Grandma & Grandpa Watts
wedding photo, 1938

I’ve always been fascinated with my heritage. Growing up, I pored through my grandmother’s old photo albums of her German ancestors and my grandfather’s Bohemian ones. Grandma showed me how to bake bread and use an old-fashioned “ringer” washing machine. I loved her stories of “the olden days” … full of hard work, family and simple, homemade pleasures. Yes, the Little House on the Prairie book series was (and still is) one of my favorites.

In today’s busy world of modern luxuries and modern challenges, we could all benefit from taking a few steps back into that pioneer world and creating a simpler life for ourselves!

So what is a modern pioneer?

If you’re interested in this website, it’s you!

• – a fan of healthy cooking, eating real food, eliminating chemicals and preservatives
• – a parent who wants to give your children a life “outside the box”
• – a person interested in the lifestyle and values of American pioneers
• – a friend who values time spent with friends & family
• – someone interested in modern homesteading and urban farming
• – homeschoolers and other parents/guardians who wish to guide their children’s learning experiences as they journey through life (and not just leave all of the teaching experiences to other teachers)
• – a spiritual person who has – or strives to have – high moral values
• – you’re focused on living lightly on the earth, using fewer resources, homemade items, making more from less, frugality and simplicity
• – and you’re probably a modern guy or gal, a busy professional, a talented stay-at-home mom or dad, someone with a full life who sees the value in scaling back a bit and living closer to our roots

On the farm with Grandpa Watts
Minnesota, 1973

I hope you’ll enjoy reading as I explore ways to honor my ancestors and explore my heritage while living practically in today’s fast-paced world. I’m passionate about the modern pioneer topics you’ll find on these pages, and I bet some of you are as well! Let’s share these contemporary, old-fashioned experiences together!