Just before the New Year I had a brief discussion with my dad about the modern definition of homesteading. The topic came up because I was continually referring to my current work on a garden/homestead, and my ambition to at some point obtain a piece of land where I’ll construct a home and put the land into vegetable production to feed my family, and help feed and educate my community. He replied that for many in his generation, homesteading meant exactly what the Homestead Act of 1862 said: up to 160 acres of land outside of the 13 existing colonies.
According to Wikipedia, 2010 was the year we got modern with our homesteading:
As of 2010 the term (homesteading) may apply to anyone who follows the back-to-the-land movement by adopting a sustainable, self-sufficient lifestyle. While land is no longer freely available in most areas of the world, homesteading remains as a way of life. According to author John Seymour, ‘urban homesteading’ incorporates small-scale, sustainable agriculture and homemaking.
So there you go.
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As I was researching more about the Homestead Act, I learned that one of the three requirements to obtain a free parcel of land was to improve it. These days, if you talk to a small organic farmer, they’ll tell likely you soil (land) improvement is paramount. If you talk to some large-scale conventional farmers, they’ll probably tell you the soil needs more anhydrous (short for Anhydrous Ammonia, a form of synthetic nitrogen). Clearly I’m making generalizations here, but it’s important to note that much of the agricultural land that exists today is of the former Homesteading Act of 1862, land that was intended for improvement. Perhaps to the dismay to the originators of that bill, the land is far from improved – in fact, it’s deteriorated. It is in such disrepair that it’s in arguably worse condition than when it was claimed by pioneers in the late 19th century.
What can be done? How about a revival of the Homestead act that’s more appropriate in the context of the way we currently own land: in smaller parcels. An incentive that could help take us back to the land is a subsidy for new (used) home purchases if the land—whether it’s an eighth of an acre or eighty acres—can be improved, or perhaps better stated as recuperated, within the first five years of ownership. That’s a triple double-bonus for the consumer: 1. better soil for fresh grown food which leads to 2. less doctor visits which in conjunction with the subsidy means, 3. more savings for the future, farm implements, or other home improvements. Of course that assumes that the homeowner has the time and willingness to grow food at home and enjoy it.
Additionally, this hard-pan land provides an opportunity for young farmers like myself, a chance to recuperate land by restoring soil health where we can grow nutrient-rich (and beautiful!) food for our families and communities. Unlike the Homestead Act of 1862, our government isn’t dishing out land by the hectare, but land-link programs in many states exist, connecting those with land to sell, lease, or share, with those who are looking to put it into production.
To the young farmers out there looking for land, if you’re fortunate enough to find a situation that fits your budget and land requirements, whether it’s leasing or borrowing, remember this piece of advice I received from a friend: “if you want to have a discussion about buying the land, sit the owners down to a nice meal.” That is, if you show what can be done with the land and that you’re passionate about it, you just may find yourself on the receiving end of a few acres at a decent price.
