Homesteading

So you may very well know that Joe and I have a dream of raising a family on a farm where we would be come somewhat self sustaining. I'm not talking totally hippie. We'll still have TV (probably), eat out (though Joe would like to ban fast food) and drink soda. But there would be no composting toilets. And we probably wouldn't be all doomsday preppers...though we would probably purchase a generator at some point.

Anyway, keeping along this vein, two weeks ago we went to the Mother Earth News Fair held in Seven Springs, PA at a big mountain ski resort. It was nice to get away for a weekend. It was horrible weather though-cold and raining through most of the weekend and I was terribly underdressed. We really should start watching the news.

I didn't have a great time as witnessed by my Twitter feed. There were some good livestock presentations though somewhat basic for me and even for Joe. There was a live chicken slaughter presentation. There were booths upon booths promoting all sorts of weirdness and some not so weird-goat milk soap, composting toilets, clock repair, bee keeping equipment, hemp products, everything organic, farmer-law organizations, anti-circumcision movements, etc...

We didn't really take part in many of the booths. Joe bought some goat soap and I bought a big jug of soap made from recycled vegetable oil because I liked the thin consistency. I think that Joe and I both suffer from awkwardness when it comes to talking to people/taking samples for things we're not really interested in.

My biggest regrets-not riding the ski lift to the top of the mountain. I had another one but have since forgotten it.

Next year, I'm sending Joe and DE. I think DE will appreciate it more than me.