Durable Trades: Family-Centered Economies That Have Stood the Test of Time

by Rory Groves, Allan C. Carlson (Foreword)

With over thirty thousand occupations currently in existence, workers today face a bewildering array of careers from which to choose, and upon which to center their lives. But there is more at stake than just a paycheck. For too long, work has driven a wedge between families, dividing husband from wife, father from son, mother from daughter, and family from home. Building something that will last requires a radically different approach than is common or encouraged today.
In Durable Trades, Groves uncovers family-centered professions that have endured the worst upheavals in history—including the Industrial Revolution—and continue to thrive today. Through careful research and thoughtful commentary, Groves offers another way forward to those looking for a more durable future.

Genres: Economics, Nonfiction, Family, History, Cultural, Christian, Business

318 pages, Paperback

Published November 12, 2020

About the author

Rory and his wife Becca reside on a farm in southern Minnesota where they grow food, raise animals, host homesteading workshops, and homeschool their five children. He is author of Durable Trades: Family-Centered Economies That Have Stood the Test of Time .

Reviews

[David Shane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised by how much I liked this book. Most of the book is a listing of the "durable trades" with information and additional resources about each trade - almost everyone will skim those chapters and only read fully about those trades that actually interest them, and that's fine.

But the first few chapters are a great discussion of what we lost with the industrial revolution. Our ancestors also experienced technological development, but they didn't just accept it as an unqualified good, even if it would improve efficiency - if a new technology would disrupt the human relationships and human life of a community, it might be rejected, even if it would make, say, lumber, a little cheaper. Post-industrial-revolution thinking has no such concerns, if an innovation improves efficiency, it takes over no matter what it does to the humans involved - humans, it might be said, now serve the machine. Well maybe we need to get back to an earlier way of thinking. "For us it's not about doing it faster or cheaper. Relationships are what matter.", says the author toward the end.

I'm actually also reading "The Technological Society" by Jacques Ellul at the moment... it is interesting to get the same sort of "a society built around efficiency does bad things to humans" from Ellul, a highbrow French philosopher, and from Groves, a computer programmer turned farmer.

[William Schrecengost · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really good book on trades as being resilient to economic changes, their historical stability and family centeredness. He grounds hard work in Biblical principles and discusses the problems created by the industrial revolution. He surveys America's current anti-Christian state and I liked his use of infanticide (abortion) as the litmus test of whether a nation is Christian or not.
The majority of the book surveys 61 different trades that he's researched and found to be the most historically stable and most promise. This can be really helpful for someone not sure of what they're interested in, but if you have a couple interests then you can easily skim or skip most of these.

[Theodore Stegall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Insightful info, but nothing genius.

[Jeremiah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good read. The author builds a case for, then lists and grades historical trades for those considering work that has stood the test of time.

[Nate Stechschulte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe the 4H kids were onto something…

If, several years from now I inhabit lots of land, shepherd my own livestock, and have a subtle disdain towards inflated, overly-centralized industries and corporations, read this book and you won’t be too far behind me.

Fundamentally, Groves is seeking to answer the question of those who share his sentiment—the ones who are looking for a reformation of meaningful work in this modern disenchanted, disconnected age:

“The long journey from a medieval world wracked with suffering but pregnant with meaning has delivered us to a place of once unimaginable comfort but emptied of significance and connection.”

Sandwiched between Groves’ two discussion segments of the book, he presents what he has researched and considered to be the most “durable trades”—those which endure time and economic cycles and which involve the family and bestow upon them meaningful assets or skills. These are the main criteria by which he assesses each trade/profession, along with factors such as income and ease of entry. The discussion on each respective trade is brief (it varies), but all are at least an interesting, cursory overview/presentation.

This is an awesome book, and I would recommend it to anyone who is considering future careers and/or hobbies, or who wants to know more about the durability of certain trades/professions in a world that feels so fleeting and unpredictable. I read this book per recommendation of my brother in law, who was particularly impacted/affirmed by reading it, and I feel as though it has left a similar impression on myself.

[John Rimmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is structured like a sandwich. I ate the two slices of bread that made up the intro and conclusion, but everything in the middle is like thinly sliced pieces of reference material that I picked through. The bread was worth four stars (and the price of the book). The meats in the middle, since most of them were left uneaten, was worth two. Hence the three.

