Starting over!

[RedneckCowgirl]

1. What state/province/country are you in and what is your climate like? Washington state. We have fairly mild summers and 9 months of rain!
2. How many people are in your family? Marital status? Single, Just me, my two dogs and my cat.
3. How would you define self sufficiency? Not having to depend on anyone else to survive
4. What would you do with your spare time if you had any resources you needed? Depends
5. Have you ever built a house , or other types of building? Do you want to? I haven't, but it is a possibility in the future
6. Can you weld? Steel, aluminum, MiG, TiG, stick, Oxy-Acet? No
7. Who or what inspired you to become more self sufficient? Nothing really, I just was driving to work one day and thought "There has to be more to life then this!" then that night started doing some research
8 Cloth or paper? Again, depends
9. In what ways are you self sufficient now and in what ways would you like to learn more? I'm not. Currently I am 100% reliant on the gov/my family to have shelter/food/etc. I am very recently employed (orientation tomorrow! ) and currently living with my mom
10. In what way(s) will you never choose to become self sufficient? Well, I'd like to stick to using medical professionals for things like dental work, surgeries, stuff like that
11. Are you interested in stocking up for future needs? Eventually, if everything goes as planned
12. Where do you end up when you sink into yourself, away from the outside world? Dang, these are some deep questions! I tend to be very positive on the outside, most people see me as a very strong (and strong willed) woman, but when I sit down and start to reflect on everything I get doubtful. So I just try not to do that too much!
13. Can you drive a farm tractor or a semi? Farm tractor, yes. Semi, no, but could probably figure it out if the situation called for it.
14. Do you make crafts or useful items? Would you want to teach others how to do these? I know how to make a few different random, but useful items. If someone asked I'd teach them.
15. Can you have legally livestock where you are at? Do you have any? What kinds? Yes we can. I have plans for chickens, meat rabbits, dual purpose goats, pigs and cows
16. Can you operate a lathe? Metal, wood? what's a lathe?
17. Do you like to garden? If so, what do you enjoy growing? I love to garden. Anything and everything!
18. Do you fish? Bait or explosives? I have, but never seem to catch more then weeds and sticks!
19. How much space/land do you have or rent? City? Country? The plan is to buy 10ish acres, and live in a tent till I can get something more permanent made.
20. Are you a Novice, Technician, General, Advanced? ARRL? I have no clue... lol
21. What is your self sufficient specialty? Or what one would you like to learn? Animal husbandry
22. If you could create a degree and curriculum, what would you major in and what classes would you take? I plan on becoming either a high school English teacher or Agri-science teacher
23. Do you do wood work? framing, finish, cabinet? I took a shop class in high school
24. Are you interested in herbal medicine? I am. Currently doing tons of research on herbal meds for dogs/cats, hoping to learn a bit for humans as well!
25. If you could live any place you chose, where would it be? In the area I am now. Its gorgeous and green, valleys of pasture land, tree covered hills, its wonderful!
26. Do you use a wood stove for heating or cooking? I will be, yes
27. What would your ideal super hero/villain be? I'm not sure
28. Are your family or friends also interested in self sufficiency? No. They think I'm certifiably crazy for wanting to "live back in time", but my momma did teach me how to can
29. Do you like to cook? Are you interested in whole foods and natural foods? raw milk? farm fresh eggs? I enjoy cooking sometimes. I miss having fresh eggs (we used to have a rather large flock growing up) and I think having dairy animals will be quite the learning experience!
30. What was your MOS? Whats that?
31. Do you forage or hunt for part of your food needs? I have hunted, both duck and deer, in the past. Plans to start up again in 2013
32. What skills do you have that help you be more self sufficient? I'm adaptable, a quick learner, hard worker and I don't give up!
33. In which fictional universe would you most like to live? The one from The Hunger Games book, preferably AFTER they ruled for no more hunger games
34. Do you have solar panels? Plans to use solar energy? Hopefully!
35 What is the mass/weight ratio of a European swallow carrying a coconut from the tropics to England?
36. Have you ever lived completely off grid? Would you like to? That is my hope!
37. In what do you trust? God
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? Definitly, and it was much needed!



So I've been more of a lurker, but some recent changes in my life (that I'll talk about in a second) came as quite the wake up call to really get serious about it! I'm 20 years old, living with my mom currently. I have 3 fur children, two dogs and a cat, that I became homeless for for about 3 weeks. I left were I was staying because of emotional abuse from a roommate, and while I had a few options to go, no where would take my animals. So my mom finally convinced her landlord to allow me and the animals to stay temporarily.

The plan:

To buy some acreage, with or without a building, cheap cheap cheap, set up the property while I live there (either in building provided or a tent) all while saving as much as possible till I can build a small farmhouse. Hoping to use solar panels and other forms of energy to be 100% off grid. I absolutely need to produce enough energy to run a couple large chest freezers no matter what happens. Other then that I could care less if I have power or not! lol Well, I look forward to getting to know everyone here better, so hello everyone!!

 

[Denim Deb]

I'll be following your journey! Sounds like a good plan.

 

[Bettacreek]

I wish you luck with everything! I'm interested to see how your journey goes!

 

[Maschil]

1. What state/province/country are you in and what is your climate like? Washington state. We have fairly mild summers and 9 months of rain!
2. How many people are in your family? Marital status? Single, Just me, my two dogs and my cat.
3. How would you define self sufficiency? Not having to depend on anyone else to survive
4. What would you do with your spare time if you had any resources you needed? Depends
5. Have you ever built a house , or other types of building? Do you want to? I haven't, but it is a possibility in the future
6. Can you weld? Steel, aluminum, MiG, TiG, stick, Oxy-Acet? No
7. Who or what inspired you to become more self sufficient? Nothing really, I just was driving to work one day and thought "There has to be more to life then this!" then that night started doing some research
8 Cloth or paper? Again, depends
9. In what ways are you self sufficient now and in what ways would you like to learn more? I'm not. Currently I am 100% reliant on the gov/my family to have shelter/food/etc. I am very recently employed (orientation tomorrow! ) and currently living with my mom
10. In what way(s) will you never choose to become self sufficient? Well, I'd like to stick to using medical professionals for things like dental work, surgeries, stuff like that
11. Are you interested in stocking up for future needs? Eventually, if everything goes as planned
12. Where do you end up when you sink into yourself, away from the outside world? Dang, these are some deep questions! I tend to be very positive on the outside, most people see me as a very strong (and strong willed) woman, but when I sit down and start to reflect on everything I get doubtful. So I just try not to do that too much!
13. Can you drive a farm tractor or a semi? Farm tractor, yes. Semi, no, but could probably figure it out if the situation called for it.
14. Do you make crafts or useful items? Would you want to teach others how to do these? I know how to make a few different random, but useful items. If someone asked I'd teach them.
15. Can you have legally livestock where you are at? Do you have any? What kinds? Yes we can. I have plans for chickens, meat rabbits, dual purpose goats, pigs and cows
16. Can you operate a lathe? Metal, wood? what's a lathe?
17. Do you like to garden? If so, what do you enjoy growing? I love to garden. Anything and everything!
18. Do you fish? Bait or explosives? I have, but never seem to catch more then weeds and sticks!
19. How much space/land do you have or rent? City? Country? The plan is to buy 10ish acres, and live in a tent till I can get something more permanent made.
20. Are you a Novice, Technician, General, Advanced? ARRL? I have no clue... lol
21. What is your self sufficient specialty? Or what one would you like to learn? Animal husbandry
22. If you could create a degree and curriculum, what would you major in and what classes would you take? I plan on becoming either a high school English teacher or Agri-science teacher
23. Do you do wood work? framing, finish, cabinet? I took a shop class in high school
24. Are you interested in herbal medicine? I am. Currently doing tons of research on herbal meds for dogs/cats, hoping to learn a bit for humans as well!
25. If you could live any place you chose, where would it be? In the area I am now. Its gorgeous and green, valleys of pasture land, tree covered hills, its wonderful!
26. Do you use a wood stove for heating or cooking? I will be, yes
27. What would your ideal super hero/villain be? I'm not sure
28. Are your family or friends also interested in self sufficiency? No. They think I'm certifiably crazy for wanting to "live back in time", but my momma did teach me how to can
29. Do you like to cook? Are you interested in whole foods and natural foods? raw milk? farm fresh eggs? I enjoy cooking sometimes. I miss having fresh eggs (we used to have a rather large flock growing up) and I think having dairy animals will be quite the learning experience!
30. What was your MOS? Whats that?
31. Do you forage or hunt for part of your food needs? I have hunted, both duck and deer, in the past. Plans to start up again in 2013
32. What skills do you have that help you be more self sufficient? I'm adaptable, a quick learner, hard worker and I don't give up!
33. In which fictional universe would you most like to live? The one from The Hunger Games book, preferably AFTER they ruled for no more hunger games
34. Do you have solar panels? Plans to use solar energy? Hopefully!
35 What is the mass/weight ratio of a European swallow carrying a coconut from the tropics to England?
36. Have you ever lived completely off grid? Would you like to? That is my hope!
37. In what do you trust? God
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? Definitly, and it was much needed!



