My own 10 questions for you

[miss_thenorth]

1) How long have you been interested in self suffiency?

Since I was a kid, I used to day dream about living like they did on Little House on the Prairie. Then I got married, had a kid, down to one income, so I looked for ways to live on less. Hubby took on hunting, I took on making things from scratch. It snowballed from there. We moved up north, and had a cottage that was off grid, no plumbing or running wate. We loved it. We started wild foraging. And started researching self sustainability. Then we moved back to SW Ontario, but moved into a city. I hsated it, and bugged so much hubby bought me a farmette. I keep learning new things and taking on more projects as time goes by

2) Does your family think you're nuts or are they as crazy as you are?
My family somewhat embraces it, my mom says se sees so much of her father in me. He was a farmer who loved his animals, and gardened, and did things by hand (ie, scything entire wheat fields (0ne thing I have yet to do)) My mom is not so crazy about us drinking raw milk, and my sis and her kids think I am from another planet My inlaws and sil are supportive
3) What is the climate like where you live?
SW Ontario--winters get to about -15C, somtimes colder, not alot of snow, summers hot an humid normally, going up to 28 C. clay soil, really strong winds, which I like in the summer, not so much in the winter
4) Have you ever had a pedicure?
When I lived in the city, one of my neighbours was appalled thta I had never had a mani/pedi before, so she treated me to one. glad it was her money. I do paint my toenails in the summer though, but polish neve stays on my finger nails longer than a day, cuz I work with my hands
5 Do you prefer cake or pie?
pie hands down, Infact, we don't have birthday cake around here, we have birthday pie.
6) What book (if any) made you cry?
I wouldn't be able to name any, in fact when I go to the library, I often get books I think sound good, only to find out I have read them before. translates to--I don't remember the names of many books I have read
7) What city would you love to see someday?
[bI hate cities, and dread having to go to any of them. I am happiest right here on my farm, I don;'t like to travel][/b]
8) What are you most excited about growing?
Rightnow I love raising my chickens, and I have new baby ducklings. I hope to get a pig soon, if we can get an area set up for them, but I have been saying that for three years. I think I may have hubby worn down now, I think he will build me a pig pen this year
9) Do you believe in God?
Absolutely. He is the reason for my life
10) What's the best thing you've learned in your adventure of simpler living?
Hmmmm.... thats a pondering question, and I had to think about it a bit. I love to make things from scratch--real homecooking. I love thast I can nourish my family with healthy foods, I love that my hubby and children appreciate all my efforts to provide for them as best I can. I love that my kids know where their food comes from, and enjoy the whole process, from the baby chickies and ducklings to a good meal on the table. I love tht they make good choices based on what they have learned from me. I love that they have developed a good work ethic, and are not lazy kids who sit on their butts playing video games. I love that my kids love living our life. I love that living this way has made me, and my family closer to God, since He is th One who provided all this for us. I love that we are aclose family and I still have teenagers who respect and enjoy being with their parents. So I guess the best thing I have learned is that this lifestyle makes strong and loving families

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[justusnak]

I really enjoyed reading the answers to the questionnaire, but it left me wanting more. So, in no particular order, I have my own questions for y'all

1) How long have you been interested in self suffiency?
Since we bought our farm, 6 years ago.

2) Does your family think you're nuts or are they as crazy as you are?
All my family thinks we are nuts. " Why work so hard when you can just buy it?"
3) What is the climate like where you live?
We have 4 seasons...sorta. LOL
4) Have you ever had a pedicure?
Nope, Don't want anyone messing with my feet!
5 Do you prefer cake or pie?
Ohhh, PIE!!!!
6) What book (if any) made you cry?
None that I can think of.
7) What city would you love to see someday?
Sidney, Australia
8) What are you most excited about growing?
This year...sweet potato's..my first time trying.
9) Do you believe in God?
Absolutely yes!
10) What's the best thing you've learned in your adventure of simpler living?
You can not beat Mother Nature, you have to learn to adapt and overcome.

 

[Farmfresh]

Great new list! Here it goes...

1) How long have you been interested in self suffiency?
I started growing my own gardens and raising chickens when I was about 8 years old. The SS idea really kicked in when I first got married and we moved into our first apartment. I have been "homesteading" in the city for about 30 years now.

2) Does your family think you're nuts or are they as crazy as you are?
My whole family is/was crazy. I am more productive with my weirdness however. I choose to live my life happy and as close to the Earth as possible.

