In the few years, Halifax Public Libraries has received a series of new books documenting the urban homesteading movement. With titles like, Plowing with Pigs: and other creative, low-budget homesteading solutions (M) by Oscar H. Will (2013), and Urban Homesteading: heirloom skills for sustainable living (M) by Rachel Kaplan and K. Ruby (2011), these books carry a lot of appeal to city-dwellers like me, who are interested in learning creative ways to become more self-sufficient.
The kinds of skills taught in these books, including edible landscaping and other forms of home- and community-based food production, were not passed down in my family when I was growing up. Although my grandfather was well-known among his neighbours for his inventive reuse of everyday objects, (the semi-practical folk art that littered his property was a constant source of irritation to my grandmother), my own homesteading skills are rudimentary, to say the least.


Mainstream cultural emphasis on this “new” homesteading vs. the continuity of traditional skills fostered out of necessity erases the history of homesteading in America. When we talk about the mainstream resurgence of craftwork and Pin-able, packageable skills, we need to acknowledge the foundation of these practices as poor skills—survival skills and “alternate” techniques for accessing food, shelter, and power primarily practiced by those with marginal or nonexistent incomes.
What distinguishes the modern urban homesteading movement from subsistence practices preserved by marginalized communities, Kirby argues, is that it is marketed to affluent individuals and their families.

For those of us who share the values associated with urban homesteading - self-sufficiency, environmental responsibility - the Library can be a valuable and accessible resource for taking action. Readers can freely borrow books like Plowing with Pigs and others, like, Gardening Projects for Kids: 101 ways to get kids outside, dirty, and having fun (M) by Whitney Cohen and John Fisher (2012); and Don't Throw That Away (M) by Jeff Yeager (2012).

With a little research and a bit of help, your community can transform urban homesteading from a consumer-driven trend to a real social movement that benefits everyone.
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