looking for SS help

[Beekissed]

Another thing to remember......an SSer is only as wealthy as his junk pile/farm dump. Stacked neatly or thrown into a corner of your yard....either way you slice it, scavenged and hoarded wood, tin, fencing, old glass, etc. comes in handy in more ways than you will ever imagine!

Dumpster diving, yard saling, mooching for unwanted items all qualify as the start of successful SS building blocks.

 

[redhen]

How do you raise catfish in a barrel?

 

[dancingbear]

Wow, I remember being in just your position. Sometimes I still feel like I am.

Ok, Reader's Digest condensed version of my short list of advice:

If you want to build your own wind/solar system, start collecting bits now. Designate a storage area for them. You can start really small, and build on it. It took me about 15 years to convince DH of that, so we're just getting started on that, now. He kept thinking how much a big system costs all at once. The only big thing we need to get is a higher capacity inverter, all the rest we can cobble together as we can afford it. After a few years, we'll have a pretty good system accumulated.

Start building compost piles, and raised beds for gardening, now. Even if you only have kitchen scraps for the moment. Chances to score truckloads of poop will occur. Nice to have a place to put it.

You can always start small. Easier to learn with 6 hens than 100. Small starts let you get your feet wet without a huge investment. Then if something doesn't pan out, you haven't lost a lot on it.

Remember that the public library is your friend. You can often get a book you lust after there, and if they don't have it at your local branch, they can often get it for you on inter-library loan. That lets you sample books before you decide which ones you need on hand as a permanent reference. Then if book prices seem too high, post on forums asking if anybody knows a cheaper source. This can find you some great bargains, and sometimes net you the book you want for the cost of postage.

Likewise for other costly items. Sometimes you'll find ideas for using salvaged materials that will save you a ton of money. Ask questions, about anything.

Don't try to do too many things at once. That can lead to feeling totally overwhelmed and keep you from getting anything done. Bet you can guess how I know that.

Good luck, be persistent, and you can do this.

 

[noobiechickenlady]

Dancing bear!
That is really good advice! And thanks Bee, I'm not so self conscious about my junk pile anymore. Although I would still like to have it a little better hidden

k0xxx, I'm dropping you an email, too. That sounds interesting!

 

[PamsPride]

Meanwhile.....NEVER throw away a good glass jar or bottle with a tight-fitting lid! Take them from all your friends, too!

You'll understand why soon enough.....

That is where I am right NOW!!!! I can't seem to have enough!!

I am putting dehydrated veggies, and dried soup mixes in them for my DH's lunch!

 

[rebecca100]

Thanks everyone. We used to have the best scavenger pile around, but after we lost our house in the tornado we had a lot of it picked up, but we saved the good stuff, until it started disappearing on its own. We had hand winches, a cast iron stove and some other things come up missing. Makes me so mad. This week I am getting the stuff for the raised beds, because gardening is no. 1 on the list. I want to start the catfish too, but I am not sure how they will do over the winter because I don't think they can reach eating size before it sets in. we will have about four months of mostly above freezing temps before it gets bad around here. Oh! and I just got a dehydrator yeasterday!!!! Yea!!!!!

 

[Beekissed]

So THAT's where they get that expression---like shooting fish in a barrel! Hmmmmm....maybe early settlers who raised fish in a barrel were conflicted on how best to dispatch them? :/

I'm curious too! Never heard of raising catfish in a barrel......

 

[big brown horse]

So THAT's where they get that expression---like shooting fish in a barrel! Hmmmmm....maybe early settlers who raised fish in a barrel were conflicted on how best to dispatch them? :/

I'm curious too! Never heard of raising catfish in a barrel......

I know right? Sounds as easy as raising chickens doesn't it? I wonder if it has to be catfish and catfish alone?

 

[k0xxx]

How do you raise catfish in a barrel?

The basic idea is to raise about 40 catfish in a 55 gallon drum by adding a small air pump. You flush about 15 gallons of water off the drum each day, and use the drainage to water/fertilize plants. Feeding the fish can be as simple as raising worms.

I have a copy of this file and one on using an above ground pool to do basically the same thing. I'd be happy to send both to anyone interested.

 

[dancingbear]

Oh yeah, unless you have a fairly sure market for them, or livestock to feed them to, you'll probably never need more than 1 each, of the following plants: zucchini, cucumbers, summer squash of any kind.

I picked enough squash and cucumbers yesterday to fill both sides of my kitchen sink. I have 2 hills of squash, and ONE cucumber plant. Fortunately, I have both chickens and pigs to eat the surplus.

If you have way too many squash, cukes, or zukes, be prepared for your friends and neighbors to begin hiding when they see you coming. If they garden, they'll no doubt have excess of their own!

Chickens and pigs don't like raw squash. But I found I could (in the evening, before I go to bed) fill a big enamel pot with chopped up yellow crookneck, put a little water in the bottom, maybe an inch or so, and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 450F, put a lid on the pot, stick it in the oven, turn the oven OFF, and go to bed. In the morning, the squash will have cooked enough that the birds and pigs will munch it right down.

I don't own a microwave, we tossed ours out, years ago. I found the quality of our meals improved without it.

Pigs and chickens both like cukes, too, but you don't have to cook those!