Questions From Mother Earth News
June 13, 2008
Written by: Katie
What steps would you take to prepare if you knew that five years from now everything would cost 10 times what it costs now — gas, food, electricity, solar panels, hybrid cars — everything, but your income would not change? What would you do now to be in a better place to cope?
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Do you have a bit of land and the skills to grow and preserve a good portion of your own food? If not, could you join with your neighbors and garden together on open land one of you owns?
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What about fuel to warm your home? Do you know how much firewood you could produce from one acre?
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What would it cost you to commute to your job if gas cost 10 times more — $30 per gallon? Should you consider moving closer to your work, or getting a vehicle that gets better mileage? Maybe invest in an electric bicycle?
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Could you keep goats and learn to make your own cheese? If you don’t have much land, you could keep a couple of goats in a very small area and bring food to them. They love to eat twigs and leaves — perhaps you could harvest brush along public roadsides for their feed.
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Chickens can be great, sustainable sources of eggs and meat, but remember — commercial feed would cost 10 times more than it does now, so could you grow their feed at home?
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Would you plant some peach pits and have your own peach orchard?
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Could you grow your own herbal medicines?
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Or do you think it would be foolish to work to become more self-reliant, because you believe that if things got really bad, roving gangs with guns would steal your food and fuel?
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Are you already 50 percent self-sufficient? 90 percent? Tell us how you did it, and how it feels.
Do you despair that we may be doomed? Or are you determined to choose a course that you think will assure you and your family of a good life, full of delight, no matter what comes?
Katie here. Tell me what steps you would take to prepare and the Team and I will look over your ideas. The person with the best idea will receive a year’s subscription to Countryside, Mother Earth News or another homesteading magazine of your choice.
June 13th, 2008 at 6:58 pm
First step: Move to somewhere with a bit of land.
2nd step: Build/renovate the house to the point where it runs on it’s own energy; solar, water, wind, etc. Insulate well, and purchase a wood stove to be used for heating the house and cooking.
3rd step: Cultivate the land. Plant an orchard; wintering apples, plums, peaches, pears, etc. Plant a garden, start a greenhouse; tomatoes, potatoes, beans, peas, broad beans, beets, chard, carrots, lettuce, etc. Can as much as I could. Plant grain and soybeans. Keep seeds for everything. Chop some trees for firewood and plant new ones–LOTS of them. I hug trees. :)
4th step (possibly): I’m a vegetarian with vegan tendencies, so I wouldn’t have animals for meat. Depending on the sustainability and life expectancy of goats/cows/chickens, and my ability to care for the animals properly and humanely, I might consider having chickens for eggs, or a cow/goats for milk.
5th step: Trade the SUV in for a small car that will last well. I’m not likely to be able to pay for car repairs too well in all of this. Make sure my bike is in good condition, and get fit (walking/jogging/exercising) so that I could ride it more. Purchase a small bike trailer for picking up groceries and taking the little kids out. (if I had any)
6h step: Pray.
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It is my dream to be completely self-sufficient one day! I have some friends who are mostly, and it is amazing. I love the lifestyle, and if I was forced into it through hard times, I wouldn’t say no. :)
June 13th, 2008 at 7:02 pm
I am in process right now.
I don’t know what the future holds. But I am not going into the future unprepared and foolish.
We are putting in a root cellar right now. I can buy bulk grains that are sealed in buckets, guaranteed to last! I planted a MUCH larger garden this year than years past, I have fruit trees, and I preserve or freeze all that I can.
Did you know that eggs can keep for a year if they are packed in sawdust?
That you can take your hair from your haircut and put it around the edge of your garden to keep the deer out…
It is incredible what we can learn if we just will…
If we take the time to read and study up and try…
It is amazing what you can make for yourself if you start trying to learn. I am 32 years old. I wasn’t taught to bake and cook and can and quilt when I was a kid. I learned it as an adult, I learned because I didn’t want to be one who just talks about people who really make a difference in their lives, I wanted to BE one of those people who could do all those things to help their family.
I want to teach all those abilities to my kids, and start making a change.
We are making progress, we are changing how we do things as a family. Gardening is now a big part of our lives. Yes it is a lot of work… but is is so rewarding and so great to know what you just fed your family is not something that has been altered or tampered with, it is pure and good… THAT is a great feeling.
We may not have been brought up that way, but we don’t have to be the way we are, we can change and become the people that we want to be… the ones who do make a difference in our families lives. :)
Love,
Chas
June 13th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
I won’t seek to be “self-sufficient” as I would rather put my trust in my Heavenly Father. I will, however, continue to be a good steward of the monies and blessings the Lord has already given to us. I think we Christians need to be very cautious with how much we get caught up in the media hype of the economy, which only causes worry (aka sin) and be more concerned about souls being saved.
Matthew 6:25-35
25″Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[a]?
