Change: The Double-Edged Sword

A few years ago I learned that my great grandfather was buried in Chinook where he homesteaded.  While his dream was short lived, his heart was here and now my roots trace right back here to Montana!  Who would have thought a southern/sort of city girl like me would have had roots here?   It explains a lot about me now that I think about it.  I’ve often wondered why I think the way I do; why I’m so inspired by the pioneers of this land; why it was so easy to let go of the city slicker mentality and settle in to a life without bells and whistles but a whole lot more!  It’s the quality of life I’ve learned about; that family is everything; that having a few great friends is better than a bunch of phony people who won’t show up when you really need them; that working together harvests great reward.  Still, this little town on the west side has brought many others like myself from the city that say they want to leave that former mentality behind, yet move here and try to change everything to “a city with a view”.  I suddenly feel as though what once seemed like “the country” to me has become just that "city with a view".  I’m removed from this fast paced world where no even knows my name; where neighbors don’t talk and friends are friends as long as you have something they want.  Now I long for the prairie more and more; getting back to the basics of daily living.

I dream of the day my husband and I can move away from this place.  In three years, our youngest will graduate high school and the opportunities for more land and a smaller home will become a reality.  Of course, still room for the kids and future grandchildren to always come home for a visit.  But for now, we are no where near retirement age and still must find work.  Therefore the prairie life we envision seems to take back seat as a result.  My husband looks forward to returning to the quality of life he once knew growing up in a farming community and I long for a life I never had and only dream about.  However, the cost of owning such land has skyrocketed in some places only to be sold as recreational land and there is not enough work in these small towns to make ends meet otherwise.

Farming and ranching communities throughout eastern Montana have taken a hard hit over the past several years as the younger generations show no interest to return home and carry on what their forefathers worked so hard for.  As a result, these small towns are shutting down.  The only hope now is for another oil boom; therefore bringing revenue back to those who have stuck it out over the years; but only for a short time as history repeats itself.  What then?  What will happen to the current farmers when there is no one left to take over?  What happens to all the old homesteads where rocks were picked by hand day after day?  How did these places become ghost towns when they once thrived with fewer resources than we have today?  How can we rebuild these communities and the question is, do they “want” to rebuild?  These are the questions that must be answered as a community in an effort to rebuild small farming and ranching towns across the Hi-Line.

Change is a double edged sword.  We don’t want it, but yet we need it; in moderation that is.   It has helped, yet at the same time, has hurt farming and ranching communities across the Hi-Line.  The change I am talking about came by way of technology, the deregulation of communication, televisions and the travel industry.  With technology came greater crops, more money per bushel, yet the need for more land; more cattle; and finally the need for more money to purchase it all.  If you think about it, homesteaders didn’t have anything of the sort back in the day.  They  traveled only when they needed something; words were used for negotiating and an occasional get together down by the creek; and radios were used if they needed to hear anything important coming out of the White House or the weather forecast and a nice song now and again.  Their time was spent focusing on what needed to be done and the rest was for family and friends.  Worries were focused on crops, the weather and providing for one’s family.  When darkness came, everyone went to bed for a good nights sleep; they lived with what we now call “the basics”; what a hard, but wonderful life it must have been. 

Today, we can’t seem to sit still; so many choices; too many.  All of which have created stress, broken relations, crime and corruption, greed and the loss of what once was; now everyone wants it back.  They say they want growth in these small towns, but without the youth returning after college or sewing their oats, who would be welcome?  What would they do to make a living?  The farmers and ranchers who are dying off are selling out to other locals that want to expand; that's understandable.  So how can one make a living otherwise? 

I recently read an article about a community in North Dakota where they had offered cash incentives and land (lots) for families to move to their town.  A family from Florida decided to take a chance, but failed as a result of many things; feeling unwelcomed; competition with other businesses, stereotyping, etc.  While they understood the reality of harsh winters, high winds, hard work and were willing to make sacrifices in an effort to fulfill their dream of a better quality of life, they were not greeted by a town that claimed they needed them; a town that needed revenue.  I’m sure there is much more to the story than I know.  Unfortunately, these same types of issues are real for small towns along the Hi-Line as well.  Buildings are being abandoned and old homesteads becoming a haven for mice and rodents at a rapid pace.  Towns cry out for the way things “use to be”, yet little are willing to participate when push comes to shove and it’s time to roll up the sleeves and explore new avenues to generate revenue.  What are needed are families; therefore the need for housing, food, clothing, etc. and an increase in revenue as a result.  But they must feel welcomed; wanted.  It’s only natural.

When my husband and I find that piece of heaven out on the prairie somewhere, I hope that whatever town we end up in will welcome us unconditionally so that we might contribute in the efforts of rebuilding their town.  But they have to want it; they have to be willing to accept outsiders and know that our hearts are in the right place.  After all, no one is going to sacrifice and make such a move to destroy such a town already dying.  All one is seeking is a chance to get back to basics and add quality to their life.  I have no doubt we will make it happen one day, perhaps it might even be your town.  Until then, I continue to research ways of making an income online to make it a reality so we can live anywhere we want.  After all, I would follow that man to the end of the earth to see him reliving his dream; somewhere I can cook for my grandchildren, grow my garden, welcome a neighbor and get back to “the basics”.