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Page added on March 15, 2016
A New American Dream
Jeremiah (my partner) and I don’t dream of getting rich, or owning a big house with a white picket fence and a two-car garage, or driving a fancy car.
Rather, we dream of a world where our children will have a decent chance of survival and good quality of life – a world with drinkable water and breathable air, a world where food is nourishing and our food system isn’t controlled by profiteers, a world without debt slavery, extreme violence, or pervasive depression. The current state of world affairs is just a glimpse of what’s to come if we continue down this trajectory of endless exploitation and extraction, and it makes Jeremiah and I question whether it’s fair and responsible for us to bring another life onto this planet.
And for ourselves, we desire to live simply, connected to nature and loved ones, with enough time and energy to live a regenerative lifestyle, taking good care of our bodies and the land that nourishes us. We know that a healthy, balanced lifestyle brings us peace, joy, and fulfillment.
But for us and for many, the pressures of living in our society result in unhealthy, disconnected lifestyles. I spend much of my time working to pay off debt and rent. Even though I am fortunate enough to be passionate about my paid work, I notice it taking a toll on my body. I don’t have the time or energy to get enough exercise or consistently feed myself as well as I would like to. And financial insecurity is a source of stress for both of us. Between student loans and the high cost of living in the Bay Area, it seems highly unlikely that we can afford to “settle down”—at least not in the traditional sense—here in Sebastopol, the small town in Northern California where we met.
Sure, it’s probably safe to say that in our culture it’s normal to be chronically stressed and unhealthy, but that doesn’t mean we’re willing to accept the status quo as absolute. After all, we only get one chance at this human experience, and we’re committed to living it to the fullest.
Fortunately, we are both pretty unconventional—one of the qualities that has attracted us to each other—and willing to try new things. So, after much talking and dreaming and researching and planning, and a bit of divine intervention, we decided to try something radically different in hopes of cultivating a lifestyle that really works for us, a lifestyle that is aligned with our values and will help create the kind of world we will feel good about bringing children into.
Like countless others who are pursuing the New American Dream, our intention is to live in community, grow our own food, and reduce our reliance on the fossil fuel-powered mainstream economy as much as possible. We seek to build equity in the land we cultivate: understanding the fragility of our financial system, our retirement plan is to literally harvest the fruits of the trees we plant in our youth rather than invest in a 401K (more on this in a future blog post).
Because land in Sonoma County, CA is ridiculously expensive (though we’re still hopeful about the potential of a community land trust), we are beginning our farming/homesteading endeavors this summer in Wisconsin, on some land my parents own near my hometown. We will grow as much of our own food as possible, and make many of the other products we consume (toiletries, cleaning products, candles, etc.), little by little extracting ourselves from the exploitative global consumer economy, and creating opportunities for others to join us.
To free up enough of our time to be able to launch our regenerative agriculture project—without going into debt—we are eliminating the cost of rent from our expenses. Instead, we are converting a 6’ x 12’ enclosed cargo trailer into a Tiny House on wheels. We will park our very tiny house in Wisconsin during growing season, and bring it with us next winter as we look for seasonal opportunities in warmer climates.
We anticipate our fair share of challenges—and indeed, are already encountering some as we attempt to make an aluminum box into cozy living quarters—but it seems a small price to pay for freedom, good health, and the knowledge that we are doing our best to leave behind a livable planet for future generations.
We’ll be blogging regularly about our homesteading endeavors, so stay tuned! We’re looking for collaborators and are happy to share what we learn.
AND if you’d like to support this worthy undertaking, we are currently fundraising to purchase a work truck that will be vital to our operation. To make a contribution, please visit: http://www.plumfund.com/fundraising/mobilize-a-regenerative-lifestyle
Images (from top): 1) a snapshot of our most recent garden at the Big Red Barn in Sebastopol, CA – this is the kind of regenerative footprint we want to leave behind us wherever we go!; 2) my sister Brittany and friend Zach (both will be part of our regenerative agriculture project in WI) double digging beds on a permaculture farm in Ukiah, CA 3) Jeremiah & I with our dog Twindi and our new home – a 6′ x 12′ cargo trailer!
