Adventures of a Sufficient Self Suburbanite wanna-be.

WendyJ

Lovin' The Homestead
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Near Vancouver, on the wet coast.
I've been lurking here long enough, time I actually made it official.

1. What state/province/country are you in and what is your climate like?
Suburb of Vancouver, BC, Canada. Climate is temperate rainforest, but with warm dry summers.
2. How many people are in your family? Marital status?
Extended family 13, Single, but with a long-time room-mate along for the ride.
3. How would you define self sufficiency?
Not necessarily being able to do everything, but knowing most of the basics, and how/who/when to get help when needed.
4. What would you do with your spare time if you had any resources you needed?
Travel, learning how different peoples do things, and then adapting them to be able to do them myself.
5. Have you ever built a house , or other types of building? Do you want to?
I have been involved in construction, and like to work with my hands, but not do everything, I recognize my limits.
6. Can you weld? Steel, aluminum, MiG, TiG, stick, Oxy-Acet?
Never tried.
7. Who or what inspired you to become more self sufficient?
My family background, Superstorm Sandy (NY), ice storms in Toronto.
8 Cloth or paper?
Boxes
9. In what ways are you self sufficient now and in what ways would you like to learn more?
I can (waterbath), cook, bake, and am working on my gardening skills. Would like to learn lots of things, but will start with growing/freezing/dehydrating/pressure canning more.
10. In what way(s) will you never choose to become self sufficient?
Butchering. I'm not opposed to using meat, but to take a life with the respect due is something I doubt I would be good at.
11. Are you interested in stocking up for future needs?
Yes. (Is that the fancy way of saying I am a hoarder?)
12. Where do you end up when you sink into yourself, away from the outside world?
Friends cabin in the woods next to a small stream.......
13. Can you drive a farm tractor or a semi?
I have driven a tractor (but not often), and everything from a small Honda to a full sized school bus, but no semis.
14. Do you make crafts or useful items? Would you want to teach others how to do these?
Crafty, yes, although I'm not sure how useful. Things like ornaments for my nieces each Christmas. (They now have a box each from over the years so when they move out, they already have something, although their parents might find the tree a bit bare that year).
15. Can you have legally livestock where you are at? Do you have any? What kinds?
Legally can have chickens, but the landlord says no pets :-(
16. Can you operate a lathe? Metal, wood?
Haven't tried in years.
17. Do you like to garden? If so, what do you enjoy growing?
I'm learning. This year I have tomatoes, potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, carrots, beets, brussels sprouts, lettuces, and herbs in my garden.
18. Do you fish? Bait or explosives?
No.
19. How much space/land do you have or rent? City? Country?
Half of a house, rent, basic sized city lot.
20. Are you a Novice, Technician, General, Advanced? ARRL?
21. What is your self sufficient specialty? Or what one would you like to learn?
Is being low-maintenance a specialty? I don't need top of the line anything, basic things are often my preference.
22. If you could create a degree and curriculum, what would you major in and what classes would you take?
Would like to be efficient in the entire food chain, from planting and growing to putting up. Foods from around the world.
23. Do you do wood work? framing, finish, cabinet?
Not any more, my arthritis doesn't like it.
24. Are you interested in herbal medicine?
Yes.
25. If you could live any place you chose, where would it be?
About 4-6 hours to the east of where I currently live.
26. Do you use a wood stove for heating or cooking?
Only when camping.
27. What would your ideal super hero/villain be?
Anyone that can get pop/soda/cola out of schools ;-)
28. Are your family or friends also interested in self sufficiency?
Some are starting to be.
29. Do you like to cook? Are you interested in whole foods and natural foods? raw milk? farm fresh eggs?
Yes. Real, local, fresh, organic (or at least spray free). All Canadian milk and meat already has fewer hormones than US milk or meat, but still would like to know the source as much as possible.
30. What was your MOS?
?
31. Do you forage or hunt for part of your food needs?
Not now.
32. What skills do you have that help you be more self sufficient?
Camping (and not the RV kind).
33. In which fictional universe would you most like to live?
Narnia
34. Do you have solar panels? Plans to use solar energy?
No
35 What is the mass/weight ratio of a European swallow carrying a coconut from the tropics to England?
1:1
36. Have you ever lived completely off grid? Would you like to?
Completely, no.
37. In what do you trust?
God, family, friends, govt.
38. Do you make things yourself to save money?
Yes
39. Has trying to be more self-sufficient changed your attitude or habits about money/spending?

Probably reinforced what I already felt.
 

WendyJ

Lovin' The Homestead
Joined
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Messages
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Location
Near Vancouver, on the wet coast.
That is so great! And each year will get more productive until you are leaving anonymous bags of produce on neighbor's porches in the dead of night because otherwise they point a gun at you and say "Leave, and take your zucchini/tomatoes/carrots/beets with you!"

LOL - I am already sort of doing that. The farm/produce market that I am working at for the summer has a real shortage of customers, so instead of tossing food in the compost, I pass slightly "past it" food to friends, including a few that have just left abusive relationships. When someone breaks out in tears of gratitude and hugs you because you just gave them 6 massive zucchinis, you know they are really in need.
 

WendyJ

Lovin' The Homestead
Joined
Jun 27, 2014
Messages
148
Reaction score
61
Points
67
Location
Near Vancouver, on the wet coast.
Last edited:

WendyJ

Lovin' The Homestead
Joined
Jun 27, 2014
Messages
148
Reaction score
61
Points
67
Location
Near Vancouver, on the wet coast.

sumi

Rest in Peace 1980-2020
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Ireland
Thank you! I'll check it out later when I'm done catching up everywhere.
 

WendyJ

Lovin' The Homestead
Joined
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Location
Near Vancouver, on the wet coast.
A few pics of my garden. Land values are so high around here it is usually cheaper to buy from the local farmers, but this year I really wanted to do SOMETHING - and then got a summer job at a local community farm where I can help myself to the stuff we grow.
 

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WendyJ

Lovin' The Homestead
Joined
Jun 27, 2014
Messages
148
Reaction score
61
Points
67
Location
Near Vancouver, on the wet coast.
The shopping cart was being used by teenagers late at night, and the store manager didn't want it back, so I put it to use.
 

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