Becoming self sufficient

[myhouseisazoo]

Take a look at doing an aquaponics system using the duck pond to water the garden. Another member on here has done that and reports great success at keeping the water clean and nice results with the growth in the garden. Aquaponics also cuts your water use for the garden dramatically. If I can give you one piece of advice.... plan before you build, then plan again, then look over your plan again. Build it as efficient as you can the first time. Also you should start a compost pile now. Mix in green material (i.e. yard trimmings if you don't use pesticides, garden/veggie/fruit waste) with brown material (i.e. fallen leaves from last year) and water it and turn it every couple of days. If it works out well you might get some larvae in there, I have Black Soldier Fly larvae in mine, which will aid in the composting and can be used as a high protein treat for your chickens. Other than that water collection or a well and some sort of energy production (solar/wind) and you'll be doing well.

Keep in mind if you're growing organic veggies and have farm fresh/free range eggs you can sell those to neighbors for some extra money. I watched a documentary on a family in California that live on a quarter of an acre and have converted most of it into a farm. They don't have jobs other than taking care of the property (I think there were three of them living there) and have no income other than what they sell. They make on average $20,000 a year but have no food or energy costs. They collect rain water. Even the fuel for their vehicle is free as they use waste veggie oil from a local fast food place to power the diesel car they have. There are several ways to eliminate costs and become more self sufficient. Keep your mind open to possibilities and opportunities and you'll do well.

RichnSteph

That's the kind of sufficancy we are dreaming of! someday the whole shebang lol!
We've been talking about a duckponics system since hearing about it! Its gonna probably have to back burner for a short while though ;_; due to funding or rather, lack of. We plan on getting some mulch bins soon, though we haven't much in both what the yard has already (mostly dirt and dead grass, the az heat murdered the lawn) and what we have as scraps, since most of the scraps are given to the chickens (the safe scraps that is!) We hope to change that asap!
We plan to get a few solar panels someday on the roof ;D
Thank you for the advice!!! As a First time home owner as well as dig on a lot I will take all the advice I can get!!

 

[GerbilsOnToast]

Take a look at doing an aquaponics system using the duck pond to water the garden. Another member on here has done that and reports great success at keeping the water clean and nice results with the growth in the garden. Aquaponics also cuts your water use for the garden dramatically. If I can give you one piece of advice.... plan before you build, then plan again, then look over your plan again. Build it as efficient as you can the first time. Also you should start a compost pile now. Mix in green material (i.e. yard trimmings if you don't use pesticides, garden/veggie/fruit waste) with brown material (i.e. fallen leaves from last year) and water it and turn it every couple of days. If it works out well you might get some larvae in there, I have Black Soldier Fly larvae in mine, which will aid in the composting and can be used as a high protein treat for your chickens. Other than that water collection or a well and some sort of energy production (solar/wind) and you'll be doing well.

Keep in mind if you're growing organic veggies and have farm fresh/free range eggs you can sell those to neighbors for some extra money. I watched a documentary on a family in California that live on a quarter of an acre and have converted most of it into a farm. They don't have jobs other than taking care of the property (I think there were three of them living there) and have no income other than what they sell. They make on average $20,000 a year but have no food or energy costs. They collect rain water. Even the fuel for their vehicle is free as they use waste veggie oil from a local fast food place to power the diesel car they have. There are several ways to eliminate costs and become more self sufficient. Keep your mind open to possibilities and opportunities and you'll do well.

RichnSteph

Just to avoid disappointment for some folks: *modern* diesel engines will not run on straight vegetable oil. You'll either need to find an old (think military surplus from the '60s or prior) diesel vehicle,(perhaps transfer engine into a newer body), or make biodiesel with it first - which requires either racing fuel or airplane fuel. *If* you're a skilled diesel mechanic, you likely could remove all of the pollution control & computer gear from a modern diesel and make it run on veg oil, but if that's the case, you already know it won't work without adapting it, LOL.
The interest in biodiesel over the past decade has also made getting your hands on waste veg oil from restaurants much more difficult, as many already have an agreement with someone; best to line up a 'fuel' source before you buy/build the vehicle.

 

[katsmajic]

One step closer...we got 3 piglets last week, 2 duroc boys @ 7weeks (Chuck & Norris) and a large white girl @ 8 weeks (Charlotte).
Weve built a 'baby' enclosure to start with which is going to be my vege garden area when they move into the planned orchard area.

 

[Chicky Feathers]

Yes...good idea...essential oil to smell nice. In fact...if you have itchy, dry scalp in the winter, you can use some tree tea oil and it will help.

Hi there! Did you ever hear of a flower called Soapwort? It grows wild and you can boil the roots and make shampoo. I bought seeds from EBay. For really neat tips on living the simple life watch BBC series, Victorian Farm, Edwardian Farm, Tudor Farm and War time Farm. They have great tips on how they did things out of necessity. They even show how to make lye! I'm hooked! Don't think I can use urine in me laundry though

 

[CLSranch]

Some very nice thoughts on here. I like the pig/garden idea. I've been wanting to fatten a calf in my garden which is fenced. To keep the horses and chickens out, should keep a calf in. Except I planted a nice triple layer strawberry bed in it. And it'd cost $300+ to put nice prifert panels in there to protect it.

 

[Copper Creek]

Raising meal worms and fodder could help people be more self-sufficient. The chickens eat the fodder and meal worms, then give you manure. The manure goes back to the meal worms and fodder trays. It's basically an endless setup. The only thing you need to buy after start up costs, is wheat or barley. Meanwhile, the chickens give you meat and eggs.