The 80 acre farm supportinng a family was possible in this area up to the 1960s.The farmer had typically a dozen cows,about the same number of pigs,a couple dozen chickens,and raised corn,hay, and soybeans for sale and for his animals. His wife and children tended a large garden. They bought little more than flour ,sugar,salt, and a few other items at the grocery.The wife sewed their own clothes,including making many items from cotton print feed sacks.(No, not burlap...that is just for the monks!)The farmer had one tractor of 20+ drawbar horsepower and their one automobile was used for going to church on Sundays and the weekly Saturday trip to town ,but kept in the toolshed or shelter mostly. They had one or two AM radios and probably a black-and-white TV that was a truly major purchase.Every tool,appliance, and article of clothing was used until worn out,not just out of fashion.
The leisure most people take for granted didn't exist.
One important difference is those farmers didn't have to pay 7% sales tax and many other taxes were lower.Those farmers and their town cousins weren't yet forced to support the tens of millions on various federal and state welfare handouts nor huge foreign aid grants to the enemies of America.
Just payment of the current property taxes is a burden on most people these days.
If we really want simpler lives,we must reduce the government at all levels.
Worth repeting:
If we really want simpler lives, we must reduce the government at all levels.
I would use it as a tagline, but mine, like the White House, is occupied...