Homesteaders

[alldembirds]

right now I am building a tiny house, It wont be my main house, mostly for guests, its 12 x 20 with a loft its 75% done. I just need to finish the drywall, and flooring. I am doing this all by myself I'm only 28 and never built anything before so it has been an adventure. I am building an outhouse for a composting toilet and we are talking about converting an old gazebo into an outdoor kitchen, I am about to start digging two giant holes to build earth sheltered houses, one for my wife and one for a second wife, they will also be tiny. I own 15 acres so I have room to experiment. I got a lot to do and no time to document it.

I know a couple people that talk about it , but nobody that lives it, besides the amish and mennonite here , they got the right idea. I believe more people in the USA are into it, A lot of us are paranoid , the rest think it's the "hip" "cool" thing to do, unfortunately, to most it's more of a fad than a rational decision to live a simpler sustainable way of life and they will grow out of it.

books will be around long after computers, If **** hits the fan they will be our greatest asset, I have books on everything.

lateky i have been looking at this book called "the fruit, berry and nut Inventory". it's put out by the seed savers exchange, If you are looking for a source for edible plants in your area, it is the ultimate source, it literally has over 3000 apples what zones they grow in, chill hours etc. and where to buy them along with hundreds of varieties of every other kind of fruit or berry you can think of

 

[RichnSteph]

Really!!! How interesting. I also read about that. If you even open a thread on the methods you used, I would like to know please.

Funny that you guys (this forum) are the only people I know interested in homesteads of self-sufficiency. I have no one "in real life" to talk about that, compare methods, etc. I wish I'd have friends doing it so I could go visit and takes some tips and tricks from them, considering they'd be in the same climate as I am.

Do you all know "real" people trying to be self-sufficient? I wonder if in the USA it's more "popular" than here, so you could know more people doing it.
I know people that raise meat or have gardens, but no one trying to be informed and understand it enough to provide for their whole family. And certainly no one I know even bought or rented a book on "advance" gardening (I mean something other than the flower colors for next year and stuff like that)!

It is rather popular here but for most of the folks that are into it it's more of a fad or the cool thing to do at the moment. Others are "preppers" that are getting ready for the end of the USA as we know it, whatever. Then some, like me, want to be self sufficient but are having a hard time sifting through all the garbage information out there and finding out what works and what doesn't.

We are working on being more self sufficient. We would like to some day go fully self sufficient but that will require more than the 1/3 acre we live on. We currently garden, bottle, raise chickens and the occasional cow. I'd like to get a couple of milk goats next but hubby isn't so sure about that. Subbing to keep up with this great thread.

You can be self sufficient on 1/3 of an acre. I just watched a video interview (I'll see if I can track it down) of a couple that are 100% self supported, I'm talking about food here, on 1/4 acre lot. They garden, have chickens and raise goats. They get what money they need for other things by selling the organic produce they produce (<---that was weird to say) to local restaurants.


RichnSteph

 

[Sabz]

right now I am building a tiny house, It wont be my main house, mostly for guests, its 12 x 20 with a loft its 75% done. I just need to finish the drywall, and flooring. I am doing this all by myself I'm only 28 and never built anything before so it has been an adventure. I am building an outhouse for a composting toilet and we are talking about converting an old gazebo into an outdoor kitchen, I am about to start digging two giant holes to build earth sheltered houses, one for my wife and one for a second wife, they will also be tiny. I own 15 acres so I have room to experiment. I got a lot to do and no time to document it.

I know a couple people that talk about it , but nobody that lives it, besides the amish and mennonite here , they got the right idea. I believe more people in the USA are into it, A lot of us are paranoid , the rest think it's the "hip" "cool" thing to do, unfortunately, to most it's more of a fad than a rational decision to live a simpler sustainable way of life and they will grow out of it.

books will be around long after computers, If **** hits the fan they will be our greatest asset, I have books on everything.

lateky i have been looking at this book called "the fruit, berry and nut Inventory". it's put out by the seed savers exchange, If you are looking for a source for edible plants in your area, it is the ultimate source, it literally has over 3000 apples what zones they grow in, chill hours etc. and where to buy them along with hundreds of varieties of every other kind of fruit or berry you can think of

Please marry me as well!! LOL
I am 31 and learned to build a few things also. I did my seedling rooms in my basement - I did the electricity for the lights and things like that. I built my coop all alone, just brought help for the electricity but I had already calculated the wire gauge and how many lights and plugs I needed, etc I even did my aquarium setup with the sump in the basement and main aquarium upstairs! I passed the pipes myself and never got a single leak.

