treerooted
Almost Self-Reliant
To be fair I hate answering the phone and knocks on the door too...
What was the deciding factor(s) to become SS?
- Thread starter CrealCritter
- Start date
milkmansdaughter
Super Self-Sufficient
Great thread!
I grew up in northeastern Wisconsin on 3 acres in the country, a mile across the field from my dad's parents. We had a house and three acres connected to a farm owned by family friends. Lots and lots of farmland all around us. Most of the farms were small dairy farms (most with 50 cows or less.)
My mom knew nothing about farming, little about canning, gardening, or country life in general. But my dad's parents were farmers, and grandpa was also the first milkman in the area. They had 15 kids (grandma had 4 sets of twins!). Grandma always had a huge garden, and canned everything. She made her own bread, and meat came from the farm (very much like Bee described). When my dad and his brother came home after WWII they bought the family farm and the milk route and grandma and grandpa retired to a new house built on part of their land. My uncle had spent the entire war in the Pacific theater, and one Wisconsin winter was all it took for him to sell his share and leave Wisconsin for good to live in California. So dad and my uncle sold the farm to a cousin, and dad kept the milk route. He'd go from one small farm to the next and pick up the milk, and then bring it to the plant to be processed into milk, cheese, butter, ice cream, etc... The property we lived on had a big barn, several outbuildings, a silo, and acres and acres and acres of land to explore. I grew up helping on area farms, bailing hay for cash or meals, and riding all over the area in that milk truck. I'm one of 8.
When we were kids, we'd take care of our lawn and garden, and then go help grandma with hers. (Grandpa died when I was 8). We always brought extras to neighbors or mom or grandma canned it. Over the years we had rabbits, chickens, pigs, dogs, a goat... We all worked for cash and had a "pickle patch" we were responsible for to make money. We'd bring them to a very tiny canning factory. We babysat, baled hay, worked on farms, worked on the milk route.. when I was around 6, dad and mom and two other couples (both related to dad) bought a cabin together in northern Wisconsin. This was heated by wood only although it did have electricity. We had an outhouse that was used most if the time. We spent a lot of time up at the "cabin" fishing, swimming, and enjoying a simpler life in the woods on a small lake. I spent as much time outside as possible, and the cabin especially became myall-time favorite spot.
When we got married, my husband and I were both in the military. 30 years later, with 4 kids almost all out of the house (the last with major medical issues), many many moves, separations, and my husband's multiple deployments, we wanted a place of our own. He wanted a shop and area to do woodworking and wanted to raise bees. And he wanted to be away from people and the ability to make his own choices. And I wanted some of what I had growing up: TIME spent together, good food, our own berries, food, nuts, and meat. Most of all I wanted a place of our own to call home. A place where grandkids can come year after year, and their growth is measured on a post. Where the work is harder at times, but it's shared by family. Where the days aren't measured by someone else's time clock and wallet. Sooo here we are... Not self sufficient, (totally relying on God's grace!) but we could be quite independent if needed...
I grew up in northeastern Wisconsin on 3 acres in the country, a mile across the field from my dad's parents. We had a house and three acres connected to a farm owned by family friends. Lots and lots of farmland all around us. Most of the farms were small dairy farms (most with 50 cows or less.)
My mom knew nothing about farming, little about canning, gardening, or country life in general. But my dad's parents were farmers, and grandpa was also the first milkman in the area. They had 15 kids (grandma had 4 sets of twins!). Grandma always had a huge garden, and canned everything. She made her own bread, and meat came from the farm (very much like Bee described). When my dad and his brother came home after WWII they bought the family farm and the milk route and grandma and grandpa retired to a new house built on part of their land. My uncle had spent the entire war in the Pacific theater, and one Wisconsin winter was all it took for him to sell his share and leave Wisconsin for good to live in California. So dad and my uncle sold the farm to a cousin, and dad kept the milk route. He'd go from one small farm to the next and pick up the milk, and then bring it to the plant to be processed into milk, cheese, butter, ice cream, etc... The property we lived on had a big barn, several outbuildings, a silo, and acres and acres and acres of land to explore. I grew up helping on area farms, bailing hay for cash or meals, and riding all over the area in that milk truck. I'm one of 8.
When we were kids, we'd take care of our lawn and garden, and then go help grandma with hers. (Grandpa died when I was 8). We always brought extras to neighbors or mom or grandma canned it. Over the years we had rabbits, chickens, pigs, dogs, a goat... We all worked for cash and had a "pickle patch" we were responsible for to make money. We'd bring them to a very tiny canning factory. We babysat, baled hay, worked on farms, worked on the milk route.. when I was around 6, dad and mom and two other couples (both related to dad) bought a cabin together in northern Wisconsin. This was heated by wood only although it did have electricity. We had an outhouse that was used most if the time. We spent a lot of time up at the "cabin" fishing, swimming, and enjoying a simpler life in the woods on a small lake. I spent as much time outside as possible, and the cabin especially became myall-time favorite spot.
