Becoming self sufficient

[cws451]

A few things for this year that I would like to learn how to do ( or learn more about) without spending an arm and a leg-

-apiculture ( bee keeping)
-home made cleaners and soaps
-Working with wool / fibers- shearing/cleaning/spinning etc
-gardening more! ( efficiency in small spaces)
-sewing ( quilts anyone?)
-Herbs for homeopathic
-CHEESE MAKING
-Slow cooker meals

and probably a whole bunch of other things that I will discover and geek out about.

i have learned how to knit and its alot of fun and practical because u can make hats and blankets for those cold days

 

[bachbach1]

A few things for this year that I would like to learn how to do ( or learn more about) without spending an arm and a leg-

-apiculture ( bee keeping)
-home made cleaners and soaps
-Working with wool / fibers- shearing/cleaning/spinning etc
-gardening more! ( efficiency in small spaces)
-sewing ( quilts anyone?)
-Herbs for homeopathic
-CHEESE MAKING
-Slow cooker meals

and probably a whole bunch of other things that I will discover and geek out about.

My departed mother, always said everyday is a challenge, because she always challenged herself by learning. Learning new things is a great way to travel through life, I know I watched it, and I do the same. Go for it, and keep your list, checking off items as you accomplish them, and adding new challenges along the way.

 

[nayeli]

I'm getting into becoming self sufficient too. I'm planning on starting a garden, vermicomposting (worm composting), and raising rabbits, chickens, ducks, and quail once we get our house (we are buying). I'm planning on doing green roofs on our 2 dog house roofs, the chicken coop, etc to maximize garden space. I'm also doing some of the edible landscaping in the front yard. I think the ponic? system looks neat but our town stocks a pond to fish so we may just do that since our lot is .23 acres I want to make the most of them!

 

[jenneverett]

ARRRRGGG! I need to just cancel my Internet connection or my wife might go nuts.... or have me committed. SHE wanted chickens... well OK we got 6 chicks and I have taken very good care of them. i raised them in the dog bath until about 4 weeks then i moved them to the large dog kennel until 8 weeks. Now i have put them in the coop and have a movable fence so they can get to other areas of the yard each week.

So then i started a Meal Worm farm to provide treats that help with protein and is self sustaining with just a little attention from me.

Then I started Fermenting the feed for the chicks, and drinking some ACV everyday for myself...

NOW after reading about Sprouts and all the health benefits for both human and poultry.......I think about that nice big bag of oats that i use for FF and think... huuumm i can germinate some of those!

And don't make me tell you about how much i want to start a aquaponics system. my wife wants to have a veggie garden and i want to get the best from everything i do so.... AAAARRRRGGG!

all the great things i see here and on just a few other sites just make me want to drop off the grid and live like a frontiersman.

 

[RichnSteph]

ARRRRGGG! I need to just cancel my Internet connection or my wife might go nuts.... or have me committed. SHE wanted chickens... well OK we got 6 chicks and I have taken very good care of them. i raised them in the dog bath until about 4 weeks then i moved them to the large dog kennel until 8 weeks. Now i have put them in the coop and have a movable fence so they can get to other areas of the yard each week.

So then i started a Meal Worm farm to provide treats that help with protein and is self sustaining with just a little attention from me.

Then I started Fermenting the feed for the chicks, and drinking some ACV everyday for myself...

NOW after reading about Sprouts and all the health benefits for both human and poultry.......I think about that nice big bag of oats that i use for FF and think... huuumm i can germinate some of those!

And don't make me tell you about how much i want to start a aquaponics system. my wife wants to have a veggie garden and i want to get the best from everything i do so.... AAAARRRRGGG!

all the great things i see here and on just a few other sites just make me want to drop off the grid and live like a frontiersman.

Welcome to the insanity! *hehe*

You are going down the same path my wife is watching me walk down. One thing leads to another..... chickens, ferment the feed, mealworms, black soldier flies, composting, aquaponics for the raised bed garden, a well for water, solar for power, sheep for meat, water catch system to collect rain water, re-plumb the house to use the gray water to flush the toilets, I'm going to have to buy that second acre of land next door for more animals,...... *laugh* Every time get on here my wife groans a little. So far though it's all in jest since she is 100% on board with us becoming as self sufficient as possible. The one thing she does insist on is that I get one project finished before I even think about starting another.

 

[MoonShadows]

ARRRRGGG! I need to just cancel my Internet connection or my wife might go nuts.... or have me committed. SHE wanted chickens... well OK we got 6 chicks and I have taken very good care of them. i raised them in the dog bath until about 4 weeks then i moved them to the large dog kennel until 8 weeks. Now i have put them in the coop and have a movable fence so they can get to other areas of the yard each week.

So then i started a Meal Worm farm to provide treats that help with protein and is self sustaining with just a little attention from me.

Then I started Fermenting the feed for the chicks, and drinking some ACV everyday for myself...

NOW after reading about Sprouts and all the health benefits for both human and poultry.......I think about that nice big bag of oats that i use for FF and think... huuumm i can germinate some of those!

And don't make me tell you about how much i want to start a aquaponics system. my wife wants to have a veggie garden and i want to get the best from everything i do so.... AAAARRRRGGG!

all the great things i see here and on just a few other sites just make me want to drop off the grid and live like a frontiersman.

Couldn't agree more...chicks, meal worms, composting, organic raised garden beds, making our own soap & shampoo, planting grains to make our own chicken feed, drying clothes outdoors, catching rain water, making yogurt, making kale chips...the list goes on. Heck, if it wasn't for my better half , I'd have a couple of goats and pigs. Still trying to figure out our best way to make a root cellar. And, we're still rather new to all this.

Once you catch the spirit, you just keep going deeper. Enjoy!

 

[HiyokoInNippon]

This looks like my kind of thread!

Self sufficiency is where I am aiming. Right now I am just working on turning my brown thumb just a bit greener while I save up money to buy my homestead.

 

[nayeli]

@HiyokoInNippon I'm with you. I found peas, turnips, greenbeans and a few other plants are REALLY easy to grow. I planted like 10 different things and the only seed that has come up are the peas! My soil is pretty bad though, so I'm sure that factors in!

 

[Anna6]

@HiyokoInNippon I'm with you. I found peas, turnips, greenbeans and a few other plants are REALLY easy to grow. I planted like 10 different things and the only seed that has come up are the peas! My soil is pretty bad though, so I'm sure that factors in!

Go figure I have many of the ones come up in our garden but no peas and tomatoes and a really bad turn out for melons. Pak Choi and collards are king. Even beets are marginal this time. I am buying more seeds and am still trying to put in tomatoes.

 

[Alewis74]

Wow! There are more like me!!! I try to cook everything from scratch, have a veggie garden, getting ready to plant eddible landscaping, we have a pig that will probably be dinner in a few years, just got our coop built (haven't gotten chickens yet). Been talking about composting but right now it's just a pile of stuff out on the edge of the yard. This weekend I am going to attempt making laundry detergent and shampoo/conditioner.

My husband calls me an addict. Would love to do solar panels but that is a costly startup.