BusyBlonde
Enjoys Recycling
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2011
- Messages
- 10
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 21
I've lurked here for a while, guess I ought to give this a go!
1. What state/province/country are you in and what is your climate like? North Carolina, USA - climate is temperate. We get all four seasons most years. Fairly mild winters, doesn't snow every year. Summers are hot and humid.
2. How many people are in your family? Marital status? Just my DH & I at home, he has 2 grown daughters and 1 son. One daughter is married and we have a 9-month old grandson also.
3. How would you define self sufficiency? True self-sufficiency would be living off the grid, not needing to depend on utilities, grocery stores, feed stores, etc. I don't believe we'll ever get there, but every little bit helps.
4. What would you do with your spare time if you had any resources you needed? Expand our gardens, build shelter and fences for goats and a couple of beef cattle. Add a couple coops/runs for additional breeds of chickens. Add solar panels to help with the electric bills. Remove our pre-fab fireplace (does burn wood) and install a wood stove.
5. Have you ever built a house , or other types of building? Do you want to? I used to be a construction manager for a builder; I have built lots of homes but not by myself. My DH and I have built our garage, a large shed, and an addition to a camper that we ran electric in and plumbed. We also built our two coops.
6. Can you weld? Steel, aluminum, MiG, TiG, stick, Oxy-Acet? No
7. Who or what inspired you to become more self sufficient? The economy; our government; a desire to know where my food comes from and know that I'm doing what I can to reduce my dependency on others.
8 Cloth or paper? Not totally off the paper, but cloth more and more.
9. In what ways are you self sufficient now and in what ways would you like to learn more? We have a good-sized garden, raise our own chickens and chicks. Have done some water-bath canning, want to learn how to pressure-can. Want to learn more about dehydrating. Will be adding goats and at least one beef cow, and some rabbits.
10. In what way(s) will you never choose to become self sufficient? Interesting question. Given enough land and resources, I don't know that there's anything I wouldn't do to become self-sufficient. Right now, I don't have enough of either to get there right now.
11. Are you interested in stocking up for future needs? I already do, and want to do more.
12. Where do you end up when you sink into yourself, away from the outside world? In the middle of the woods in West Virginia.
13. Can you drive a farm tractor or a semi? Not yet, but I can learn.
14. Do you make crafts or useful items? Would you want to teach others how to do these? I don't make any useful crafts.
15. Can you have legally livestock where you are at? Do you have any? What kinds? Yes, we are in an agricultural district. We currently have 42 Barred Rock chickens. We want to get a couple more breeds of chickens, rabbits, 2 or 3 goats, and at least 1 beef cow.
16. Can you operate a lathe? Metal, wood? No
17. Do you like to garden? If so, what do you enjoy growing? Yes, I love to garden. We grow most everything we like to eat. Everything from Artichokes (which are still growing, haven't gotten a darned 'choke off one yet) to Watermelon, all things in between. I grow my own herbs also. Planted some raspberry canes & grape vines this year, have an asparagus bed, and am growing horseradish root. The next foray will be into fruit/nut trees.
18. Do you fish? Bait or explosives? Occasionally - bait or lures.
19. How much space/land do you have or rent? City? Country? We live next door to my in-laws; between us we have 3 acres. We're in a 'neighborhood' in the country.
20. Are you a Novice, Technician, General, Advanced? ARRL? Novice, I guess. My DH and I have a lot of skills, but have just started working towards more SS the last couple of years.
21. What is your self sufficient specialty? Or what one would you like to learn? I grew up with lots of farm animals, so I have a good idea of what's involved in raising cattle & rabbits. We raise our own chickens and have their eggs. I have a green thumb when it comes to garden plants (not so much indoor plants). I cook from scratch.
22. If you could create a degree and curriculum, what would you major in and what classes would you take? Living SS - I'd love to take classes in alternative energy, animal husbandry (to better be able to care for my herds/flocks), organic gardening (again, for more information to do even better in the future). I'd like to learn to sew.
