HomesteaderWife
Almost Self-Reliant
- Joined
- Dec 6, 2015
- Messages
- 179
- Reaction score
- 263
- Points
- 187
Well, nice to meet you all firstly! I have a journal over at Backyard Herds but this will be a place to post information more on our self-sufficiency plans and doings. I'll answer some questions as suggested by SS to start! I know it will be long, but I would like to give as much info to be helpful and introduce myself! I also have a lot of folks ask to see photos of our crafts so I will put them in here as we go along.
1.)What state/province/country are you in and what is your climate like?
We are in Alabama, and the climate is usually always hot and humid. Lots of changing weather and usually drought one planting season and flooding the next. A normal Christmas for us means its ALWAYS raining!
2. How many people are in your family? Marital status?
I am happily married, and it's just my husband and I right now!
3. How would you define self sufficiency?
Providing for yourself while living with little to no spending. Also, I think this includes being able to re-purpose and use things in ways most people don't normally think up!
4. What would you do with your spare time if you had any resources you needed?
Hmm...we talk a lot about making our own money with the sawmill and crafts/hides/garden and working from home. That's a big goal.
5. Have you ever built a house , or other types of building? Do you want to?
Yes, a few years back we built our own home with lumber from our sawmill by ourselves. We lost it on New Years 2018 to a fire, so we are now building a log cabin ourselves all over again. It was a great journey, and we are looking ahead with heads held high for this next home to be complete.
6. Can you weld? Steel, aluminum, MiG, TiG, stick, Oxy-Acet?
No but my husband could
7. Who or what inspired you to become more self sufficient?
My grandmother has always been my personal inspiration- though she passed away about 6 years ago. She had a 40+ acre farm and lived well on it. My husband is inspired by his own grandfather- a jack of all trades who lived on very little income all his life.
8 Cloth or paper?
This one confuses me haha?
9. In what ways are you self sufficient now and in what ways would you like to learn more?
We have become self-sufficient by investing in a bandsaw mill (sold my husband classic car for it a few years back....still sad to see that 1969 Chevelle go) and an old 1954 Ford tractor. We were raising ducks and chickens, but we are down to only two hens and a rooster. So we get a few eggs! We also raise heirloom seed crops, and hot-water bath can things like peppers, pickles, and jams. We have a lot of hand tools, not just power tools, can hunt and trap, and I have taught myself to skin hides over the years. We are very good at repurposing and inventing little things here and there.
We'd like to be more sufficient through hunting and gardening, and through eventually raising ducks once again for eggs and getting a few head of cattle for meat/leather/milk (and my dream is to raise a good working ox to snake logs from the woods and plow up the garden). Would love to invest in fruit trees and blueberry bushes in coming years.
10. In what way(s) will you never choose to become self sufficient?
No limit to be honest. We are not squeamish or scared of work.
11. Are you interested in stocking up for future needs?
ALWAYS. I and my husband are preppers by nature.
12. Where do you end up when you sink into yourself, away from the outside world?
I wake up with a cup of coffee and my bible to make the morning right. During the day, at our first cabin, I'd sit in the hammock or on the porch and just watch the sky go by. I like to just walk outside and go into the woods now, but I see myself in a rocking chair one day in the future at our new cabin, looking out at the same pretty sky from the same view. From ashes, a brighter future arises.
13. Can you drive a farm tractor or a semi?
Nope! My husband runs the tractor! But I push a mean lawnmower and can drive a riding John Deere with the best of them! I've mowed many a horse pasture as a young kid on a little garden Deere.
14. Do you make crafts or useful items? Would you want to teach others how to do these?
YES! I LOVE crafting with a passion- I will share some photos later on. I actually have plans to open an Etsy shop here in about a month or so. I would love to teach others about the things I make because when I craft, it is how I glorify God. Some people sing, some people write, but I express my love for the Lord in my art and crafting.
15. Can you have legally livestock where you are at? Do you have any? What kinds?
Yes it is legal out here in this rural area. Right now we just have chickens these days, but we had goats, rabbits, and ducks in the past.
16. Can you operate a lathe? Metal, wood?
Nope!
17. Do you like to garden? If so, what do you enjoy growing?
Oh gosh don't get me started. I have become an OBSESSIVE heirloom corn fanatic. When we were introduced to the concept of heirloom seed saving, it changed the way I garden. Outside of basics- okra, squash, tomatoes, corn, beans, carrots, peppers...we have tried gourds and now are planting Spearmint, melons, and pumpkins. I also have a fascination with Larkspur flowers- I am trying to grow some for the first time this year.
