A little interesting article about 1970's self sufficiency movement

Hi folks,

I came across this while trawling through the internet which I found quite interesting, maybe others will too.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-35945417

I hadn't heard of the book or author until finding this article. Its amazing how some things change and some stay the same. The issues highlighted about reliance on fossil fuels/ industrial environmental damage, we are still in the same position today if not worse.

Anyone from the UK might remember the sitcom mentioned "A good Life" which the book was thought to have inspired, I was only a kid when this was out but I still remember it being quite funny with the two contrasting households.

Interesting article.  I've never heard of him but certainly remember the back to nature movement of the 60's and 70's.  We called them hippies.  Some just played in it for the party and wanting to be a part of the group.  Other's took it serious and are probably retired on a small farm today.  I guess you could say that would be us.  We married in 1974 and the hubby had the long hair and I in my hip hugger bell bottoms but we soon found a shared love of all things old.  We had Percheron draft horses, raised pigs, poultry, and milked our own cows.  We no longer have the animals since we no longer eat much meat or animal products but we still live on 60 acres and focus mostly on flowers and fruit now.  I think folks burn out when they think it must be all or nothing.  Humans evolved in communities and we do best when we specialize and then trade our talents and goods.  It's OK to go to the grocery for things you don't raise but it's great to raise what we can.  

John Seymour's book The complete guide to self sufficiency, was one of the first 'homesteading books I bought, probably at least 30 years ago! I found it quite inspiring and it was full of practical advice, which I still sometimes refer to. As the article goes on to say, maybe self sufficiency isn't always the best thing for most people to work on. I do like the expression 'self efficiency' - that's one to remember. It's nice to read about established intentional communities that are thriving.

Yes, it is remarkable to see people such as Carl Sagan testify against it from a bygone age. There is nothing new under the sun though... Ages ago it was rampant deforestation on the Japanese mountainsides which today cannot be touched after reforestation. Environmentally, it's always something... Turning Egypt from a breadbasket into a smoldering desert.

I believe that the prowess of technology has made a lot of people apathetic. In the '70s, you might imagine easily living without a lot of tech. These days, not so much.

Of course, there is solid logic and reasoning that to diminish fossil fuels right now would basically squeeze the very bottom of humanity off the cliff, from increase heating costs (unless those people were to shift to utilizing RMH), to increased prices in food, the modern green movement, from a political, economic, and functional perspective, has a great amount of issues and propaganda attached to it. It is entirely inauthentic compared to some of the notable activists in the '70s, whose influences have likely ended up right here on this website.

I have come to believe the solution is what is being done right here, right now... Get these ideas into the minds of more people, and from there into their hands. People that learn about these topics often end up telling everyone then can.

It will become dystopian if it remains politicized, and it's already apparent, such as airlines displaying your fossil fuel emissions that you cause because you bought one of their tickets.

What is the baseline, logically, easiest way to reduce the total global carbon footprint? Well, unfortunately, it would be to remove carbon footprints... squeeze the poor off the end of the cliff. It's ever so slightly easier from a business perspective than building a RMH.

"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."

We do pretty much the same here at Stone Garden Farm, starting back in the early 1970's. We went to college, were (very) heavily involved in the End the War Movement (Vietnam), "dropped out" and to the land it was. Been here a long time and hopefully will be here a few generations yet. Some of our kids have kids now and are living in cities with central heat and air. They love their wall-to-wall carpeting. Others are here, or have their separate farms. It's sort of strange, in the early days the war united our thoughts (and politics). More recently covid did the same. Some close friends and family we still haven't seen in two and a half years, they are so afraid. While the most of us are more united than ever in belief and custom. In the early days we had the largest cattle herd in the county, later on we had the largest organic gardens in N. Ohio. Now we milk cows, run a large Farm School/Home School for city escaping youth, and have smaller organic, permaculture and biodynamic gardens. Life is extremely good. Stone Garden Farm. Richfield, Ohio. www.stonegardenfarm.com ~~We've had thousands of folks come here over the years. Some for years, most for short stays to learn how to do what we do. More are always welcome.