28″And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
Matthew 10:29-31
29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny[a]? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
June 13th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
Wow. Great questions and great comments thus far. I find the topic intriguing.
Our goal is to be totally debt-free…we figure we are 3 yrs from that now at the current pace and plan. Then we will build a house where we can really have a garden, greenhouse, Nubian goats for milk, meat chickens……it is all just a dream right now. I’d sell some of the goat milk, too, for income.
I’d love to move out now even if it was into a trailer just to be totally free of debt and started on some of those other dreams. But, we are on the course that my husband has chosen for us and that is good.
Our current place is good. We could stay here if need be. I can now walk to Wal-Mart (ick). It isn’t far for husband to get to work….only about 10 miles.
We are working on our yard right now to put in raised beds and have it ready for a real garden. So much to be done before i can actually plant, but i do have herbs and tomatoes in containers on the porch. I do what i can with what i have.
June 13th, 2008 at 9:54 pm
1. Pray
2. Dh is chopping away at the little debt (besides our home) that we have (had), so continue that.
3. Develop skills that would benefit us AND be profitable for bartering. (Ex. knitting, sewing, etc.)
4. Collect books on frugality, homesteading, and the like (from yard sales, of course!) as we might not have internet at some point.
5. Begin notebooks containing internet articles I’ve printed off having to do with #4.
6. Start practicing skills now (gardening, solar cooking, raising chickens, etc.) so that when the time comes, we’ll not having to be learning as we are also trying to survive.
7. Start doing without more often so that it won’t hurt so badly later! (We’ll all be somewhat used to it.)
8. Slowly begin stockpiling whatever is feasible (clothing, toilet paper, ammo, etc.)
9. Begin to take the children camping for fun, but also with the mindset of teaching them survival skills, etc. (Dh was a Marine! Oorah!)
10. Just try to simplify our lives…to become more content with a quiet life of hard work and hard, old-fashioned play!
Beth
June 13th, 2008 at 10:35 pm
I agree with Sarah. :)
But, we just moved to five acres and we are (for funsies) considering chickens, a cow or goat, a stocked pond, and a geo-thermal cooling and heating system for the house. We have a first-year garden this year, so it may not do all that well. Hubby already has plans to start building up the soil really well this fall and aims to plant a large garden next year.
With a little land comes a lot of potential. :)
The pond, he says, is an ideal way to heat/cool the house using a geo-thermal system. Apparently, it’s not the actual temperature of the earth but the differential that draws/adds heat? I’m not sure I fully understand the science, but it works sorta like a fridge, which has to heat up in order to cool down.
And did you know that cattail rhizomes are edible? I read that fact in a book about ponds. Also, Canada geese are delicious when roasted with an apple for stuffing. :)
June 13th, 2008 at 10:37 pm
Oh, and regarding current gas prices: Hubby is looking into a road bike, if he can scrape the money together. He does have a 30-minute commute.
June 13th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
How are you going to judge the *best* idea? Most of them we’re already up there in the article. Oh, maybe the best plan? I like Beth’s, I vote for her :) Well, for what it’s worth , here’s my thoughts: Start aquiring some skills. I want sewing and DH wants woodworking. You know, so if we need something, we can make it. ;) Oh, and I didn’t see anything up there about homebirthing or midwivery - I expect it would be handy to have some wisdom in those areas. It would be handy to know how to make (and use!) cloth diapers, though now I’m speaking hypothetically about other people, because after 5 1/2 straight years of diapering, I think I’ve got it down (not to brag) :)
June 14th, 2008 at 5:57 am
I think that if things got that bad, I might try to start a push in my city to change zoning laws so that everyone can have small livestock. Currently, one must have 4 acres of land ot own chickens, goats, etc. I have 1/3 acre and it’s plenty of room for some small animals.
Another idea is raising rabbits for food.
And getting a guard dog for those veggie stealing bandits in the night, lol.
June 14th, 2008 at 8:18 am
I agree with Sarah on her point about letting the hype cause you to sin. But, I also think that living frugally and “self-suffiently” (ha, we all know that our very next breath is given only by our Creator who knows the number of our days), is a wise thing to do regardless of the economic climate. 1) be debt-free (do not be a slave to the banks) 2) use what God has given us to provide for our family and neighbors (wisdom, discernment and book knowledge that allows us to grow/preserve our own food, skills learned to sew our clothes, self diagnose and medicate when needed, eating sensibly to hopefully prevent illness). If we all take a look at what we use/consume on a daily basis, we can ask ourselves: can I do without this and if not, can I provide it or do I depend on someone else to provide it (other than the Lord God Almighty). Concerning electricity, we are considering a solar generator in the event that there is no electricity (solar means it’s quiet and doesn’t attract unwanted attention), otherwise, we CAN if needed, wash clothes, grind wheat, without electricity - I am looking into plans for a solar oven to bake in (again, not because I’m fearful of the future, but because it really is the sensible and responsible thing to do). Wouldn’t it be great not to be dependent on the electric and gas companies, but dependent on the Lord only (which ultimately we are regardless of our circumstances)? Good topic Katie!
