The New and Improved Questions List-The official thread
- Thread starter savingdogs
- Start date
baymule
Sustainability Master
Please don't disappear down the black hole of a journal. A lot of the members here post to their journals and I refuse to read 2 thousand posts, or filter through pages trying to find that one relevant post that had some information I remember. Then they whine about no one making new posts. I refuse to start a journal for that reason. If my opinion makes anybody mad or hurts feelings, too bad. It's the truth. Crawl out of your journals and start a new thread.
CJ1, you have been a breath of fresh air to this site and I hate to see you fall into the journal trap. I am enjoying the new threads you and @MoonShadows have posted and the revival of old threads. This site has been stagnant for a long time and I am delighted to have new members here that are activating it again.
baymule
Sustainability Master
treerooted
Almost Self-Reliant
1. What state/province/country are you in and what is your climate like?
southeastern Ontario, Canada. Four distinct seasons: hot summers, cold winters, wet springs, and gorgeous falls. Hardiness zone 5(a)
2. How many people are in your family? Marital status?
I'm married and we have one active toddler.
3. How would you define self sufficiency?
I don't.
4. What would you do with your spare time if you had any resources you needed?
With unlimited resources I would probably do a lot of traveling.
5. Have you ever built a house , or other types of building? Do you want to?
I have not, but would like to under the right circumstances.
6. Can you weld? Steel, aluminum, MiG, TiG, stick, Oxy-Acet?
No, but my partner can!
7. Who or what inspired you to become more self sufficient?
I think it's just a natural extension of the general values and skills I grew up around even though it was in the burbs.
8 Cloth or paper?
Depends.
9. In what ways are you self sufficient now and in what ways would you like to learn more?
Getting started on food self sufficiency which is by far the main goal. Chickens, garden, and maple syrup are all we have started so far. Beyond food; some general skills that allow us to build, create and repair. My husband is a mechanic so that comes in very handy.
10. In what way(s) will you never choose to become self sufficient?
Energy won't really be a possibility for us. We're felling our own trees for heat, but electricity will still come from the grid...though we are looking into getting some solar panels.
11. Are you interested in stocking up for future needs?
Yes - for one year. I have always liked persevering the fall harvest. It's a must in cold climates.
13. Can you drive a farm tractor or a semi?
I have driven a farm tractor but only a couple times. Unfortunately I'm not strong enough to drive our current 1950's tractor (it needs some repairs). But my partner uses it.
14. Do you make crafts or useful items? Would you want to teach others how to do these?
I crochet, but I certainly couldn't teach anyone anything better then the internet could
I do I have a friend I've promised to teach though.
15. Can you have legally livestock where you are at? Do you have any? What kinds?
Yes! So far a flock of 29 chickens. Half are layers and half will be for the freezer.
16. Can you operate a lathe? Metal, wood?
No.
17. Do you like to garden? If so, what do you enjoy growing?
I do like to garden but I wish I was better at it. What I want to grow is one of everything lol
18. Do you fish? Bait or explosives?
I don't fish.
19. How much space/land do you have or rent? City? Country?
Just bought a 63 acre property out in the country, about 1/2hr from the city.
20. Are you a Novice, Technician, General, Advanced? ARRL?
Novice.
21. What is your self sufficient specialty? Or what one would you like to learn?
Same as previous question, I'd like to provide most of my own food.
23. Do you do wood work? framing, finish, cabinet?
No, but I would love to. I've refinished a couple things.
24. Are you interested in herbal medicine?
Not really, at least not for any serious ailments. But for mild symptoms I may use something such as herbal teas. (I don't take any medication regularly, and very little irregularly.)
25. If you could live any place you chose, where would it be?
I don't know, it depends.
26. Do you use a wood stove for heating or cooking?
Wood stove for heating (and keeping my coffee hot).
28. Are your family or friends also interested in self sufficiency?
Family grows, cans, and freezes.
29. Do you like to cook? Are you interested in whole foods and natural foods? raw milk? farm fresh eggs?
Sometimes I like to cook (if there was more time), mostly I like to eat Oh I can't wait for our first egg. I'd like to cut out as many highly processed foods as possible.
31. Do you forage or hunt for part of your food needs?
I don't; I just don't have the skills. I've done a tiny bit (lavender tea, straw/rasp/blue berries, queens anne lace, clover)
32. What skills do you have that help you be more self sufficient?
I'm really not sure, beyond what I'm trying to learn.
33. In which fictional universe would you most like to live?
Too hard.
34. Do you have solar panels? Plans to use solar energy?
No, but looking into it.
35 What is the mass/weight ratio of a European swallow carrying a coconut from the tropics to England?
I don't know but your father smells of Elderberries.
36. Have you ever lived completely off grid? Would you like to?
No and depends on the circumstances. Wait, does camping count?
38. Do you make things yourself to save money?
Not much, but I don't buy a lot either.
39. Has trying to be more self-sufficient changed your attitude or habits about money/spending?
No, though we're living off one income at the moment so we have had to give up on a few "extras".
southeastern Ontario, Canada. Four distinct seasons: hot summers, cold winters, wet springs, and gorgeous falls. Hardiness zone 5(a)
2. How many people are in your family? Marital status?
I'm married and we have one active toddler.
