I watched a whole series of those shows last year loved every minute of it.I heard its on I m watching.

I'll have to check that one out. It sounds really good. I miss that old Homesteading reality show, maybe this one will be more informative.

I watched the show and it was more about people holding out from selling to developers. I was/am hoping that they would show people actually being creative in their homestead endeavors, like bartering, making things, the animals they keep, gardens, and how they use things. I'm not even sure if it was a one-time show. I have to check the listings if it is a series. I am going to write to hgtv and offer my suggestions that homesteading is an interest for a majority of people, and such a series hilighting actually homesteading would be positive. There are only so many house makeover shows one can watch, and I think something more on the line of homesteading is needed to keep our sanity in society these days.

I agree there's not to much on TV I like to watch. but this is something that interests me. I can't wait to see this.

oops didnt look at the date only a week late for the show. Oh well maybe Ill be able to see the next one. Is there going to be a rerun of this show. anyone know

I was dissappointed I thought it was about the 2 couples that were picked to go out build thier own log cabin,do all the cooking ,digging well,making do with at they had.It was so interesting to watch.The one fellow got an infected tooth.He also hurt his back building log cabin.They didnt want to bring a dr. in but had to for the tooth.They had a few chickens,cow.They even had to make thier own mattress.

Lately, HGTV has been sort of a disappointment. There are way too many commercials, and the variety of different types of shows and what viewers are learning has dwindled in the last year, IMHO. Homestead holdouts was not on last Sunday, so I haven't seen it yet, but I'm hoping it's informative, bringing something to the public that is actually related to homesteading. Making rainbarrels, using quilts for window insulation, making your own barn, etc... Things that actual homesteaders had to do.
Too much of HGTV is geared towards the high income crowd, who really don't do the work on their own homes.

HGTV has totally changed it's formatting over the last year; not nearly as much to watch. Not enough actual gardening shows and to many shows trying to keep up with 'real' tv. Carol Duvall? Back to back... I caught a portion of the mentioned Homesteading show and was disappointed in the content of it. It showed how 'city' life was grabbing hold of territory and spreading new lifestyle growth around 'old timers' holding on to land mass; not people trying to make it in a 'simpler life'. A disappointment.

I'm from the Cleveland area (my girlfriend grew up maybe 10 minutes from Willoughby). Anyway, about a month ago, the Sheep Lady passed away :( She seemed so cool.

I've not heard anything yet about what they are going to do with the property- they didn't say in the newspapers. I can't find the Obituary or related stories on Cleveland.com (must be archived now).
Anyway, she passed away maybe a week and a half before the show aired in January.

I saw the above mentioned homesteading shows and was also disapointed even though I did enjoy folks sticking to there guns and not selling for developement. I agree HGTV does cater to the upper income levels and would love to see a show about real people living a simpler life by choice and maybe even neccesity.
Visiting this homesteading forum was a new experience for me yesterday. I usually hangout at the winter sowing forum.
Due to an auto accident last July I am exploring ways of saving and being more frugal so I'm hoping to learn somethings from this forum.

In defense of HGTV, I think that there *are* still some good shows out there. Decorating Cents does a no-cost room re-do and a $500 re-do. They have a neat show called Building Character where people recycle old buildings into something new- like old 1 room school houses. I've also seen shows about Earthships on their show Extreme Homes, where there are very out of the ordinary homes or homes in out of the ordinary places (like a man trapped at the top of a mountain by lava floes in Hawaii, who refuses to leave what was once a lovely suburban sort of home in a suburban sort of area, before the lava took over). I also saw a show that was basically about living on less or remotely or something.

I find the most useful time for learning about real household chores is saturday/sunday mornings/afternoons. This is where you find more gardening shows, like my fave, Gardening By the Yard (mostly because the host is so nutty!)

When we used to have a TV, I watched HGTV all the time. Now that we are TVless, I have a lot more time to actually DO all those home and garden projects. And I've read a lot more books....and I realize TV can be a real waste of time.

I miss the old sat morning line up of garden shows. Sigh. If gardening is supposed to be the most popular hobby in america (after shopping), I don't understand why there are not more garden shows. My favorite is "A Gardener's Diary" because you actually get to see gardens of real gardeners, as opposed to professionally landscaped yards that cost thousands. They do spend a lot of time in the south though... I don't mind but I wish at least a few more of the episodes were further north. I'm zone 7, but it is a MUCH diffrent zone 7 than what they are depicting.

It's fairly easy to understand why HGTV sells to the high-end market. It's commercial tv and companies want to sell to people with disposable incomes. So designing shows to attract hot markets (high end/disposable income or young adult aka the reality shows) is driven by charging more for commercials. Likewise, encouraging a non-simple life is in line with selling more junk as well.

I have to second the vote for Extreme Homes. Probably the place you will see actual homesteaders talking about homebuilding and rain barrelling, etc. There was a great one a while back about a woman who had collected stones from across the world to build a stone-walled/hay bail/can & cement walled domicile in the Colorado Rockies.

Now for the better question why public television isn't doing more on homesteading info...and not just 18th Century House...

I loved HGTV when it first came on the air, but it now geared toward folks with lots of money. The gardening shows have practically diminished. I watched one the other day in which the homeowners limited their landscaping costs to $40,000! I have very little money and love doing my own projects. It's much cheaper that way.

I agree with Madspinner. That old lineup which were showcases of individuals gardens with a little how to thrown in was really great.

I grew up with Victory Garden (thank God for PBS) and I really miss that. I do like Ground Force(BBC), very amusing and informative and absolutly the best of all the makeover shows.

There's another that I think is called Outer Spaces where they basically build these stage sets around the yard as a supposed garden makeover.WHAT IS UP WITH THESE PEOPLE?!? Who the fripp could actually live with all that clutter slowly going to pieces in thier 'garden'?

As far as homesteading, Frontier House and the frontier Prarie House(both on PBS) have been the best. Very inspiring and thought provoking looks at the pros and cons of a back to basics lifestyle. I hope they do some more of this kind of program. I think in the end the pros win out because even though it is a hard life it offers an immediate sense of fullfillment almost every day. I think as long as one keeps in mind to 'produce more, consume less' it could be a very satisfying life.

This all brought to mind Tasha Tudor. Is she still alive? She always seemed almost mystical, living her simple, charming cottage life.

...anyone remember a gardening show that took place in new england? It was a man and woman couple. Very straight forward gardening? It's been a few years since i've seen it. Think it was on discovery. I guess it didn't have flash appeal.
Not Victory Garden either.
Hmmm?