24 Comments on "A New American Dream"
makati1 on Tue, 15th Mar 2016 7:15 pm
The “We” is NOT the majority in the Us. Most want a city, or at least a comfortable suburban, lifestyle with all of the conveniences and the 400+ energy slaves they all enjoy now. Most would be scared to death if they were put out to fend for themselves as the article suggests, and would have no idea of where to start. Dream on.
Just an ad for alms to support them in their own dream.
Apneaman on Tue, 15th Mar 2016 7:16 pm
The internet is great for soliciting donations for ones doomstead plans.
Maybe I should embed a donate button in everyone of my comments for my doom suicide fund. Bet a few around here would be donating lickety split.
aspera on Tue, 15th Mar 2016 7:35 pm
I have an odd request. After reading this post I wondered what books people would advise getting (to help with transitioning, prepping, collapsing, or whatever your favorite term is).
Turns out I reviewed a book prospectus for Oxford University Press and they gave me $200 (USD) to spend on their books. catalog at https://global.oup.com/academic/?lang=en&cc=us
Any advice?
makati1 on Tue, 15th Mar 2016 7:57 pm
WHIMPS?
Related news: “If Americans are so happy, then why do we consume 80 percent of the entire global supply of prescription painkillers? Less than 5 percent of the world’s population lives in this country, and yet we buy four-fifths of these highly addictive drugs. In the United States today, approximately 4.7 million Americans are addicted to prescription pain relievers, and that represents about a 300 percent increase since 1999…”
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-03-15/why-do-americans-consume-80-percent-all-prescription-painkillers
GregT on Tue, 15th Mar 2016 9:50 pm
Aspera,
The New Self-Sufficient Gardener – John Seymour
Back To Basics, A Complete Guide To Traditional Skills (fourth edition)- Edited by Abigail R. Gehring
The Homesteading Handbook – Abigail R. Gehring
The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible – Edward C. Smith
dave thompson on Tue, 15th Mar 2016 9:50 pm
Interesting pitch for a way to de-couple (sort of) out of the common trap of industrial civilization. I would suggest if you are listening, forget about the snow bird mentality. Stay put where you are (Wisconsin?)build a community year round the old fashioned way and make friends, family, and neighbors your priority. Otherwise traveling around most of the year is kind of a cop out to the whole point of putting down roots and living a healthy life.
Go Speed Racer on Tue, 15th Mar 2016 10:05 pm
I dream of a world where just a handful of people own everything. We own 1000’s of.square miles and fly around in private 747’s with bowling alleys inside. Those people are me and my buddies. And we can’t even count all the money there’s too many digits to get to a decimal point. Everybody else is flat broke. That’s the world I dream of.
Kidding but Trump for President makes me delirious like that.
geopressure on Tue, 15th Mar 2016 11:52 pm
Who gives a fuck about a couple of hippies?
Apneaman on Wed, 16th Mar 2016 12:08 am
geo, plenty of people. Take a look at the culture before and after hippies. Most all positive changes in the last 50 years came from the hippies. Of course neo liberal capitalism won – congratulations- and our extinction is now sealed.
Hippie stuff was/is so popular that corporate capitalism bastardized it and cashed in. Holy Fuck how many classic songs have they ruined by turning them into commercials?
GregT on Wed, 16th Mar 2016 1:16 am
“Who gives a fuck about a couple of hippies?”
While you’re probably correct geo, that most people don’t give a fuck. People in general are not very intelligent. Those couple of hippies are advocating choices for the continuation of our species, and life as we know it on this planet. Unfortunately, they are surrounded by billions of complete fucking idiots. I’m glad that there are so many ‘hippies’ in my new locale. Great people. Too bad that it’s far too late to stop the global mass extinction event that we are witnessing all around us.
Go Speed Racer on Wed, 16th Mar 2016 2:23 am
What the funk if you actually read the article, they want you to buy them a truck.
Sure, right after they buy me a Bentley.
peakyeast on Wed, 16th Mar 2016 3:52 am
I certainly dont give a fuck about people who dont give a fuck about a couple of hippies.
