Pipes, Cigars, and the Old Ways

[@mroc65]

Cheers! from a fellow God-fearing Catholic, old soul, pipe smoker, cigar smoker, bourbon/scotch drinker. We are kindred spirits! Waiting to retire and move off to the country. God bless!!

[@TheWhiskeyChuck]

Cigar smoker for years, pipe smoker for a year now. Retired from the Navy. Worked very hard to make our way and could not care less what others think of us. We paddle our own canoes and believe solidly in Our Lord Jesus Christ. You are spot on.

[@johnperryflytying2620]

Ditto-MT. 4:19-we live it!

[@johnnyhoover5870]

Well said shipmate.

[@Jonahch2v9]

The ability to sit and smoke for an hour or so is a sign of contentment. There are many these days who if they are not constantly entertained, or using artificial joy, they are quickly miserable. Give me time with a cigar, my dog and my Bible, and all is well with the world.

[@DrJRaven]

Amen

[@hikespipespaws9161]

AMEN!!! 🙌🏻

[@1977seabiscuit]

Very well said!

[@cdaddyh3135]

Nothing better 👍

[@MrBtodd2]

Well said. "Entertainment is the devil's substitute for joy."

[@arthurjurkowitsch9785]

Great video. Hard work now days is hard to find. The new generation want everything given to them. We need more hard workers in this world. Keep up the great work. PS. I was born in Brooklyn NY and had a long 32 1/2 year career and now living on 4 acres in NH with chicken and sheep and a big garden. And now I took up smoking a pipe. Hard work and the grace of God got me here and I pray I get 32 1/2 years enjoying my hard wok. God bless and God Bless America.

[@crayongreen4898]

Well said. I hope that message falls on many young ears. 💚

[@CarlosAVilches-dr9ek]

You just described my experience in life. And i have been smoking pipes since law school. God is good !!!! Greeting from the beautiful island of Puerto Rico. God bless you.

[@bobcragle8124]

alan just came acrooss your channel. i'm 73 , been smoking pipes for years , you are truely an inspiration. even the commen section is great, bob

[@hugoc.6967]

Wow, i'm french, 35 years old, non believer and pipe smoker. Sir, your description of pipe smokers surprised me. Its just on point ! Yeah, we are attached to the Land, nature and minding our own business. Thank you sir for this video.

[@joegibbskins]

Y’all surrender too quick.

[@MemoryDealer]

@@joegibbskins I think we can be a little more respectful than that. The French played a significant role in the American Revolution.

[@joegibbskins]

@@MemoryDealer the folks responsible for that are long dead. Your average frog today would rather eat and make love with their faces than fight

[@EarlHebert-c8w]

With Age, hopefully, comes Wisdom.

[@SoulfulSolid6]

@@joegibbskins ungrateful

[@pmewUK]

Speyside, if you're a whisky fan, is where I live on the Moray coast, in rural Scotland. I live in my own house with my wife, kids and dogs. 15 years ago, before I met my wife, I had more or less nothing. Your words ring true. Work hard and work together and the good things in life will slowly come. I'm not a wealthy man, but what's mine is mine and I can provide enough for my wife and children to live in comfort and happiness. That I can have a dram and a smoke from time to time is a bonus for me. Thank you for this video, I look forward to your next. Sir, lang may yer lum reek.

[@mattyjcox1838]

Lossiemouth here! Would be good to have a pipe smoke

[@mauida7746]

Good for you and thank you for showing the truth that you can actually achieve your goals

[@gallardojorge4763]

Mr. Alan, I am so glad you decided on creating another video...I must say I was missing you Sr. Again, you have demonstrated how a clear, thoughtful mind can communicate a message so elegantly. Please continue being the man you are and God bless you and your family.

[@Timmorrisjr]

Everything you said was absolutely true. Even if people can’t afford a large property, there’s no excuse not to just go outside, take a hike, explore the wilderness, etc. I too hope to one day own a large property, but until that time comes I’m pretty content just spending a lot of time outside hiking, exploring, and walking in the forest.

[@brianbeasley5640]

I have bought my first house three years ago and I agree: Where you chart your course, there you’ll go. We lived in a 600 square foot basement apartment for five years until we could make the move to get our first (and probably final) home. I’m a cigar enthusiast that is awaiting my first pipe tobacco as I speak. (Thanks to some of your recommendations) Keep those Maduro cigars full stock brother! The property on this house dedicates native plants to strengthen the local ecology. While I may not go the whole way into the countryside, but this 63 year old house houses God’s creation around it and they steadily benefit from our efforts. I’m content in giving back to nature in the southeast corner of Virginia. We have our home and strive to be good stewards of the land we have to the benefit of local nature.

