The Generalist

Colonial Pioneers have a challenge before them that has not been faced since the dawn of the industrial age. The frontiersmen in the American West needed to be skilled in many arts simply to survive. He had to posess animal husbandry skills as well as hunting skills. He had to understand food preservation as well as the arts of the tanner in order to provide himself and his family with food and clothing. He had to be a carpenter and mason in order to provide shelter. He had to be a wagon repairman and a horse doctor. He had to be a good businessman in order to insure his families survival.

The colonial pioneer will need the same sort of broad ranged skill base, but with an entirely different skill set. The colonial pioneer will need to know horticulture in order to provide atmospheric control and food production. He will need to have electronic skills in order to maintain his environmental controls and communications network. He will need mechanical skills and knowledge in order to maintain his habitats condition. All of this over and above some specialized skills in order to provide value and service to the colonial outpost he inhabits. And he will have to be a good businessman in order to insure his families survival.

What will be needed, ultimately, is a new generalist, the return of the Renaissance Man. The purpose of Jefferson Colony is to develop that kind of focus, to begin building the appropriate skill sets. It is something anyone can join in on. It will take more than one person to build a community of starfarers. The concept is simple. Build your habitat. It must be portable, and it must be self sufficient. It must be simple enough for one man, woman, or a small family to maintain. Keep a log and exchange ideas among others. That is the purpose of this blog. I'm starting a conversation, backing it with the action of constructing my own habitat. Even if you do not take up my challenge, I hope you enjoy the show!