I really admire people that learn and work hard.

Thanks for the book info. I am looking to improve my fruits and nuts inventory as I mainly have veggies on my property. I have apples and a few small fruits but not much.

RichNSteph I'd be interested in that video as well! I do think we can be self sufficient (one person) on about 1400 square foot, so on about 10 000 square foot it must be plenty enough for a family of 4 and to sell some. But the work you have to put into it, that it the killer. It requires pretty good techniques I guess.

 

[boskelli1571]

Really!!! How interesting. I also read about that. If you even open a thread on the methods you used, I would like to know please.

Funny that you guys (this forum) are the only people I know interested in homesteads of self-sufficiency. I have no one "in real life" to talk about that, compare methods, etc. I wish I'd have friends doing it so I could go visit and takes some tips and tricks from them, considering they'd be in the same climate as I am.

Do you all know "real" people trying to be self-sufficient? I wonder if in the USA it's more "popular" than here, so you could know more people doing it.
I know people that raise meat or have gardens, but no one trying to be informed and understand it enough to provide for their whole family. And certainly no one I know even bought or rented a book on "advance" gardening (I mean something other than the flower colors for next year and stuff like that)!

Many people in England are 'homesteaders'. In my Grandads' day, almost everyone had an allotment and gardening was a way of life. It did get a bit lost for a few decades, but many people are returning to it now. One of the benefits of living outside of the US is that foods are better labeled, more of the 'additives' are banned, so food is not quite so adulterated, if you will. GMO foods have to be labeled as such so that folks can have an informed choice.

 

[rancher hicks]

Really!!! How interesting. I also read about that. If you even open a thread on the methods you used, I would like to know please.

Funny that you guys (this forum) are the only people I know interested in homesteads of self-sufficiency. I have no one "in real life" to talk about that, compare methods, etc. I wish I'd have friends doing it so I could go visit and takes some tips and tricks from them, considering they'd be in the same climate as I am.

Do you all know "real" people trying to be self-sufficient? I wonder if in the USA it's more "popular" than here, so you could know more people doing it.
I know people that raise meat or have gardens, but no one trying to be informed and understand it enough to provide for their whole family. And certainly no one I know even bought or rented a book on "advance" gardening (I mean something other than the flower colors for next year and stuff like that)!

Shoot I can't find folks as interested in chickens as I am nor any of this. I sometimes wonder if I'm a fool. I think we just have so much here that no one considers there may be a time when they have to fend for themselves.

 

[rancher hicks]

Many people in England are 'homesteaders'. In my Grandads' day, almost everyone had an allotment and gardening was a way of life. It did get a bit lost for a few decades, but many people are returning to it now. One of the benefits of living outside of the US is that foods are better labeled, more of the 'additives' are banned, so food is not quite so adulterated, if you will. GMO foods have to be labeled as such so that folks can have an informed choice.

And that's good. IMO

So I went to my DD's to take the GD to the doctors and there was a ME issue I'd left there the last time I babysat. (yes grampa babysits). Anyhow what is on the cover? The basics of Garden Seed Saving. Not sure if I've been talking about it here or on the "what are you canning thread".

 

[rancher hicks]

right now I am building a tiny house, It wont be my main house, mostly for guests, its 12 x 20 with a loft its 75% done. I just need to finish the drywall, and flooring. I am doing this all by myself I'm only 28 and never built anything before so it has been an adventure. I am building an outhouse for a composting toilet and we are talking about converting an old gazebo into an outdoor kitchen, I am about to start digging two giant holes to build earth sheltered houses, one for my wife and one for a second wife, they will also be tiny. I own 15 acres so I have room to experiment. I got a lot to do and no time to document it.

I know a couple people that talk about it , but nobody that lives it, besides the amish and mennonite here , they got the right idea. I believe more people in the USA are into it, A lot of us are paranoid , the rest think it's the "hip" "cool" thing to do, unfortunately, to most it's more of a fad than a rational decision to live a simpler sustainable way of life and they will grow out of it.

books will be around long after computers, If **** hits the fan they will be our greatest asset, I have books on everything.

lateky i have been looking at this book called "the fruit, berry and nut Inventory". it's put out by the seed savers exchange, If you are looking for a source for edible plants in your area, it is the ultimate source, it literally has over 3000 apples what zones they grow in, chill hours etc. and where to buy them along with hundreds of varieties of every other kind of fruit or berry you can think of

I spoke with a young lady at the NYS fair about edible plants. She wanted to do a seminar but I'm not sure she'd get enough interested people. We're to spoiled here. Of course we're indebted to the banks. Here being in debt is the social norm.

