Do you think we've become like "hothouse orchids"?

[AnnieA]

I grew up in a rural farming area so learned by being taught by and observing my elders. But I have some regrets that I did not pay closer attention to some things.
And I know how really physically hard they labored to be self sufficient.

I admit to being conflicted- I want coming generations to retain these skills , at the same time I am thankful that I can run to the store to grab a bag of flour or cornmeal without working sun up to sun down to raise the crops.

Same here. I have to go back to the late 1700s in my family tree to find a male ancestor who didn't farm. Some owned businesses as well but all farmed.

My dad always had a beautiful vegetable garden in a addition to his cash crops and I grew up helping my parents preserve produce and also helped with meat processing (beef, venison). I still love to can, both water bath and pressure canning.

I can remember watching an old grist mill in operation and the process of pressing (mule powered) and cooking sorghum molasses.

But like you @MountainRa , I don't want the life of a subsistence farm family. I like to garden (badly) as a hobby, but have no illusions that I could survive off the land so yes, @fuzzybuddy , I think most of the first world are hothouse orchids.

 

[Paco Dennis]

Look on the bright side...we're doin' pretty good.