Dude! I loved your post, and heartily agree. I also stayed with Amazonas (Arueuani; don't hold me to that spelling, tho I did write a speech about their plight for a class in college, I just can't remember it) while I was an Army Advisor in Ecuador in the 1980's. As a former Soldier. Officer , and Marine, I am accustomed to people looking at me funny when plant my 3 acres of gardens, 4 acres of corn for my chickens, and hunt hogs and 'yotes as I use a dreaded "assault rifle" as hogs will eat you and I wade into the fight. I hunt professionally for farmers, and even they look at me oddly, when they see my weapons, but, I give them crops where others have failed. And we eat hog!
We Americans need to get a bit of an education when it comes to most aspects of life; self-sufficiency being and surviving on your own soil being a major portion of what we've lost, as a society. Heaven help us if anything ever happens to our food supply (notice that the hops crop was almost non-existent, last year? Beer went up a little...us home micro-brewers had a hard time finding enough ingredients to brew our own beers and ales. Hmmm...think that could happen to corn, or rice, or...Anything that is a staple? Yes, it could.
We could learn a lot from the "less civilized peoples" of the world, and learn to take care of ourselves, just a little bit. Often times, those that you think that you are "better than", live much less complicated, and happier lives without all of the garbage that we "need". I relax with my chickens and gardens, eat what I grow, and grow whatever I want.
No roosters in town...my best Bud was told that he could not have ANY chickens within the city limits of his hometown, this past week. Imagine this...he lives in a town of less than 4,000 in rural Mississippi. I am soooo happy to live in my own little kingdom. We call it the KoB, Kingdom of Bailey. We salute the Flag, we serve in the military and police forces, and work to grow our own food. We give food and eggs to others, as they need it, and we help when someone has an ox stuck in the ditch, so to speak. I am proud to be considered a Country Boy, tho I was actually born in Los Angeles, and spent most of my life in cities all around this big old World. I have 70+ chickens...I am the reigning King of the KoB. ALL manners of country living are practiced and enjoyed.
