Whilst I wait for the revolution, I’ve been busy… Learning how to live within my means and by my own hand.After some economic disasters–job loss, foreclosure, another job loss, crippling surgery, job loss–and watching our government turn it’s back on below 30K-a-year workers, I was worried about security. Real security. Not just “money” but the basics. Shelter, food, water, air conditioning.
Thanks to a death in the family and a small bequest, we were able to purchase two and a half acres with a mostly delapidated 25 year old mobile home. Paid cash, and settled down. I started with a small herb garden. Then added a small vegetable garden. Both were planted at the wrong time, in the wrong place in poor soil. But I had fresh parsley, oregano, chives and more for a short season. Only the chives still live, much to my surprise. Planted too many radishes. Found out the French eat them sauteed in butter.
The squirrels got the corn. One little squirrel, pulled up an entire stalk, sat on my fence post and peeled back a cob, stared right at me and nibbled away like a six-year-old on a summer day. I think he wanted to know why I hadn’t provided salt, pepper, and butter.
The next year–well, it was better. Sort of. I learned some more. Which is my way of saying only the cucumbers made it through the summer. Even though surgery laid me out for 3 months. I could still water the poor lonely veggies. Which the weeds thought was darn skippy!
Each year I added more. I ate from my yard for 4 months. And I just, JUST, discovered I could eat for 3 more months by growing winter crops (that had failed in the summer heat). Who knew Florida has 3 crop seasons? Then there were the edemame soy beans (crows got THEM), and the lettuce, and the spinach, and learning about dehydrating, canning, and preserving the harvest
Then we added chickens… Cluck bawack. Boy are they easy. And ya get to have breakfast fresh every day. While they did get names, I’ not sentimental. Buffy the Chicken was quite yummy, though small. Chicken Pot Pie was all I was able to manage. And what the heck can ya do with all those feathers? There’s got to be something to do with them! Thinking about adding meat rabbits, more chickens, a potato/onion patch and BEES! Maybe a couple of milk goats in the Spring?
It’s funny and satisfying. My fingernails are filthy, the dogs dig in the chicken poop hay. And the sun arcs across my day. And I wait for the call to revolution. I’m ready for that too. And I’ll bring the eats.
I read your post and I understand what your going through. I got married in Oct 2008. Got ready for our trip and Hubby got laid off.
Our trip canceled. March 2009 I was in a bad car wreck and my left
pinky and ring finger was jammed up in my hand. I was off work 9 weeks after surgery/therapy etc. Then right before our 1 first wedding anniversary Hubby was laid off again. This time he cannot find a job.
I work but its not enough. We lost our house, car and moved in with my In laws. Until Hubby can get through school(he had to go back).
Through all this we both have learned about gardens, chickens, goats, canning, soap making, candle making, quilting, sewing. If we can make it, we do. We are taking it a day at a time.
Thank’s for commenting. It is going to get increasingly difficult to have the sort of life we see on the TeeVee.
AND there are going to be millions who are going to be taken completely by surprise.
Move ever closer to having your life be as sustainable as possible
F.
Yes it is. We are going to,it will be the only way to survive.
I made pickles for the first time tonight(lol). What a experience!
Oh I wish I could do it. We are nearing our 40’s and are ready to escape from the city. We are having some finacial problems too. I have been gardening for 3 years and chickens for 1. We just have 2 chickens for eggs. The neighbors are bribed regularly. I want to be off grid and living out away from Orloando. But not so far my mom will move with us….Love her and all but no way! Keep trucking along.
Ecopepper My Husband and I are in our late and middle 30’s. No Children yet. We at the moment are living with my in laws. Do to him being laid off for almost a year. His parents are not in good health. We both know we do not want to be close. We are planning on being no more than 45 min from them.( OR they will be living with us NO WAY!) We are just starting our first garden and will being getting chicks this spring.(will be bribing neighbors) It has taken us a lot of internet research, and Barns and Noble trips to get this far. But we keep learning and experimenting, and Yes we have had several canning flops, bread making flops and garden flops! But life goes on and we keep trucking!
P.S. Love the coop!! It’s really pretty!! Did you name it?
I am sorry to hear of your misfortunes but also encouraged by your fortitude. You blog very well.
I have been blessed with 8 acres in south Georgia and am also gravitating to more self sufficiency. I have been raising chickens for 1½ years. I started with a few chicks and now have 21 laying hens, 2 roosters and 36 eggs in a second hand incubator.
I believe as you do that there is a new way of life coming in our near future. The self sufficient will be ahead of the game for sure. I hope to find other folks in my area to barter my chicken goods (eggs, meat, chicks) for other things like canned veggies, etc.
I am just now beginning to keep bees, too. I am helping a beekeeper from upstate New York keep his bees here in the warm south over the winter. In exchange for my labors, he is teaching me the art and will give me 6 hives of bees of my own when he returns his bees to NY in April.
So I will soon have eggs, chicks, chicken meat and honey to barter with. As soon as I can get up the nerve, I am going to start gardening vegetables of my own. I am still recovering from a childhood trauma of weeding huge gardens. Lol.
I too am preparing for the revolution that may be coming. I’ll bring the honey.
I would love to keep bees. But hubby is allergic to bee stings. So in preparation of this new revolution. I can bring the canned goodies from the garden.