[@paulwillard9687]

I’m in U.K. and totally agree with the message about going back to the land and most people who smoke pipe are old soles I couldn’t stop nodding my head it literally fell off, Computers have taken so much freedom from my kids we try to limit them but then life is difficult and I am a mature student now with a wife and 5 children, so god bless you sir

[@cookielemons]

As a conservative Buddhist who doesn't smoke a pipe and has no intention to, but who does have an interest in getting back to the land one day, let me say that I appreciated your video. You never know what you'll find down a KZbin rabbit hole, and I appreciate what I've found here. Consider making more videos of your musings on life.

[@MrTJOwens]

For me pipe smoking is about the ritual and quiet alone time. Cigars are either for sharing with friends or sitting on the porch watching the sun set and the stars rise. May the peace of God be with you and keep up the good work.

[@TheJayhawkPharmD]

Sir I have a similar origin story to yours with me and my wife. Your videos are greatly appreciated and I appreciate your choice to share your experiences with me. You sharing your knowledge with me is very valuable and appreciated. Wishing you and your family good health.

[@andrewsheltraphotography1820]

I really enjoy your videos Dr. Alan. At the age of 40, I am just trying out pipes and cigars for the first time. It definitely helps me to stop, take time for introspection, and to slow down this busy life for a short period of time. God bless you and your family!

[@tokyopuffer]

Well said, brother! I come from a one stoplight town on the boarder of Illinois and Wisconsin. No one ever would have thought I would have been able to study in S Korea and Mexico then move to Japan for 9 years. Now I am back and own a house. You can do anything if you work hard! Enjoy the fruit of your labor!!!

[@HeroOfTime303]

I'm right in that area as well. I'm a little south in Arlington Heights.

[@matthewunderwood4063]

Dear Dr. Alan I truly love and appreciate your videos Sir! I to live in the country in central Virginia and a native of Virginia. I’m from a God fearing family and my Grandparents used to raise bright leaf tobacco and plant it by hand years ago. We always would raise a garden each year and we would can tomatoes and green beans. We would gather up the corn and sit in the yard and shuck corn. I love your accent and I know you teach history and I’m a history buff and used to do WW2 and civil war re-enactment’s years ago. I to smoke a pipe and collect them and pipe tobacco. I’m very happy for you and your family. May God bless you and your family Sir! Your obedient servant, Matthew

[@ReformedJon75]

You are a fine, God-fearing Southern gentleman, brother Alan. Well spoken, God bless you and yours sir. (I bought the Kennedy Bros. book from your bookshelf, a great, great read) 🙏

[@galahadsholm524]

I’ve found that owning a dog is my connection to nature and the land. Gets me out and about and the bond between man and dog is unrivalled.

[@brucetyson4877]

You Sir, are wise beyond your years. I'm almost 73 years old and your observations and comments take me back to times long past. Also, your love for things Southern warms my heart. I know you will "keep the faith ".

[@LittleLouieLagazza]

Agreed

[@simonknight3372]

Our desire to be in touch with the land is not quite the same, but similar.. we did what you did. We worked hard and now live on the river. A beautiful riverboat and freedom to choose our future, wherever that is.. Please keep telling your stories and giving us your thoughts... a few of us in the UK are lovin' it!!

[@marcspade_pipes]

Friend, your channel has quickly become a favorite of mine. The lane you keep is the lane you find God has given you to walk. It’s ok for piping channels to have more than just piping. I also hold the idea we are old souls with a necessity for a connection to the earth in which we are to steward. Carry on sir. Don’t let them sway you.

[@johnperryflytying2620]

Well said!

[@marcspade_pipes]

@@johnperryflytying2620 thank you, sir.

[@davidmcaninch4714]

I agree with everything you just said, and you’re right. I also think that we need to return to the old ways, the old ways of loving your neighbor as you do yourself, putting aside politics and embracing fellowship with your friends. I don’t know about living off the land or anything, but we should appreciate the simple life again. You got yourself a subscriber!!

[@thormusique]

Well said! After plenty of hard work and plenty of focus on spirit (and of course some foolish mistakes along the way), I now live on a relatively self-sufficient homestead on good acreage and plenty of wilderness right outside my door. And it's a wonderful place to enjoy a pipeful of tobacco or fine cigar. Love your channel. Cheers!

