Self sufficient? What were the challenges?

[Eden83_haaretz]

Hey everyone, looking at Rooster Chicken Gang's post on making decent money, it made me think. How many of the members here are really self sufficient (or at least partly)?
Next question I 'd like to ask is, what were your biggest challenges?
Do you make a living off of your farm/poultry set up/orchards/Crops?
We started about two years ago in building outside in the country side, then about a year ago (for basically a whole year) we had to put everything on stand by because off family members that got ill.
We have producing apple trees, bees, chickens (that's mostly a recent thing) and truth be told (specially now with the pandemic) it's been just getting by day by day. It's frustrating really and well I'd like to hear, from whoever wants to share, their experience.

 

[Artichoke Lover]

My question would is what would you define being self sufficient as? There lots of different levels of self sufficiency. And some people may only consider themselves self sufficient at 100% which is nearly impossible for most. While others may have some animals and good sized garden and still work a regular job but are capable of going self sufficient for periods of time if necessary. Others will be as sufficient as they can but while they might do everything above a health condition or something similar may prevent them from ever being sufficient for more than a few months.
So how would you define it? Or what is your end goal?

 

[Artichoke Lover]

For me. I don’t want to be completely self sufficient all the time. My goal is to have my own water supply (this would be a constant). My own power supply( I haven’t figured out where I want to go with this yet.) Shelter. I want to have a small well built house/cabin that is low upkeep. Food. This is where I’ve made the most progress and where most people seem to start. I have a large 8,000sq+ garden and a flock of chickens. It’s enough to feed my family if I need it too. I don’t currently have any interest in raising birds for meat because it’s not a process I enjoy. But I have the ability to do it if needed. And that’s what matters to me.

 

[Eden83_haaretz]

My question would is what would you define being self sufficient as? There lots of different levels of self sufficiency. And some people may only consider themselves self sufficient at 100% which is nearly impossible for most. While others may have some animals and good sized garden and still work a regular job but are capable of going self sufficient for periods of time if necessary. Others will be as sufficient as they can but while they might do everything above a health condition or something similar may prevent them from ever being sufficient for more than a few months.
So how would you define it? Or what is your end goal?

Well that's why I said even partially, I've like to hear each person's project of self sufficiency. Whether it be being self sufficient food wise, or being selfish sufficient in energy needs, whatever each person has aimed at.
Because not everywhere in the world you have access to what one would be to be 100% self sufficient. For example here in Mexico it's irrealistic to expect to be self sufficient in regards to energy needs, the policies and technology that's allowed to come into the country in regards to alternative energy is limited and quite wanting.
For example I saw that in Europe they made and sell the Groundfridge, seems like an awesome idea, cost wise it might be accesible to some people in Europe, but here it's not an option.
For every person it will be different, but I think that if the question is limited and directed to something specific, we might miss out on great ideas and experiences.

 

[Rangergord]

Self reliance is a more realistic term than self sufficiency. Even the indigenous peoples had to trade goods between regions to meet their overall needs. As such today the greatest challenge is to have a stream of income from our own assets to obtain some of the many goods and services we are unable to provide for ourselves. I produce enough food that I have a surplus to sell that can pay for most of the other food I need to buy. I have a backup electric system for power disruptions for lighting and communications. I have a wood stove and wood lot. I have a homestead and vehicles that are paid for. No debt. Living within ones income is a basic building block of self reliance. My government and most of the people around me choose to do otherwise. Hence the crisis. Just returned from a three month stay in Mexico myself. I observed a food system that is much more diverse and with a large part of society as active producers. Ubiquitous and affordable public transit systems. An amazing construction and manufacturing sector. I also saw that there is too much debt, too much reliance on the US dollar and that people in general feel that the only way they can survive is to engage in some level of corruption or fraud (probably true)

 

[Eden83_haaretz]

Did a quick search on the terms.

Self reliance is relying on one’s self. One’s own powers. It aspires towards non-dependence. It’s a quality. A personality characteristic. It’s about “you”.

