So you think you are a Homesteader Part 12

By Unicoi Ludd

So you think you're a homesteader ? Lessons from the MAYFLOWER-- When last we saw our friends,( I hope you have come to think of them as friends ) they were at anchor in Cape Cod Bay looking out at an unknown land. Having agreed to work together they set about the work of repairing their small sailboat, known as "the Shallop" and exploring the rather barren coast they're on. An armed party of colonist's under the command of Miles Standish and William Bradford go ashore to reconnoiter the area, planning to be gone a couple of days. While they scout the land they see a small party of natives and want to communicate with them. The natives, seeing a party of armed & armored strangers running toward them, not surprisingly run like hell into the woods ! While trying to track down the natives, the colonist's find a cache of corn buried in a large kettle and take it back to the ship. Wrong though it certainly was, let's not condemn them until we understand the situation. They were running short on provisions but were certainly not hungry at this point. They were a famously honest people, so casual theft doesn't explain their actions. So why did they steal the corn ? If you've ever tried to quit an addiction, drugs, alcohol, smoking or even just sugar, you know how overpowering the desire can be, how you behave in ways you never would normally. These people were in desperate need of fresh food, specifically vitamin C - you guessed it, they were ill with scurvy. A deficiency disease that was poorly understood at the time, it would be more than 100 years before citrus fruits and juices would be used to prevent this often fatal disease. Having been confined on the ship for 2 months their bodies were crying out for fresh food. Scurvy doesn't get better over night, it lowers red blood cell counts, causes bleeding of the gums and skin & leaves the sufferer open to infection. The horrible mortality that lies ahead is built on this foundation. So we can take 2 lessons here, one is to watch your diet. Living off your own produce is great, but understand what your body needs to function ( I'm looking at you vegetarians), #2- when you move to a new neighborhood, be careful how you meet the neighbors. Different parts of our country have different ways. Tread softly and learn. Or, as we say in the south- "We don't care how you do it up north" 😉