June 14th, 2008 at 8:30 am
I wonder what it looked like when Joseph had Egypt store 7 years worth of food.
June 14th, 2008 at 8:53 am
I would continue doing most of what I am doing, with the only exception being that I would stockpile things like TP since they last forever. For the rest, I like what Sarah had to say.
June 14th, 2008 at 9:46 am
Debt free and a little bit of land is our goal. But what will you do when the grasshopper comes to your door? Say, “Ha, ha” or feed him?
“And my God will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” We either believe that or we don’t; as long as we are doing our best to provide for our families. “A man who doesn’t provide for his family is worse than an unbeliever.”
Remember, the Lord provided the seven years of plenty, before the seven years of famine. He also provided the sacrifice for Isaac, manna and water in the desert to His people, bread and meat, oil and flour to His prophet Elijah, fish and bread to the 5,000 and the 3,000 and a Saviour. He also left instructions for the church to provide for widows and orphans. Don’t get too distracted. He’s called “Jehovah Jirah” for a reason.
Our goal is to share Christ NOW. Looks like by the responses there are pre and post tribs here! I think the most of the more detailed responses (not all) will be from post.
June 14th, 2008 at 10:20 am
I literally grabbed a peach off our tree and came in to eat it and browse and came here! So, I won’t comment on your contest just yet but thank you for the MEN link about growing peaches. My children are excited to hear how to duplicate these wonderful fruit trees!
June 14th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
We are a family of four (soon to be five with 3 under the age of 3). Food prices are too crazy, and I have always enjoyed the freedom of “growing my own”.
I am constantly trying to simply our lives. Eating beans and cornbread twice a week is not sad or pitiful - it’s healthy and it’s a great way to save money! A 100 years ago people didn’t eat the massive variety we have today. We don’t have to just because it’s available, either.
1. I have 22 tomato plants in the ground. On the schedule is canning salsa, ketchup, tomato sauce, chilli, pork & beans & spagetti sauce. I can make a pint of pork & beans for about a quarter and I know what’s in it and how old it is! I love it!
(I have been canning and helping my mom can for years and my husband helps a lot so this isn’t even half my list of things to can, just the tomato part.) And I plan to give some away as well, but most of the folks I know grown their own tomatoes anyway, but there are a few single guys at work my husband can take some too, and a widow down the street. :)
2. We are learning to like things like zuchinni and other squash that tends to be prolific. If God allows us to grow it abundantly, we’re going to eat it, or can it, or freeze it, or dry it. And then, we use it up. It’s astonishing how much you can save and how much healthier you eat this way!
My in-laws are of the opinion that if things get bad, and you’re looking healthy, people are just going to rob you. Frankly, they might. On the other hand, I might be able to meet them at the door with a bag of zuchinni and a bag of homegrown dried beans. I have no intention of hording what God gives us, but I don’t plan to be utterly reliant on Walmart to produce all my food for me at a price I actually like, either!
3. We have plans for an orchard and vinyard. Right now we are learning with a single concord grape in our large city lot and are learning to prune and stuff. There are also mesculine (sp?) grapes that can produce up to 80lbs of grapes per vine! When they pull off the vine they are “wet scar” instead of dry scar so they are worthless to the supermarket but all I can think of is the jam and juice and frozen grapes that would provide! Look at isons.com - you have to get a catolgue sent to you for prices BUT my friend was looking through hers and telling me what the prices are and they are GREAT!!!! $7.50 a vine I think? Or was that blueberries? They carry blueberries for the KS area which I think is terrific!!! There is no place to get them here.
(We even plan to plant a bit of the back yard in winter wheat this year so we can just know how to do it. Right now most of the center of the backyard is in cantelopes - we figure that’s a better investment than the grass!)
4. Chickens of course, and goats or cows. Right now there is a possibility that we might be able to buy my parent’s farm in a few years which has lots of land. We’d like to raise grass-fed beef for friends and family and ourselves. They also have a wood-burning furnance in the cellar and plenty of trees (about 20 acres worth). :)
If people would stop having their oremental trees sculpted and plant a peach or apple tree instead and have it pruned every year instead they could actually *benifit* from it! I like pretty things as much as the next person but there also comes a point where makes so much more sense for it to be useful. Instead of the snowball bush in the yard, why not grow a thornless blackberry or a raspberry bush? 90% of the year they will look much alike . . . . Even lots of flowers are edible and can make a salad look quite dramatic!
Frankly, I would rather be praying that grasshoppers don’t eat my melons and that rain waters my grain than to be standing in Walmart praying for the rice to be restocked soon. Either way it’s up to God what we eat and when we eat, I’m just more comfortable with this way!
June 14th, 2008 at 5:58 pm
First off~ PRAY AND SHARE….
