Smith Island, rescuing us from extinction

Extinction. It's a pretty large and a scary concept at that. But where I live with other islanders, it could become a reality. Smith Island was founded in the early 1600's when it was discovered by Henry Smith. Since that point forward, settlers have inhabited and still continue to do so today. Unique fact also is the Native American population that inhabited the island long before Henry Smith ever arrived. That dates back to thousands of years prior.

However, we are a dwindling population at best with around 200 full time residents left. I live on the island with my five children and grand daughter ;which is disconnected by mainland involving a 45 minute boat ride each way to get home. We are remote and all living on this sinking island together. And desperately trying to prevent erosion.

Now, why in particular I want to bring interest to our island and its environment is the fact we're the only disconnected inhabited island from land left on Maryland's side of the Chesapeake Bay. Erosion is a major issue for our island. We are loosing 2 foot annually and some scientists believe what is now our island will become completely submerged within a 78 year period from now. Will the rising Chesapeake waters eventually submerge what we know as our home?

However, we are doing some things on the island to assist with erosion ,our own habitat and wildlife's habitat to improve it for everyone. After the island faced hurricane Sandy and came through that storm; the government realized we needed help. They listened to the islanders and provided pair of jetties to prevent erosion from reaching Rhodes Point, which is where I reside with my children. This is crucial to protecting us from future storms that may (and will) occur. We are right on the water and tide routinely can come up on our road and into our yards.

So our gardening style within community is different by doing almost all above ground gardening. We also reuse our oyster shells which we caught to put onto soil, and grind up for our chickens into their feed to provide strong eggs, and also strong and healthy bones for our chickens. Likewise, we eat what nature provides separate from the grocery store such as mussels, oysters, fish and crabs. We also are blessed to have wild fennel and asparagus and celery growing on the island. Foraging is an awesome and fun hobby for our family.

Additionally, we personally don't have a car over here. Walking is done between our village and the main community named Ewell. Almost each and everyday. There are cars and trucks over here, but very little in comparison to mainlanders. We live a different way of life over here, dependent partially on mainland (when needed). But also off of our bay, crabbing, fishing and growing our own vegetables and herbs. Our stores don't stay open late, and our crabbing men start their days early. We have goats here and are awaiting for her to have her first pregnancy and birth. We believe in self sufficiency and keeping natural as possible with our Mother Earth. Some say, I decided to go "back" in time with technology by raising my children here. I have said "I decided to reconnect with the earth and all the beauty it still has to offer". I'm hoping bringing attention to our island and Chesapeake bay as a whole, will make everyone realize how important our ecoculture is and how it is the home to so much wildlife, aquatics and to the people that still live on it and from it.