[@maddmaxx5384]

Alan, Thanks for the pipe and tobacco videos. I think that most, if not all pipe smokers, are good Americans that still possess the values that made this country great.

[@stevepick9527]

Very well put and so true as to hard work and some financial sense. My father was from a poor family in Ashland Kentucky, but he worked extremely hard and put himself through medical school. He went into the Navy as a flight surgeon (Korea) and upon getting out started up a small practice as a family doctor. His patients loved him and he always worked with them even if they couldn’t pay asbhe never forgot where he came from. He was my hero (he passed away 27 years ago). I enjoy your comments and wisdom and you are cut from the same cloth as my father.

[@stevepick9527]

Forgot to mention, he smoked a pipe and I inherited his collection and enjoy contemplating over a good pipe bowl.

[@sebastianbolt7886]

Love this channel, congratulations on your confirmation ✝️🙏🏼

[@jaredcopeland5233]

Proverbs 23:9 - Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words. Please keep going with the channel. I often enjoy it while smoking and it has really caused me to think and reflect on the former, current and future state of things.

[@richardlaughlin4256]

Pure, simple, and rewarding advice for anyone looking to do good in life! The feeling of great pride comes to mind when taking initiative to change the life that you’re not happy with. Do something about it! Great video sir!

[@threeriversforge1997]

To the idea that "Not all of us can live on the land" --- As a blacksmith trying to do something to keep the old ways alive and spread the message of craftsmanship, what I've coined "Art in the Everyday", I would like to point out that those who are interested in getting back to nature or living on some acreage, but are trapped by circumstance, can still make strides in that direction. The #1 problem I've seen in the community is the lack of support. So many good people have had to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune all on their own, and many don't make it. Why? Support. In America, and a lot of the West, there's something of a DIY spirit that's both commendable and self-defeating at the same time. Daniel Boone was a man's man by any measure, but he didn't do everything himself. He relied entirely on the community to support him. He didn't grow the cotton and then weave into cloth to sew into his shirt. He didn't mine the ore and then forge it into the barrel of his famous flintlock. As much as he traveled under wild skies hunting and exploring, it was always with the idea of returning to the community that supported him. Today, we've fallen for the propaganda that a "Rugged Individual" stands all on his own, makes his own way, etceteras. This was never true, but accepting it as a truth has caused us to forget that a Garden must be Tended. The smallest seedling needs protecting and nurturing, but this doesn't only apply to our children, even if that metaphor does apply. What you do, even if you live in a big city, ripples out. Every action comes with both precedent and consequence. Sometimes these things are hard to see, but you know instinctively that if you change the recipe, the flavor won't be the same. Even if you live in a big city, you can "get back to the old ways" by driving that extra mile to shop at a Farmer's Market where local growers come with their goods. They need the support. If you don't shop with them, they struggle and die. This is Tending Your Garden. We complain about how all the small Mom-n-Pop shops have closed up, but we don't want to admit that we played a very big role in that. The customers dictate who will survive and who won't. When you choose to go to the big box store because you can save a dollar, that's great for you, but there will be a consequence for your choice. If you don't Tend Your Garden, how can you expect a Bountiful Harvest? Similarly, when we vote for a small tax increase on something, it might seem entirely innocent and good, but there will be consequence and you're setting precedent for future tax increases. Ever think it odd how those taxes never go away, only grow like the proverbial snowball rolling down hill? Everyone talks about the straw that broke the camel's back, but never the million straws that came before and how they prevented the camel from doing camel things. Culture is the collection of all those little things that set you apart from "the other". Dress, decoration, foods... all of these things make your group different from other groups, and that's a good thing. However, culture cannot exist without the Active Support of the people in the culture. There are craftsmen struggling right now because they can't get investors to help them get to the next stage. Crowd-funding places like Subscribe Star and Give Send Go are thick with people trying to keep the culture going, to do new and interesting things. When we Tend our Garden, part of that is nurturing and promoting the growth we want to see. The Garden Grows From The Root To The Bloom. If you don't tend to the roots, and protect the crop from dangers, what's the future going to look like? You might be deep in the city with not a blade of grass for a mile in any direction, but you can still be a part of the valuable part of the community by supporting the community in ways that you can. Visit a seamstress or tailor. Shop with the hobbyist cabinet-maker or woodwright. Buy from the local blacksmith or tinsmith. Have your shoes resoled by the local cobbler. Stop with the throw-away culture however you can. It would be nice if we could all live on a hundred acres out in the middle of nowhere, but we would all still need to rely on others to provide us with goods we cannot provide for ourselves. Right now, you are forced to buy your blue jeans from a sweatshop in Chicom Territory because past generations didn't Tend The Garden. Thousands of farmers and mill workers are now out of work, whole towns destroyed here in the Southeast, because the textile industry finally shut down. It wasn't one thing that ended the era, but a million straws piled on the camel's back by people who didn't think to Tend The Garden. Sure, there was a final straw that broke the camel's back, but the camel had been struggling for a very long time before being put out of its misery. Take a minute to think about that. I know it's long-winded, but I think it's important in the context of the video. Working hard for yourself is a great thing, but let us never forget that no man is an island. We need to support each other, to tend the garden in whatever ways we can.