3) What is the climate like where you live?
I live in the midwest. Extremes all around. HOT and humid in the summers - cold, icy, windy and damp in the winters. We are blessed with great soil where I live. The result of living in an ancient alluvial basin. a deep rich loam in most areas where commercial farming hasn't spoiled it.

4) Have you ever had a pedicure?
One time. I actually won a makeover! The kids in my middle school class nominated me. It did not stick.

5 Do you prefer cake or pie?
I would have to say cake, but it has to be gluten free.

6) What book (if any) made you cry?
I usually don't read sad books.

7) What city would you love to see someday?
Reykjavik, Iceland What a fascinating and wonderful country!

8) What are you most excited about growing?
Currently - artichokes! I have never attempted them before.

9) Do you believe in God?
Yes, I am a Christian.

10) What's the best thing you've learned in your adventure of simpler living?
To "Stop Dreaming About the Good Life and Start Living IT!" I used to think I needed a house, some land, some money, some skills ....etc. One day I just took that first step and I have been happily marching forward since then!

 

[Wifezilla]

i should get a real job so we arent so poor that we have to eat a turkey from our yard (that still slays me)

It slays us too!!!

I usually don't read sad books.

Neither do I, that is why The Rescue took me by surprise. I chewed out the girl who picked it for our boobkclub for making me cry

 

[rebecca100]

My turn!!!!


1) How long have you been interested in self suffiency?
I have been drawn to it as long as I can remember. I grew up poor, with an occasional garden and a couple of farm animals, but really not enough to learn about farming or ss. I am now learning by trial and error and LOTS of reading.
2) Does your family think you're nuts or are they as crazy as you are?
My excuse is DH knew how I was when he met me........ Fortuanately he is mostly all for it if for nothing else because he knows it makes me happy and I'm a lot easier to get along with when I am happy.
3) What is the climate like where you live? Cold usually not in the negitives, but can get there, in the winter Beautiful spring and fall Hot humid summer
4) Have you ever had a pedicure?
Never, dont want one either.
5 Do you prefer cake or pie?
Not picky
6) What book (if any) made you cry?
Several made me cry, but the one that suprised me was the last book of the Narnia series The Last Song I cried my heart out and I absolutely refused to read The Notebook
7) What city would you love to see someday?
I would be quite content to never have to enter into a big city in my life. People give me headaches and make me nervous. Now as for country to see....I would love to someday see Australia.
8) What are you most excited about growing?
Everything!!!!!!
9) Do you believe in God?
Absolutely positively without a doubt!
10) What's the best thing you've learned in your adventure of simpler living?
Learn from your mistakes and failures and try not to repeat them and most of all DONT GIVE UP even when you feel like crying.(you know like when the goats get loose and eat your entire garden that you worked so hard to plant, because you forgot to plug the fence charger back in)

 

[BeccaOH]

1) How long have you been interested in self sufficiency?
I grew up on a small farm, but mostly became interested in SS living around 2007.

2) Does your family think you're nuts or are they as crazy as you are?
Yes, they think I try to do too much and tie myself down with animals and such. They think why bother when there are stores and that I should buy organic if I'm so worried about food sources.

3) What is the climate like where you live?
4 Distinct seasons (most years). Some lows as bad as -20 or more and some highs up to 100. Too much humidity.

4) Have you ever had a pedicure?
No, but I've had a manicure.

5 Do you prefer cake or pie?
Pie, but I love all desserts.

6) What book (if any) made you cry?
I've read so many that it is hard to recall exactly. I tend to remember the movies that made me sob more than the books.

7) What city would you love to see someday?
Athens, Greece - I'm a history buff.

8) What are you most excited about growing?
I love getting my okra in the ground every year. Can't get much of the fresh stuff around these parts. But I'm driven to get an asparagus bed going - if I can decide where will be safe from poultry and lawn mowers. Oh, and I want a Pawpaw tree.

9) Do you believe in God?
Yes and His Son.

