Trad families navigate life off the beaten path

A closer look at conservative Catholic homesteaders who blend faith farming and strict gender norms as a reaction to modern life.

Trad Families Seek Simpler Life Amid Culture Clash

On a 25 acre farm in central New York, Mike and Jenny Thomas illustrate a growing subculture that blends faith, farming and a return to traditional gender roles. A Latin prayer at dinner, homeschool routines and a house full of children show a family life built around close ties to land, faith and neighborly networks. Their routine echoes a broader nostalgia for a slower, more predictable past, even as the modern world presses in with social media, politics and shifting work norms. The Thomases describe their project as a way to weather what they see as cultural storms, balancing local farming with a spiritual discipline and a pragmatic tolerance for technology when it serves their aims.

Across the United States, similar stories unfold. Edward and Emily Phillips in rural Illinois speak of long days that fuse mechanical work, schooling at home and daily prayer, while Joelle and Jim Kurczodyna document a move from suburbia to a country property where a blog and income from homesteading sustain a large family. Keturah and Andy Hickman narrate life without cars or airplanes and a push toward a smaller footprint, with a hope that frugality translates into meaning. The movement gathers online, especially among women who share practical tips for cooking from scratch, homeschooling and minimalism, while many men frame leadership as a balance of spiritual and financial guidance. These families are not a single bloc; some are proudly conservative, others more moderate, yet most view modern life as a source of loneliness and instability that can be confronted by a rooted, ordered home life.

The trad movement emerges as a cultural countercurrent in a tech-driven age. It promises belonging, purpose and a sense of control through defined roles and local ties. Yet its appeal rests on a selective reading of history and a selective embrace of modern tools. While some participants stress practical frugality and religious devotion, others confront pressures to present a flawless image online, which can mask internal tensions and power dynamics inside households. The mix of faith, family policy and politics means the movement sits at the crossroads of culture wars, attracting sympathy from some politicians and concern from others about gender equality, education and social cohesion. The result is a hesitant fabrication of community that prizes continuity over experimentation, while risks include social isolation, coercive dynamics and the potential for political entanglement that extends beyond the kitchen table.

Highlights

The story raises questions about how communities redefine belonging when faced with rapid change, and who gets to decide what counts as progress.