We live smack in the middle of a small city. We are blessed to have almost a half acre of land and we are moving it towards food production. We have two strawvberry beds, several blueberry bushes, two apple trees, a peach tree and a cherry tree. We have a modest garden with plans to expand it greatly next year. I am also planning to put many more blueberries in and I want to find out if there is a nut tree that will produce in our climate. I think the rabbit idea for food is a good one and one that we could do even in the city. My oldest son had to help kill/prepare a rabbit when he did mission work at Heifer International a few years back. He was pleased at how quick and painless (mostly) it could be done. We are also attempting to add extra food to our pantry so that we will have it when/if we need it.
We are always talking to our children about the pleasures of home and thinking what to add to our home to make it a comfortable place to stay so we do not need/want to stray to the outside world so much.
We are able to walk to a grocery store, pharmacy, library, post office, and a variety of stores that one would not be able to afford under such conditions. We can walk to our church if need be. It’s about 4 miles. Currently, my husband works 9 miles from our home. We are considering a motorscooter but if not that. He works at a hospital and could sleep there at night and only come home a few times a week… We have done that with blizzards and such. He gets good mileage with his car but $30 a gallon would still be beyond difficult.
I have much more to think about but that is a start.
Blessings,
Dawn
June 15th, 2008 at 8:17 am
Well first of course there is getting direction from the Lord as has been mentioned.
We would grow more food than we do now and would add a woodstove to our house. My husband does work 25 miles away from work and so moving closer would be in the works also.
Something our family has been talking about for awhile would be for all of us to move onto the same property at my mother-in-law’s to pool resources.
I would like to form a barter system as well with neighbors and family. One family would rasie sheep for the wool. Another would do the animals for the dairy, meat and eggs. One would grow the vegetables and fruit. One would be in charge of firewood. One would grow feed for the animals. We would also pool resources for schooling the children if living on the same property.
Converting our home to solar would be a priority as well as getting a windmill.
I would also like to get horses and a wagon for long distance transportation. For short distances the bikes and small trailers behind will do.
Great questions. Makes me think.
June 15th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
We started moving towards self sufficiency two and a half years ago when we moved to a bit of land (2.5 acres). We have since started raising chickens, a breed that lays well, and makes good meat (dual purpose breed). We raise goats for meat and milk, and I have learned to make a lot of different cheeses, yogurt, and butter from their milk as well. We are tending a huge garden with a large area devoted to beans and corn that we will be drying and using throughout the year. We are planting enough potato eyes to produce 500 lbs of potatoes which are good keepers, as well as carrots, and pumpkins. The potatoes, carrots, and pumpkins will be kept in our root cellar. We have raised a hog and will be butchering her in two weeks. We are working towards making my husband’s primary source of income being raising food for others. We are slowly working towards bringing him home from work. He currently works 45 minutes away. People will always need to buy food so we figure strategically, this is a good source of income and we are studying up on marketing the food for the highest sales (Backyard Market Gardening by Andy Lee is the best book we have found so far). We are planting a small orchard with apple, peach, plum, and cherry trees. We also have blueberry and blackberry bushes, and are going to add raspberries. We have neighbors as well as two families from church with whom we are constantly bartering for feed, meat, and other resources. My husband also learned how to hunt for deer and fowl last year.
We have come a long way in our journey towards self sufficiency in the last two and a half years, and still have a lot to learn. But it is best to start now when the pressure is not on :)
I wanted to add, for those who live in areas where you cannot keep livestock, look into keeping meat rabbits. Even in the strictest subdivisions, you can keep rabbits.
Ashley
June 15th, 2008 at 5:42 pm
We are a family of five and right now we are in the process of making an offer on five acres of land with a large house. The house has a wood burning fireplace where I could, if the need arose, cook my food (I’m thinking Little House on the Prairie). We have plans to have chickens (for eggs and eating), goats (for cheese), a dairy cow (for raw milk and more cheese), and rabbits. We have a family who belong to our church that own an organic hydroponic farm where we currently buy produce. They are going to teach us how to have our own when we buy the land. We can grow a large amount of food in a tiny space. Our family also has lemon and lime trees we are waiting to plant, as well as tomatoe bushes. My husband plans on planting blueberry bushes and orange trees (we live in Florida and citus does well here). I learned how to can produce this past year. The house we are trying to buy has a large pantry area where we can store a lot of canned goods. I already make all our bread, granola, muffins, waffles, pancakes, etc., with wheat that I grind with an electric grinder but I am going to invest in a manual one to have on hand in case of power failure. We could grow wheat if we had to for flour. We homeschool and I will not be going to town every day. My husband does a lot of driving but also makes his own schedule so he could easily cut down on mileage.
Yes, we know that God will provide, and we already share what we have with others now. But we also know that this is a calling God has put on our hearts so if the need arises we can share with our families. We are not trying to control the situation, but to be great stewards of what God has given us to manage.