I have a book solely on Apples and it's very interesting and it does say what will grow where. There are many more than 3,000 varieties I believe. Cornell University just created two new ones and patented or trademarked them. $1 an apple? I don't think so. Most are similar in flavor anyhow.

 

[trsturself]

I know of a few people in real life that try to be more self-sufficient, but none as much as me at the moment, though a few wish they could. Everyone has their individual reasons for doing it. I've always just liked the farm life and being able to walk out to the yard for food, but I got my husband into with prepper stuff. Whatever gets him on the bandwagon of buying 5 acres more than an hour from his work, works for me!

I reread my last post and it meant to say goats digestive systems AREN'T meant to digest grains, not that they are. Just wanted to clear that up.

I too love the winter gardening book by Elliot since I live in CO but I haven't bought it because I feel like I retained most of the info and can look up what I didn't. It was a great introduction to season extenders though.

I have gotten a couple seed catalogs in the mail this week. Getting me thinking about what I'm going to plant this year. We just moved to this house in the middle of June and it doesn't have any garden space already done so that all needs to be figured out and done before I can plant anything this year. Next year we hope to get a green house and start aquaponics also. I think my garden will be something like 16' x 50' (possibly larger)! I'm so excited but also a little overwhelmed at the planning of it. I want it to look nice as well as be functional.

 

[rancher hicks]

It is rather popular here but for most of the folks that are into it it's more of a fad or the cool thing to do at the moment. Others are "preppers" that are getting ready for the end of the USA as we know it, whatever. Then some, like me, want to be self sufficient but are having a hard time sifting through all the garbage information out there and finding out what works and what doesn't.



You can be self sufficient on 1/3 of an acre. I just watched a video interview (I'll see if I can track it down) of a couple that are 100% self supported, I'm talking about food here, on 1/4 acre lot. They garden, have chickens and raise goats. They get what money they need for other things by selling the organic produce they produce (<---that was weird to say) to local restaurants.


RichnSteph

Well now not everything works for everyone. You have to pick and choose what works for you. What goals do you have? Are you wanting to be 100% off the grid or how much. Some of us may just want to be 50-75% off the grid.

Right now I'd like to be out of debt.

I think it's hard to find folks of 100% like minds. I'm not a believer in the end of the world, but I do think things may get pretty hard.

Earning a living from while being self sufficient is not easy and many aren't 100%. The Amish had to evolve into the cottage industries since Agriculture wasn't doing it. Some have evolved to drive cars or ride in them, have phones, and electricity but only for certain uses.

I can't grow everything I need but I am pro barter. I trade chicks for hay and horse manure. I can't handle horse, nor goats, nor sheepses. I'd like to but finding some one to process just chickens is not easy.

 

[rancher hicks]

I know of a few people in real life that try to be more self-sufficient, but none as much as me at the moment, though a few wish they could. Everyone has their individual reasons for doing it. I've always just liked the farm life and being able to walk out to the yard for food, but I got my husband into with prepper stuff. Whatever gets him on the bandwagon of buying 5 acres more than an hour from his work, works for me!

I reread my last post and it meant to say goats digestive systems AREN'T meant to digest grains, not that they are. Just wanted to clear that up.

I too love the winter gardening book by Elliot since I live in CO but I haven't bought it because I feel like I retained most of the info and can look up what I didn't. It was a great introduction to season extenders though.

I have gotten a couple seed catalogs in the mail this week. Getting me thinking about what I'm going to plant this year. We just moved to this house in the middle of June and it doesn't have any garden space already done so that all needs to be figured out and done before I can plant anything this year. Next year we hope to get a green house and start aquaponics also. I think my garden will be something like 16' x 50' (possibly larger)! I'm so excited but also a little overwhelmed at the planning of it. I want it to look nice as well as be functional.

They can but it's a lot of work and few would be willing to do it. It's easier to work for someone else and then buy the stuff you work to have. Even though we both know it's not as healthy.