Homestead	A lot of land adequate for the residence and maintenance of a family; a farm occupied by the owner and his or her family
Affluenza	1. The bloated, sluggish and unfulfilled feeling that results from one's efforts to keep up with the Joneses. 2. An epidemic of stress, overwork, shopping and indebtedness caused by the dogged pursuit of the American Dream. 3. An unsustainable addiction to economic growth.

Whether you live in town or in the country, whether or not you keep animals or grow crops, homesteading is whatever gets your head and heart (if not your body) out of the rat race and back in touch with the REAL real world.

Whatever your surroundings, homesteading is a state of mind, a state of awareness, and a state of being.  It's being aware of what's really important.  It's turning your back on the consumer mentality that says its not only OK to owe your soul to the bank to pay for that new car, new house, new stereo, new big screen TV, and other stuff stuff stuff STUFF, it's REQUIRED - or you're an out of step whacko, maybe even a failure.  It's understanding that he who dies with the most toys, still dies.

It's letting go of that mentality and allowing yourself to really live your life instead of barely making it from one month payments to the next.  It's putting family before paycheck or career instead of the other way around.  It's spending time with your kids instead of spending money ON them.

The rewards include a sense of pride, accomplishment, and self-confidence that comes from knowing you can (and do) take care of yourself and your family, as opposed to merely "taking care of the bills".

Homesteading is whatever you make it.  Homesteading means that your life has whatever meaning you give it. 

Isn't it great to have that kind of power?

These pages are all about small farms, rural living, cottage farming, homesteading, building barns, sheds, a masonry stove, poultry processing, livestock, raising your own food, being self-sufficient, alternative farming practices, organic gardening, composting, aquaculture, and other types of alternative agriculture.  The Unofficial, Totally Unauthorized, but Very Very Enthusiastic Gene Logsdon Fan Club Home Page is part of this site as well.