tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662211259268984177.post4497813619914001049..comments2022-08-17T03:42:01.400-07:00Comments on Urban Homestead Diaries: Urban Homesteading Gender RolesApril Alexanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14284816070903462748noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662211259268984177.post-49052821749286903112011-04-07T18:03:19.440-07:002011-04-07T18:03:19.440-07:00Sounds like we all have great guys who share the h...Sounds like we all have great guys who share the homestead duties, lucky us! :) I think it's wonderful that guys are willing to get in there and get their hands dirty with the chores. We've come a long way baby!April Alexanderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14284816070903462748noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662211259268984177.post-32837356375789252082011-04-07T00:52:49.068-07:002011-04-07T00:52:49.068-07:00Our gender roles are pretty fluid, but they're...Our gender roles are pretty fluid, but they're a little bit traditional, just because of our individual skills and interests. I do most of the cooking, because I enjoy it. He does most of the dishes, because I do most of the cooking. ;-) He does his laundry, I do mine and our daughter's. I tend to dream up the things we need to do next, and he builds anything that needs to be built...chicken coop, beehives, greenhouse, rabbit hutch, raised beds, fences, trellises, whatever. I do most of the actual planting/tending of plants, we both weed. He mows (it nukes my asthma something terrible). I do all the canning/preserving and management of the emergency supplies, he helps if I point and direct. He works a day job (when there's work to be had, he's in construction and it sucks right now) and I manage our daughter's schedule and schoolwork. He handles the bills, I do the taxes.<br /><br />Honestly, if I had a 40 hour a week job, he'd make a better homemaker than I do. He's just fussier. ;-) I'm just more organized and seem to know more about basic home routines and keeping schedules, he's better at the daily maintenance stuff. It works out well.Lisa Lindermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13126487193132896329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662211259268984177.post-83396656094237600922011-04-06T20:55:21.642-07:002011-04-06T20:55:21.642-07:00Since I'm unemployed, I do all of the domestic...Since I'm unemployed, I do all of the domestic stuff and I'm totally convinced that if the roles were reversed, my husband would do the same. I tend to do more in the garden just because I have more experience, but he's always willing to learn and help.Jessicahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17819453571479984739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662211259268984177.post-37777208197492742412011-04-06T19:35:32.651-07:002011-04-06T19:35:32.651-07:00My husband is an awesome partner - does the laundr...My husband is an awesome partner - does the laundry while I'm out mucking out the chicken coop, gives the kids a bath while I'm starting seeds in the basement, remembers to turn on the soaker hoses in hot weather. I'm in my third trimester with our 4th kid, and the last few weeks, he's done the dinner dishes EVERY night, b/c I'm just too tired and my feet too swollen. <br /><br />We run this homestead together, in the house and in the garden. (Meanwhile, he tackles a day job, and I tackle homeschooling and the nonprofit garden on our property.) It's a healthy, even-keel partnership.Angelahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12294113362182501855noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662211259268984177.post-37440294269978249092011-04-06T17:06:13.132-07:002011-04-06T17:06:13.132-07:00@Rachel - Interesting that few men in your area ar...@Rachel - Interesting that few men in your area are involved in urban homesteading. I suppose if my hubby didn't want to do it I would be forced to do it all.<br /><br /><br />Fullfreezer - Good for you! You must be a high energy person, jealous!<br /><br />Dan - thanks for the encouragement! The kids are starting to help out too which is awesome. Our daughter feeds/waters the animals and the little guy helps out in the garden. It's a fun family experience for sure. Thanks for sharing your story with me!April Alexanderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14284816070903462748noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662211259268984177.post-54987405843567071652011-04-06T13:55:23.784-07:002011-04-06T13:55:23.784-07:00Lol! I love this post! When it comes to mowing the...Lol! I love this post! When it comes to mowing the lawn and daily cooking yes it is my wife "Dolly". Dolly and I Decided from the very begining that we would not have children. We've been happily married 16 years now. So I have to say first how proud I am of all of you that raise a family, and then even a family of animals. Now to the subject at hand,lol! It is true.. Dolly does most of the work here at our homestead. But I do all the "hard work" lol. I've built the chicken coops and installed the biggest garden in this town(16 inches deep of purchased soil. about 30 truckloads all done by hand. after digging out the old sand crud soil) and I actually grow most of the garden. I also cook alot but not daily, but I cook the tough stuff like Thanksgiving turkey every year. I cook about 6 stuffed turkeys a year( We buy them cheap at Thanksgiving and freeze them. It feeds us two a long while! I make turkey soups after that. I do any bar-b-queing. I fix the truck and hatch the chicks. I like to think I pick up all the things that would be too difficult for her to do. While indeed it is true she does most of the work, We are a team and could not live without each other. =D My thumbs up to "PaPa" Ron! I certainly do agree there needs to be more guys just like him,LOL! My best regards to all loving familys that lead a sustainable life! :)Dan Fountainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07975802381905698147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662211259268984177.post-42890814488972762762011-04-06T13:35:54.507-07:002011-04-06T13:35:54.507-07:00We have a very odd arrangement at our house. I ha...We have a very odd arrangement at our house. I have always been the primary bread winner and have always worked outside the house as well as in. When the children were young, my hubby stayed home with them and I think that has given him a GREAT relationship with them. I do most of the gardening and cooking. I also do a lot of the design and dream stuff but my hubby is also the 'Renaissance Man' and is the backbone of the construction phase while I am his support person. All in all, it is a good mix and we're happy with it. He is working from home now and has to be quite disciplined to get his paid work done on time while still accomplishing things on the homestead front. The children are all old enough to help out now and they are getting a pretty balanced exposure to the 'guy construction stuff' and the household/garden/cooking stuff.<br />JudyJudy Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01121300109427407095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662211259268984177.post-64982301708617598092011-04-06T13:34:01.560-07:002011-04-06T13:34:01.560-07:00Around here most of the husbands/male partners are...Around here most of the husbands/male partners aren't involved. My husband, who is very much involved in urban farming is always commenting about the lack of men in our community. I have several friends whose husbands/partners have no interest in urban farming/homesteading so they bear pretty much all of it on their own.Rachelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05607208465219962573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662211259268984177.post-24298827316214715692011-04-06T13:29:42.162-07:002011-04-06T13:29:42.162-07:00Great post. I need to find a guy like that!!Great post. I need to find a guy like that!!* Mandy *https://www.blogger.com/profile/11203081224187743852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662211259268984177.post-88051011867049759642011-04-06T12:33:32.782-07:002011-04-06T12:33:32.782-07:00Thanks for the comment! We went to a local plant ...Thanks for the comment! We went to a local plant and seed exchange and I saw a lot of men folk there, so maybe it varies by area? That's too bad that the men in your area are missing out on gardening. I'm proud of the women for stepping up to the plate though!!April Alexanderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14284816070903462748noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3662211259268984177.post-56992600603977739192011-04-06T12:28:06.690-07:002011-04-06T12:28:06.690-07:00"I would estimate that a lot of men are out t..."I would estimate that a lot of men are out there doing the work" Totally NOT my experience! In both my trailer park homestead and my parents' hobby farm, it is about 97-99% women work! I can't generalize to everyone else out there, but the people that follow my blog and the related facebook page are almost entirely women too, and they almost never mention menfolk doing anything :-(Chris K.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12054057713267875769noreply@blogger.com