Autumn Long

My name is Autumn. I'm 24 years old, and I live in rural north-central West Virginia. I was born and raised in West Virginia, and in 2005 I graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in Anthropology. I live on a 75-acre farmstead that is composed mainly of forested hills. My husband, Dan, and I live "off the grid" in a "hand-built" house that is a work in progress. Dan's parents are our closest neighbors and have owned this property since 1981. We have a horse, a donkey, two dozen laying hens, five cats, two dogs, and one hive of honeybees.

Dan and I both work part-time (I'm an editor and writer; he's a landscaper) and consider ourselves full-time homesteaders. Together with my in-laws, we maintain ample pastures, two hayfields, large vegetable and herb gardens, fruit trees and berry bushes of various stages of development, and a small pond stocked with bass and catfish. The forest provides us with firewood and edible and medicinal plants and mushrooms. Dan and I make maple syrup each spring. We try to grow as much of our own food as possible, and we enjoy brewing beer. This year we plan to raise a couple of pigs and some roasting chickens.

I try to live an ethical lifestyle free from exploitation and greed. I believe it is important to strive toward sustainability and self-sufficiency, and to respect our environment and each other. By supporting organic agriculture and local farms, and by growing my own food, I remind myself of the interconnectedness of all ecosystems on this planet. I strive to find healthier alternatives to mass-marketed corporate agribusiness, and I hope that this project will help make me more aware of the social, economic, and environmental impacts of the food choices I make. I also hope that this project will help raise awareness of the important issues of sustainability and ethics of our food supplies and cultivation methods.