3. How would you define self sufficiency?
I don't.
4. What would you do with your spare time if you had any resources you needed?
With unlimited resources I would probably do a lot of traveling.
5. Have you ever built a house , or other types of building? Do you want to?
I have not, but would like to under the right circumstances.
6. Can you weld? Steel, aluminum, MiG, TiG, stick, Oxy-Acet?
No, but my partner can!
7. Who or what inspired you to become more self sufficient?
I think it's just a natural extension of the general values and skills I grew up around even though it was in the burbs.
8 Cloth or paper?
Depends.
9. In what ways are you self sufficient now and in what ways would you like to learn more?
Getting started on food self sufficiency which is by far the main goal. Chickens, garden, and maple syrup are all we have started so far. Beyond food; some general skills that allow us to build, create and repair. My husband is a mechanic so that comes in very handy.
10. In what way(s) will you never choose to become self sufficient?
Energy won't really be a possibility for us. We're felling our own trees for heat, but electricity will still come from the grid...though we are looking into getting some solar panels.
11. Are you interested in stocking up for future needs?
Yes - for one year. I have always liked persevering the fall harvest. It's a must in cold climates.
13. Can you drive a farm tractor or a semi?
I have driven a farm tractor but only a couple times. Unfortunately I'm not strong enough to drive our current 1950's tractor (it needs some repairs). But my partner uses it.
14. Do you make crafts or useful items? Would you want to teach others how to do these?
I crochet, but I certainly couldn't teach anyone anything better then the internet could
I do I have a friend I've promised to teach though. 15. Can you have legally livestock where you are at? Do you have any? What kinds?
Yes! So far a flock of 29 chickens. Half are layers and half will be for the freezer.
16. Can you operate a lathe? Metal, wood?
No.
17. Do you like to garden? If so, what do you enjoy growing?
I do like to garden but I wish I was better at it. What I want to grow is one of everything lol
18. Do you fish? Bait or explosives?
I don't fish.
19. How much space/land do you have or rent? City? Country?
Just bought a 63 acre property out in the country, about 1/2hr from the city.
20. Are you a Novice, Technician, General, Advanced? ARRL?
Novice.
21. What is your self sufficient specialty? Or what one would you like to learn?
Same as previous question, I'd like to provide most of my own food.
23. Do you do wood work? framing, finish, cabinet?
No, but I would love to. I've refinished a couple things.
24. Are you interested in herbal medicine?
Not really, at least not for any serious ailments. But for mild symptoms I may use something such as herbal teas. (I don't take any medication regularly, and very little irregularly.)
25. If you could live any place you chose, where would it be?
I don't know, it depends.
26. Do you use a wood stove for heating or cooking?
Wood stove for heating (and keeping my coffee hot).
28. Are your family or friends also interested in self sufficiency?
Family grows, cans, and freezes.
29. Do you like to cook? Are you interested in whole foods and natural foods? raw milk? farm fresh eggs?
Sometimes I like to cook (if there was more time), mostly I like to eat
Oh I can't wait for our first egg. I'd like to cut out as many highly processed foods as possible.31. Do you forage or hunt for part of your food needs?
I don't; I just don't have the skills. I've done a tiny bit (lavender tea, straw/rasp/blue berries, queens anne lace, clover)
32. What skills do you have that help you be more self sufficient?
I'm really not sure, beyond what I'm trying to learn.
33. In which fictional universe would you most like to live?
Too hard.
34. Do you have solar panels? Plans to use solar energy?
No, but looking into it.
35 What is the mass/weight ratio of a European swallow carrying a coconut from the tropics to England?
I don't know but your father smells of Elderberries.
36. Have you ever lived completely off grid? Would you like to?
No and depends on the circumstances. Wait, does camping count?
38. Do you make things yourself to save money?
Not much, but I don't buy a lot either.
39. Has trying to be more self-sufficient changed your attitude or habits about money/spending?
No, though we're living off one income at the moment so we have had to give up on a few "extras".
Medicine Woman
Almost Self-Reliant
- Joined
- Nov 2, 2021
- Messages
- 445
- Reaction score
- 1,352
- Points
- 175
I don’t know how to copy this.
Hinotori
Sustainability Master
- Joined
- Nov 2, 2011
- Messages
- 6,648
- Reaction score
- 16,352
- Points
- 373
- Location
- On the foot of Mt Rainier zone 8b
I don't think I even did this. Just tell us about yourself.
flowerbug
Sustainability Master
i'm not sure what you normally use as a device, but for me i go to the first post of the thread and select the text i want to use by pressing down the mouse button and then moving it down to select the rest of the text and then i use the Copy option. then when i open up a new post i use the Paste option and there it is.
there is also the quote button when hovering over an article which then makes it available when you reply, but i think you could also go right to the first post and just reply to that and edit out the stuff that you don't want to reply to.
so that's at least three ways.
i hope one of them works for you. 
tortoise
Wild Hare
I hate the list. It's so overwhelming and I forget everything I've read about someone new!
