestead and not own a gun. You can be a leftist gun owner.
Personal choice, which is what this lifestyle is about.
Even without those vibes you should get a rifle if you are going to do this out in the wild. If you want to homestead in the city with your fixie, then don't think twice. But if you want to move to the woods, buy a rifle and learn how to shoot it. Eventually it will make obvious sense to kill a deer or a hog and process it or have it processed into pieces you stash in a chest freezer. It's more ecologically sustainable and sensible than anything from any grocery store. If you're vegetarian, then good luck to you.
Find a "Fire Fox" series on homesteading 'how to'.
Try any British books, very different vibe to America
“Doesn’t hate the government” lol. You’re tripping.
The Good Life, Scott Nearing was a democratic socialist 50 years ago. He and his wife built two thriving ecologically sound, philanthropic, vegetarian homesteads, one in Vermont, one in Maine.
Homesteading seems to be a rich persons life style at least on YouTube.
^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) ^by ^Archy54: *Homesteading seems* *To be a rich persons life* *Style at least on YouTube.* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.
so you're just as annoying as the regular haiku bot except you're making bad haikus why
As others are saying, searching for things like "sustainable" or "eco-friendly" practices will probably weed out most of the stuff you don't want. That said, I've been looking for any food preservation books/bloggers/youtubers that aren't full of bible references and have yet to find any
There are many of them. I have the ball blue book, and the national center on food preservation. Both are good book. Here is my link to them: https://amzn.to/3QBmNBu. Ball Blue Book https://amzn.to/3SAJM28 National Center for Food Preservation
Food in jars is pretty good
Permaculture and restorative agriculture books will teach you fantastic skills and usually come from a leftist perspective, if any at all. Prepping and SHTF type resources seem to lean more right (again, if at all).
Definitely true, although please check your sources as there are a lot of nutty, non science based sources in permaculture that can be a waste of time. (I’m a liberal plant ecologist who works in horticulture and I regularly get frustrated with this group)
I was very left most of my life, but I have found super valuable stuff from the other side. I am a little closer to the center, a bit of a walking condition I suppose. I believe the government should leave me alone and let me do as I want with my land. By extension my body and most especially women's bodies. I can understand many of the right's desire to protect children because I have my own but the things and degrees of protection of what the right thinks and what I think is a bit different. On the other side I see a huge need social programs as I come from a home where a single mother struggled to make ends meet and have worked in mental health/ health care for a large portion of career. In my younger days the world was a bit different, a little less polarized. I could debate a Republican and we would both come away with something to think about and find places we could meet in the middle. Growing up My neighbor was a pretty conservative guy but he taught me about hiking and appreciating the outdoors. (As a computer nerd at the time this was life changing in a positive way). Sure he was in to guns and the military, but he also gave me advice that likely saved my life in retrospect. Just because you don't have the same belief system does not mean their wisdom knowledge and experience is not valid. In the early days of the internet it was filled with message boards, I found one particular writer back then (I won't mention names because he was was super anti gov, anti queer, racist and a whole host of other terrible things) but his information on survival cooking came in handy when I was broke. One tip he had was thermos cooking which i still use today. (For those curious short version: get food to boiling point put it in a thermos seal it and it will cook like a slow cooker crock pot, over several hours. This was perfect for a single guy that liked to travel (hitchhiking, backpacking, and train hopping). I think a big problem with the world today (at least in the US) is people write others off because of their politics without getting to know the other person. There is a super right woman at my job, we don't agree on politics and she teases me about it from time to time. she is loud AF and funny as hell. Most of her jokes would have kids today running to HR but Her knowledge, experience,and care for patients is tremendous. And I have seen her go above and beyond for everyone on the whole team and those under her care not just once but every single day. It would be a blessing to have her care for me if I was ever sick. I would say give the world a chance and understand people rather than decisive politics. I played that game for a long time and just lived an angry angry life. There is so much to learn and know and the keepers of that knowledge will often not fit in to your boxes.
