Living Off the Land

Living Off the Land. . Could you survive in this isolated location? Do you know how to manage a farm or a ranch?, Mormon pioneers survived with self-reliance. Starting in the 1880s, they built gravity-fed irrigation systems to deliver water to orchards. They used horse-drawn equipment to plow fields and maintain roads. The first tractor didn't arrive in Fruita until 1940. Pioneers grew and raised nearly all of their own food - from produce to livestock. Work days were long and hard., Kitchens bustled with the canning and drying of fruits and vegetables, which would sustain life through the winter. Food was stored in cellars without artificial refrigeration, as there was no electricity in Fruita until 1948. Smoke rose from smokehouses used to preserve meats. Items such as farm equipment, clothing, housewares, and toys were often made by hand, typically repaired at home, and used over and over. Efficiency was essential, and waste was avoided., Living off the land demands ingenuity and hard work. Fruita's pioneers remind us of the benefits of living simply and conserving resources in order to survive., Captions , (Photo #1) Tom Farnsworth and Fruita homesteader "Tine" Oyler enjoy a shady rest break. , (Photo #2) Twila Gifford plays with a lamb in front of her family's home in the late 1930s. Over the years, the house was remodeled into the building you see before you today. , (Photo #3) In this rare view of Fruita from the early 1900s, Calvin Pendleton's home and outbuildings (later known as the Gifford House, where you now stand) are visible on the right, adjacent to his orchards and pastures.