June 15th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
Beth and Ashley great ideas!
We are at the same point, paying debts acquiring skills. And the gals who present a biblical perspective..yes God does know our needs and His word does say we will be taken care of.
There is no harm in being a good steward of our resources, working to pay off debt, living simply, purchasing in bulk for lean times, gaining skills to further the instant gratification of the world. These same skills are great to be taught to our kiddos, think bonding time and providing them with needed skills that some of missed growing up in the 70’s when Homemaking was a dirty work!
Both my husband and I have been prior to our marriage raised chickens, goats, gardens and have mastered some hobbies great for the homestead.
One can do quite a bit on a city lot, the rabbits are great as well as a planned garden.
Currently we are on under an acre. We are restarting to build a goat heard, we have a bull calf, milk cow, new laying hens and almost ready meat birds to become freezer food.
We grow much of our veggies, have some fruit trees, bramble and concord grapes.
We have stored food,grains , paper supplies etc. They are not just sitting in the pantry for time of calamity. They are rotated as well as stored water.
We are searching high and low for a piece of ground to grow grains for the animals and us. We plan to live off grid. A place that my 10 kids can play, learn skills and if needed my adult children could “come home” . My father will also join us for his last years.
In 8 years besides, our adoptions we have learned to grow, can ,freeze and dry our bounty. We harvest from neighbors who may have too much fruit and I can that. I grind wheat that has been purchased in a bulk sale to make our baked goods. I have increased my sewing, learning some fiber crafts and power tools.
DH has read much and practiced taking care of a few animals to gain know how.
We are in the city, but can have some “farm” animals. Riding a bike here is scary at best. I did buy a bike and burley trailer (at yard sales) to begin riding to the store for needed items not purchased in bulk. We have a 12 passenger van and a large work truck. I would love a cute Subaru, but DH paid cash for a jeep that gets good mileage for around town. We hope to cut back on driving as our cases are going towards adoption.
June 15th, 2008 at 10:06 pm
I’ve lived in the country and tried to do the livestock thing and it seems they require so much care. I only had goats - I read about the care that a cow takes and it was too intimidating for me. Rabbits and chickens, I can handle.
However, we now live in a subdivision on half an acre of land, surrounded by oak, hickory, and other native trees. We are prohibitied from owning livestock. Since we now own our home, I don’t intend to move anytime soon. We do have our own well - but do not have a generator to run it. I would feel more comfortable with that in place.
So anyway, I would read up on what native plants are edible. Hickory nuts, acorns (did you know you can grind them to make flour and you can use that for bread or as mush for hot cereal? It’s high in protein I believe.) wild blackberries, muscadines - and these are just the plants I’ve noticed in my yard. We are very near a river. IIRC, the roots of cattails can be eaten like a potato. There are fresh water clams and fish in the river. There are squirrels and rabbits and deer in the woods (and snakes if we got that desperate!) My neighbors seem to all have gardens. I preserve what I can via canning or dehydration. I have also planted raspberries and blueberries in my yard and intend to add additional fruit trees. Next year I’ll get in a garden, too.
I would encourage our neighborhood and those surrounding us to support each other through bartering what each of us have in our immediate areas. There are farms nearby with livestock, wheat, produce.
I think it would be doable. Folks around here are very neighborly and most own guns. I think we’d fare okay. We’re also a ways out of the city and those who aren’t familiar with the area would never know our little neighborhood is even back here.
So - my idea is to learn your local edible plants and animals! Print out the information so you have it on hand in case the internet is not accessible. Learn to preserve food. Plant a garden and other shrubs/trees that will provide food. Get some chickens or rabbits if you’re able. Most people can get away with owning them even in the city.
June 15th, 2008 at 11:46 pm
So many people are feeling the urge to prepare for SOMETHING….I believe the Lord will rapture His church soon. Imagine the chaos that will come over the world then.
I have been actively responding to this urge, that I feel is from the Holy Spirit, by reaching out much more boldly with the Gospel. I have even had a neighbor that I talk with about twice a year, come out of her house as I was walking down the street, come out and ask specifically about church, and why does the world feel tense and what happening, etc. I was able to share the Gospel with her and give her a Bible. I have been speaking with her much more often now.
People at the stores are listening when I share about the Lord.
Everyone feels it; it’s like a cord stretched tight, about to snap… I think, too, that many of the preparations that we make may be to help those who respond to Christ AFTER the rapture. God knows, they will need all the help they can get.
As far as moving, we cannot move. We are in a subdivision and that’s where we plan to stay. We couldn’t sell our house right now, even if we wanted to! Many are probably in the same situation.
I have been simply buying two or three (or more, if it’s on sale) of things I regularly purchase. If stores empty (and I’m thinking trucker’s strikes, earthquakes, terrorist attack etc will empty the stores quickly) I want to have enough to live on for a few months without battling the mobs. I am buying larger amounts of wheat, oats, beans, rice, etc. I am learning to can (should have learned long ago, truth be told!). We have lots of potable water (just clean every milk jug you empty and fill it with tap water. It will add up quickly!) You’ll need a lot of water to cook all those beans!