[@russhenry8112]

Three rivers you made so much sense. I loved your simple but eloquent description of a simple and enjoyable life.I wish more people took the time to read your piece to its end, they would have learned so much. Never judge a book by its cover,take time to listen to someone who may be dressed in flannel and not a three piece suit,one can learn a lot. From one tradesmen to another !Fair winds and following seas.📐⚓️

[@threeriversforge1997]

@@russhenry8112 Thank you for your kind words. I truly believe that it's the little things that make the difference. The problem is getting people to see how those little things add up. Everyone stands in awe of the Great Cathedrals of Europe but forgets that the master craftsmen who made the Great Cathedrals were supported by little jobs every day for decades on end before they had the skills built up to the point they could make the Great Cathedrals. Nobody thinks that having someone carve a pair of simple stone pillars to bracket the entrance to their driveway is a big deal, but they forget the guy who does the stonework is building up his skillset so one day he'll be ready when folks decide they want another Cathedral built. Small bricks build big walls. Even here on KZbin, I know of three channels who have had to quit producing videos because it simply wasn't worth the cost to them. They were putting out great content, quality film by every metric, but all the kind words from their fans amounted to nothing when the light bill came due! Support for your culture has to be more than just bold rhetoric. The support must be active and substantive if the Culture is to survive to see another day. This is why I encourage small craftsmen to put t-shirt designs on Store Frontier dot com. If a luddite like me can make it happen, I know anyone can get it done. And while it costs a little initially, it's a great way to not only advertise for yourself, showing a bit of pride in what you do, but also for others to support your efforts in a tangible way. Why be a walking billboard for some giant corporation that isn't paying you to advertise for them when you can fly your own colors? And if other folks want to help out, all they have to do is go buy one of your t-shirts and have it delivered right to their door. It might not seem like much, but it's a step in the right direction. It's one small brick in what you hope will be a big wall.

[@coreygraves2206]

You hit the nail on the head, God is good all the time! I wish you much success in the future good sir.

[@challengerdart3731]

Excellent, excellent vid TPC. Thanks a lot. Have a great weekend.

[@Panhandlepiper]

Thanks Alan. Once again you’re right on point. Amazing insights from one of such a young age. When I was a young man, I never understood the disdain that the older generations had for things of my generation. Now that I’m a “senior citizen”, I understand fully. Consider the source of the negative comments and keep speaking truth. Blessings brother.

[@Tsudoshi09]

You sir are a true gentleman and entrepreneur. It is a blessing to have the skills and ability to live off the land and appreciate God's bounties, tobacco comes from the land after all. God Bless and I'm subscribed

[@cliffhiggins730]

Well said!!! God bless you and your hard working family.

[@DurbinsBourbon]

Well said! I retire in 2 yrs and my wife and i are moving back home to Kentucky. On as much property as i can afford. God Bless y’all. Cheers 🥃

[@josephcollier1028]

Alan, thank you for recommending Shelby Foote's Civil War Narrative a few months ago. I've read Volume I and now am roughly 200 pages into Volume II. Shelby Foote's work is refreshing in that he simply tells the story of the War Between the States while realizing that good and bad men fought on both sides of that complex conflict. I have read elsewhere that Foote wrote the initial draft of his Magnum Opus with a traditional nib pen, which is something that I can not wrap my brain around. Regardless, thank you for recommending this work. Every American, and especially every Southerner, should read this at least once in their life. We are the culmination of everything that came before us, and so if we do not know what came before us, then we do not know who we are.

[@LittleLouieLagazza]

Ferreted out a nice 3 volume set for under USD $25 after watching that video. His series is a delight!

