Back To The Basics

I am getting ready to get back to my basics and was planning the outline for my farm today. We will be relocating back to my childhood farm in June. I will be taking my wife and step-daughter who are city girls totally out of their environment. I remember when I was growing up we had one of the only working farms that even used horses instead of tractors. We grew our own vegetables and raised our own meat. My grandfather raised tobacco for a cash crop and corn and hay to feed our numerous animals. My grandmother took care of the household and sewed, crocheted, and knitted a lot of the things we wore and used in our home. The house was heated with wood and did not even have hot running water until I was 12 years old. I am looking forward to getting back to my roots and hope the family can survive the culture shock. My step-daughter can't wait to get a goat and a horse of her very own.
I want to get the farm back to its former self and make it as self-sufficient as possible. The garden seeds have been bought and the chickens have been ordered. As I was moving some things in last week I found the old butter churn and cream separator. The barn still has hay and feed storage boxes in it. The pig feeder is in the hog lot where I remember it. All that is missing is the animals themselves. I remember butchering our hogs in the fall and canning our vegetables from the garden. I noticed an ad online for a lady in the same town who had moved from California who was teaching back to the basics type classes. I believe I will take them myself to see what I have forgotten or if I need to start up some classes myself. Before my wife and I were married she told me after the first visit to my family that she though she was a country girl, being from the suburbs instead of downtown, but she admitted she was so wrong. At least she is pushing for the move and really looking forward to the move and an early retirement.
The most important thing I remember about growing up is that we always had a roof over our head, were never cold or hungry, not worried about bills to support a yuppie lifestyle, and never did without anything. Those were my good old days that I want to repeat. If I can help my family and others be able to sustain this type of lifestyle, I believe my work here is on earth will be satisfied. I have spent many years learning other skills and practices to enhance a self-reliant lifestyle and would love to share that knowledge.