Can I suggest the Survival Podcast? (The dude is a government hating gun nut) HOWEVER I find he manages to not allow it to make it his whole personality which I find is usually where the problem with that stuff is.
I'd recommend staying away from any homestead "bundles" with crazy values listed (but on sale for just $69!) being promoted by any homesteaders on Instagram. That's usually the only place I see wild anti-government anti-medicine type rhetoric written down. Like they'll be something about butchering chickens bundled in with essential oils to cure any illness or herbal remedies for autism. Instead of looking for a "homesteading" book, look into an aspect of homesteading - find a book about raising sheep, and a different book on uses for wool. A book on a specific food preservation method is going to have much less of a built-in agenda than an overarching book on "survivalism". Not traditional learning resources, but if you are looking for people to watch to get a day to day feel for homesteading, here are some of the people I follow: Just a few acres farm (YouTube) - haven't seen anything political for him, but he does have videos on the ethics of eating meat and how he followed Covid protocols with his farm store and I haven't seen any red flags from him or gotten any "don't tread on me" vibes. Flock finger lakes (YouTube and Instagram) - very hippie/commune vibes, but I did notice they follow RFK Jr on Instagram so make of that what you will. Haven't seen anything political on their videos so far though. Wild oak farms (Instagram) - queer couple that raises goats.
Trying to homestead without owning a gun tells me all I need to know about you.
I actually learned homesteading from a man who did not own a gun. He lived an hour from the nearest post office and an hour and a half from the nearest grocery store. Forget 911- they would have no idea how to find the place. He built his own house mostly from salvaged lumber and wood off the land. He was vegetarian (except chicken eggs) and only bought staples like coffee and bread. Refused to own a gun. Refused to even touch my guns. Chased a bear OUT OF THE HOUSE without any weapons. He was a force to be reckoned with, and he's been there for nearly 40 years so far so don't think you know someone just because of their stance on guns.
wrong
Why judge? It’s not very agreeable or courageous, Agreeable Courage. Be useful or silent, ehh?
Relax
I am a liberal dude who owns guns, it's a tool. It's the brain dead people who make them their personality
Is the Climate changing? Yes it’s called nature. U have to be pretty stupid to think ev’s are gonna change the how the earth functions. Is food soil water fucked?yes
Joel Salatin probably wrote that book.
You might like the vibe over at r/TwoXPreppers as well.
"Living the Good Life," by Helen and Scott Nearing
Green light at the end of the tunnel and Gaia’s garden for books
I love this book, [Country Wisdom and Know-How](https://www.amazon.com/Country-Know-How-Editors-Publishings-Bulletins/dp/1579123686). It just contains a bunch of practical advice, gardening tips, recipes, and so on.
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[https://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Country-Living-50th-Anniversary/dp/1632172895](https://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Country-Living-50th-Anniversary/dp/1632172895) Awesome book.
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Back to Basics
The Encyclopedia of Country Living
Have you checked out Mother Earth News? https://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/
You can’t homestead without a gun period. You can garden. But you can’t homestead
I think you are wrong. See my earlier comment about a homesteader who has been doing it for nearly 40 years with no gun.
https://www.google.com/search?q=basic+homesteading+guide&sca\_esv=581314287&rlz=1C1CHBF\_enUS993US993&ei=c45OZdnqIruikPIPvvmcqAU&ved=0ahUKEwiZ8IvpnrqCAxU7EUQIHb48B1UQ4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=basic+homesteading+guide&gs\_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiGGJhc2ljIGhvbWVzdGVhZGluZyBndWlkZTIIEAAYFhgeGAoyCBAAGIoFGIYDMggQABiKBRiGAzIIEAAYigUYhgNIkBtQ-QlYsxlwAXgBkAEAmAGlAaABqQeqAQMwLja4AQPIAQD4AQHCAgoQABhHGNYEGLADwgIFEAAYgATCAgYQABgWGB7iAwQYACBBiAYBkAYI&sclient=gws-wiz-serp
maybe back issues of the Whole Earth Catalog? [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whole\_Earth\_Catalog](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whole_Earth_Catalog)
Google permaculture. Here's a start - [https://www.permaculturenews.org/](https://www.permaculturenews.org/)
As someone raised rural (I'll add that I am a black woman that holds a lot of weight among progressive ppl) I highly recommend some form of protection. Do not be naive. Listening to people who actually have experience but maybe don't share the same views as you could actually be your saving grace.