[@ekretz4542]

Alan, I agreed wholeheartedly with what you said in your last video, and this video was an equally articulate follow-up. We like you because you're a scholar, a gentleman, an old soul, a pipe smoker, and one who likes to speak his mind. Keep up the great content, whether it's pipe smoking or anything else!

[@PanicAttackRecovery]

Thank you for doing these videos. I love the intros and extros as well! Very well done.

[@carlosrissler4939]

I enjoy watching your videos. My wife and I have got a place of our own this year that also has a barn and few acres of land and I have really enjoyed it. And have recently started smoking cigars and enjoying the calm of the moment. God is good 👍

[@jimtackett9403]

Allen, throughout this video you've hit all my points with the exception of cigars and going g back to the land. My late father "went back to the land" and absolutely loved it. While I loved being with him, I didn't enjoy the work he so enjoyed. After spending some time in my woodworking shop working on a new mountain dulcimer, I'm now enjoying a pipe and a cognac with you. I've enjoyed many of your videos. I'm so sorry for the issues you've had with the tax people here in Kentucky. Hopefully you'll be able work it out. Thanks for what you do.....JT.

[@beardeddad1853]

Wife and i built our house in town 7 years ago by the grace of God. We plan on selling when the kids graduate highschool in about 10 years and buy a place fown south in the country

[@alwentzel4776]

Well said Alan. I like your videos and I am glad you and your family are doing good and the Lord blesses you. You popped up playing a banjo on the Abbeville Institute I listened to your 2 lectures on there and since then I have been watching their lectures. I didn't know Abraham Lincoln was so bad and Thomas Jefferson was so good. I grew up in middle Tennessee a few miles from the birth place of my hero Nathan Bedford Forrest. Our school was named after him, Forrest school in Chapel Hill, Tenn. I subscribed to the Abbeville Institute and the Brion Mcclanahan show. I hate that we have to live under these Lincolnian principles. I have peace with God, and serve Him preaching in the county jail here in Mt.Vernon, Kentucky. I preach in other places also. A part of my peace of mind is on my little farm my wife and I of 36 years share together. We have goats for milk and chickens for eggs and we grow a garden. And we have a good place here to walk and get outdoors and enjoy the Lord's creation. I also do leather crafting. I make Bible cover, belts and wallets. So I as you have a close connection to the Lord and the land. Thank you for making these videos I get a lot out of you say. I look forward to visiting the pipe cottage when you start it. I live 12 miles from Renfro Valley so I am not for from you. Well enough said. You have a good evening and I hope a good Lord's day at church tomorrow.

[@thatfakeamishguy1776]

I'm glad i found your channel, through dry creek wrangler school. I do not smoke pipes, though I plan on getting one on my next trip to the cigar shop. I enjoy a glad cigar, and we cigar smokers can certainly be similar to pipe smokers, and many of us partake in both. You are right, there is a big movement to get back to the land. I started on that journey almost a year ago, and I am happier and more content by the day. It is also a lot easier to manage finances when you keep life simple. Don't be discouraged by the pessimistic comments, remember that you are happy and they are not. And don't worry about how long your videos are, i find you very intriguing, and in this day and age it can be difficult to engage in intelligent conversation. I believe there are more of us out here than we think. Social media certainly helps us connect, but finding people who you can meet in person is just as important, that's what they did in the old days. Keep up the great content, and merry Christmas!

[@wesleybrown8036]

I agree I love going back to the old ways I am a cigar smoker just bought my first pipe and your video are vary helpful I am also a old school solider so working on more gentlemen like behaviors

[@steelball6543]

Spot on!! Blessings to you and your family. Honor God through the care and protection of that land. You are a solid man.

[@dermotoneill8009]

Quite literally just started to smoke a pipe a week ago. Bought myself a missouri meerchaum corn cob pipe and some connemara black tobacco. I must admit I am not sure what I am doing and my first attempt at smoking my new pipe was not very successful. But I must say I sat in my back yard a couple of hours ago and smoked another bowl while sitting with my dog and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Thanks to Alan's videos and other's like him I am glad to say I have a new hobby.

[@rockinmhomestead425]

Another “spot on” video. As Samuel Goldwyn said so well... “the harder I work the luckier I get”. Today’s society isn’t eager to have strong men speaking truth. Especially a strong God fearing man! Whether it’s pipes or theology.... you have a great community of supporters Mr Harrelson. God is good..all the time..and all the time..God is good (movie reference God’s Not Dead)

[@stormy3898]

1:40 onwards. Thank for this message good sir. As a young man this was good to hear.