The hippies were so fucking right about pollution, biodynamic food production, fighting for peace, people rights and so forth. I was there and while I can only talk for Danish Hippies – I doubt it was much different from the US hippies.
But the gullible, the unintelligent, the evil motherfuckers(like the people in exxon who did what they could to fuck over our environment) – worked together to move the sheeples minds to hate peace, hate poisonfree food, hate clean environsments – and only care about MONEY.
Some of these easily manipulated sheeple are clinging to “their” “opinions” of hate of hippies – even in the face of evidence that their hate was completely unfounded, just plain dumb and planted in their feeble minds to support those who ruin our world.
Davy on Wed, 16th Mar 2016 5:35 am
I am not sure if we have any potential for any plan B at any level. Let’s say for the sake of argument we have some at some level. The back-to-landers are an answer. One answer not “the” answer also probably no answers will matter for a significant amount of doomed people. The numbers are too large and the power down is happening too fast. The significance of back-to-landers is they are an option for many people who are going to be unemployed and exposed to food insecurity and physical depravations.
Safety nets are at their breaking point now so add many more and we are going to see people falling through the nets into the darkness. We are going to need people going back to the land in small plots and trying to make a go of it. We need gardens and small animal setups. There is a window we can do this where society has the resources to allow this in significant number with the bare minimum of proper tools and education. This will likely not happen like it could because of Big Business but that does not mean it should not be brought up. We have to tell people there are options if you will make the sacrifices. Once the window shuts which is not far off this process will be ad hoc and unorganized but it will happen because people will to survive means feeding one’s self.
Back-to-landers are not doing anything revolutionary just normal things. They are leaving the insane world of efficiency, complexity, and excess and back to how we used to live. In this case many places in the 3rd world are examples that we must emulate not destroy with modern agriculture. Right here right now governments could support unemployed by moving them back to the land. Right here right now we have the resources for many to live simple lives close to the land. People need to realize this is a life of stoicism and relative sacrifice. Forget your vacations and trips to the malls. Eating choices will change. Education opportunities will be different. Social arrangements and leisure much different. You will be poor and you will be the equivalent to a 3rd world’er. If you turn your nose up to that you are likely not going to survive the coming bottleneck.
As global system decays and deflates poverty and deprivation will be a common theme. A way unemployed people will be able to find employment is feeding themselves. Will this be forced serfdom? Maybe. Will this be squatters on larger farms like we saw in Rhodesia? Probably. Think about it, what are people going to do when there are too many people with little to do in the traditional modern economy (besides die off), they are going to have to learn to take care of themselves. Eventually this is not going to be romantic like the above article. It is going to be rough living that most are not used to. Humans are highly adaptable when they are survivors. Humans are also helpless bags of shit. What are you the adaptable or a bag of shit?
JuanP on Wed, 16th Mar 2016 7:52 am
The world is filled with fools with good intentions like this kids thinking about having CHILDREN, plural, and saving the world. You can do one or the other, but you can’t have it both ways. You either have children or you help save the world, but if you choose to have children you should at least have the intellectual honesty necessary to admit that you are the problem, not the solution,and you are helping to destroy the world.
I don’t care how many trees or flowers you plant or how many butterflies or bees you save, if you are a breeder, you are the problem.
Simon on Wed, 16th Mar 2016 8:13 am
Dont get a book, get a subscription to
ruralheritage.com
PracticalMaina on Wed, 16th Mar 2016 8:49 am
Makati, no worries. Sorry for your loss.
I do not think the brass knows what the hell to do right now. We are getting to the point where it is hard to justify spending huge money on these conventional techs. We have the B-52 still running missions, and our new tech barely works. The one thing we had that was new tech was our modern drones, we gave that to Iran and China, “accidentally” or to justify more spending. I have to think there is less money for the MIC in cyber warfare, (which can be fought from a hackers moms basement) than billions for a small floating city known as a carrier. But maybe they will get it threw aerospace spending, although I also see the cost falling there, with NASA budget being more efficient and the private sector getting into the launch biz.
PracticalMaina on Wed, 16th Mar 2016 8:50 am
Posted that under the wrong article. Wooops.
