Raised on a hog farm, went to live in the big city when I was 14 y/o (not my choice). Took me 18 years to get back home to the country. I live on the side of a mountain where I have a fishing pond, my shop, swimming pool ( parana nipple biting blue gills in the pond
) a garden, and 14 arces to hunt on.
Yes, this is the first year of having cheekins for me, since I was on the farm. Last year I grew and harvested almost 50% of what my family eats. It has taken a lot of time to get the garden right, very poor soil. This year I expect that I will harvest 80% of the food my family eats.
The fruit trees will take some time to grow, but I canned and froze all my own jams, berries. Even when I lived in the city, I'd walk the tracks picking blackberries to jam up.
I am lucky to live just up the road from the oldest working Mill in America, Zanellas. For our breads, rolls, pancakes and so on, I purchase my flours there. All of my meat is local as I purchase it from the farmers market in Butler.
Now, it's great that you asked this question. My neighbor is a white collar city slicker who told me last week he thought I was nuts, I mean he said to my face "I think your nuts for having worms in your basement, growing chickens and canning all that food" Sheesh if I knew he was going to smack me down for my lifestyle, I wouldn't have showed it to him.
Then I said " well at least my house isn't decorated in cheap fake country stuff made in China!!! "
he looked at me, and smiled. then I said " about the nice only thing you have is that beautiful copper star I gave you for xmas last year ".
The subject dropped and we both left it alone. So now I know he thinks I am nuts, and he knows that I think he's a city slicker who wants to look like he's country.
While on the same subject, you know what makes me laugh?
Braggers
They (he and his wife) often brag how between the two of them their annual income is over 110k. That makes me laugh everytime he brings it up, I guess because I have never discussed my money with them. Because I am a zealous American, live deep in the country, I have to have a good truck. So years ago I bought my first Hummer, and I trade it in every two years. That is the only thing fancy I own. I still won't discuss my income here or with him, but if I ever did, that would put him in his place!!
So no matter your income, your position in your job, or what people think about what your doing. If your living your life, happy, and treating your fellow people and animals with kindness, who can say anything bad about you???????