I like this thread on Self-sufficiency. Here are a few of my thoughts and comments.
Self sufficient Chicken food: During the summer is just let them range but during the winter I throw in some collard green leaves. Here in Kentucky they are about the only thing I can grow that survives the winter. Dandelion leaves also work and anything else green that I can find. I've even used honeysuckle leaves. Actually they ate them when I let them out. The chickens will eat just about anything green during the winter. (I tend to keep them penned from November through April because of hawks.)
Rain barrels: They breed mosquitoes in the summer and will freeze and bust during the winter. Use a cheese cloth or Guppies for the mosquitoes and during the winter try putting a 2 X 4 in the barrel to help absorb some of the expansion caused by the ice.
Gardens: This year I am growing topsoil. Last fall I cleaned out the deep litter and buried it in layers in my garden spot. I dug a foot down and spread about an inch of litter then about 3 inches of soil then another inch of litter and so on until I had filled the garden and had rid myself of all the litter. I was told that the litter would make the ground hot from fermentation when it got wet. I planted winter wheat and rye grass over the whole thing and this summer I didn't mow it until late in June and then most of the grass promptly died but what survived has come back.
Heirloom plants: Well they are not really heirlooms, since I didnt plant anything this year I was surprised by all the collard greens and tomatoes and onions that grew up volunteer. I have been collecting their seeds. After all Mother Nature tends to select the best as well.
Growing up mom made bread and butter pickles in a 5 gallon crock with just a wooden lid and it scummed over and looked gross but they tasted good. Don't know what that was about just a memory.
Mom also reused some canning lids as well during the seventies by cooking the lids in a pressure cooker first to steralize them. And then only using them on non pressure cooker items that could be sealed with parafin then used the lids. A lot of people did back then. I remember a lot of discussions about using them.
Philosophy on Self-sufficiency: It makes me feel good.
I give away eggs that I don't need or use. It's great for creating good will with the neighbors and coworkers.
Self sufficiency vs. disaster preparedness: Two different things but related in many ways. I've been without electric for a couple of weeks here in Kentucky's second largest city after an ice storm. The refrigerator actually kept things from freezing. My street became a thoroughfare because I used a handsaw to clear a lane that morning. It didnt help to get the electric back on like I had hoped, but a lot of electric trucks passed by on the way to fix other areas. Who would have thunk it?
Self sufficient Chicken food: During the summer is just let them range but during the winter I throw in some collard green leaves. Here in Kentucky they are about the only thing I can grow that survives the winter. Dandelion leaves also work and anything else green that I can find. I've even used honeysuckle leaves. Actually they ate them when I let them out. The chickens will eat just about anything green during the winter. (I tend to keep them penned from November through April because of hawks.)
Rain barrels: They breed mosquitoes in the summer and will freeze and bust during the winter. Use a cheese cloth or Guppies for the mosquitoes and during the winter try putting a 2 X 4 in the barrel to help absorb some of the expansion caused by the ice.
Gardens: This year I am growing topsoil. Last fall I cleaned out the deep litter and buried it in layers in my garden spot. I dug a foot down and spread about an inch of litter then about 3 inches of soil then another inch of litter and so on until I had filled the garden and had rid myself of all the litter. I was told that the litter would make the ground hot from fermentation when it got wet. I planted winter wheat and rye grass over the whole thing and this summer I didn't mow it until late in June and then most of the grass promptly died but what survived has come back.
Heirloom plants: Well they are not really heirlooms, since I didnt plant anything this year I was surprised by all the collard greens and tomatoes and onions that grew up volunteer. I have been collecting their seeds. After all Mother Nature tends to select the best as well.
Growing up mom made bread and butter pickles in a 5 gallon crock with just a wooden lid and it scummed over and looked gross but they tasted good. Don't know what that was about just a memory.
Mom also reused some canning lids as well during the seventies by cooking the lids in a pressure cooker first to steralize them. And then only using them on non pressure cooker items that could be sealed with parafin then used the lids. A lot of people did back then. I remember a lot of discussions about using them.
Philosophy on Self-sufficiency: It makes me feel good.
I give away eggs that I don't need or use. It's great for creating good will with the neighbors and coworkers.
Self sufficiency vs. disaster preparedness: Two different things but related in many ways. I've been without electric for a couple of weeks here in Kentucky's second largest city after an ice storm. The refrigerator actually kept things from freezing. My street became a thoroughfare because I used a handsaw to clear a lane that morning. It didnt help to get the electric back on like I had hoped, but a lot of electric trucks passed by on the way to fix other areas. Who would have thunk it?