Self sufficiency is a natural progression of self reliance. Growing or fabricating life sustaining necessities, or eliminating the supply chain we have become dependent on. Being self sufficient is either obtaining, having, or producing the resources one needs."

So I think my question is definitely angled towards self sufficiency.

In regards to the situation in Mexico (I'm Mexican and have lived here my whole life with the exception of when I went to college to the US and we're talking that was basically a decade ago), if we put aside the politics and blocks the government tries to put on people. You can do somethings to become self sufficient to some extent, like I mentioned energy wise it's virtually impossible but in other aspects it's doable.
In our personal case right now, with the slowed economy, the issue is gathering funds to do many things we have planned. My husband is an engineer and I'm a chef, both of us with little blocks on researching and finding solutions (my education was Ivy League school), we successfully started up beekiping several years ago (even when Mexicans barely recognize real honey and rarely consume it), we were selling the honey we produce and other natural products, but right now it's been a challenge; people just stopped buying at together because most people lost their livelihood or reduced their expenditures like crazy.

But getting back to the topic. Any interesting projects you carried out in order to make food production more efficient or less time consuming? How long did it take you to reach that level of self sufficiency?

Self reliance is a more realistic term than self sufficiency. Even the indigenous peoples had to trade goods between regions to meet their overall needs. As such today the greatest challenge is to have a stream of income from our own assets to obtain some of the many goods and services we are unable to provide for ourselves. I produce enough food that I have a surplus to sell that can pay for most of the other food I need to buy. I have a backup electric system for power disruptions for lighting and communications. I have a wood stove and wood lot. I have a homestead and vehicles that are paid for. No debt. Living within ones income is a basic building block of self reliance. My government and most of the people around me choose to do otherwise. Hence the crisis. Just returned from a three month stay in Mexico myself. I observed a food system that is much more diverse and with a large part of society as active producers. Ubiquitous and affordable public transit systems. An amazing construction and manufacturing sector. I also saw that there is too much debt, too much reliance on the US dollar and that people in general feel that the only way they can survive is to engage in some level of corruption or fraud (probably true)

 

[Niki1313]

I do not consider myself to be very self sufficient, but currently I raise rabbits for meat, they are a mixed breeds. I usually end up with at least 120 lbs of meat a year from 2 does and a buck. I just got a new satin mix female that is 12lbs looking forward to breeding her soon. Hardest thing with them is finding large rabbits to breed. Otherwise I consider them low maintenance. We have chickens for eggs, I am experimenting on heritage breeds for meat, I would like to hatch my own eggs, caponize roosters for meat. My in laws raise Jersey steers for beef, we buy from them. In the future we would like to raise a few of them as well. I just planted a few apple trees, and blueberry bushes this year. We just moved into our house in spring 2020. I also have future plans of getting ducks for eggs and meat. Something I keep in mind with self sufficiency is that no one is completely self sufficient in our area. I live near a amish community and they rely on non amish to do welding repairs on things as well as a monetary income.

 

[Rangergord]

Did a quick search on the terms.

Self reliance is relying on one’s self. One’s own powers. It aspires towards non-dependence. It’s a quality. A personality characteristic. It’s about “you”.

Self sufficiency is a natural progression of self reliance. Growing or fabricating life sustaining necessities, or eliminating the supply chain we have become dependent on. Being self sufficient is either obtaining, having, or producing the resources one needs."

So I think my question is definitely angled towards self sufficiency.

In regards to the situation in Mexico (I'm Mexican and have lived here my whole life with the exception of when I went to college to the US and we're talking that was basically a decade ago), if we put aside the politics and blocks the government tries to put on people. You can do somethings to become self sufficient to some extent, like I mentioned energy wise it's virtually impossible but in other aspects it's doable.
In our personal case right now, with the slowed economy, the issue is gathering funds to do many things we have planned. My husband is an engineer and I'm a chef, both of us with little blocks on researching and finding solutions (my education was Ivy League school), we successfully started up beekiping several years ago (even when Mexicans barely recognize real honey and rarely consume it), we were selling the honey we produce and other natural products, but right now it's been a challenge; people just stopped buying at together because most people lost their livelihood or reduced their expenditures like crazy.

