Thread: Homesteading / Sustainable Living

I always watch Alaska the last frontier, about homesteaders in Alaska.
Interesting program and very inspirational to watch them trying to build a life way out there... while sitting in my sofa, with central heating on, and a glass of something 100 proof in my hand.

I could see myself being a blacksmith in a small to medium sized community. But the whole 'living off the land' thing is not me
Lots of respect for those who do.

Who's up for for turning this into a homesteading and self-sufficiency thread? Maybe we could do a simple yea or nay response, then tally at this time tomorrow.

My wife informed me there is a fourth R, Repair. I had not thought about it. I would have lumped it under reuse or recycle but it makes sense.

Yea !!!

I would be up to exchange ideas and projects

Originally Posted by Leatherstockiings

Who's up for for turning this into a homesteading and self-sufficiency thread? Maybe we could do a simple yea or nay response, then tally at this time tomorrow.

Aye

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Okay...................Is my message long enough now?

Originally Posted by Leatherstockiings

One thing I have been working on is buying less coffee at work three times a week at $3 a cup and consuming less soda.

Get yourself an Aeropress ($30) to brew excellent coffee along with a hand-grinder if you really appreciate fresh taste. Orphan Espresso is a great vendor for hand grinders if you are interested in one. LIDO E-T

Originally Posted by Leatherstockiings

Something I saw on social media paralleled a theme I have been reviewing recently: how can I reduce consumerism in my life and become a producer, becoming more self-reliant? The first thing that comes to mind is practicing or doing better at the three "R"s-Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. I already do well okay some of these. For example, we have a recycling bin and have the city just added glass recycling, so we bought the special bin for that. We also compost kitchen scraps that eventually are used in the garden or flower beds. I also walk to work 90% of the time and eat lunch at home.

One thing I have been working on is buying less coffee at work three times a week at $3 a cup and consuming less soda. New endeavors are to produce enough food in the garden to have enough surplus to preserve and to actually teach myself some woodworking and actually make something.

Does anybody else have any desire or plans to become more self-sufficient in the coming year?

Here is the social media post I referenced at the start.
Attachment 254876

I relate to this post immensely. The last several years of my life have seen me working very hard to reduce my consumerism. Growing up in the post-Industrial Revolution world. I think one of the most profound things that has occurred to me is that you actually can make so many of the things that we just buy in stores today. And with a little bit of practice, you can make them well. That knowledge along with a contempt for planned obsolescence is making me more self-reliant every single day, and I don't think that's a bad thing.

aye...............

Back in my younger days I was heavily into cave exploring and several times a year we would head down to West Virginia around Greenbrier County and we would spend time looking for new caves. This meant going way back in the hills and we would commonly come upon a clearing with a shack and some outhouses and it was usually a family living totally off the grid. Though very clannish we spent quite some time with them as they knew who we were mostly from our dress and the gear we carried though we were now and then greeted with a shotgun. Some very good folk up there.

Amazing how they were able to make anything they needed and deal with just about any emergency that came up. Most rarely came into town, mostly once a year for barter or sell some produce and buy the few things they couldn't make (mostly handtools, kerosene and such) and the few luxuries (to them) they had.

Most would be surprised how many there are like that scattered around the country. I've run into them in these parts.

I say yea

And yes there are many more people out there living totally off grid than most would think