I like motherearthmagazine, especially their website because it is free. They have been around long enough if you know what you are looking for you can find just about anything.
Davy on Wed, 16th Mar 2016 9:17 am
Nice site Simon.
Revi on Wed, 16th Mar 2016 9:58 am
I think they should do a little afro-forestry as well. They can take their rolling homestead and do some sugaring, cut some wood, etc. There are lots of places where they can tap someone’s trees, and maybe they can figure out a way to have a portable evaporator. The important thing is to find markets. Connect with a local farmer’s market and work their way into a stall. Then they are selling retail instead of selling into a down market. Just a few suggestions.
Bob on Wed, 16th Mar 2016 10:57 am
I quit my job 20 years ago, moved to a very rural part of the West, where I had 20 acres of pasture with plenty of irrigation water, built a barn, a little log house, a chicken/goat shed, and lambing sheds. I also invested in a good shop where I build spurs for Cowboys. I married 5 years ago, and my Wife is a great help with all that has to be done. We grow our vegetables on about 1/2 acre of ground, drip irrigate, and this spring we are putting up a high tunnel green house. We sell our extra vegetables at a local Farmers Market. We also have a few Bee Hives and last fall harvested 30 quarts of honey for our own use through the winter. We sell our lambs and goats to local folks for meat. We also use our goat milk for making all kinds of cheeses. We own 4 mother cows and keep a beef for us every other year. Our cash flow from our farm this past year was about $6500.00. We’re still dependent upon the electric grid, and we have a auto and a truck that are necessary. A visit to the Dr.’s office requires a 150 mile round trip and so a decent vehicle is a necessity, but, we probably drive less than 3,000 miles per year. We heat with wood off of the mountain, although we do have a backup propane furnace. We are about 90% self sufficient. But, here is the most important part; when I quit work 20 years ago I had put together a lifetime income of $45,000 to $60,000 per year. I’ve had to buy farm machinery, additional land, irrigation equipment, clothing, and now and then pay a Dr.’s bill. We’re now farming 30 acres. My wife and I are healthy and active. We’re part of a group of other “homesteaders” and we meet once a month for an educational opportunity, or a project of some sort. Last fall we built a straw bale greenhouse. Our next meeting we’ll learn how to felt wool. We’ve grafted fruit trees and had cider tastings. We get together every week and play music. I play the Fiddle and my Wife plays the Spoons. All in all our life is very good and neither my wife nor I would trade it for a bigger house, more money, or a nice car. But, the income I came into this project with has made it all possible. I know folks who have become self sufficient without an income flow and I admire them greatly. Some wear homespun clothes, or clothing made from deer hides. Some live in rough shelters on the mountain and are essentially hunter gatherers, they’re good folks and certainly very resourceful. I’m 71 years old, fit, and hope to live to be 116.
efarmer on Wed, 16th Mar 2016 11:22 am
Rather than feed them a truck, I say we shown them how to fish for a truck in the larger rivers around major urban areas. The big lunker trucks dive deep and crowd the bottom to avoid the repo man. Sure you will get a Prizm or a Yugo once in awhile, but prepared correctly, they are damn good eatin’ as well.
Of course I do admire being young and in love, and making your world with your own hands, and Godspeed to them for all of that.
Fishing tips: The bigguns are biting on magnets and you want to use old firehose for line or else they tend to break loose while you are reeling in after you get a bite.
Davy on Wed, 16th Mar 2016 11:47 am
Bob, I am a mirror image of you in many ways. Keep up the good work!! Maybe more people will downsize with dignity and start living the good life even if it is a tough life.
Hawkcreek on Wed, 16th Mar 2016 8:16 pm
efarmer, That is funny. I have an old 1977 Chevy 1 ton van I will give them if they come pick it up. Runs good – no rust.
makati1 on Wed, 16th Mar 2016 9:15 pm
efarmer, if they wanna move a lot of dirt on that farm, I can tell them where to fish for a steam shovel. It was abandoned when the mine filled up long ago. They need to use some really heavy cable though as I hear steam shovels put up a great fight when hooked. ^_^