10) What's the best thing you've learned in your adventure of simpler living?
Simpler isn't easier. Also, that I can't do everything. It takes a family unit working together to really do enough to make a dent in self-sufficiency. I'm running virtually solo here. If I didn't work a 40+ week for someone else, I might be farther ahead - but without money. :/

 

[Icu4dzs]

1) How long have you been interested in self suffiency?Since I got home from Viet Nam and realized that the stories my parents told me about "The Great Depression" could actually happen again in my lifetime
2) Does your family think you're nuts or are they as crazy as you are? Well, DW decided NOT to move to SD with me almost 5 years ago. She still thinks I am off my rocker. We still communicate but "it's too far from Walmart" out here on the high prairie
3) What is the climate like where you live? We have two seasons here...4th of July and Winter
4) Have you ever had a pedicure?Are you serious?
5 Do you prefer cake or pie? YES!!!
6) What book (if any) made you cry?Revelation according to St. John
7) What city would you love to see someday?Heaven
8) What are you most excited about growing? 1. Everything I can, including livestock, vegetables and the wild things that grow in my environment that other folks won't eat cause they don't know what they are. 2. Can't tell you till it becomes legal
9) Do you believe in God? Without a doubt. Yes, I believe in G*d!
10) What's the best thing you've learned in your adventure of simpler living? 1. That the only thing to fear on this earth is people who won't work for their living and are willing to take it from others. 2. My food and my survival can come from my own farm and my own effort

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Ok, I'll play...


1) How long have you been interested in self suffiency?
Tough to answer, because there are some aspects (like canning and sewing) that I've been interested in FOREVER, but actually putting self sustaining practices to use - 3 years.

2) Does your family think you're nuts or are they as crazy as you are?
Neither, they think we're being practical and preparing ourselves for any type of "just in case" scenarios. And most of them are more country than we are.


3) What is the climate like where you live?
4 Seasons - and don't try raising pigs with 6 ft of snow out there!

4) Have you ever had a pedicure?
Nope, and not planning on it ever.

5 Do you prefer cake or pie?
PIE!

6) What book (if any) made you cry?
Heaven is For Real and the book of Matthew from the Bible

7) What city would you love to see someday?
Florence, Italy - if we're going crazy here, but would be satisfied to see any part of Florida just once...

8) What are you most excited about growing?
This precious little girl I'm carrying (hey, i think that counts!)

9) Do you believe in God?
Absolutely

10) What's the best thing you've learned in your adventure of simpler living?
That just because you have the space to raise a little of everything, doesn't mean you have to raise a little of everything. That, and that simpler living can be very addicting....

 

[sparks]

1) It used to be necessity, now it is a pleasure!

2) They think I am very clever and thrifty

3) Zone 4...4 very distinct seasons

4) yes

5) pie

6) Too many to name

7) Dublin

8) Fruits

9) I believe in Mother Earth

10) I love be able to serve anything I have grown to my family

 

[savingdogs]

Okay, here goes with mine.

1) How long have you been interested in self suffiency? I followed my hubby down this path, this was always his passion. But I read the Little House series to my daughter while in my twenties and became fascinated with farms/rural life/the country, reading the Clan of the Cave Bear series over and over made me think about how to do things the simple and ancient ways, but it took another 20 years before we actually got our property and change the way we live. I came here to this forum to learn.

2) Does your family think you're nuts or are they as crazy as you are? They this we are normal for us. We are not like them though.

3) What is the climate like where you live? Rainy! I live in the Pacific Northwest on the top of a cascade mountain very close to Mt. Saint Helens. We are not rain forest technically but for all practical purposes, imagine that. We do get snow in the winter, hot in the summer, and four distinct seasons. Overall, our weather extremes are mild but we don't get much sunshine.

4) Have you ever had a pedicure? nah, I don't spend money like that. gambling, fake nails, fancy clothes, just don't do it for me

5 Do you prefer cake or pie? Can I have a small slice of each?

6) What book (if any) made you cry? Gosh, you can count on me to cry whenever the story is sad. "Bones Would Rain from The Sky" would apply if you want an example.

7) What city would you love to see someday? Well I was trying to think of a city that truly intrigues me, because I mostly would rather see countrysides, but after reading ICU4dz put HEAVEN, well, that answer is the best answer possible.

8) What are you most excited about growing? My children and grandchildren. My list of dogs I have fostered that would have died at the humane society without me. My own cheese and goat milk soap.

9) Do you believe in God? Of course.

10) What's the best thing you've learned in your adventure of simpler living?
Financially, how to make my own laundry soap and homemade pizza dough in my breadmaker.
Recreationally, how fun baby animals are, especially goats!
Health-wise, how much we prefer foods we make and/or grow at home.
And practically, how smart it is to have a few chickens and a little patch of ground for a garden.

That was mine! :bun