Any other Millennials obsessed with the idea of living off the land? In truth, I have no idea what “living off the land” would really look like, but I want it. On social media I am bombarded with homesteading accounts (same thing as living off the land? Unclear). There are millions of reels of millennials who are choosing “natural” rather than easily purchased. I actually saw one woman milling her own flour. Who has time for that? Homesteaders, that’s who. Our parents’ generation would look at these videos and say, “that’s ridiculous”, millennials look at them and say, “that chick’s got it figured out”.
I have a theory as to why as a generation we are so drawn to the homesteader lifestyle, we grew up in the age of convenience. Throughout the 90s, food was weird. The word instant was overused and so was the microwave. I remember my lunch in grade school, a launchable, a desert launchable, an apple, and a diet Pepsi. My brother opted for the fettucine and broccoli microwave dinner, I didn’t mess with the broccoli, slowed me down. I then went through a year long Chef Boyardee ravioli streak, my friend Meghan, bless her soul, would help me rub the red stains from the side of my mouth. Freezers and pantries were full, veggie crispers were not.
Shockingly, in our twenties, we all developed stomach issues. A whole generation with sensitive tummies. Damn you Boyardee! Being young, and gassy, we were forced to look at what we were putting in our bodies. Convenience was no longer an option, we needed whole foods. And what is the best, most direct way of getting those whole foods? Living off the land baby!
Now how feasible is this lifestyle? I don’t know. I am certainly not a low maintenance, feet in the dirt kinda gal, I struggle when I forget to bring my Dyson blow dryer on a trip, I would have no idea how to make my own cheese, but damn it looks idyllic. So, for now, I will tend to my tomato plant and two dogs, but fair warning to my husband, don’t be surprised if you come home to a goat in the backyard.
