Self-Sufficiency and Living on the Bare

[elizabethbinary]

I saw others wanted a thread like this so I thought I'd start it.

About six months ago I got obsessed with being self-sufficient. At the time I was getting an egg a day. Now I get about 6. I was mad I had no veggies and now I harvest every day. It's not much, but it's something and it definitely eases the financial burden of food. I barely go to the market anymore - only going for things like toiletries (I even use bicarb as shampoo and vinegar as conditioner) and essentials. I even make my own cleaning products using fat/oils - and I know how to render fat from my animals to make into cleaning products should I need to.

This is just a start to get the conversation rolling... what do you do? Know how to do? Think you should know? Have stockpiled? What does/n't work for you?

 

[TigerLilly]

I am doing my part to start to keep things simple on my 2 acres
I have chickens & get eggs daily; hope to start raising some for meat.
I have one zebu & am looking forward to getting another to breed for meat.
I have goats that I'm eventually going to add to, again, for meat.
Right now my goats serve as pet pooping-machines...one day I hope to milk them.
This spring, I'm going to plant a garden to have fresh fruits & veggies.
I also make my own laundry detergent & look forward to learning to make more household products, etc.
By the time I retire in about 10 yrs (God willing), I won't have to spend so much on store-bought items!

 

[BarredBuff]

You need to visit SufficientSelf.com! Very self sufficient there.

Animals
Chickens (meat and layers, Im also working on making them SS)
Rabbits (pets and meat, Im also working on making them SS)
Ducks (meat, Im also working on making them SS)
Earthworms (Poultry Feed and Garden Help)
Honey Bees (Honey)

Garden
Several varities of vegetables
Preserve a lot of them via canning and drying
Grow lots of fruits
Have a few cold frames

Animal Feed
I sprout grains for them
Im growing some of their feed
I have formulated a dry mix
They forage all the time or I forage for them
They get kitchen scraps
They get worms from the bins

 

[TigerLilly]

Quote:
Definitely! Great site--I've learned a lot of stuff I plan on implementing in the future.

 

[elizabethbinary]

Quote:
Definitely! Great site--I've learned a lot of stuff I plan on implementing in the future.

I'm nervous. Last time I was on a self sufficient website I was chased off for being too positive! Hahaha.

GREAT tips.

 

[BarredBuff]

Quote:
Definitely! Great site--I've learned a lot of stuff I plan on implementing in the future.

I'm nervous. Last time I was on a self sufficient website I was chased off for being too positive! Hahaha.

GREAT tips.

Ummm. No were the good guys!! I promise, this is a sister site to BYC.

 

[TigerLilly]

And if you plan on adding goats, cattle, etc to your self-sufficient journey, check out another BYC sister-site...

www.BackyardHerds.com

I also regularly get a newsletter via email from TipHero.com & HillbillyHousewives.com.

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
Definitely! Great site--I've learned a lot of stuff I plan on implementing in the future.

I'm nervous. Last time I was on a self sufficient website I was chased off for being too positive! Hahaha.

GREAT tips.

It's a sister site of BYC, no bashing allowed there either. There's a link to all the sister sites at the bottom of the page, come say howdy!

 

[elizabethbinary]

Quote:
....backyard... goats?

My husband said he wanted a goat for the backyard and I told him no, he HAS to mow the lawn himself.

I'll add the goats once we get the little 2 acre we're getting in 6 months

...okay okay I might take a peek....

 

[Royd]

Quote:
Definitely! Great site--I've learned a lot of stuff I plan on implementing in the future.

I'm nervous. Last time I was on a self sufficient website I was chased off for being too positive! Hahaha.

GREAT tips.

That's probably because reality hasn't slapped you in the face, yet.