But getting back to the topic. Any interesting projects you carried out in order to make food production more efficient or less time consuming? How long did it take you to reach that level of self sufficiency?

Fine. Self sufficiency it is, just be aware it carries a lot of baggage!

Definitely noticed the slowed economy and decline in sales and the increase of unemployment. We have been visiting there for 8 years now as snowbirds but this may not be sustainable for us unfortunately.

As far as chickens go and self sufficiency, I think the biggest boost comes from integrating poultry into horticultural endeavors through the use of chicken tractors or pastured poultry pens. The cultivation, weeding, pest control, and soil building that can result from harnessing the labour of your chickens is just amazing. I have an edible landscape on my homestead that includes vegetables, herbs, fruit orchard, and fruit tree nursery. I have done it without chickens and with chickens. Much easier with.
I am a multigenerational homesteader and it has taken decades for me to reach this point. It’s a process but if you do it right it tends to just get better the longer you stick with it.

 

[Tre3hugger]

If anyone in this life is totally self sufficient, I haven't met them yet.

For my partner and I, we started the journey about three years ago. We live off grid in a 700 sq ft cabin. We have well water, power everything with solar power, and heat our home with wood.

Our goal is not total self sufficiency, but rather to slowly but perpetually gain skills that allow us to check things off that we now do not have to buy at the store/from major corporations. And to withdraw from systems we disagree with. Real life example. I learned to use a chainsaw and fell trees. Now I don't have to pay the gas company for heat. Or raising chickens for meat. I have not bought chicken at the store for a little over a year. I no longer participate in the factory raising of chickens. But I had to learn how to process and preserve them first.

In less than 3 years we have built 2 gardens, 3 animal houses, propagated shittake mushrooms, installed a solar system, cleared a pasture, raised about 200lbs of meat, hand split four cords of wood with a maul, etc. We currently keep quail, laying chickens, seasonal meat chickens and rabbits for meat/pets and guineas for tick control. Also a couple dogs. We are more self sufficient than ever, but NOWHERE NEAR total self sufficiency.

The challenges are well, EVERYTHING!! I grew up in Brooklyn, NY and didn't get my hand on a power tool or a fresh egg until I was well into my 20s. The challenge, for me, is a large part of the draw. This lifestyle offers a beautiful equation where ones problem solving skills and work ethic will directly corrolate with their quality of life. Try finding that at a conventional job...

As far as making a living. I think it will take a while, and I will never get rich. My current goal is to make my animals financially self sufficient. So if I din't go to work, they could still eat and feed me. It takes creativity. I partnered up with a CSA and they are a regular customer of my eating eggs. They sell for 3 dollars a dozen, about 7 dozen a week. Ok, that pays for layer feed and bedding. I sell pickled quail eggs (just started) for 10 dollars a jar. People who like these seem to LOVE them and I am getting almost a dollar an egg this way. My CSA connection may be interested in them by the case. If so, the picked quail egg endeavor would tip my animal financials into the green. I am also breeding rabbits mainly for meat, but I sell a few to pay for feed. If I am getting food for myself, and the animals are eating free, I consider that making money. For now, I also work 2 days a week.

I guess for me, ultimately, every endeavor I have taken on in my life has been challenging. What they always lacked was fulfillment. I find it much more challenging to work a 9-5 and spin the hamster wheel of rent and bills and not utilize my mind and body to the fullest. That is a pill, I learned at huge detriment to my mind and body, I just couldn't swallow. I find it much easier to live with myself and sleep at night embracing the challenges and rewards of the homestead. Even though it is REALLY F-ING HARD! I am grateful everyday to be the steward of this land.