SS challenge! - 100+ steps to self-sufficiency

That is so very cool FEM! Maybe I'll find a place with nice neighbors. Us New England folks aren't known for being especially neighborly lol.

DH's summer boss did show up with random hay and unload it for us yesterday. So there are some nice ones!

I would love to have such neighbors move into my area.

The neighborhood is nice, several new homes, several older. Some of the older homes do have families who were aging and now kids gone, adults retiring or way beyond, a few passed, etc. There are several cropped fields of 20-70 acres along the way, so we have corn, soybean, cotton, winter wheat grown.

Easier to shop in grocery store for most, thus little raised in the form of livestock. To be honest, many of the people who move to the "outer" suburbs/rural do so for simply more room, less crowded neighborhood -- sometimes a horse, etc. I don't see many who TRULY are looking for more than that and a few fresh tomatoes. Those are often raised only for fresh use and not for any preservation.

The evolution of this area became obvious to me when I really looked at my own "community". Oddly, a couple days ago I had a discussion with my daughter -- who lives in a trailer at the back of my farm -- about what she saw as her own future. She has NO interest in this farm, as a farm. Her dogs & cats, 3 or 4 hens, some flowers -- that's pretty much it. I brought this up to her after the recent loss of my own mother and a HARD look at my own situation and the future years. That led me to what/where I felt I wanted in 5 yrs, my DgrD would be graduating high school, etc. Seemed a good time to have a goal set for the "family".

I don't want to be "in town watching TV" in an apartment. BUT I could see myself in a smaller home, 2-3 acres, 2 goats, a doz chickens and a nice garden. I could actually add a small house midway this farm for myself and rent this house with 5-10 acres for some of those horse people. My mind is whirling. But, nothing like that this year - just thinking


Blame all this overthinking on Baymule!!!!!!!!!!!

I once read a story in The Mother Earth News many years ago. It went something like this:

A young couple were looking for a place in the country. They stopped at a country store. There was an oldtimer sitting out front. They asked him, "How are people here? Are they friendly because we are thinking about moving somewhere near here."

He asked, "How are your neighbors where you live now?"

"They are terrible, always causing trouble!"

The oldtimer said, "Well that's how they are here too."

They left to find another community.

A day later another couple looking for a home stopped and asked, "How are people here, are they friendly

He asked the same question as the day before, "How are your neighbors where you live now?"

"Oh they are wonderful, so helpful and friendly."

He smiled, shook their hand and said, "That's how people are here."

My neighbors are friendly & helpful, just not SS interested. But most neighborhoods are not, It seems. Just us "here & there" ones. I'm good with it.

New England is different. We are a very independent sort. I went to TN to visit friends and I said to my husband... Um these people are being nice to me for no reason and I don't even know them. This is weird!

The neighbor who helps me butcher is a big hunter. They had a garden ONCE, and while it did very well, they just weren't that 'into' it. Hunting is a family hobby for them and it's not really about SS because there are lots of other ways to procure meat that are a LOT cheaper than hunting!

Yes community is very important. If possible, figure out who would want to garden and help themselves in a SHTF situation. Keep extra garden seed on hand, ya just never know. It would be a lot easier to help someone feed themselves and a few neighbors than trying to feed the whole neighborhood by yourself.

@Mini Horses you have to think about yourself as you get older. When you are no longer able to care for your farm, your DD isn't interested, so then what? If I had to live in an apartment I think I would run away from home.... LOL

@NH Homesteader you experienced friendly people. Southerners are just nice to others, it's considered to be bad manners not to be friendly. Myself, I am friendly like a big wet muddy dog. You know how a dog is glad to see you? And how a big wet dog is purely delighted to see you? Throw in some mud and you have a dog that is your very best friend and can't wait to show you how much he/she is happy to see you and get you wet, muddy and smelly like the dog........ get the picture?

Lol! I like it. See your comment about trying to feed the whole neighborhood by yourself... That's a southern thing. I read that and thought... Who said I have to feed the neigborbood?

How could I be well fed, full and happy when my friends and neighbors are hungry?

I guess the difference is that I don't really know my neighbors. Friends, yes. In fact we have a couple of friends who we know we will depend on and who will depend on us in return if anything ever happens that makes that necessary.