Improvement in modern farming makes getting back to your roots even simpler. This is what happens when old and new worlds collide, and what that means for homesteaders everywhere —
The Internet of Things Meets Homesteading?!? Sounds like Facebook's very popular Farmville to me.
But no. For those of you who, like me, are a bit behind on this terminology, allow me to catch you up.
Let's define the Internet of Things: The Internet of Things (IoT) is the connecting of things (electronic devices or machines) to other things in an exchange of data and information. Another common and related phrase is Machine-to-Machine Communication (M2M).
Some simple examples of the Internet of Things are step trackers or fitness trackers that send data to your smartphone, Google Glass, or even that new refrigerator system your neighbor just installed that tells him when he's running low on beer (amazing).
As an article on XG Media puts it, “this Internet of Things provides cloud-enabled experiences that could profoundly change many aspects of everyday life, both in and out of the home.”
So how does the Internet of Things relate to Homesteading?
Isn't the purpose of homesteading to disconnect and get back to our roots by doing things ourselves, getting down on our hands and knees while digging in the dirt, growing our own crops, raising our own meat and dairy, reducing our carbon footprint?
But why not combine forces?
This video shares how the Internet of Things has improved quality of life, as well as the quality of crops on this Indiana farm. Innovation has been the key to their success. Click here to read more.
The Toms have passed their farm down from generations, and seen to the modernization that comes along with it. Notice how they're excited to see what the grandkids are able to do with the farm. I'm sure improvements in technology even in the next 30 years will be incredible.
Taking this step into the future is beneficial for everyone. Utilizing the Internet of Things can improve efficiency on the homestead, this is especially helpful for farmers who do everything themselves from sunrise to sunset.
Having a more efficient homestead will maximize the available hours in a day, enabling the homesteader to have a little more free time to do what they truly love. Because loving what you do is one of the most important things you can do for yourself. That means homesteading should be fun, not just a chore. So why not incorporate smart objects and the Internet of Things to maximize efficiency and take a few shortcuts.
Solar power, for example, is already a modern technology that makes life easier and more affordable. Add a tracker to the panels so they follow the sunlight and communicate to a system so you can ensure they operate at top performance, and you've got yourself a futuristic solar panel living in the new age of IoT and M2M.
So what do you think? Is the Internet of Things an integral part of our future as homesteaders? Or is an off-the-grid-life the life for you? Do you think these tracking systems and modern technologies are improving the quality of life for everyone? Let's hear your thoughts. Feel free to share in the comments below and on Facebook.
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