Modern Day Homesteaders

Description

The Modern Day Homesteader utilizes song and story to explore elements of Western pioneer life, with Miss “V” drawing on personal experiences to inform the presentation. Familiar themes such as cattle drives, the Pony Express and stipulations of homestead claims are discussed. Additionally, often overlooked components of this era are covered; such as tie hacks, working with teams, mail order brides and the conflict between cattle associations and homesteaders. Miss “V” incorporates the day to day routines, such as haying and logging with horses, hunting and preparing for long, snowbound winters, as well as her perspectives on solitude; with the challenges and triumphs that an isolated life in the wilderness presents. Homesteading was a fundamental element of settling the Western territories and indeed, many components of the pioneer life are still a way of life in parts of Nebraska.