The vast majority of the trades are things that I had no interest in and therefore no desire to read their short summaries. I was mostly in it for discussions of the building trades, and because of this was surprised by the omission of several prominent ones (plumbing, electricians, hvac, for example). He does explain this is because they are newer professions that do not fit the parameters of his analysis, but their absence left a pretty large hole for understanding how the building trades tend to work today. Many of them are not tightly sealed off lanes that stay to themselves. Many overlap almost to the point that to do one you have to know another or else you'd never be able to get anything done (plumbing and tile setting for instance...neither of which are discussed in the book, btw). I guess the rub I had is that my experience in the trades is a much broader thing that does not accord with historic guilds and professions. There is something to be said about being a jack in today's age, especially if you're looking for the kind of agility required for the rapidly changing labor market.

I would say that to really benefit here one should select a family of trades that share knowledge, tooling, and skillsets, and pursue them together. You may never become an old school master of any of them in particular, but you'll be head and shoulders above the current YouTube educated peer. It's a step in the right direction, and that is the strength of this book. It seeks to get us back on the right path of competency, personal responsibility, and resilience.

[Renata (Heupel) Mayrhofer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really interesting read on occupations that have existed for centuries, which are well suited to family involvement in the business. Rory Groves makes a good case for considering the impact on the family when one chooses a profession, and advocates for creating a sustainable foundation that benefits the family, contributes to the community, while enhancing the dignity of hard work and ingenuity.

[Laura Clawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

An overview of the most common trades that have stood the test of time through the industrial revolution, economic fluctuations, and technological advancement. Groves ranks each trade according to 4 categories: historical reliability, ease of entry, income, agency or the ability to be your own boss. Want to guess which came out the highest?

His introduction, a case for moving back to traditional trades and apprenticeship style learning, was inspiring.

[Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent resource. Will be revisiting.

[John Damon Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

While it certainly has a "getting ready for the post-apocalypse" flavor to it, Groves lays out a compelling case for participating in family centered durable trades. His nearly encyclopedic ranking is handy and insightful.

[Kayla Dernier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Many of the trades were predictable but a few surprised me. As our family works everyday to come one step closer to a family centered, community reliant life, I was encouraged by this book. It was especially nice to see somebody write about income and the potential for trades that always seem to get looked down upon in our society. I’m going to schedule this book for my kids in around 9th grade for homeschooling. That way we can see if there is something that stands out to them, and seek out some apprenticeship opportunities.

[Joshua Bethay · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the last two centuries, America has evolved into an extremely complex society in its economy and infrastructure which is made up of over 30,000 specialized occupations. The fruits of this complexity have been the most unheard of material abundance in human history.

The cost of this complexity and abundance however is $30 trillion+ of debt, the erosion of the US dollar through inflation, plummeting rates of marriage and childbearing, masses leaving the church, and—at its nucleus—the fracturing of the family as a self-sustaining household that works, worships, and learns together.

Having seen the emptiness of many modern trades in lasting meaning and family-centeredness, Rory puts forth 61 “durable trades” that pre-date the Industrial Revolution and survived it’s upheaval of American culture. Each trade is ranked according to an algorithm consisting of five benchmarks: historical stability, resiliency, family-centeredness, income, and ease of entry.

Some interesting results of his research includes midwifery ranking #3 overall, with the potential to bring in $300,000 annually; brewer ranking #9; minister/pastor #26; and tax collector in dead last at #61.

Rory is wise to encourage those wanting to shift away from modernity and into the family economy that it should be taken as a step-by-step process rather than a diving in head-first, and that historically most family economies practiced not one but several durable trades as a household.

[Caleb Shaver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall, great book.

My method of approaching it is this …

There are durable trades that I’m interested in, but simply aren’t a good fit for this season of life.

At the same time, there are other durable trades that are a good fit for the present moment and even align with my natural interests and/or work history.

If you are looking for ways to augment whatever your 9-5 is, this is a great book to start with.

I’m walking away with a handful of ideas as to how I can more effectively utilize the gifts God has given me in this present season of life.

Well worth the read.

[Ethan Moehn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple, yet helpful book. Groves studies dozens of professions that have lasted generations with a particular emphasis on family centered trades. He is pretty technical in style, but has the philosophical underpinnings of Wendell Berry, Allan Carlson, and Joel Salatin. You might read this book and become convinced you should become, a butcher, a baker, or candlestick maker. Or, at least encourage your children to do so.

[Seth Goodale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eye opening and encouraging. Taking it one day at a time.

[Ludmila · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s not a very in depth book but the intro and outro sections provide food for thought about the dignity of work and how the industrial Revolution has influenced society.

[Aaron Wynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book. Groves gives short, clear cut over views of careers that are hundreds of years old. Although half way through it’s as if he got a bit bored writing detailed overviews and changed to much shorter ones. That’s okay I didn’t mind, just wasn’t expected.