18. Do you fish? Bait or explosives?
What fun is explosive fishing? Patience and silence in the company of God, nature, and your family competing beside you for a bite is the best. My BEST fishing involves a cane or a sturdy branch from the woods, split at the top, with strong line and hook tied on with a grasshopper on the end for bait. I've caught catfish, bream, bass, and a snapping turtle this way. We usually always let them go, though we have kept some catfish to bring home and cook up.
19. How much space/land do you have or rent? City? Country?
We are on family land, with about 30 acres at our disposal but truly maybe 5 where our home is.
20. Are you a Novice, Technician, General, Advanced? ARRL?
What? Haha! I don't work with radios I am afraid.
21. What is your self sufficient specialty? Or what one would you like to learn?
I'm going to say that I'm good at scouting deer/small game/predators. I'm getting pretty well at skinning and tanning. I'd like to be better at that. I really want to train a working ox, and one day have a dog that hunts small game with us.
22. If you could create a degree and curriculum, what would you major in and what classes would you take?
It'd have to be a degree in Outdoor Stewardship, with courses on finding peace in nature, being responsible with your resources, and finding your place in the wild world.
23. Do you do wood work? framing, finish, cabinet?
Pssh, other than my crafts, I can't even build a bird house. I have a horrible time at measurements. My husband helps me build things- from our bed to our table we had. They were simple, but we made them TOGETHER! We'll do it all again soon.
24. Are you interested in herbal medicine?
Yes, I have a few books on the subject. I haven't studied into it much, but it interests me!
25. If you could live any place you chose, where would it be?
We joke a lot about taking off to Alaska, but I am always so cold and we live ALABAMA! So, I love it right here where I hang my hat.
26. Do you use a wood stove for heating or cooking?
We did in our old home. Considering that was part of the accident that caused our loss, we are considering making a large fireplace instead. We still have our very first 100 year old wood stove- it needs some repainting but it always did us well. I made percolator coffee many a time on it, and I've cooked a good country breakfast on those two eyes as well.
27. What would your ideal super hero/villain be?
Not something I have ever thought about. I don't really like the hero/villain concept. I guess I say that Jesus Christ is the true hero for us all, and Satan is the obvious villain of the world. I believe people should remain humble, not try to be a hero. The humble do good deeds without expecting notice.
28. Are your family or friends also interested in self sufficiency?
HAH! No! My husband and I are pretty much it, though my mother-in-law bless her loves to keep a garden and she hangs clothes on a Summer country line with the best of them.
29. Do you like to cook? Are you interested in whole foods and natural foods? raw milk? farm fresh eggs?
I am a novice cook I would say. I'm better going to a cookbook than a "Pinterest recipe" and I am honestly better at baking than cooking. However, I'd love to make my own butter and I loved my Grandma's fresh goat's milk as a kid. Most children these days sneer at the thought of goat's milk fresh from the pail but it's something I did enjoy. She always kept a few gallons in the fridge. I am a BIG believer in farm eggs because of my Grandma too- I won many a state fair baking with her eggs. I believe they are richer and healthier for us all, and I will NEVER bake with anything other than them if I have chickens or ducks.
30. What was your MOS?
I have not served, but my husband was in Marine Corps. I will leave his military occupation private, and just acknowledge he is a veteran. I respect his service more than I can express.
31. Do you forage or hunt for part of your food needs?
I enjoy foraging for wild berries and fruit when I can. Not much around where we are. We hunt some small game, and have plans for at least one deer a year to sustain us in the freezer. Turkey are a rare sight, but I would love to see one a year too.
32. What skills do you have that help you be more self sufficient?
The skill in mind to see things for more than they are. I see pine sap like glue, sinew like sticky twine, a branch for a fishing pole, and such. I can find a use for pretty much everything. I also believe skinning is a big help- it's provided income and personal use.
33. In which fictional universe would you most like to live?
None. I love the world I am in, I just wish people were more kind and respectful.
34. Do you have solar panels? Plans to use solar energy?
Well, we had it planned. We had large marine batteries and a converter before we lost our home. We were saving to get solar panels. I believe that will be the plan again.
35 What is the mass/weight ratio of a European swallow carrying a coconut from the tropics to England?
Okay this is a weird one. I can't answer this- but I can answer questions about the meaning of chicken vocalizations and how to train them to load into a pet carrier by themselves.