[@growleym504]

I roll my own cigars. I am retired and I can't afford to pay $8 to $15 for a decent cigar but I can roll a great cigar for about a buck and a half. This year I grew a bunch of tobacco and in a couple of years it will be ready for use as filler. Next year I will grow more, with the goal of harvesting wrapper and binder leaf. My tops and suckers would give me plenty of pipe tobacco, but I prefer cigars. Having your own land gives you options, and I take great pleasure in creating a superior cigar. Keep on puffing.

[@robfanucci2742]

Thank you, Alan. I agree 100%. It's a shame that most people are Jackoffs and hate others for having what they have !! God bless you and your family.

[@jameshinze7878]

Hi Alan, I’m glad to see you’re back posting videos again. I left your channel because I was under the impression that you were not posting videos on Pipes, Cigars and Life anymore. Because of KZbin’s censorship on tobacco products. I have been watching my pipe and cigar videos over on Rumble. I hit the subscribe button again for your channel, and also went back and watch your last video that I missed. Maybe you’ll have to go to another platform to post your pipe and cigar videos also. Thanks again Alan, For your comments and views on Faith and Life. Cheers my friend,

[@redbarnfarms65]

Amen brother !! Keep on keeping on. I love the videos, content and all. I miss the store. I’m sitting on my porch enjoying a bowl of Peterson University Flake in my Rossi 8122, watching your video. Thanks for what you do 👍🏼

[@MichaelSmith-ys4ki]

Alan, thank you for doing what you’re doing and speaking what you believe! Excellent message today. It’s good having your insight and knowing it reflects a truth needed. It means a lot. Warmest wishes and regards!

[@williamforsterjr276]

To God be the glory.... Well done. It is your channel keep the great entertainment coming. I am an old soul.

[@GaerHampton]

While my wife and I would love to some day have our own little piece of land out in the country, I've found that even just owning our own home, and the small plot of town acreage that it sits on has been a huge game changer for me in terms of personal contentment. After a number of years of living in an apartment/condo unit, now having our own little domain, where we can mind our own business, and do our own thing, is truly wonderful. I feel like something inside me has been fulfilled. Like you say, my wife and I worked hard, tried to make decent decisions, and I believe that the hand of God's providence brought everything together in the end, and very quickly, when we needed it to do so that led us to were we are now. Hunter S. Thompson, a proud Kentuckian (very interesting writer, but in many ways misguided), may have thought years back that the American Dream was dead, and I might have about once agreed with him, but I now do not think that this is the case. Long live the hard working, true, American Man and Woman! I'll leave the government dependent dead to bury their dead...

[@jeffreysmith7274]

You are an inspiration to us, Alan. Thank you for your videos! PAX

[@asmrhappyteeth5277]

I love your content. Thank you for taking your time to share.

[@darrylthehorntoadpiper]

Amen Don’t back down brother in Christ 😎🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@ronaldatwater2725]

I have to say your videos rank as some of the most enjoyable I watch on youtube. Your perspectives on pipes & tobacco smoking are right up my alley. Your views on the roots of a well lived & purposeful life are just as enjoyable to listen to. So carry on knowing you have much appreciated support out here.

[@bobwallace6812]

Another great video, Dr. Thank you.

[@davidwickline7000]

An excellent message and rebuttal to the naysayers out there. We are constantly being told ‘ how LUCKY we are ‘ to have our property and a 44 year marriage and children in successful careers. I respond there is no luck to it, BLESSED, yes we are blessed but all the rest is hard work and good decisions made over the years. Thank You

[@mxaexm]

Well said. Totally agree with you. As an immigrant living the American Dream..hard work and prayer goes a long way!

[@JeffandLeslie]

well said. While we do not own large tract of land, my wife and I remain connected with the land and natural world through nature and wildlife photography and using our photography to share the beauty of nature with others. We've been married 40 years it seems to work for us. By the grace of God we are doing well.