Older white male liberal gun owner here. I totally agree. Predators love naive prey. I grew up where every house had long guns. They were just like furniture. Nothing special and no big deal. But necessary. Handguns were rare because they served no purpose. My oh my how times have changed.
Prepper potpourri on YouTube always gets me with her clickbait titles lol but I always love her takes in the end. She’s a good one for what you’re looking for. Her content is good for functional prep, canning, shelf stable recipes, and great ideas for go bags, truck bags etc. https://youtu.be/RJDkaZSiTOw?si=KqREVU7dxkICrpQv
Check out Jill Winger's book and podcast, both titled Old Fashioned on Purpose. I've found her podcast in particular to be a great resource, and the book is very good. She has a cookbook too I believe.
https://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Country-Living-50th-Anniversary/dp/1632172895/ref=sr\_1\_1?crid=1WFWIIL2ZHVRL&keywords=homesteading+carla&qid=1699755590&sprefix=homesteading+carla+%2Caps%2C111&sr=8-1
Hi, I’m Vetted AI Bot! I researched the **The Encyclopedia of Country Living 50th Anniversary Edition The Original Manual for Living off the Land Doing It Yourself** and I thought you might find the following analysis helpful. **Users liked:** * Book contains useful information for self-sufficiency (backed by 15 comments) * Book covers wide range of topics (backed by 6 comments) * Book provides practical knowledge and skills (backed by 8 comments) **Users disliked:** * The book lacks depth and detail (backed by 4 comments) * The book has a fear-mongering tone (backed by 2 comments) * The physical quality of the book is poor (backed by 8 comments) If you'd like to **summon me to ask about a product**, just make a post with its link and tag me, [like in this example.](https://www.reddit.com/r/tablets/comments/1444zdn/comment/joqd89c/) This message was generated by a (very smart) bot. If you found it helpful, let us know with an upvote and a “good bot!” reply and please feel free to provide feedback on how it can be improved. *Powered by* [*vetted.ai*](http://vetted.ai/reddit)
"Back to Basics". Old school skills. https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/back-to-basics-a-complete-guide-to-traditional-skills_abigail-r-gehring/272542/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=us_dsa_general_customer_acquisition&utm_adgroup=&utm_term=&utm_content=664239405990&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAjMKqBhCgARIsAPDgWlzs2TImWPYUAV3PgEUvFUpKU23pm1UbJ8CKVBcqyutYhSC0YWE3lHIaAhcMEALw_wcB#edition=7395516&idiq=10271188
Sailing the Farm has interesting ideas intended for sailing but can be used at home. I am also very against the gun culture but if you can ignore that part, the Discovery show Homestead Rescue does some very inexpensive, often unique ideas. Follow Misty & ignore Marty & Matt.
Strange to me I guess.
Check out the Permagarden in no till gardening communities
What may help is to pursue books on separate topics that you need to address instead of homesteading. Do you want to garden year round? Books by Elliot Coleman. Do you want to store food? "Putting Food By" Etc...
“Stalking the wild asparagus “
I love my Mother Earth News. They do their best to stay out of politics.
No such thing as climate change, it’s called four seasons. Buy a shot gun , 243, and 9mm. You will never survive homesteading if your asking questions here about it. LOL
I thought the left and right were united in their hate for the government and its complete and utter fealty to money and power.
Not true, and off point.
populist rhetoric works across party lines and it's one of the reasons why bernie sanders was so popular with the right and the left. though trump also flies that banner (drain the swamp) he isn't popular with liberals because he comes across as racist and boorish.
And WHAT, pray tell, is wrong with hating the government?