When we got married, my husband and I were both in the military. 30 years later, with 4 kids almost all out of the house (the last with major medical issues), many many moves, separations, and my husband's multiple deployments, we wanted a place of our own. He wanted a shop and area to do woodworking and wanted to raise bees. And he wanted to be away from people and the ability to make his own choices. And I wanted some of what I had growing up: TIME spent together, good food, our own berries, food, nuts, and meat. Most of all I wanted a place of our own to call home. A place where grandkids can come year after year, and their growth is measured on a post. Where the work is harder at times, but it's shared by family. Where the days aren't measured by someone else's time clock and wallet. Sooo here we are... Not self sufficient, (totally relying on God's grace!) but we could be quite independent if needed...
sumi
Rest in Peace 1980-2020
I love reading everyone's stories! Thank you all for sharing them. Me, as long as I could remember I wanted to live on a farm, grow vegetables and keep animals. I was obsessed, growing a few veggies in the back garden, or wherever I could, growing up in a nice neighbourhood in the middle of a big town, while longing to be out there… I got a weekend job in my teens, helping out on a dairy farm, milking cows, taking care of calfs. To this day the smell of cow manure makes me smile! I lived for those weekends.
Years later I met my (now ex) husband and went to stay with him on his small farm. I had a huge garden, pigs, sheep and lots of chickens. He had some cows, but we didn't milk them, or do anything with them really. I learned to grow different things, some butchering skills, a lot about chickens, baking bread and cooking jams and a little canning…
Fast forward to where I am now, back in a village, I've been blessed with a big backyard where I can grow stuff and keep my chickens, but my dream is to be back on a farm again sooner rather than later and to keep animals again.
Years later I met my (now ex) husband and went to stay with him on his small farm. I had a huge garden, pigs, sheep and lots of chickens. He had some cows, but we didn't milk them, or do anything with them really. I learned to grow different things, some butchering skills, a lot about chickens, baking bread and cooking jams and a little canning…
Fast forward to where I am now, back in a village, I've been blessed with a big backyard where I can grow stuff and keep my chickens, but my dream is to be back on a farm again sooner rather than later and to keep animals again.
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CrealCritter
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I was born in between a hill and a holler <--- seriously I was and with no birth certificate either. When I got old enough to work and pay taxes @ the ripe old age of 12 - it was a pain in the behind getting a social security card. But i have a birth certificate now.
baymule
Sustainability Master
@Chic Rustler just do what you can from where you are now. You'd be surprised what a difference it makes in your life. For 30+ years we lived on a small city lot in the middle of town. I hated it, but gardened in beds in the front yard and built a chicken coop in the back yard. I did what I could from where I was. Now we are out in the country on 8 acres and I'm having the time of my life!
treerooted
Almost Self-Reliant
I really liked that @Beekissed , you certainly had a less-then-average childhood which I'm sure a couple paragraphs don't quite do it justice. Would love to have you around my place to show me the ropes !
!
Beekissed
Mountain Sage
You'd be surprised how quickly you get used to it and then, when all is quiet inside and out, how quickly you grow to love it. The first thing I notice when the power goes out here is the blessed quiet of the fridge not running.
Though often inconvenient to not have a phone, oh, the peace of never hearing that jarring sound in the home, that rude summons. To this day I HATE answering a phone and a knock on the door....when we lived off grid and back a holler where few could travel, we never had a knock on the door. We could hear any arrivals for some time before they arrived and were waiting to greet them.
A person soon gets used to that particular luxury~peace and quiet.
Though often inconvenient to not have a phone, oh, the peace of never hearing that jarring sound in the home, that rude summons. To this day I HATE answering a phone and a knock on the door....when we lived off grid and back a holler where few could travel, we never had a knock on the door. We could hear any arrivals for some time before they arrived and were waiting to greet them.
A person soon gets used to that particular luxury~peace and quiet.
Beekissed
Mountain Sage
I agree with this! Grow where you are planted. Don't wait until you can "do it right" in some far planned future on some other piece of land. Start practicing homesteading skills now in whatever way you can so you'll be prepared to hit the ground running when you finally get to where you were planning on going. Don't wait until the hard times hit to live like it already has....when it actually does is no time to establish a learning curve.
I once did a butchering tutorial for a woman and her husband, city folks who had bought a farm, and encouraged them to watch, then do one for themselves as I watched and talked them through it. The husband did so, then left for work(he is a lawyer) and I asked the wife if she was going to do the next one. She said that her husband would be doing all the killing of animals on the farm, so she didn't feel like she needed to practice it.
I asked her, "If he dies tonight, will you keep this farm and go through with your plan to become more self sustaining?" She replied that she would. So I handed her the knife and told her she might as well learn how to do this now. And she did. Now she knows and it's not just from watching or reading about it, but that she has the fortitude to kill something, gut it out and piece it up for food.
NH Homesteader
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Currently reading this book- "Big Chicken" by Maryn McKenna. So amazing, it's about antibiotics in meat, mostly chicken and the history of how chicken became what it is today in our food system. It is definitely a good reminder of why I don't eat store bought meat!!
