Thursday, March 14, 2013

Homesteading For Families


Unemployment is recognized as a bad thing for a nation's economy.  Crime climbs in proportion to a country's unemployment, and the wealth of the country declines as unemployment rises.  These same things are true on the scale of the family.  Homesteading makes sense for large families because it eliminates unemployment for family members, providing profitable work in a wholesome, nurturing, family environment.  
Helen Aardsma

Helen is a wise woman. I have been reading through her journal The Mother's Companion recently. She is a mother to ten children. They live on a farm in a double wide trailer in Illinois.They have never had much money but God has always provided for them. She has been a stay at home wife since the day she married her husband.

We see the effects of unemployment in our country today. People were created to work and find satisfaction in their work. When people don't have work, they get bored, restless, and have a tendency to get into trouble. Living on a farm with children is a healthy lifestyle.  The children grow up working hard and feeling a sense of accomplishment.

Think about it. God created man and woman to live in a garden and work the land from the very beginning. There would always be plenty of work to do on a farm. You wouldn't have to worry much about the economy because you can get milk and meat from the cows and goats.  You can get eggs and meat from the chickens. You can get fruit from your trees and vegetables from your garden.

You wouldn't have to worry about getting enough exercise, fresh air or sunshine because you would be in it all day. No one would get bored since there are always weeds to pull, food to can, and cows to milk. Sleep would come easily after a long day of physical work.

We have gotten so far away from this type of life. Many families are returning to homesteading because they see it as a much healthier way to raise children and protection from a failing economy. They may be on to something. Here is a link to a family who lives on a small parcel of land in Pasadena yet almost lives exclusively off the land. Where there is a will, there is a way!

And the Lord God took the man,
and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. 
Genesis 2:15

P.S.  I just planted my little garden.  I planted tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, kale, marigolds {to keep the big, ugly horn worms away, hopefully}, green beans, catnip {for my cats},  and basil!