36. Have you ever lived completely off grid? Would you like to?
Hasn't happened yet but it will one day
37. In what do you trust?
God and my husband
38. Do you make things yourself to save money?
Sometimes, within my limits, yes
39. Has trying to be more self-sufficient changed your attitude or habits about money/spending?
It's been a humbling journey. In the words of Philippians 4:12 NLT -
"I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little."
1.)What state/province/country are you in and what is your climate like?
We are in Alabama, and the climate is usually always hot and humid. Lots of changing weather and usually drought one planting season and flooding the next. A normal Christmas for us means its ALWAYS raining!
2. How many people are in your family? Marital status?
I am happily married, and it's just my husband and I right now!
3. How would you define self sufficiency?
Providing for yourself while living with little to no spending. Also, I think this includes being able to re-purpose and use things in ways most people don't normally think up!
4. What would you do with your spare time if you had any resources you needed?
Hmm...we talk a lot about making our own money with the sawmill and crafts/hides/garden and working from home. That's a big goal.
5. Have you ever built a house , or other types of building? Do you want to?
Yes, a few years back we built our own home with lumber from our sawmill by ourselves. We lost it on New Years 2018 to a fire, so we are now building a log cabin ourselves all over again. It was a great journey, and we are looking ahead with heads held high for this next home to be complete.
6. Can you weld? Steel, aluminum, MiG, TiG, stick, Oxy-Acet?
No but my husband could
7. Who or what inspired you to become more self sufficient?
My grandmother has always been my personal inspiration- though she passed away about 6 years ago. She had a 40+ acre farm and lived well on it. My husband is inspired by his own grandfather- a jack of all trades who lived on very little income all his life.
8 Cloth or paper?
This one confuses me haha?
9. In what ways are you self sufficient now and in what ways would you like to learn more?
We have become self-sufficient by investing in a bandsaw mill (sold my husband classic car for it a few years back....still sad to see that 1969 Chevelle go) and an old 1954 Ford tractor. We were raising ducks and chickens, but we are down to only two hens and a rooster. So we get a few eggs! We also raise heirloom seed crops, and hot-water bath can things like peppers, pickles, and jams. We have a lot of hand tools, not just power tools, can hunt and trap, and I have taught myself to skin hides over the years. We are very good at repurposing and inventing little things here and there.
We'd like to be more sufficient through hunting and gardening, and through eventually raising ducks once again for eggs and getting a few head of cattle for meat/leather/milk (and my dream is to raise a good working ox to snake logs from the woods and plow up the garden). Would love to invest in fruit trees and blueberry bushes in coming years.
10. In what way(s) will you never choose to become self sufficient?
No limit to be honest. We are not squeamish or scared of work.
11. Are you interested in stocking up for future needs?
ALWAYS. I and my husband are preppers by nature.
12. Where do you end up when you sink into yourself, away from the outside world?
I wake up with a cup of coffee and my bible to make the morning right. During the day, at our first cabin, I'd sit in the hammock or on the porch and just watch the sky go by. I like to just walk outside and go into the woods now, but I see myself in a rocking chair one day in the future at our new cabin, looking out at the same pretty sky from the same view. From ashes, a brighter future arises.
13. Can you drive a farm tractor or a semi?
Nope! My husband runs the tractor! But I push a mean lawnmower and can drive a riding John Deere with the best of them! I've mowed many a horse pasture as a young kid on a little garden Deere.
14. Do you make crafts or useful items? Would you want to teach others how to do these?
YES! I LOVE crafting with a passion- I will share some photos later on. I actually have plans to open an Etsy shop here in about a month or so. I would love to teach others about the things I make because when I craft, it is how I glorify God. Some people sing, some people write, but I express my love for the Lord in my art and crafting.
15. Can you have legally livestock where you are at? Do you have any? What kinds?
Yes it is legal out here in this rural area. Right now we just have chickens these days, but we had goats, rabbits, and ducks in the past.
16. Can you operate a lathe? Metal, wood?
Nope!
17. Do you like to garden? If so, what do you enjoy growing?
Oh gosh don't get me started. I have become an OBSESSIVE heirloom corn fanatic. When we were introduced to the concept of heirloom seed saving, it changed the way I garden. Outside of basics- okra, squash, tomatoes, corn, beans, carrots, peppers...we have tried gourds and now are planting Spearmint, melons, and pumpkins. I also have a fascination with Larkspur flowers- I am trying to grow some for the first time this year.
18. Do you fish? Bait or explosives?
What fun is explosive fishing? Patience and silence in the company of God, nature, and your family competing beside you for a bite is the best. My BEST fishing involves a cane or a sturdy branch from the woods, split at the top, with strong line and hook tied on with a grasshopper on the end for bait. I've caught catfish, bream, bass, and a snapping turtle this way. We usually always let them go, though we have kept some catfish to bring home and cook up.
