Do you support the self sufficiency movement?

a reply to: LDragonFire

Can you provide your own ISP/Satellites? Really don't want to live without technology.....

originally posted by: Euphem
a reply to: LDragonFire

Can you provide your own ISP/Satellites? Really don't want to live without technology.....

Do you provide your own isp/satellites now?

I don't view this lifestyle as hermit like or isolationist or cut off from society. I also don't view this movement as caveman like. No matter what anyone does were still consumers, but if we didn't have to frequent the grocery store so much is this a good thing?

Why do so many only look at the extreme side of everything?

a reply to: LDragonFire

Well then I wouldn't call it self sufficient if you rely on others....

I don't disagree with what you are saying...basically live like a new age farmer. However, this isn't fully self sufficient.

originally posted by: FyreByrd
Sure.

Self-Sufficiency is a myth, no one, especially in the modern world, can survive without the contributions of others.

self sufficient doesnt mean doing on your own....to be successfully of the grid as such you need a group of like minded people working for the same goal

Reply to post by FyreByrd
Sure.
Self-Sufficiency is a myth, no one, especially in the modern world, can survive without the contributions of others.

Not only in the modern world, but throughout history it has been more advantageous to people to live in community. We are always interdependent.

The question is not so much if we are self-sufficient, but who figures into our frame of interdependence?

Do I get my lettuce by depending on a massive farming operation in California, an immigrant picker, a truck driver, the company that builds the truck, the people who maintain the truck, the Arab regime the supplies the raw materials to produce fuel for that truck, the corporation that brings the crude to these shores and produces the fuel, the grocery store chain and all its employees that get the lettuce to the shelf, through the checkout stand and into my car?

Or do I swap with my neighbor down the road for some beets that I grew in my own garden?

originally posted by: Euphem
a reply to: LDragonFire

Well then I wouldn't call it self sufficient if you rely on others....

I don't disagree with what you are saying...basically live like a new age farmer. However, this isn't fully self sufficient.

Seriously ?

Homesteading means single or one person or living off the grid means one person???????????????? I used multiple names for it in the op!!!

omg this is what you want you want to discuss about this topic??

People living in almost sustained system. Homes that produce its own electricity. Homes that produce fruits, nuts, vegetables, spices, red meat, fish, poultry maybe pork. Homes that provide there own water possibly if legal there own waste disposal. Homes that control the process or production of there food. Selling the excess food for money to pay for insurance, taxes, tools or materials or what ever they need or what.

I don't expect these homes to magically sprout cars or cell towers!!! or to manufacturer a ct scanner!!!

There was a time when we did for ourselves, it got us this far. If you arent at a certain level of being self reliant to maintain your life, and be able to function & live. Simple fact is if the lights went out tomorrow, and they were"nt coming back for months or years, then about 70% of us aint gonna make it right from the start.

The other 30% will all be at different degree's of self reliance. Being self reliant should be a way of life for us all....just in case them lights go out.

originally posted by: openyourmind1262
There was a time when we did for ourselves, it got us this far. If you arent at a certain level of being self reliant to maintain your life, and be able to function & live. Simple fact is if the lights went out tomorrow, and they were"nt coming back for months or years, then about 70% of us aint gonna make it right from the start.

The other 30% will all be at different degree's of self reliance. Being self reliant should be a way of life for us all....just in case them lights go out.

totally agree with you....we should all try to be as self sufficient as possible.......funny thing is people are always talking about reducing our need for the constructs of society,everytime you buy said product you empower the manufacturer...if we all produced a certain amount of our own produce and traded amongst ourselves we could bite big bussiness in the butt real fast

I'm a believer of being self sustaining but also believe in a collective civilisation that is not isolationist.
In Scotland we have the most radical energy targets than anywhere else in the world and plan to be 100% renewable by 2020. My plan would be to subsidise home owners around Scotland with grants for personal wind and solar generation, that is tied into our national grid along with offshore windfarms and wave electricity generating technology which we are currently world leaders in.
I have debated being a self sufficient person and living off the grid but the cost of land here is too expensive because most of the land is owned by private owners who have owned it for a long time.
Thankfully the Scottish government is looking into ways of reclaiming it for the Scottish people.

I think you should have the right to live a free life and you should have an opt-out option of living in society. But you would still have to adhere to the laws of the land and maintain your land to a decent standard but if you need to use public services you should have to pay the cost of doing so. If you are not paying taxes then you shouldn't get the benefits of society. Which I feel is a fair enough approach.

