Our Somewhat-Urban Homestead: If not by MY hands; then by my Neighbour's

Sunday, December 5, 2010

If not by MY hands; then by my Neighbour's

For me it is easy to get so caught up in the idea of a Handmade Holiday, that it's easy to forget that that doesn't necessarily only handmade by me.

Even for one who professes to be as crafty as I, it would be hubris to assume I could do it all alone. Whether due to lack of time, or resources, or skills; at some point I have to look to others for help.

Yet I am lucky enough to live in a community that though small in population, has a wealth of talented artisans and craftsmen.

Our local nexus for the artisan and fair-trade community is the shop The Karma Marketplace. Not only is it an outlet for crafters and artists to sell their wares, but they also sell local organic meat and produce, preserves, and soaps.

Yesterday I went searching for something for some of the women on our list, and found these:

I wish I could convey to the Internet how amazing the soaps smell, and I just know the jewellery will look stunning on the recipients!

Both jewellery and soap making are two more crafts I would like to try my hand at in the future, but for now I am happy to be able to support my neighbours who are creating them!

No comments:

Post a Comment

We would love to hear what you thought about this post - and if you have any questions, or a suggestion about a topic you would like to see covered, let us know! Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts, and for visiting our "Somewhat-Urban" Homestead!

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

When my husband and I bought our first home our decision to dig up the side yard must have been met with looks of bewilderment from our family and neighbours. What were we doing?

Seventy years ago it would have been called a “victory garden" yet today such a term is not wildly used. However the idea remains the same: a small-ish garden planted in an urban setting to either sufficiently feed, or at least supplement, the diet of an individual family. Nowadays another name has cropped up – the urban homestead. Yet as we live in a small town opposed to a big city, we have chosen the term “somewhat-urban homestead” to describe our home.

For us, the decision to embark on a rather time intensive and physically exhausting way of living was a matter of sustainability and the ability to show our three sons where food truly comes from. So shovels in hand we made the decision to be a little more self-sufficient, and after four summers we’ve proven it to be a success.

Overall this has been a thoroughly enjoyable process. Though the work can be difficult, the taste of a freshly picked meal is beyond compare. I love that in the heart of winter I can still take out a preserve from the pantry or sliced vegetables from the freezer and know it was created by our hands. I love the look of pride in my husband’s eyes when he comes in at night, dirt-covered and sore yet satisfied in a job well done.

This has also been a positive experience for our children: It has taught them that very tangible rewards follow their tenacity and dedication. With any luck we’ve also taught them the importance of growing food free from pesticides and other chemicals, and how being as self-sufficient as possible is not crazy but good! And if they can take these lessons with them into adulthood, they’ll be the better for it.

Thank you for sharing in our journey!