A good guideline is store what you use and use what you store. Don’t buy unfamiliar food because you read somewhere you should store it. Do you have a hand mill? Do you know how to make bread or tortillas? If the answer is “No”, then you have two choices. Buy the right equipment and learn the neccessary skills or store something else!
If power is out longterm, there likely won’t be water or gas, either. It will be like camping. Do you have your camping things clean, full, easily accesible and ready? Fill that propane tank; you won’t be able to get any if something happens. Do you know how to cook on the propane grill? You won’t be able to bake regular bread (no oven). Do you now how to make flatbread? Do you have matches or a matchstick? Candles?
What about your first aid kit? Your herbs, tinctures and salves? Prepare them now, before you need them! Toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, feminine products, TP, batteries? Have you some extras?
Do you have lots and lots of Bibles to share?
Do you have any ammo for your guns? Do you have enough? Do you even HAVE a gun? Get these things now, before you need them!
I’d love to have chickens, but my husband doesn’t want to. Therefore, I buy many now and make lots of soup, broth, etc. for the freezer. It won’t last that too long in an emergency, but it will help.
Above all, know that the Lord has us in His mighty hand. *Level-headed preparing does not equal sinful worry*. Many times in Scripture we are exhorted to look ahead and plan. Proverbs is full of these exhortations; Joseph prepared for a coming famine. We are told to know the times and the seasons, not to be caught unaware. Look up, for our redemption draws near!
June 16th, 2008 at 11:28 am
We have a two year plan. Next year is the end of the first year. By then we will have our house ready to place on the market.
We are researching land and zoning now so that once our house is on the market we will know what good land looks like.
We live in a subdivision and for the longest time I thought I would just have to wait until we had our land. HA!
I found a source for Raw milk so we buy that… until we have a cow.
Im learning to make butter and cheese with our milk.
I learned how to make our own yogurt.
I buy good chickens and roast them, then make broth. Until we have our own chickens!
We are learning to make as much of our food from scratch as possible.
This year is my first garden. Nothing. But I am learning.
We are researching fruit trees and berry bushes to go along with our garden. We will learn to make this small plot of land work for us and be ready to work a much larger piece of land when the time comes.
I am learning all about herbs and healing and homeopathy. I treat most of our minor illnesses myself. Mostly through prevention.
We are learning to knit, sew and other handwork.
We make our own cleaners.
We have almost paid off all our debts. Working on the few we have left and saving some money!
Its a slow process but I am so glad the Lord showed us that we could start learning a lot now. Maybe we can’t have animals, but we both spend time reading and listening to those who do. We won’t know exactly what we are doing when we finally get our piece of land, but we will be as prepared as possible. It won’t be all learning from scratch, ya know?
June 16th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
So, this is somewhat unrelated, but I was thinking about an old post of yours about Tazo tea.
We grow much of our own tea. I decided there was no way I was going without a morning cup of tea. We grow echinacea, mint, lavender, camomile, anise, and ginger.
Nothing that could sustain a person, but a quality of life thing for me.
June 16th, 2008 at 10:26 pm
I’d just bury my head in the sand, lol!
Seriously, though. This is something I’ve been thinking about. Right now we’re just paying off our house, but I’ve been thinking that we do need to take steps to become more self-sufficient.
I’m looking forward to reading the best idea!
June 17th, 2008 at 8:17 am
Hey, in my newspaper today a teenager rode her horse to her final exams at school in the city to save on fuel. :-P
June 17th, 2008 at 8:51 am
I’m impressed with all the comments here. I hope whoever gets awarded the Best Plan will have it laid out in a step-by-step format to help those of us that need guidance. :-)
June 18th, 2008 at 7:58 am
My neighbor has an awesome garden. I will not covet my neighbor’s garden. I will not covet my neighbor’s garden. I will not covet my neighbor’s garden…
I would (and I probably will) ask my neighbor to help me prepare a garden like his. I would grow the food I eat most (I’m vegetarian so that would be simple enough) and some herbs for medicine. I would get solar panels for energy and insulate my house better. I’d get Ginger some more chickens - we’re not allowed to have them in our city- and I’d try to convince her to get a goat or two.
June 18th, 2008 at 8:01 am
We bought a house and 3 acres three years ago and have been transforming it into a fairly self-sufficient homestead ever since.
1. We started with chickens, fryers, for food and to sell. We now have laying hens, banties and Rhode Island Reds for eggs. Feed is expensive, so when getting chickens try to find an older breed. They tend to be better foragers, so free-range them as much as possible. We have sheep and soon dairy and meat goats.
