It’s been 160 years since the Homestead Act of 1862 encouraged folks to head west for a chance at a new beginning. Thousands took advantage to claim the government’s offer of 160 acres. History tells us that while some succeeded, many failed due to inexperience, lack of money to buy equipment, and the environment.
But today, there’s a new breed of homesteaders. These modern-day pioneers share the same entrepreneurial spirit, guts, and enthusiasm—perhaps standing on the shoulders of past trailblazers—but they have a distinct advantage. They’re younger, better educated, and, realistically, more tech-savvy. Often city slickers who left for the country, their decision to reinvent themselves and create a different lifestyle, combining the old way of doing things with contemporary conveniences, has created its own, if unconventional, kind of resiliency.
