This month at Debt-Free Family at Suite101.com, we have a special guest columnist, Leanne Ely (author, speaker and all around nice person).
Leanne is the Healthy Family Contributing Editor here at Suite101.com and also edits the Healthy-Foods ezine. Her new book, Healthy Foods, will be available in March 2001 [pre-release orders are being taken now at http://www.championpress.com ].
To subscribe to Leanne's twice-a-month Healthy-Foods email newsletter: mailto:join-healthy-foods@ds.xc.org
Enjoy this month's article here at Debt-Free Family!
Simply Yours,
Debi
Contributing Editor, Debt-Free Family at Suite101.com
Editor, Simple Times e-newsletter
To subscribe, mailto:join-simple-times@xc.org
LIVING A SIMPLE LIFE
by Leanne Ely
Contributing Editor, Healthy-Family at Suite101.com mailto:manicwife@aol.com
Forget the BMW, the house in the 'burbs, and all the consumer debt that goes with it. Yesterday's yuppies are dropping out, at an almost frenetic pace. The old song, "Is that all there is?" is being answered with a resounding, "No!"
Simplicity -- and making a move back to a more basic lifestyle -- is the new and improved yuppie of the 21st century, one that embraces "just saying no" to consumerism.
A Long-Time Lifestyle
But added to this wave of simple living, are those who never left. The Tomblins of Rutherford County, North Carolina have always lived off their land, planting a bountiful garden every spring, canning all through the summer, and raising livestock.
"It's just a way of life," says Cheryl Tomblin. "It's how I was raised and it's how I want to raise my children. Not only do they experience how food is grown, they learn the importance of hard work and that hard work produces something."
The Tomblin's nine-year-old son, Aaron, works hard, too. "Aaron milks the goat and helps take care of everything. His contribution is valuable. If children learn to work hard, it will have lasting value in everything they do: both now and later on in life."
Aside from the obvious payoff of fresh produce, Tomblin voices the concerns of many over what is sprayed on vegetables and fruits. "I know how my vegetables are grown and that my children won't be eating pesticides. With all the evidence out there about the dangers of pesticides, I feel better giving them homegrown food."
New to the Lifestyle
Raising chickens and livestock has been a new experience for the Ecklers of Rutherford County, although they would hardly qualify as yuppies. The Ecklers have enjoyed this new dimension to homesteading, and have meat rabbits, goats and chickens, and few ducks thrown in for good measure. The goats are kidding right now, and though Kathy Eckler hasn't attempted to milk them yet, goat cheese is in their future.