2. Do away with all the cleaning products, beauty products, and non-necessities. Use baking soda to clean and to replace your toothpaste. Use vinegar to clean, to soothe upset stomaches, as an astrigent. Products such as these can serve multiply purposes and help save money.
3. Shower less. It’s better for your skin, less toiletries (soap, shampoo, etc.) used, save on hot water, and electricity/gas.
4. Convert some or all of your yard to edible produce, save on mowing, fertilizing, watering, etc. If your going to put all that work into something wouldn’t it be nice to get food in return. Get creative, think of edibles that grow wild in your area. Plant/transplant them into your yard/garden. In Kansas we have sand plums, currents, elderberries, poke (make sure you read about this as it is poisonous if not eaten correctly), and mulberry trees.
5. No more utilities. Within a year we hope to have solar panels and possibly a wind generator installed on our home. Electricity and propane are increasing along with everything else. Kansas doesn’t offer incentives for alternate energy, but most states do. Look for them and use them to go off-grid. As appliances wear out I hope to replace them with manual ones or energy efficient at a minimum.
6. We are purchasing a solar oven to bake bread and do our summer cooking in. This will save us on propane costs and help keep our house cooler in the summer.
7. We hope to have an outdoor wood furnace soon to heat our home. This will keep our insurance costs down (indoor wood burners increase insurance costs).
8. Barter! Our neighbors are great to barter with us than exchange cash. We have butchers, welders, and haymakers in exchange for a mechanic, eggs, or lambs.
9. Thermal shades. Make or buy solar shades. They will help keep the heat out in the summer and hold in the heat on those cold winter nights.
10. If you have livestock try to grow your own feed if possible.
11. Rotational graze, even if you only have a small area. We use portions of our lawn (call us hillbillies) to rotational graze our sheep. Our chickens roam our sheep lots and garden. We also rent (from my dad) wheat fields in the winter for our sheep to graze to supplement our hay supply.
12. Resources:
The Self-Sufficient Life and How to Live it
http://www.pathtofreedom.com
Countryside
Mother Earth News
Some things were really obvious: garden, buy in bulk, stock up on dry goods, can/dehydrate/freeze as much as you are able, pay off debt……
I do have one question, how does everyone feel about investing in the stock market through 401Ks and Roth IRAs? Does this seem scary to you? Any better/safer alternatives out there?
Great post Katie! My husband wasn’t totally onboard and still waivers from time-to-time, but the I think every day he fuels up or watches the news it pushes him one step closer to a self-sufficient lifestyle.
June 18th, 2008 at 10:58 am
You know what’s amazing about God? The sparrows neither sow nor reap, but God provides for them. If He does this for them, how much more for us? Yes, we can work and reap the benefits from our efforts, but our ultimate provision and salvation does not come from this. :-) We can’t trust in ourself!
Just a thought in my head.
Anyway, we’d have plenty of venison and fish, I know that much. Some veggies from my small garden. Do I win a prize now, LOL!? I doubt it.
I could let myself go nuts worrying about the future. Thank God that I have God and He’s going to take care of me!
June 19th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
“What steps would you take to prepare if you knew that five years from now everything would cost 10 times what it costs now?”
Wow…well…I’d probably complain about it a lot. But your post has made me think that maybe I should think though this a bit further than that. :) Great topic.
June 19th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
Wow, that’s lots to think about. I would like to get plant some more fruit trees and look into getting soar panels (I forget the technical name right now though). We have a well for water and a pond with fish and 3.5 acres. Hopefully my orange, lemon and plum trees will be full before things get too out of control with the economy. I would love to have a few chickens… but that is something to ponder NEXT year!
June 21st, 2008 at 8:08 pm
1. First I sat down with the family (Christa and the boys) and discussed the current economic climate. I explained what is happening, what could happen, and how our family could be impacted. To make sure that they understood, I asked for their input. Based off their responses, they not only understand the situation, they also are excited about being apart of the solution. I kept the conversation biblically centered, and we prayed.
2. We have a little land, and we recently fenced about an acre and a half of our land.
a. A cow or two are coming in the future for pasture raised, grass fed beef
b. Chickens will be coming soon for meat and eggs. They will eat from the land and fed leftover veggies. I am new to the chicken scene. I know that there is a lot to learn.
c. I am now considering turkeys too. I love ground turkey meat. Christa makes incredible meals with ground turkey, and I love it.
d. Dairy goats are now being considered now as well.
3. On the other side of the property (separate from the first acre and a half), we have an available half acre portion of land that will be devoted to a garden. The vegetables that will be grown are still on the table for discussion. It must produce enough food to take care of us for the year. This means that we must learn to preserve. We will be praying daily that the Lord will bless our work and give us a bountiful garden. I have collected some seeds from locally grown fruit, and yes they were great peaches! I will acquire seeds from other locally grown fruit and plant other kinds of trees too.
4. We have stored away some food in the past, but there is now a push to purchase beans, rice, etc in bulk for storage. This will fill the gap between until we are producing the foods necessary to support ourselves and assist those around us.
