SLIDIN FAST:
I vaguely remember hearing about that high number amount of yearly hours a pioneer was supposed to get. It sounded amazing and unattainable.
You also mention that a person had to work a minimum of two days a week just to ‘maintain a subsistence living’. I vaguely remember hearing that as well. The problem is that if somebody did this their whole life they would have paid next to nothing into Social Security here in the US! ..Very bad come retirement.👎
I remember hearing about some younger people years ago who left pioneering and I assumed it was because of financial hardship. Hopefully, they planned for their future (which is here now).