Micom, I sure like your point-of-view. I'm in the 30 something set, squarely between the "we" and "me" generations. I'm revolted by some of the crap that is pushed down the throat of the American consumer, as yet one more "necessity".
I hope that some day I can, as you do, and as my parents did, keep a garden and provide some of these important things for myself. A few years back I bought a flat of strawberries and made jam, just like my mother used to. I got some raised eyebrows, but it was marvelous to have food that wasn't comprised of ingredients I can't pronounce. I've recently started making my own bread, too.
I think my basic rejection of technology for the sake of technology is what led me into the vintage computers area. Not that it was a conscious decision, but it feels to me like most of the country bought a bill of goods: in order to be normal and happy, you have to have the latest and greatest--a mantra I wholly reject. I don't really feel that most computer applications have gotten better (especially under windows), just different, and sometimes more difficult. So, I'm happy with my 15 year old PCs, my 10 year old AS/400 and all the trappings that go with them. They still work as well as they did when they were new, and it was good enough then.
Now that I've rambled off topic, we return to our regularly scheduled programming...