[@bloodybonescomic]

I went back to the land about 13 years ago. Sheesh, I wish what I have learned could be taught in schools. I have a large and highly productive garden. Last summer I grew tobacco. Just to see if I could. I harvested about 20 lbs leaves (dried) but I have not been entirely satisfied with the way it smokes. There is a huge level of expertise in curing tobacco. Tobacco was cherished by Native Americans who cultivated in our southern states and it is thought to have originated in Central America. Now it is grown all over the world. I enjoy my pipes and I am the only person I know that smokes a pipe They do enjoy the aroma if I'm burning an aromatic

[@davidmaslow2931]

Really enjoyed your talk! Ive smoked pipessince 1973

[@ronaldpoppe3774]

Just started watching your videos very impressed. I enjoy your thoughts and observations sir. I am in my 60s now and all my life I have leaned a little towards philosophy but find myself looking towards it more in my senior years. I enjoy your critiques on pipes and tobacco. And I am very happy that you have found your place in Kentucky. Keep up the good work and keep those videos coming. Cheers Ron

[@mikehartline7429]

Alan, I absolutely enjoyed and appreciated your video. I worked very hard for 56 years and worked very hard to achieve my education and become highly irritated when someone views my lifestyle and suggests otherwise. I understand.

[@666devilknight]

I truly enjoy your commentary, sir. I’m glad I found your channel. I’ve been smoking a pipe since I was 17. I’m 53, as of this month. I’ve had a lot of careers and have worked hard. I’ve also lived a life very different from most people, and I’ve done things and experienced things many people never get to do and experience. I love being in nature, but I’m not presently looking to own property. We are working towards living on my sailboat, getting ready to try for our first child. My wife is your age. And, we want to cruise, on my boat, and raise our kids on the water. It’s New Year’s Eve, a little bit after you made this video, and I just got back from a good friend’s house. He’s about your age, and I met him in his first year of college. I was teaching martial arts, and he was a student. We become good friends, and he adopted me as a father figure. He started smoking a pipe because of me, actually. He and his wife bought a small piece of land. A little less than an acre. It’s in a nice rural area, and has a nice house on it. Like you, they grow a good bit of their own food. They turned a section of their back yard into a garden. He’s living off his land, eating good meals, and living a good life of contentment. And, they did it themselves. I think he’s got a great lifestyle. Everyone has their own way of getting back to nature. Mine is on the water. His is on the land.

[@vernaracey1174]

As a girl I enjoy my pipes, cigars, and a great whiskey. I will have my own house paid off. Yes hard work takes you wherever you want to go. Thank you for this video from Knoxville, Tn.

[@jimcurry3906]

One of my favorite scriptures is Jeremiah 6-16, which goes well with your last two videos, even though I’m not a smoker I enjoy your channel and look forward to more videos on books

[@doexarmi3034]

Good day Alan, this is Markus from Germany. I'm realy like whar you say, many thanks for your words (and for your videos). I'm impressed and I think you're right. Keep up the good work!

[@ThePonderingPiper]

You say it so understandably well, Alan. It’s been said that envy poisons a man’s soul. Truth, beauty, and goodness are the eternal attributes of our loving Paradise Father - and He is good! Ps. Love your hat..🤠

[@justinharris8002]

As a 22 year old pipe and cigar smoker I couldn’t agree more. I have an old soul and prefer to listen to other people and their experiences and what to learn from them and grow, there is a sense of peace in that.

[@raifmitchell]

It’s good to see you laugh. I like your style, I find you inspiring and I hope others do, too. I’m in London and as a Londoner, I really enjoy your accent. I like the way you pause to smoke your pipe or cigar. I recently found one of my fathers old tobacco pipes and I fully intend to clean it, buy some excellent tobacco from your recommendations and enjoy it all. I’m glad that any negativity doesn’t change the way you do things. I look forward to your next video.

[@ironheadbill]

Loved this video and the last video. I'm from the mountains of Virginia, used to hang out in beautiful Kentucky and now live in the hill country of Texas, and you are spot on.

[@Gator35]

Great stuff. Good soul food. Thanks, Dr. H!

[@AdvantureRoad]

At 45 years old, I made the concise decision that I was done with the direction that society was heading. Like yourself, my wife and I were living paycheck to paycheck. Through a friend of a friend, God has given us the opportunity to move twords a more self sufficient lifestyle. An abandoned and run down house built in 1900 on just a little under 2 acres. By all rights, it would maybe be just as cheap if not cheaper to tear down and rebuild new. After surviving in it through the winter though we became attached and will be repairing the house. God could have given us a nice already finished property, but then we would have missed out on the opportunities of rebuilding ourselves. We’ve only begun this journey, but we’re already learning how little we truly need to be happy, and I do believe that it has made us stronger as individuals. It has strengthened our marriage as well. We’re not attached to any grid electricity and will not be. Instead we are adding to our solar as money allows and learning as many of the old ways as we possibly can. Friends and family have suggested I start a KZbin channel to share the process, but I do not have any interest in dealing with internet professionals.

