Woodsqueer: Crafting a Sustainable Rural Life

Gretchen Legler's memoir, Woodsqueer, chronicles her experiences living off the grid on eighty acres in backwoods Maine. She and her partner, Ruth, build a home and learn to live with solitude, endless trees, and wild animals as family. The book is a homage to agrarian American life and a reminder of the benefits of living close to the land. It is illustrated with rustic pen-and-ink illustrations and shows the value of a solitary sojourn and the possibilities for making a sustainable, meaningful life on the land.

Format: Paperback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 15 February 2022
Publisher: Trinity University Press

Woodsqueer is a term used to describe the mindset of individuals who have chosen to live in the wilderness for an extended period. Gretchen Legler is well-accustomed to living outside the fast-paced world of the twenty-first century, which can sometimes result in a state of restlessness. In her book, Woodsqueer, she shares her experiences, emphasizing not just survival but the pursuit of a fulfilling life. Specifically, she focuses on building an agrarian lifestyle on eighty acres of land in rural Maine. This journey involves learning to coexist with solitude, endless trees, and the wild animals that become part of their family. Whether it's outsmarting their goats, calculating the amount of firewood needed for the winter, or bartering with neighbors for goods and services, Legler and her partner, Ruth, hone various life skills they bring with them, such as carpentry, tracking, and hunting wild game. They also acquire new skills along the way, such as animal husbandry, vegetable gardening, and woodcutting. Legler's story is a testament to the challenges and rewards of living off the land. It echoes the back-to-the-land movement popularized in the mid-twentieth century, reminding us of the benefits of living close to nature. Legler unapologetically reflects on what we have lost in America, both individually and collectively, as a result of our urban, mass-produced, technology-driven lifestyles. The book is illustrated with rustic pen-and-ink illustrations, showcasing the value of solitary sojourns and the pathways to creating a sustainable and meaningful life on the land. For Legler and her partner, this journey leads to an evolution of their humanity as they become more physically, emotionally, and spiritually connected to their land and each other within a complex ecosystem.

Dimension: 203 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781595349590