[Lesley Manning · Rating 5 out of 5]

Required reading for my kids in the coming years!

[Mariah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was full of helpful information and clear insight! It gave a very systematic and statistical evaluation of various historical trades, as well as sharing stories of how those trades manifest today. I highly recommend!

[Drew Norwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great at times but the book's structure works against it. The main idea here is summed up in the opening section: "A durable future depends on resilient family economies, close-knit communities, and 'a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence'--it always has." Groves premises his message on the assumption that our society is in decline and is heading for collapse; but the book is more than just prepping for disaster. As indicated by the quote above, Groves is concerned with recovering meaningful work, strong families, and tight communal bonds.

Part One makes the argument that our society is extremely "brittle," that the present volatility (both economic and social) will only get worse and that a collapse is immanent. We live in an era of shifting sands, Groves argues, so we need to be proactive to find firm ground on which to build. This is true not only for our economic outlook, but also for ethics and culture as well. "Family-centered trades are not only the most durable throughout history; they are also the ideal context by which parents can pass their values, faith, and culture on to the next generation." For those sympathetic to this narrative, this part will strike a chord; for those unfamiliar or unsympathetic, it probably won't change your mind.

Part Two is the main section of the book where he describes the 60 or so professions that are the most durable (judged as those which are: historically stable, resilient to short term fluctuation, family-centered, family supporting, and easy to enter). Though this is the main part of the book, it's usefulness is limited by how cursory the sections are. Each section serves as a teaser for each profession but nothing more.

Part Three gives a short view of the dignity and role of work, and the need to recover a family-centered view of vocation. "If there is anything that can withstand the nihilistic effects of modernity and the uncertain outcomes of our high towers, it will be families that are reclaiming critical functions at home--education, apprenticeship, discipleship--and working together towards a common vision to which they have been called."

It felt like the author tried to do too much with this one book. Each of the three parts could easily have been separate books, and, in fact, others (many of whom are quoted or referenced in the book) have written fuller treatments on each respective section.

[Mason Bruza · Rating 4 out of 5]

What careers are likely to withstand the threats of automation and outsourcing? Which ones are conducive to strong family life? Rory Groves gives us his answers to these questions and provides a helpful starting point for young people considering what vocation to enter or mid-career adults considering a change in profession.

This book is primarily for people who have read the work of authors like Allan Carlson and C. R. Wiley since it's a practical outworking of the principles of the household recovery movement. I count myself among this group of readers, so I can say that this book is a must read for anyone wanting practical advice for choosing a vocation or helping their children choose a vocation.

There's doom and gloom Austrian economics in the introductory chapters, but I don't think they detract from the rest of the book for those not on board with Ludwig von Mises' view of the world.

This book is a must read for anyone trying to build a strong household in our post-industrial world.

[Patrick McElwaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring, encouraging, and a breath of fresh air combined with a pragmatic eye toward the coming wave of employment disruptions from the technologies of our own creation.

A great and engaging book.

[Ryan Spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Could have executed better, but a decent start.

[db · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good reference book that gives a clear view of the importance of the jobs listed in the book. Refreshing to read and think about people who get things done.

[Jeff Zell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Groves and his wife both grew up in suburbs. He became a computer programmer. Shortly after their first two children were born, they moved to the country. They purchased a hobby farm with no grand intentions other than to do something different by having a big garden and raising some chickens for eggs. Their hobby farm eventually became a working farm with additional animals and hay baling equipment. They have learned to turn their animals and garden into food.

Early in Rory’s career, he became a self-employed programmer. He was hired by a tech company to do a job. He was shown the facility and all the amenities. The next day he and all the workers were laid off. The dot com collapse had begun. That experience showed him just how expendable he and other workers are in our American economic system.

This experience along with the Groves’ new life in the country led Rory to ask and answer the questions: What kind of work has survived the upheavals of history? What kind of work is centered around the home and that can involve the whole family?

Modern day work, even working from home, separates families. At least one person is away for most of the day. And, even if the working from home, that one adult does work that the rest of the family cannot participate in. Was it always this way?

Rory’s research shows that our way of work was not always the norm. He explains succinctly and clearly the impact of the Industrial Revolution. It reshaped how families lived. Work moved outside of the home. And, before long, many of the tasks of raising and creating food, clothing, shelter, etc. came from outside the home. And, skills and knowledge of how things are done were no longer passed from one generation to another.

