Since it looks like I'm gonna be sticking around....

Blaundee

Power Conserver
Joined
Nov 9, 2012
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236
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Location
New Mexico
1. What state/province/country are you in and what is your climate like? NM/USA, very arid 9% humidity over 7000' above sea level"high desert" We have a lot of pine and pinon trees, sagebrush, and only get grass if it snows enough (and it snows a LOT... our town holds the record for 3rd lowest winter temp in the lower 49 states) I swear every year that I'm moving to Florida... but never will lol I will probably die here like the last several generations of my family.

2. How many people are in your family? Marital status? married Just me & hubby, but we have a very large extended family.

3. How would you define self sufficiency? Not needing anything from the store or government, only needing to do some business with your neighbors if you feel like it, being able to live a good, well fed, happy life even if hubby had no job.

4. What would you do with your spare time if you had any resources you needed? I dont have "spare time" hahaha

5. Have you ever built a house , or other types of building? Do you want to? No house, lots of other buildings, and yes, we want to build a house.

6. Can you weld? Steel, aluminum, MiG, TiG, stick, Oxy-Acet?No, but Dad and hubby can :)

7. Who or what inspired you to become more self sufficient? Were we live and how we were raised, and now watching our govenment make bad decision after bad decision.

8 Cloth or paper? Both- depends on what you're cleaning up!!! LOL

9. In what ways are you self sufficient now and in what ways would you like to learn more? We are ABLE to be completely self sufficient, but currently are not because we like convenience- but have most of the skill and stuff that we'd need.

10. In what way(s) will you never choose to become self sufficient? I love love love electricity.... washer, dryer, microwave, TV! lol But I have been and could be again completely happy without them.

11. Are you interested in stocking up for future needs? Yup. Already do. Of course, living so far away from the city, I already live like that lol

12. Where do you end up when you sink into yourself, away from the outside world? Asleep hahaha

13. Can you drive a farm tractor or a semi? Never tried driving a semi.... tractor, yes.

14. Do you make crafts or useful items? Would you want to teach others how to do these? Yes, I handspin wool and crochet, and make other things as well. When I was a kid, we made many of our birthday and Christmas gifts for each other. I teach what I know to anyone who wants to know :)

15. Can you have legally livestock where you are at? Do you have any? What kinds? Yes, yes, and LOTS... chickens, ducks, horses, sheep- Mom has goats and geese as well- neighbors have llamas. We have had cattle, been there done that lol Wild Turkeys, deer, and elk fill our freeser well enough each fall.

16. Can you operate a lathe? Metal, wood? Never tried. Hubby does.

17. Do you like to garden? If so, what do you enjoy growing? yes. I love to grow tomatoes, since they are my fave, and green beans and peas are fun to eat as you pick them lol I am happy to grow anything that will grow here, our growing season is very short- last frost is Jun 10, first frost Oct 10, and if it's that long, we're lucky.

18. Do you fish? Bait or explosives? Fly fish sometimes- fishing isn't my cup of tes. hubby LOVES fishing, as do Dad and Bro. I dont even like to eat fish.... gag. But better than starving hahaha

19. How much space/land do you have or rent? City? Country? live on in laws ranch, 2 miles from my parents ranch.

20. Are you a Novice, Technician, General, Advanced? ARRL? I dont know what that means

21. What is your self sufficient specialty? Or what one would you like to learn? I dont know that I have a "specialty", we all learn everything we can about everything... but I'd guess my specialty would be the medic? Everyone teasingly calls me "doc", and I am alwasy the first one called when something medical is going on with an animal or human. I was a CNA for many years, and a Dental Aide too, and have studied animal health since I was very young (as well as having many years of practical experience).

22. If you could create a degree and curriculum, what would you major in and what classes would you take? I would love to be a doctor, but live so far from town and have many things tying me down (happily).

23. Do you do wood work? framing, finish, cabinet? No.

24. Are you interested in herbal medicine? Yes, very much so. I've learned a lot from my mother, and have a new friend who is teaching me herbal uses, plus I read a LOT.

25. If you could live any place you chose, where would it be? Here. I complain when it's 20 below, but I won't move.

26. Do you use a wood stove for heating or cooking? For heating. I would love to have one for cooking. I have used one before, and have used Dutch Ovens too- I love it.

27. What would your ideal super hero/villain be? Always has been the Lone Ranger.

28. Are your family or friends also interested in self sufficiency? Yes, there's a whole group of us :) - we were all raised that way!!!

29. Do you like to cook? Are you interested in whole foods and natural foods? raw milk? farm fresh eggs? I LOVE cooking, and am very good at it. I raise my own chickens for eggs. Yes, raw milk from our own animals, and yes, whole/natural foods.

30. What was your MOS? I dont know what that is.

31. Do you forage or hunt for part of your food needs? Hunt, fish.

32. What skills do you have that help you be more self sufficient? Between the bunch of us, the only area we are not covered is emergency medical attention- but we are used to living without that anyway, because we are so far out from the city.

33. In which fictional universe would you most like to live? None, I'm happy with reality lol

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? As if I care! I'm FAR more concerned with HOW MUCH WOOD CAN A WOODCHUCK CHUCK????

36. Have you ever lived completely off grid? Would you like to? Yes. No. But am willing to if need be, and will be perfectly happy about it.

37. In what do you trust? God, and Him alone.

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? Not really- I was raised this way! lol Make what you can, grow what you can, and earn the money to get those that you can't make/grow. Don't expect someone else to provide for you, you get what you earn. There is NO shame in hard work!
 

Wannabefree

Little Miss Sunshine
Joined
Sep 27, 2010
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Nice beginning :) Welcome to the wonderful world of journalling :woot
 

Icu4dzs

Super Self-Sufficient
Joined
May 7, 2010
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Don't know that I ever saw this before but I am delighted to get to know you better here. You wrote some things recently that I really enjoyed. I am so glad folks like you are here...
Thanks and :welcome despite the fact that I missed the opportunity to say so earlier...:hide
 
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