5. Purchase wood for cooking etc. There are plenty of trees around us to replenish our wood supply. We do own an axe and hatches. We will inventory these tools and make sure that we have replacement parts and a way to sharpen.
6. Electricity:
a. I have been investigating windmills so I can take advantage of all the wind that blows around here. If the cost of electricity remains steady I will break even in a little less than three years. I believe the cost of electricity will increase dramatically.
b. Solar Panels and battery backup. I will start with just a few solar panels and add one or two occasionally until I have what is truly needed to be off the grid and freed from the bonds of energy dependence.
7.Water:
a. Put water barrels under the rain gutters on the house and capture the water that drains off of the house
b. We have a lot of water that drains off the property when it rains. Since we know the path it takes when leaving the property, we can capture some of that too. Pond? Stocked with fish? Hmmm!
c. The water plan definitely needs more work.
8. I have always wanted to have a totally electric car. My plan is too purchase a VW van (1960 something) without an engine. I will attach an adapter to the transmission and then attach the electric motor to the adapter plate. Now add a variable resistor, switch, batteries, etc, and I am getting close to completion. I also want to have PV’s on the roof of the VW to get charging time while I am at work. I also have some ideas on how I can take advantage of the wind resistance while the VW is in motion. This is something that I have wanted to do for quite some time now.
9. Adequate protection and the devices and methods that will assist in meeting this goal.
This is the short list.
We will pray that they Lord will bless and protect our family and yours as well. We will have an opportunity to experience God’s provision. No matter what happens, it will be exciting to see how God will work in our lives!
We are living in some interesting times.
June 23rd, 2008 at 10:20 am
OK, I have not read the other comments so I am sure I am repeating some. We have already done some if these and have yet to do others. All of these 10 steps should be covered in prayer. God is over all.
1-Educate yourself. I read, studied, and researched for years before we moved out of the city. When it has come time to do things I have had basic knowledge on how to get started. However, experience is still the best teacher!
2-Move onto as much land as you can afford. (did this last fall~only an acre but you can get a lot out of it)
3-Make sure you have adequate food & water storeage space. (We have a 8′x8′ shed for this purpose. Want to build a root celler too.)
4-Learn how to raise and butcher chickens, goats, and rabbits. This will supply milks, eggs, and meat. (Still have not done rabbits. We have goats but have not butchered one yet). Start with chickens (easiest). These animals are small and are easy to breed.
5-Go 100% solor power with back-up generators. (When we can, we will start with solor power for our well and go from there.)
6-Learn to grow fruits and veggies your family will eat. Plant lots of fruit trees and learn to save seed for the next year. Make sure you start from organic heirloom seeds so that the seed you save from it will produce true plants. (in process, have some trees and a small garden.)
7-Get completely debt free (slow process)
8-Learn how to can, get the supplies and start putting up all you can. Solor power may even go down and a freezer & fridge full of food is useless without power. (I have the know how and am beginning my canning this week.)
9-Arm your self and learn how to use your arms properly. Things can turn ugly quickly.
10-Teach all of the above to your children! We need to equip the next generation to face whatever may come thier way. My oldest just turned 12. She can kill a chicken and use a PC. She can cook and meal a shoot on target. Now that is a well rounded education! :-)
June 23rd, 2008 at 10:45 am
OK, I left out learning herbal medcines. I have been doing this for a long time and did not think of it. In 8 years we have only been to a doctor once and that was due to a major car accident. Learn to use basic herbs such as garlic, and comfrey. Learn to grow and store then. Buy herbal books.
Guess that makes #11 for me. Sorry, didn’t mean to be a rule-breaker but this can’t be left out! :-)
June 25th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
This is what we ARE doing, somethings we have already done, I did not list (like get a car with a small engine and high mpg.)
1. Own land and house free and clear.
2. Plant gardens, herb and vegetable, and learn herbal medicine.
3. Rotate crops yearly to improve the soil of my debt free land.
4. Purchase and learn to care for, and supply food for; goats, rabbits, chickens, turkeys, and ghinnea hens.
5. Learn how to preserve food, and buy the tools necessary to do so.
6. Upgrade the house systems to become self reliant in energy.
7. Plant many quick growth trees and keep the seeds to continue planting to replace firewood.
8. Analyze our property to make every acre work for us.
9. Start collecting needed tools for things like: farming, harvesting, preserving, sewing, and making household things.
10. Practice wasting not, before the time when we MUST not waste.
June 25th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Oh one more thing, I would get firearms, but DH is against this so far, so it didn’t make the list.
June 25th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
OH darn, thought of another important thing.
Live near family, and know your neighbors.
July 2nd, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Thank you for mentioning us on your Web site. We appreciate the attention, but if you could, could you add a link to our forum that discusses this issue?
Thanks,
Laura Evers
Mother Earth News