One thing that sets the early Appalachian Settler apart from the common man today is the ability to make something out of nothing. After traveling across the mountains with family and what ever you could cary on your back, finding few flat and clear places to set down roots, finally realizing that winter was setting in and your family needs shelter. Shelter, food, clothing, water, and other items needed to establish a home. No Home Depot or Lowes, no fast food drive throughs, and finally, very little other comforts of home to help you. We have a tendency to complain about everything. Jonas had to be concerned about his family and how his actions would effect their future. It was all in him hands. Of course family was very important and having the ability to channel all the energy towards staying alive was important. As I walk around the Farm I see evidence of just how hard it was to just survive. Looking at the buildings I understand that if faced with building on of those, I would fall short. I believe we have lost the ability to make things happen without depending on modern tools and those 'put together projects' packages that the big box store sells. Don't misunderstand me, I do think we can change but it has become much easier to depend on others to build the things we need.
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