Rory also introduces us to Joseph Tainter’s theory of how societies and civilizations change and eventually collapse. I found the synopsis of The Collapse of Complex Societies to be fascinating. Is America amid a collapse? Based on Tainter’s theory and his own observations, Groves thinks we are.

What kind of work can we do at home, with the family, that will help us live through further economic and societal upheavals? Groves identifies 62 “durable trades” that enable families to live and thrive. The list is wide ranging and include sheperd, farmer tutor, author, counselor, publisher, minister, physician, professor, and midwife. He does not include plumbing and electrician because those jobs have not been around long enough.

I found his research fascinating and his list of durable trades amazing. He gives useful data and a life story for each durable trade. If you are tired of feeling expendable or want to do work that will strengthen your family and community relationships, this is a great resource to begin thinking about a new future.

[bookwisemom Laura Sherrill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first discovered Rory Groves and Durable Trades through a podcast episode on 1000 Hours Outside with Ginny Yurich, and I am so glad I did. This book is both refreshing and thought-provoking, offering an honest look at the future of work, family life, and the opportunities we create for the next generation.

As a mother and a college professor, I deeply appreciated Groves’ careful research and his clear-eyed perspective on trades that have stood the test of time. The book doesn’t just look backward with nostalgia—it points forward with vision, encouraging families to consider how meaningful work, character formation, and strong communities can shape the lives of our children.

What stood out to me most was Groves’ balance of practicality and hope. He explores how trades rooted in service, craftsmanship, and family legacy can foster not only economic stability but also deeper personal development. For parents and educators alike, this book is a reminder that education is not merely about preparing students for the newest jobs on the market—it’s about equipping them with the wisdom and resilience to thrive no matter what the future holds.

I highly recommend Durable Trades to anyone seeking inspiration for raising children in today’s ever-changing world. It’s a book that will make you think deeply about the values you want to pass down and the opportunities you want to cultivate for the next generation.

[Will Dole · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was not what I expected. I expected the whole book to be an argument for a type of "durable" trade that could stand the test of time. The intro chapters give you that, and there's a little in the concluding chapters as well.

But the bulk of the book is given to analysis of well over fifty trades that existed 200 years ago, and how those trades hold up today based on Groves' durability scoring system, which takes into account five factors: historic stability, resilience, family centeredness, income, and ease of entry. Extensive space is given to discussing each aspect of the top 20 trades in his scoring system, then more brief treatment given to the 40ish runners-up.

I found this book well-written, informative, and an excellent introduction to a wide range of trades. There are many helpful resources in the end notes to further your own study.

The main limitation is the fact that only trades which have existed for over two centuries are covered; thus important modern trades like plumbing/hvac/electrical are not included.

Nevertheless: highly recommended.

[Dustin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book highlights the importance of the family economy with a snapshot of trades which have been resilient throughout history and have a strong likelihood of continuing to be essential and valuable to family economy. The continued growth of different niche careers and jobs ebb and flow with a more global economy but the emphasis on the trades that stand the test of time is always good to consider as we enter an evolving and rapidly changing economy. I really like the authors focus on the family and viewpoint of building family businesses along trades that persist. The family economy was the norm for a millennium or more and we have just begun to enter the new normal of careers and economic growth. Another focus I appreciate is that the author makes the argument that establishing family-centered durable trades have always been the best means of passing on values, Faith and virtue as we work alongside children and instill among them these important moral principles.

[Blake C Pfaff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredible book! These are the perspectives you need to think through when having a vision for your family. The beginning and end were my most enjoyable parts as they were his thesis, history, and then biblical perspective on where the family is now and how God designed the “family economy”

Who spends more time w their children, discipline them? The white collar corporate man, or the tradesmen who can bring his kids along with him or even work from a shop at his home?

Only reason I gave it 4stars was bc the he added 30 additional durable trades in the middle which were 1page long, he had some very random trades that scored the same on income as extremely high earning ones, and it just seemed unnecessary. 5 more top durable trades with more explanation and examples would have been a better use of pages.

[Mike Tekula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe nothing new for people who have been around trade business owners enough, but I found this an interesting (and easy) introduction to the multifold reasons for and benefits of owning an old-school hands-on business.

I grew up the son of a commercial fisherman, and while a tough line of work, the independence, engagement (physical and mental) with the elements, self-directed schedule and minimal amount of BS seem to only be achievable through something similar. I work in tech these days but with a hunger to get back to working on my feet with a crew out of doors.

Rory's book takes you through what it takes to build a blue collar business (in the general sense - so much of the devil is in the details) with clarity and helpful examples. Enjoyed the read and will revisit it.