Gulching is dropping out of the mainstream job-and-mortgage lifestyle and living (generally in a rural area) as self-sufficiently as possible with like-minded neighbors. It's a way to get as far removed from government regulation and interference as possible.
Hmmm - my wife and I have been doing that for years - didn't know our lifestyle had a name other than being frugal. We've never owed a cent to anyone, own a couple of hundred acres of land, no mortgage, no car loans, etc. My wife helps run a living-history museum that has a water-powered grist and saw mill. Also does ice-cutting in the winter and teaches wood-cooking. She makes much of her own clothes. I've worked, or been self-employed for the past 30 years as an electriician, gunsmith, diesel mechanic, house builder, etc. Never paid to have anything done - other than to a doctor or dentist. My first four children went to public school and are now grown with their own children. But, we have a "new" 3 year old, and he's going to be home schooled.
Our home, built 1820 has a drilled solar powered water well, also a dug well with a hand-pump inside the house, and also a mountain spring piped in. We have wood heat and also wood and solar hot-water. We have a Rumford wood-cooking fireplace and also a wood-fired bake oven. Kitchen also has three cook stoves, one LP gas, one oil, and one wood. Most of our electricity comes from a 5400 watt solar electric system - grid-tied at the moment.
We've got two diesel Volkwagen Jettas and six diesel trucks - all relatively old - 1982 - oldest and 1994 the newest. All old enough so they are easy to work on, but new enough that they are all just as useful, if not more, as any new truck and parts for the older trucks are MUCH cheaper. The 91 Jettas can get 50 MPG on the highway - that's pretty good for any car.
We live in a rural farming area of central New York in Otsego Co. but also have a cabin in the Adirondack Mountains in Hamilton Co. and also some wild forest land up near Lake Ontario in Jefferson Co. All our land was bought cheaply over the years and all bought with cash.
From your description of "Gulching", seems we are missing one part of the equation. We are NOT part of any group of people with like minds. Thirty years ago, things were a bit different. Many farmers that I worked with were very self-sufficient. But, farming is dying and the population is changing. We are, more-or-less regarded as "weirdos" by many newer residents.
Lately, we've has some Amish farmers move into our area, and I envy their sense of community and lifestye.
My wife and I would like to be part of a like-minded group somewhere, but I'm not sure such a thing really exists and works (other then the Amiish and Menoites).
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Topic: Gulching / Definition on Gulching ??? (MERGED) (Read 64775 times)