19. How much space/land do you have or rent? City? Country?
We are on family land, with about 30 acres at our disposal but truly maybe 5 where our home is.
20. Are you a Novice, Technician, General, Advanced? ARRL?
What? Haha! I don't work with radios I am afraid.
21. What is your self sufficient specialty? Or what one would you like to learn?
I'm going to say that I'm good at scouting deer/small game/predators. I'm getting pretty well at skinning and tanning. I'd like to be better at that. I really want to train a working ox, and one day have a dog that hunts small game with us.
22. If you could create a degree and curriculum, what would you major in and what classes would you take?
It'd have to be a degree in Outdoor Stewardship, with courses on finding peace in nature, being responsible with your resources, and finding your place in the wild world.
23. Do you do wood work? framing, finish, cabinet?
Pssh, other than my crafts, I can't even build a bird house. I have a horrible time at measurements. My husband helps me build things- from our bed to our table we had. They were simple, but we made them TOGETHER! We'll do it all again soon.
24. Are you interested in herbal medicine?
Yes, I have a few books on the subject. I haven't studied into it much, but it interests me!
25. If you could live any place you chose, where would it be?
We joke a lot about taking off to Alaska, but I am always so cold and we live ALABAMA! So, I love it right here where I hang my hat.
26. Do you use a wood stove for heating or cooking?
We did in our old home. Considering that was part of the accident that caused our loss, we are considering making a large fireplace instead. We still have our very first 100 year old wood stove- it needs some repainting but it always did us well. I made percolator coffee many a time on it, and I've cooked a good country breakfast on those two eyes as well.
27. What would your ideal super hero/villain be?
Not something I have ever thought about. I don't really like the hero/villain concept. I guess I say that Jesus Christ is the true hero for us all, and Satan is the obvious villain of the world. I believe people should remain humble, not try to be a hero. The humble do good deeds without expecting notice.
28. Are your family or friends also interested in self sufficiency?
HAH! No! My husband and I are pretty much it, though my mother-in-law bless her loves to keep a garden and she hangs clothes on a Summer country line with the best of them.
29. Do you like to cook? Are you interested in whole foods and natural foods? raw milk? farm fresh eggs?
I am a novice cook I would say. I'm better going to a cookbook than a "Pinterest recipe" and I am honestly better at baking than cooking. However, I'd love to make my own butter and I loved my Grandma's fresh goat's milk as a kid. Most children these days sneer at the thought of goat's milk fresh from the pail but it's something I did enjoy. She always kept a few gallons in the fridge. I am a BIG believer in farm eggs because of my Grandma too- I won many a state fair baking with her eggs. I believe they are richer and healthier for us all, and I will NEVER bake with anything other than them if I have chickens or ducks.
30. What was your MOS?
I have not served, but my husband was in Marine Corps. I will leave his military occupation private, and just acknowledge he is a veteran. I respect his service more than I can express.
31. Do you forage or hunt for part of your food needs?
I enjoy foraging for wild berries and fruit when I can. Not much around where we are. We hunt some small game, and have plans for at least one deer a year to sustain us in the freezer. Turkey are a rare sight, but I would love to see one a year too.
32. What skills do you have that help you be more self sufficient?
The skill in mind to see things for more than they are. I see pine sap like glue, sinew like sticky twine, a branch for a fishing pole, and such. I can find a use for pretty much everything. I also believe skinning is a big help- it's provided income and personal use.
33. In which fictional universe would you most like to live?
None. I love the world I am in, I just wish people were more kind and respectful.
34. Do you have solar panels? Plans to use solar energy?
Well, we had it planned. We had large marine batteries and a converter before we lost our home. We were saving to get solar panels. I believe that will be the plan again.
35 What is the mass/weight ratio of a European swallow carrying a coconut from the tropics to England?
Okay this is a weird one. I can't answer this- but I can answer questions about the meaning of chicken vocalizations and how to train them to load into a pet carrier by themselves.
36. Have you ever lived completely off grid? Would you like to?
Hasn't happened yet but it will one day
37. In what do you trust?
God and my husband
38. Do you make things yourself to save money?
Sometimes, within my limits, yes
39. Has trying to be more self-sufficient changed your attitude or habits about money/spending?
It's been a humbling journey. In the words of Philippians 4:12 NLT -
"I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little."
Last edited:
