westtxamber
Power Conserver
1. What state/province/country are you in and what is your climate like?
Texas - semi arid
2. How many people are in your family? Marital status?
I live with my boyfriend.
3. How would you define self sufficiency?
The ability to live your life without the need or requirement of help from any person. Really I think this applies to different aspects, not just living "off the grid" per say, but including emotionally being independent.
4. What would you do with your spare time if you had any resources you needed?
Work on becoming more SS, like getting solar panels or a wind turbine. I have become very focused on wanting to give my boyfriend what he wants, myself what I want, which is to live a simple life off the grid, sustaining ourselves as much as possible.
5. Have you ever built a house , or other types of building? Do you want to?
I would love to, never have. I will be building a coop very soon though, and I'll post pics when I do.
6. Can you weld? Steel, aluminum, MiG, TiG, stick, Oxy-Acet?
OMG I welded back in high school lol but not since. We welded some sort of nails together to make art, I made a man sitting in the thinking pose as a book end. lulz oh the memories are flooding back
7. Who or what inspired you to become more self sufficient?
Oh gosh, I've wanted to have what I call "the simple life" since I was very young. I grew up moving alot, city to city (long story) and I've always wanted to just settle down on my own land, raising and growing what I need, and not have to worry about working all the time and needing money all the time. Too much stress!
8 Cloth or paper?
Um...? Not sure I get the question...lol
9. In what ways are you self sufficient now and in what ways would you like to learn more?
Right now, I'm not SS at all. I depend on too much. I want to learn everything you guys can pack in my brain.
10. In what way(s) will you never choose to become self sufficient?
Oh I don't see me giving up the internet lol but everything else is game.
11. Are you interested in stocking up for future needs?
Somewhat. I am not panicking that the world is going to end, and please guys really no offense intended. However, I know times can be hard, their hard now, but I want to do everything I can to prepare for more hard times.
12. Where do you end up when you sink into yourself, away from the outside world?
Asleep.
13. Can you drive a farm tractor or a semi?
No, 'fraid not.
14. Do you make crafts or useful items? Would you want to teach others how to do these?
I can sew, a little. I can crochet pretty well, though I can't read a pattern. I'm useful in the kitchen, my boyfriend says I'm a pretty good cook.
15. Can you have legally livestock where you are at? Do you have any? What kinds?
Yes I can, and I have 3 baby chicks, a smart little production red named Luci (of course!) and Ethel my super sweet little golden wyandotte, and then Keekee (my boyfriend picked this one's name, which is a big deal because he wasn't at all excited about getting them) who is a barred plymouth rock and her personality is somewhat laid back and she's pretty perceptive, seems to follow Luci's lead.
16. Can you operate a lathe? Metal, wood?
No
17. Do you like to garden? If so, what do you enjoy growing?
One summer I helped a foster family with tomatoes, and in 2 weeks I'll be putting in my first garden. For starters and seeds I have potatoes, onions, green beans, lettuce, beets, banana peppers, bell peppers, carrots...I think that's it. lol
18. Do you fish? Bait or explosives?
Oh boy, fishing...I am an excellent fishing pole holder! lol I don't enjoy baiting with live bait, I can cast alright, but usually someone takes over when it comes time to reeling it in and of course I don't like the idea of cleaning it to eat, I will eat it though.
19. How much space/land do you have or rent? City? Country?
I live on the edge of town on a spot that has 4 lots. Quite a few neighbors have chickens, goats, sheep, and horses so we fit right in.
20. Are you a Novice, Technician, General, Advanced? ARRL?
Uhhh...
21. What is your self sufficient specialty? Or what one would you like to learn?
Nothing and everything. I'm new to actually researching and trying to do things to make me more SS. Right now I'm interested in learning everything I can about how to raise chickens.
22. If you could create a degree and curriculum, what would you major in and what classes would you take?
What?
23. Do you do wood work? framing, finish, cabinet?
I can hammer a nail.
24. Are you interested in herbal medicine?
Yes, I'd like to add herbs to my garden and learn which ones will help with what.
25. If you could live any place you chose, where would it be?
I'm happy with where I'm at, the area, but I'd love to live a little further out of town on some acreage.
26. Do you use a wood stove for heating or cooking?
No,
right now I have an electric stove.
27. What would your ideal super hero/villain be?
I think Captain Planet's pretty cool
28. Are your family or friends also interested in self sufficiency?
My boyfriend is.
29. Do you like to cook? Are you interested in whole foods and natural foods? raw milk? farm fresh eggs?
Yes, yes, yes, and yes! If I could talk my boyfriend into getting a cow to go with my chickens I certainly would.
30. What was your MOS?
MOS???
31. Do you forage or hunt for part of your food needs?
No, though I have a friend that's going to loan me a book that has a lot of hunting info and survival info...eager to read that.
32. What skills do you have that help you be more self sufficient?
I'm learning.
33. In which fictional universe would you most like to live?
One of my own creation, where I have the simple life with my boyfriend, family and friends. A world that isn't centered around money and greed, where you help your neighbor, not creep up on his dumpster late at night and fill it completely full D:<
34. Do you have solar panels? Plans to use solar energy?
If we can get our own land we'd like to build a SS home to include solar power
35 What is the mass/weight ratio of a European swallow carrying a coconut from the tropics to England?
Huh?!?
36. Have you ever lived completely off grid? Would you like to?
Ah, the simple life.
37. In what do you trust?
Is this a religious question? lol I do believe in God
38. Do you make things yourself to save money?
Absolutely!
39. Has trying to be more self-sufficient changed your attitude or habits about money/spending?
For sure. I feel the need to spend on things to make me more SS, because to me that holds more value than money itself.
Texas - semi arid
2. How many people are in your family? Marital status?
I live with my boyfriend.
3. How would you define self sufficiency?
The ability to live your life without the need or requirement of help from any person. Really I think this applies to different aspects, not just living "off the grid" per say, but including emotionally being independent.
4. What would you do with your spare time if you had any resources you needed?
Work on becoming more SS, like getting solar panels or a wind turbine. I have become very focused on wanting to give my boyfriend what he wants, myself what I want, which is to live a simple life off the grid, sustaining ourselves as much as possible.
5. Have you ever built a house , or other types of building? Do you want to?
I would love to, never have. I will be building a coop very soon though, and I'll post pics when I do.
6. Can you weld? Steel, aluminum, MiG, TiG, stick, Oxy-Acet?
OMG I welded back in high school lol but not since. We welded some sort of nails together to make art, I made a man sitting in the thinking pose as a book end. lulz oh the memories are flooding back
7. Who or what inspired you to become more self sufficient?
Oh gosh, I've wanted to have what I call "the simple life" since I was very young. I grew up moving alot, city to city (long story) and I've always wanted to just settle down on my own land, raising and growing what I need, and not have to worry about working all the time and needing money all the time. Too much stress!
8 Cloth or paper?
Um...? Not sure I get the question...lol
9. In what ways are you self sufficient now and in what ways would you like to learn more?
Right now, I'm not SS at all. I depend on too much. I want to learn everything you guys can pack in my brain.
10. In what way(s) will you never choose to become self sufficient?
Oh I don't see me giving up the internet lol but everything else is game.
11. Are you interested in stocking up for future needs?
Somewhat. I am not panicking that the world is going to end, and please guys really no offense intended. However, I know times can be hard, their hard now, but I want to do everything I can to prepare for more hard times.
12. Where do you end up when you sink into yourself, away from the outside world?
Asleep.
13. Can you drive a farm tractor or a semi?
No, 'fraid not.
14. Do you make crafts or useful items? Would you want to teach others how to do these?
I can sew, a little. I can crochet pretty well, though I can't read a pattern. I'm useful in the kitchen, my boyfriend says I'm a pretty good cook.
15. Can you have legally livestock where you are at? Do you have any? What kinds?
Yes I can, and I have 3 baby chicks, a smart little production red named Luci (of course!) and Ethel my super sweet little golden wyandotte, and then Keekee (my boyfriend picked this one's name, which is a big deal because he wasn't at all excited about getting them
) who is a barred plymouth rock and her personality is somewhat laid back and she's pretty perceptive, seems to follow Luci's lead. 16. Can you operate a lathe? Metal, wood?
No
17. Do you like to garden? If so, what do you enjoy growing?
One summer I helped a foster family with tomatoes, and in 2 weeks I'll be putting in my first garden. For starters and seeds I have potatoes, onions, green beans, lettuce, beets, banana peppers, bell peppers, carrots...I think that's it. lol
18. Do you fish? Bait or explosives?
Oh boy, fishing...I am an excellent fishing pole holder! lol I don't enjoy baiting with live bait, I can cast alright, but usually someone takes over when it comes time to reeling it in and of course I don't like the idea of cleaning it to eat, I will eat it though.
19. How much space/land do you have or rent? City? Country?
I live on the edge of town on a spot that has 4 lots. Quite a few neighbors have chickens, goats, sheep, and horses so we fit right in.
20. Are you a Novice, Technician, General, Advanced? ARRL?
Uhhh...
21. What is your self sufficient specialty? Or what one would you like to learn?
Nothing and everything. I'm new to actually researching and trying to do things to make me more SS. Right now I'm interested in learning everything I can about how to raise chickens.
22. If you could create a degree and curriculum, what would you major in and what classes would you take?
What?
23. Do you do wood work? framing, finish, cabinet?
I can hammer a nail.
24. Are you interested in herbal medicine?
Yes, I'd like to add herbs to my garden and learn which ones will help with what.
25. If you could live any place you chose, where would it be?
I'm happy with where I'm at, the area, but I'd love to live a little further out of town on some acreage.
26. Do you use a wood stove for heating or cooking?
No,
right now I have an electric stove.27. What would your ideal super hero/villain be?
I think Captain Planet's pretty cool
28. Are your family or friends also interested in self sufficiency?
My boyfriend is.
29. Do you like to cook? Are you interested in whole foods and natural foods? raw milk? farm fresh eggs?
Yes, yes, yes, and yes! If I could talk my boyfriend into getting a cow to go with my chickens I certainly would.
30. What was your MOS?
MOS???
31. Do you forage or hunt for part of your food needs?
No, though I have a friend that's going to loan me a book that has a lot of hunting info and survival info...eager to read that.
32. What skills do you have that help you be more self sufficient?
I'm learning.
33. In which fictional universe would you most like to live?
One of my own creation, where I have the simple life with my boyfriend, family and friends. A world that isn't centered around money and greed, where you help your neighbor, not creep up on his dumpster late at night and fill it completely full D:<
34. Do you have solar panels? Plans to use solar energy?
If we can get our own land we'd like to build a SS home to include solar power
35 What is the mass/weight ratio of a European swallow carrying a coconut from the tropics to England?
Huh?!?
36. Have you ever lived completely off grid? Would you like to?
Ah, the simple life.
37. In what do you trust?
Is this a religious question? lol I do believe in God
38. Do you make things yourself to save money?
Absolutely!
39. Has trying to be more self-sufficient changed your attitude or habits about money/spending?
For sure. I feel the need to spend on things to make me more SS, because to me that holds more value than money itself.
