Subsistence Living - The Wave of the Future

I'm making a prediction here. I suspect that subsistence living, where we work mostly for ourselves to provide basic needs like shelter and food, will be the next big thing. It's more than a desire to seek out the warm arms of nostalgia and old ways. People are cutting back - cutting out the extraneous, the frivolous, the unnecessary - and moving towards what really matters.

The day I woke up and realized I didn't want or need a thing, I thought I was alone in this sea of consumerism, but after a couple years of observing society, I think many of us are moving in the direction of self-reliance and autonomy.

The pandemic gave us a new collective perspective on home, work and money. We saw how little we really need to be happy. We found hobbies at home, in nature or in the garden. We redefined how we work and more importantly, WHY we work. Many of us realized that when we consume only what we absolutely need, with only a special treat here and there, we aren't as miserable as we thought we might be. In fact, to watch our money grow rather than live paycheck to paycheck inspired us to do more simplifying, saving and less spending.

The American Dream of participating in the middle class and climbing the ladder of upward mobility cannot be saved for or worked for any longer. The only way to achieve true freedom is to jump into buying assets (things that grow in value) and stop buying liabilities (loans, things we don't really need, credit card debt). The only way out of paycheck-to-paycheck living is by investing (and sucking it up for 10-20 years while you sock every extra penny into an investment fund) or finding a way to be happy with less - much less.

I see people headed towards simplification in part because our economy is pushing them in that direction, but also because many people feel crushed under the weight of full-time work. We're already seeing the cost of housing push people to get creative with their living situations (tiny home movement, cooperative housing, auxiliary dwelling units), people are converting city lots to vegetable gardens, and many people purchase only what is absolutely necessary. Thrifting, trading, bartering, and saving will bring increased joy and freedom...and maybe even a growing connection to nature and the land.

Making predictions is part of the fun of a simplified lifestyle!

Summer is in full swing here on the farms. The vegetable gardens are beginning to burst, so time in the kitchen is ramping up. I'm making soup right now...my favorite thing! New to the store this week is a Spicy Summer Veggie Soup and a Tuscan Garlic Scape Soup - both chock full of garden goodness.

Stop out for a little taste of subsistence living...

Sending love from the farm,

Sarah