Sure ,show us all how it works ,then if so, more will as well.

a reply to: LDragonFire

Thanks a mill! I'll be sure to check it out. I have seen the aquaponics stuff before but assumed wit was really complex, and required experience.

a reply to: LDragonFire

Thanks a mill! I'll be sure to check it out. I have seen the aquaponics stuff before but assumed wit was really complex, and required experience.

originally posted by: cavtrooper7
Sure ,show us all how it works ,then if so, more will as well.

this is a good start
www.foodforest.com.au...

and another..

aquaponics.net.au...

a reply to: bigman88

There are lots of things you can grow in containers. Some veggies just need bigger pots. I have done a couple of apt. balcony gardens and several small herb kitchen window gardens. Luckily, now, I am able to have and work larger spots of land.
Don't be discouraged. Even with limited mobility, you can grow a lot of healthy delicious food. Get big planting pots. Some things need the space of a big pot, some just so it is the right height for you to wheel up and cut or pick. My advise would be to get some good soil, and mix 1/2 and 1/2 with potting soil. Some things are good to start as seeds, others, you definatly want a plant to start. Most herbs you can grow in a container from seed as well as any lettuce or pole bean. This time of the year, if you want tomatoes and peppers, give each plant a decent sized container and only one per pot.
I hope you do make your garden happen. I get so much peace and joy from mine.
Happy Gardening! If I can help in any way, let me know!

We've tried to become as self sufficient as possible- that is to say, in capabilities, not that we practice it completely at this time. We like to feel prepared and capable to live without any support. We bought an ancient farm, with everything we need to live and work on learning skills needed. We have a horse and a horse pulled plow, and trained the horse to pull it- but then we keep it in the barn and go to the grocery store.

For us, it is just about being capable, not that we feel we need to be completely self sustaining right now.

I don't really have any opinion that everyone should do the same. If everyone decided to be completely self sustaining right now, that would mean our society would fall apart.

It sounds as if there is a growing sentiment in the US that that is exactly what we need though. There is a self destructive sort of mood as a nation; the people are wanting to tear down this one. So perhaps it shall be (one way or another). But I feel that there is some benefits to community and society that I don't want to reject completely.

I especially feel that organized society offers better chances of survival for women and children. Of course for people who are injured, sick or handicapped too. The argument could be made that that might not be the best thing for the whole, concerning many diseases or problems which are hereditary... but in the cases of temporary vulnerability (pregnancy, breastfeeding, youth, injury....) it still end up being a benefit to us as a whole as well as individually.


We still buy our produce and meats from our neighbors who grow and raise them, but that doesn't encourage industrialized methods. We buy fuel for heating sometimes, but since it is so expensive, we use wood more and more often.

I don't know, I don't usually feel drawn to taking things to the extreme.

Three years ago we moved away from a big city, for various reasons. For the first time I had the space and time to learn the first steps in self-sufficientcy. Luckily, I had a good teacher to help me know when to plant and how to care for things. I grew to learn how to preserve my bounty in several different ways, and adjust what I plant and when. My food garden has now expanded to a family member's farm, so now the food production space is quite large.
I want to say, I never knew how to do this before, but I did it. The second year here, I winged it and canned some food. The third, I planted enough to freeze and can for the entire winter, plus specialty things for friends. I learned to store and keep the harvest for the winter and beyond. Anyone who gardens will appreciate this; I grew enough onions that I didn't have to buy any from October through April. I grow and dry all of my own herbs.
This is really not a "look what I did" thing. I was clueless, until I moved to the country and tried. It's kind of easy and very rewarding. And the funny thing is, moving to this small town, the right of passage, is how good your canned goods are. Everyone passes everything around..in pride.

a reply to: LDragonFire

I guess I am just confused as to what you are getting at then. There are a lot of people who do what you say already. As far as becoming a mainstream thing I don't think it is possible.

The world we live in today is possible due to the fact that people for the majority do not live that self sufficient lifestyle.

I lived in New York for 5 years earlier in my life. In a small space in my back yard I planted a small garden. A few tomato plants, some okra, and some green beans. I was the only one on the street with a garden of vegatables . By the time I left New York Every house except one had a back yard garden, all stemmed from the bounty of my garden. If I too much I simply gave it away. To this day the space in front of my house that normally has flowers in it is sewed with red potatoes & carrots, Just as beautiful as a flower garden. Hope your harvest this season is a good one, take care.










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