So I've been more of a lurker, but some recent changes in my life (that I'll talk about in a second) came as quite the wake up call to really get serious about it! I'm 20 years old, living with my mom currently. I have 3 fur children, two dogs and a cat, that I became homeless for for about 3 weeks. I left were I was staying because of emotional abuse from a roommate, and while I had a few options to go, no where would take my animals. So my mom finally convinced her landlord to allow me and the animals to stay temporarily.

The plan:

To buy some acreage, with or without a building, cheap cheap cheap, set up the property while I live there (either in building provided or a tent) all while saving as much as possible till I can build a small farmhouse. Hoping to use solar panels and other forms of energy to be 100% off grid. I absolutely need to produce enough energy to run a couple large chest freezers no matter what happens. Other then that I could care less if I have power or not! lol Well, I look forward to getting to know everyone here better, so hello everyone!!

I WILL Be following your story as well. Keep in touch!!!

 

[RedneckCowgirl]

Thanks everyone! My first day of work was great, the people are very friendly and there are some perks to working at an indoor waterpark! (like a certain number of free passes a year and discounted rooms for fam/friends) I go back Friday (which is a Friday the 13th, for those who didn't know ) and I am SO excited to be working days again. For about a month I had a temp job working nights, and my schedule was sooo off, still is a little bit. I used to be a super early riser (up with the sun, down with the sun lol) but now I can't seem to get up earlier then 8am. I'm working on it though it's harder then I remember to get my body back on schedule! After work I did a little dog training and went on a short walk. I am currently considered "morbidly obese" by those bmi charts, so trying to lose 100 pounds before buying/moving onto the homestead. It was just shocking to hear those words come out of the Dr's mouth. Morbidly obese... Its not like I didn't know that I was bigger then I should be, but I've always been able to hold my own athletically so I didn't think it was that bad. I can run for almost two miles before I get winded, can unload a ton of hay by myself in about 15 minutes. Ah well, it will probably make all those things so much easier without this big belly in my way! lol

 

[Denim Deb]

Those BMI charts are, IMO, a joke. I used to be considered obese by one, and I wore a size 8! (I'm 5'4 1/2", and did not look fat in the least.) But, according to others, I was in a normal range. A better indication of health is fitness. It sounds to me like your more fit than many others who are much thinner.

 

[RedneckCowgirl]

Yea I think from what I've read that they are pretty inaccurate, but it probably won't hurt to lose a few pounds either


Since I'm planning on living in a tent (hopefully one like this this if I can get one on sale) with no electricity for a bit I started to compile a list of things I needed to have to move onto the homestead as soon as I buy property (foods/cookware, blankets, dog stuff) and another list of things that can come as I get the money for them. I'm so excited! Every time it gets brought up my mom asks me why I want to live like that, and how hard its going to be. But it will definitely be worth it!

 

[~gd]

Have you ever considered working as a hired hand on a farm? where I am [central NC] the young folks are leaving the farms very rapidly [mostly old tobacco farms but also a few dairy] because the money just isn't there to be made now that the Feds no longer regulate the tobacco growers. Used to be that you could earn a decent living off a small [10 acres] plot of ground, old tobacco took a lot of labor so plots were small and the regulations said you needed a government allotment to sell your product and the allotment was tied to what was produced there before. Now there are expensive machines and systems to replace most of the labor and tobacco is coming in by the ship load from south america.
Sorry I tend to ramble. Anyways there are lots of farms that have found nitch markets [fancy baby veggies, micro greens odd crops that chefs like to use to make their food different, Fresh eggs, chicken, duck, quail, flowers of all kinds etc.] With the kids gone the old folks might be stuck with a big old farm house or even houses that were built for the kids when they married. Face it the old folk need help even if it is only a few hours a week. My neighbor has had a string of college students he provides housing and the students do what he is no longer able to do, after school or on weekends. Rambling again but have you ever looked into something like that? ~gd

 

[hqueen13]

I agree with Deb that the BMI thing is bogus. The BMI charts say that I'm underweight, and I can't do a lick about it. It is what it is for me, and I'm healthy, and strong for my size.
You might want to look up Mark's Daily Apple blog for some info about eating healthy. www.marksdailyapple.com In my opinion it fits right in with farm living and growing/raising your own foods, and I have not come across anything that logically makes more sense than his concept of The Primal Blueprint.

Best of luck on your journey! There are LOTS of smart people here, I'm sure you'll be able to get lots of help and ideas!

 

[RedneckCowgirl]

Rambling again but have you ever looked into something like that? ~gd

Sort of. I have worked at various horse farms cleaning stalls/training/feeding and even had a temporary job managing a horse breeding operation. But it seems like I spend more money getting to and from every farm job I've looked into then what I would be making.