How Much…

One of my pet peeves is articles about homesteading written by people who have never done it. “It is so easy to grow fresh food for your family!”, “Sewing your own clothes will save you money!”, “chickens can provide you with free meat and eggs!”

None of that is true at all. It is hard, can be very expensive, and there will be years that all you do is fail.

And it is completely missing the point.

For example, did you know that a loaf of bread can be purchased for under a dollar?

That eggs at Costco are less than ten cents each?

That land taxes will go up every year?

That free range chickens require you to go lock up them up every evening at sunset?

That tractors, even used, are very expensive?

That heating your home with wood is messy and requires year-round work?

That the farther you are from town, the longer it takes your roads to be cleared in snow?

That line drying your clothes will bring pollen and bugs in your house?

That soap at Walmart is cheaper than making your own?

That unless you are making minimum wage, it is almost always financially advantageous to work and put your kids in daycare?

That porches are expensive to build and require maintenance?

And that homegrown flowers save you exactly nothing.

So put away your spreadsheet. It will never tell you what it was worth.