Homestead Tsunami By Joel Salatin

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Homestead Tsunami: Good for Country, Critters, and Kids
By Joel Salatin
Polyface

When I mentioned the title of Joel Salatin’s new book to a friend, he asked “Why tsunami?” “Because it’s a growing tidal wave, it’s a huge movement!” I practically shouted back in excite­ment. I’m not a homesteader but I’m a fan, and I’ve also been a witness to this societal shift. Those who are homesteaders or are considering becoming one (or who are puzzled or unaware of the movement that is taking place) will enjoy Joel’s insights on the urban-to-rural exodus that has been changing the U.S. landscape in recent years.

Why the growing interest in the homestead lifestyle? Joel cites everything from a desire for food security to healthy, happy children, but these are just a few of the motivating fac­tors. Homesteaders (or homesteaders-to-be) are indeed running away from broken food, educa­tion and societal systems, but, as Joel explains, “[M]ore than that, they’ve run toward. They’re embracing a new life.” In just under three hun­dred pages, Joel describes what they are leaving behind but also paints a picture of the life that may become theirs.

One factor that may have propelled the tsunami are the restrictions and resulting food supply chain shortages that started in 2020. When the mega-processing facilities shut down, animals that were going to be processed were exterminated instead. What Joel describes is bone-chilling: “In the poultry industry, the most common way to kill a whole 15,000 bird factory house is foaming. They shut all the windows and doors, pumping in soap bubbles until all the birds suffocate.” This was done to thousands of animals—animals that weren’t sick or compro­mised—simply because the time and attention spent on “the Co-Vid” meant that the industry couldn’t get them processed. The result for the consumer, who may have been unaware of what was happening behind the scenes, was empty supermarket shelves, refrigerated sections and freezers. With the industrial food system’s fragility and the pressing need for food staring them in the face, families began looking into other options. Enter the homestead.

The term “homestead,” Joel reminds us, came into popular use in 1862 when Congress passed the Homestead Act, with provisions designed to encourage families to populate the western region, along with incentives for oth­ers to purchase land. Today, “homesteading” is a synonym for opting out of not only the big, broken conventional food system, but out of many other aspects of modern living.

This is not to say that the modern-day homesteader is a Luddite, eschewing all cur­rent trends. Many homesteaders use electricity and even smartphones—but “use” is probably the right word. They are using what works for them, rather than being used themselves. It’s reminiscent of the WAPF philosophy regard­ing “technology as servant.” Homesteaders are not slaves to technology or fancy gadgets, educational systems, corporations or conven­tional medicine—systems and devices that often strengthen the control of those in positions of authority while disempowering users.

Joel points out that homesteaders tend to be resourceful people, sponges who are eager to learn how to fix, mend, repair and reuse. In part, it’s due to necessity. They often live in more remote areas, far from the city, and it can make more sense to use what they’ve got than to invest the time and energy it takes to make a long trip to obtain a spare part. Plus, it’s finan­cially frugal. Joel says: “When we examine the why of homesteading, part of the why is to get off society’s treadmill: stop seeking paychecks, recreation, entertainment, status, or social achievement, and start investing in you.”

Joel peppers his book with reasons to invest in yourself through homesteading. Among other things, he describes the wonder of stepping out the back door for “home entertainment”; the jaw-dropping beauty of soil, flowers, livestock, sunrise and sunsets; the nearly magical experi­ence of communion with nature’s rhythms; and the “sensual satisfaction” of a field of freshly mown hay.

While describing the deep fulfillment that comes with taking on the risk of homesteading, Joel’s final chapters also enumerate common mistakes made by eager homesteaders, with suggestions on how to address them. He offers words of encouragement and reassurance, stating that “Everything new has an infancy period that takes a lot of babysitting.”

While inspiring and encouraging, I must point out that this book doesn’t spend as much time on how-to’s as it does on why-to’s. What Joel does make very clear is that homesteading requires faith, patience and perseverance. That said, he is quick to remind readers that the innumer­able rewards often eclipse the challenges. Thankfully, Joel shines a light on both, so readers (and potential homesteaders) can walk into their new commitment with a clear understanding of what homesteading requires. This book merits two hearty thumbs up.

 

This article appeared in Wise Traditions in Food, Farming and the Healing Arts, the quarterly journal of the Weston A. Price Foundation, Spring 2024

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