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PrintOld Techniques, Modern Twist
Robert Dutcher
You’re walking along an old dirt road, tapping the posts of a split-rail fence as you stroll along. On the other side of the fence, past a few magnolias and an old live oak, moving slowly along a fence line covered in honeysuckle vines, a man reigns in a pair of stocky, dusty draft horses pulling a plow. The horses stamp at the ground and toss their heads as they come to a stop.
The man leans against the plow, tips back his hat, and pulls out a handkerchief to mop the sweat off his face. He notices you and waves a friendly hello before turning back to his horses and urging them back to work. It’s a little warm out, but the air is clear and clean. A gentle breeze whispers by, carrying the light sweet scent of magnolia and honeysuckle as you continue your stroll back home. You can hear the man’s voice, softly coaxing his beloved co-workers along, and the jingle of bridles slowly fading away as you walk along.
Sounds like something you might have seen or heard 100 years ago, right? Or maybe an image from a Normal Rockwell painting? Back in the day, before this speed-driven, techno-powered, always-on lifestyle became the norm, scenes like this were a normal part of country life. But would you believe me if I told you the scene I just described didn’t happen 100 years ago – it happened last weekend? It’s true. Welcome to the latest growing trend in farming – homesteading.
Farming with horses is just one of many old-fashioned farming techniques enjoying something of a rebirth on small acreage farms across the country. The growing interest in organic foods, low carbon footprints, and green living have sparked interest in what is commonly known as homesteading – running a small farm the old-fashioned way with common sense, natural fertilizers, animal power, and good ol’ American ingenuity. Homesteading isn’t anything new, but the move towards a more eco-friendly society has helped homesteading grow in popularity in recent years.
There are magazines, forums, manufacturers, even schools that now cater to the growing popularity of homesteading, horse farming, and heirloom breeds and seeds. Many of these have been around for years, but with the increased interest in green living, they’ve been able to grow and expand to reach and even larger audience. There are now manufacturers like I & J Manufacturing who build and supply new equipment specifically for horse farming. There are forums like HomesteadingToday.com that offer help for the beginner. There are dozens of magazines and newsletters devoted to homesteading and old-fashioned farming. Parks and organizations such as Homestead Heritage School in Texas now offer training for working with draft horses and other “old school” methods.
My family and I, as we’ve made the transition from city life to life on a farm, have weighed our options and decided to go with horse power, rather than horsepower for our little place. We won’t be going completely “off grid” like some homesteaders – sorry, I need electricity and running hot water. A girl can only give up so much modern living and be just so eco-friendly before hitting her limit – mine is a hot shower at the end of the day and power for my computer. But I love the idea of a slower, more simple lifestyle. I like feeling good about my impact on the world I leave my children and grandchildren. I like the idea of being self-sufficient. I love the idea behind biodynamic farming, a primary principle of homesteading. (Biodynamic farming simply means treating the farm as a living organism, with its own independent ecosystem.)
Organic foods, biodynamic farming, low carbon diets: You hear these words and phrases seemingly everywhere you look today. It all sounds like marketing hype and fad ideas. Everyone is talking about carbon footprints and going “green.” But, these concepts are really just a modern twist on an old idea. Keep it simple, keep it natural, and keep in renewable. That’s been a small farmer’s motto since the pioneer days. You live a simple life, you use whatever you have available, and you take care of it so it keeps giving back to you. In my mind, you can’t have a much more simple life philosophy than that, whether you live on a farm, a house in Suburbia, or an apartment in the city.
Sandi Johnson is a full time freelance writer and part-time rancher. When she’s not writing for a living, she home schools her teenage sons, plays with her dogs, and tries to reclaim and renovate an old neglected farm. Someday (hopefully before she’s put out to pasture herself) the farm will be home to horses, cattle, and maybe a stray chicken or two, if she can ever clear enough land and finish remodeling the house. Check her out at www.theblueinkwell.com.