[@bertramhalbruner3296]

Truer words were never spoken my friend,,, Enjoy your videos greatly!

[@ryanmercer600]

I’ve been smoking and enjoying cigars and pipes for over 25 years, I really enjoy your channel… you are spot on

[@tonytiger7938]

I didn't yet see your first video that this one responds to but this video is right on. The Old Ways doesn't even mean land necessarily. People can return to Old Ways right where they are. I can say, in my late 40s, these past 2 years have illuminated to me very clearly though how owning land is such a benefit. With your own land you can grow your own food, make your own compost, raise your own chickens for eggs and/or poultry meat, you can raise livestock with enough land, you can hunt deer, turkey and squirrels to feed yourself and your family, and you can stop being reliant on the broken grocery store "just in time delivery" supply chain system. But no matter where you live, you can learn to put back some supply and preserve foods, etc. Heck, I made my first batch of soap this past year as well. In my middle-age, I'm returning to the Old Ways and took up pipe and cigar smoking a bit over 2 years ago. They do seem to be related to a way of thinking about life and the world. Anyway, I like listening to you talk and the videos I've watched on your channel. Great presentations every time I've watched!

[@kevinamorimrealestate]

This is an excellent channel. You are wise beyond your years. I enjoy each and every video of yours.

[@MotorcycleMouse]

Meh ignore the haters. You are a man who looks inward. Capturing every thought and being aware of what you dwell on is very important. I teach survival as a side gig and i can tell you many people are among your back to the land mindset

[@warrenarthur6293]

Very common sense video. Thanks for posting it. All the best from rural South Australia. Australia.

[@rfarjardo]

I enjoyed this video this morning while smoking my pioe and looking at my chickens run around my property. Good stuff

[@colestewart4205]

Always enjoy your videos and I don’t believe there’s anything to apologize for in your last video. I grew up in a 1973 single wide trailer in rural Nebraska. My parents didn’t know much but they on 22 acres. Dad had cows and horses and started his own business back and 1998 me and my wife started out with virtually nothing. I bought a house and we had no debt. I never went to college so I didn’t have to pay any of that off and my wife went to a community college that she could afford. Now we have two kids and our second house and we’re looking at property, there was no Silverspoon for either of us, and we have the same opportunities. Everybody else gets but through tenacity our own initiative and God’s grace, we have a home that we’re proud of. We might be buying land soon, and my wife is starting her own business.

[@josegolfpiper8342]

You make Great Videos!! All of your Videos are very, very informative!!! Thank You!! So much for sharing........

[@mndrummer7112]

I recently found your videos and have enjoyed your content. I’m thankful you do what you do. Keep it up!

[@thepipesmokingbeekeeper8917]

Hi Your journey is exactly as ours people tell us all the time you're lucky to have a farm and i tell them the same answer every time you could do the same as us we had nothing and nothing given to us we bought house's and traded up as you did we both had very highly paid jobs and gave it all up and bought a farm and risked everything....so yes everyone could do as us if they had the..... Great video 👊

[@shannonmedley9179]

Your perspective, as always, is incredibly valuable and inspiring to all who are in the know. Keep on keepin’ on.

[@elpievonschoenburg9324]

Amen, and amen! This video was like a cool drink of water in the desert. Thank God that there are still people around who think like this. Out loud.

[@ericssimm]

Ain’t nothing like sitting in my pasture looking at the cows and smoking a pipe or a nice cigar. Merry Christmas to all.

[@archiebunker3654]

I appreciate your channel and ALL your takes on things. It's why I've watched all your videos, many more than once. Keep doing what you're doing, Sir.

[@a56tony]

Definitely agree with you. When we moved from California to Texas we wanted a little more land. It just did not happen, but God gave us a lot more than we thought we could afford. We are very happy with what we have, definitely more land than we had in California. I think it's great you were able to get that much land.

[@nm725]

Love you videos allen,i live in greenville sc..my friend who is also a pipe smoker and i had talked about comming to see you when you were in sc then we found you had moved..am very happy for you and wish you the best.

[@algonquinbriar5647]

Very well said. I fully agree with your position. Be well and God bless.

[@danielgardner8516]

I appreciate your message in this video. Certainly nothing wrong with the honest pursuit of happiness and reaping the rewards of hard work. A degree of affluence tempered with generosity is definitely a worthwhile goal. This is an especially important lesson for younger people.