AT on... Modern Homesteading

A couple of weeks ago, we lugged home 20 pounds of fresh pears from a coworker's farm and, using a decades-old recipe, turned them into jars upon jars of spiced pear butter over the weekend. We love the newfound infatuation with homesteading and all the old-school ways of doing things...

From hanging laundry out to dry, to going back to basics in the kitchen, to learning how to sew, to growing our own food, modern homesteading isn't so much modern as it is a revival of what worked decades and even centuries ago.

We are happy to see more and more people turning to the things that worked for our grandparents, right down to multi-purposing the baking soda.

Have you noticed changes in your own household as you turn back the clock and do things the old-fashioned way, whether it's to be a part of this old-school movement or just to become a little bit greener (and more well-rounded to boot)? We have changed a lot this year, and it all started with pickles.

(Image: Amber Byfield for Re-Nest.)

Comments (4)

Can I have some info on this spiced pear butter!?!? We have a pear tree just dripping with giant pears begging to be picked. I'd pick them all but have no idea what to do with all of them! This would be wonderful presents for the holidays!

posted by BuddhaBellysMum on August 27th 2009 at 1:37pm
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I spend a lot less on groceries. I'm vegan. Buying/growing ingredients and making stuff from scratch is wonderful. I know exactly what went into the recipe.

posted by spookiefish on August 27th 2009 at 2:09pm
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I would love to get this recipe! I want to try canning and since the summer is almost over and my garden is dried up, I only have tons of pears. Thanks!

posted by MegsM on August 28th 2009 at 9:02am
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I started growing more and more of my own food because it tastes better. Then, I started learning to preserve my bounty so that I could have better tasting food for longer. Composting was a natural extension of that, as I am constantly in need of organic matter to amend my soil.

posted by JenontheEdge on September 2nd 2009 at 10:59am
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