SS Living Survival Guide, the ins and outs, do's and don't do's....

[modern_pioneer]

I want to put together a thread that gives different aspects as well as life issues that you have faced, and others might face.

I would like this to be a thread of learning as well as teaching, and perhaps helping each other move forward with what might seem to hard, and just needed a little help or a little offered help. What seems little to you or me, might be a monster to some one else, hence now this thread.

I often make meals, its part of my job as a family unit, however I learned that mixing corn starch with cold water is better than mixing it with warm water when making gravy.

On advice from my uncle, I decided a five year plan to be more SS is better than jumping in with both feet all at once.

What he failed to tell me was that for every year gone, I would find new goals and the years would just keep on, keeping on... LOL....

 

[Wildsky]

Good thread, I look forward to reading what others say.

Our biggest issue when we moved from the city to the middle of nowhere was not being able to buy groceries everyday or when we ran out of something.
It sounds silly, but we really had to learn to buy all the things we needed for the month on one or two trips to the grocery store. It did take us a while, till I figured out I needed to PLAN meals in advance, and had to know what I would need.

It does get easier, for us we have much more in the cupboards now, and don't need to buy such a lot at one time!

Its not even Self sufficient really, not like we were planning a garden, but for us city knuckleheads, it was a big step!

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Going to add a "do":

Do your research before started a new project. Know the ups and downs of that project, BEFORE you jump in and start it. You'll save a lot of time and money.

A couple of examples: If you are going to start a small orchard. Know how many different trees of a certain species you need, know what time of year they need to be pruned, know how much sunlight they need, know what there soil requiremets are, research which ones do best in your area and know how to identify and treat pests and diseases. Trees and shrubs are an investment, an average price for a small fruit tree is $20, consider the time it takes for them to grow and produce fruit. It's much more worth it, to spend the time researching and do it right the first time. Instead of only doing a little bit of research, spending a couple of hundred dollars on trees only to set them up for failure later and having to replace them.

I think this is what the thread is meant for. LOL

 

[FarmerChick]

Know your environment. Know what produce and animals do well in your area. Do not get "exotic" anything that requires tons of work to thrive or just get by.

Live in your community. Search out local items for basic survival.

 

[noobiechickenlady]

I'll amen that! And add a point: Once you've done your research, and gone by the book for a while, don't be afraid to step outside those guidelines (within reason!) and try something totally off the wall. Once you know the parts of the instructions that are absolutely needed (as I learned via soap, the measurements have to be spot-on precise), you can play with the rest.

This is going to be a good thread

 

[pioneergirl]

I must chime in on the research portion. DH and I poor over the Readers Digest Back to Basics book each night. Discussing, planning etc.

One thing that is helping me on my journey is to keep a notebook (in my case, 3 haha) with ideas, lists, and other things. I have an ongoing list of tools I might need, and add to it if something comes to mind. I've also been researching livestock, and looking at the American Livestock Breeds Conservetory to find the heartier breeds. I make lists with pros and cons of everything. Yeah, I'm anal. On our land search, we have criteria, but we also look around at what others in the area are doing. As was said before, don't go exotic if you're land or resources (even climate) can't support it.

I'm sure as we all go along, we will be adding loads to this thread...great idea!!

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

great thread! i'll throw out a couple:

* be fearless - the biggest regrets i have had were listening to the nay-sayers who said it couldnt be done.... i shoulda just gone for it. research done, of course, but at some point you need to march out there and do it.
* dont listen to those nay-sayers
*mentor someone younger - think of everyone who helped you, then pass it on
* all critters appreciate warm water on cold mornings
* never turn your back on an intact male anything - including that rooster, that gander, and especially that stupid tom turkey who hates you.
* be the boss goat
* put your feed and livestock equipment where you can get to it easily
* visit other people's farms and see how they do things - learn everything you can
* make friends. you never know who you can help - or who can help you
* the best investment you'll ever make is a passel of barncats. fix 'em, flea 'em, and keep their shots current.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Try to revolve all your projects around conveniance, durability, and longevity.

While it may be nice to snatch up recycled items and throw up a quick chicken coop, you will do yourself a huge favor by doing it right the first time. Too many times have I seen people throw together pens and buildings that have little functionality than simply keeping the chickens in.

For example: While visiting a fellow chicken keeper I couldn't help but think they had shot themselves in the foot. They had built a poultry pen that was 4 feet tall about 12 feet long and about 5 feet wide. The door of this structure was on the 5 foot wide side. Then the pen was divided into smaller pens(about 5 sub pens) and the only way to get to the rest of the pens were holes from cage to cage, the 'holes/doors' were only 2 feet wide and 3 feet high. So, every day to change water and to feed their animals, they would climb through this jungle gym. Had this been my setup, I would never have birds!

On the other hand, an older friend of mine, who's kept chickens for over 35 years has a BEAUTIFUL setup. I model my future setup after hers. She has a large metal carport style building. She has an aisle, and then either side of the isle is fenced into a row of pens. She has a fullsized popdoor on every pen. The floor of the barn has been elevated to drain water and prevent flooding. Instead of conventional waters, she has troughs on the inside of the isle, the birds simply stick their head into the isle to get a drink. In the winter, she encloses the barn with clear plastic and in the summer she keeps it open. The isle is large enough for her to get her golfcart and even truck into if she needs to.

While animals can thrive in the basic of shelters, the durability and conveniance of caring for those animals is left up to you. Is that chicken coop made of poultry wire that just about anything can get into? Or is it made out of something more substantial? Are you going to have to skate through mud, to feed and water your birds? Are your animals going to have to stand in freezing cold mud in the middle of winter?

By making your pens and buildings conveniant to use, I promise you'll thank yourself on those days or weeks when it's freezing outside and been raining for days on end. There is nothing more frustrating then having to care for animals where you have to fight your way into the cold, have to fill up wet, cold, muddy feed and water dished. Possibly loosing your footing, landing in deep, cold, crapmud and possibly even hurting yourself in the process.

And longevity, because why build a pen you have to practically crawl, juggle, stumble through when you know you're going to get older and those morning acrobatics to care for the animals are going to get harder and harder. Why not have the barn where you drive down the isle with your golf cart, and fill water troughs with your watering can from the comfort of your golfcart!

 

[FarmerChick]

Know your local weeds, trees, berries, nuts to eat in your exact region.

survival....if you have to live off the land you best know what WILL not kill you to eat.

 

[me&thegals]

great thread! i'll throw out a couple:

* be fearless - the biggest regrets i have had were listening to the nay-sayers who said it couldnt be done.... i shoulda just gone for it. research done, of course, but at some point you need to march out there and do it.
* dont listen to those nay-sayers
*mentor someone younger - think of everyone who helped you, then pass it on
......
* visit other people's farms and see how they do things - learn everything you can
* make friends. you never know who you can help - or who can help you
......

Love these!! It's incredible how many experienced people out there are ready to say it can't be done to the less experienced. I agree--research things as much as possible (like PG) and then just jump in.

I've been told a lot of things I wanted to do this year wouldn't work out, but they are!

Despite the naysayers, I have found that even MORE people are very into their skills and hobbies. If asked respectfully and humbly, they are so very glad to talk to you about what they do. I have gotten incredible help at the farmer's market, online forums and just talking to people who do the things I am trying to learn.

So totally agree. Listen to the naysayers to *get* the things to be careful for, but jump in anyway and figure it out for yourself.