| The Homestead Manifesto Page 7 My Plan I have, to this point, outlined my disillusionment with modern western civilization, and discussed the principles of homesteading and my attraction to it. What remains is to reconnoiter how I might change my lifestyle to that of a homesteader. Many will chuckle at the idea of a forty-year-old man who has lived almost his entire life in the city suddenly abandoning many of the trappings of the modern world and heading off into the woods. Firstly, the idea that this is a sudden change is only correct in physical terms. As I hope that you will judge from this essay, I have been considering and reading about such a change for a while. In fact, moving to a rural locale has been something I have thought about since high school. In all this time it has been fear of change, lack of seeing the possibilities, and the comfort of my family and friends that have kept me from acting on the notion. Small changes that I have made in recent years (including moving away from the city) have empowered me, and accounts of others that I have read have informed me: I now know that it can be done and that I can do it. As for my family and friends, I don�t feel like I am leaving them, only broadening and enriching my life experience. They will, I trust, respect my decisions and welcome me when I have the opportunity to visit. (23) Secondly, the idea that this is a crazy venture or that I am too old to embark on it�while a little understandable�is, I hope, at least somewhat banished by this essay. Our society is too attached to expectations, social status, keeping up appearances, and pleasing others. Henry David Thoreau tells me: �Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined.� His advice is sound for all of us. I am certainly not unhappy with my life, but I do feel that�in this era of amoral technology, materialism and waste�becoming more self-sufficient and less dependent on the hollow institutions that I mentioned earlier is the right thing to do. So, how then do I go forward? What concrete actions will come from all of this thinking? These are the questions that I am still grappling with, but I have come up with some rudimentary steps. First, I have been and will continue to take steps to reduce the size of my footprint even before I am actually homesteading. Conserving, recycling, reducing, saving, and reusing are easy and practical steps that we can all take to help the planet. Second, there is a great deal of information on homesteading and sustainable living that I have been reading, and I will continue to seek out more. I need to learn as much as I can before I venture forth. Third, I am attempting to get myself into better physical condition, because it is healthy and also because homesteading requires a good deal of manual labor. I have been eating smarter and exercising, and I plan to continue to do so. Fourth, I have been trying to save a little money. Despite the fact that I want to be relatively free from capitalism, all land is legally (though I would argue, not morally) owned by someone, and therefore I will need to have some cash on hand. (24) Fifth, I have written this essay as an explanation to others, but also as a declaration of opinions, ideas and plans so that I can more clearly see what I hope to do and why I hope to do it. With these measures forming the groundwork, I am investigating opportunities to intern on an organic farm beginning in the summer of 2004. (25) Such a position usually offers room and board, as well as a small stipend, in exchange for the opportunity to work with and learn from experienced farmers about growing fruits, vegetables, herbs, and grains naturally. Some of these farms also produce honey and maple syrup. There are quite a few such positions available, but there are also many people interested in such internships, so I will need to examine the possibilities and apply to a few places that might be a good match. With the knowledge and experience gained via reading and interning, I believe that I will be prepared to go ahead and establish a homestead. I have no illusions that it will be easy, but I am confident that it will be rewarding. I also have no doubt that�with the major institutions of western civilization having failed the people, allowing, even CAUSING, environmental degradation, economic injustice, and social breakdown�we have a right, even a DUTY, to refuse to participate in this vile arrangement, to relinquish the connections that make us complicit (26) in the unethical actions of the ruling class, and to find tranquility in a life that we define for ourselves. July 22, 2003 |