23. Do you do wood work? framing, finish, cabinet? We do framing and finish.
24. Are you interested in herbal medicine? Yes, don't know much about it now but I think it's very interesting.
25. If you could live any place you chose, where would it be? Mid to Northern Arizona.
26. Do you use a wood stove for heating or cooking? Not yet, but hoping to in the next year or two.
27. What would your ideal super hero/villain be? Super villain - our government right now. They scare me, all out for their own gain and not doing much to help our country.
28. Are your family or friends also interested in self sufficiency? DH is. His kids think we're kinda nuts. His parents are interested, but do not have the ability to do much of it themselves.
29. Do you like to cook? Are you interested in whole foods and natural foods? raw milk? farm fresh eggs? LOVE to cook. We already have fresh eggs, are getting to the point soon where we won't have to buy chicken. Working towards expanding my garden so I can have more of my own fresh produce. When we have goats, we will be getting raw milk.
30. What was your MOS? IDK
31. Do you forage or hunt for part of your food needs? No. DH would hunt if he had more time.
32. What skills do you have that help you be more self sufficient? Like to learn, love to cook & garden. We can salvage/build our own shelters/pens/etc. We do almost all of our home repairs (we are both in construction). We are willing & able to raise our own livestock.
33. In which fictional universe would you most like to live? none
34. Do you have solar panels? Plans to use solar energy? No, we don't have them, but we'd like to - got a roof with good southern exposure.
35 What is the mass/weight ratio of a European swallow carrying a coconut from the tropics to England? I'd like to see that swallow try!
36. Have you ever lived completely off grid? Would you like to? We haven't, but would like to.
37. In what do you trust? My DH and myself.
38. Do you make things yourself to save money? Yes. Greeting cards, pasta, bread. Buy almost no pre-prepared foods, I cook from scratch. Going to start making my laundry soap once the box I have is gone (got everything to make it). Made our coops from mostly salvaged materials - probably only have a couple hundred dollars in two coops/runs, which includes 32' of tinned roof shelters that are not part of the coop.
39. Has trying to be more self-sufficient changed your attitude or habits about money/spending? Very much. I think about whether I really need something before I spend money. I have always been a comparison shopper and gotten great deals, but I now find myself stepping back more, and deciding not to purchase things that I wouldn't have thought twice about before. We recycle almost everything, our 'garbage' has been reduced dramatically. I try to buy what is seasonal as much as possible.
1. What state/province/country are you in and what is your climate like? North Carolina, USA - climate is temperate. We get all four seasons most years. Fairly mild winters, doesn't snow every year. Summers are hot and humid.
2. How many people are in your family? Marital status? Just my DH & I at home, he has 2 grown daughters and 1 son. One daughter is married and we have a 9-month old grandson also.
3. How would you define self sufficiency? True self-sufficiency would be living off the grid, not needing to depend on utilities, grocery stores, feed stores, etc. I don't believe we'll ever get there, but every little bit helps.
4. What would you do with your spare time if you had any resources you needed? Expand our gardens, build shelter and fences for goats and a couple of beef cattle. Add a couple coops/runs for additional breeds of chickens. Add solar panels to help with the electric bills. Remove our pre-fab fireplace (does burn wood) and install a wood stove.
5. Have you ever built a house , or other types of building? Do you want to? I used to be a construction manager for a builder; I have built lots of homes but not by myself. My DH and I have built our garage, a large shed, and an addition to a camper that we ran electric in and plumbed. We also built our two coops.
6. Can you weld? Steel, aluminum, MiG, TiG, stick, Oxy-Acet? No
7. Who or what inspired you to become more self sufficient? The economy; our government; a desire to know where my food comes from and know that I'm doing what I can to reduce my dependency on others.
8 Cloth or paper? Not totally off the paper, but cloth more and more.
9. In what ways are you self sufficient now and in what ways would you like to learn more? We have a good-sized garden, raise our own chickens and chicks. Have done some water-bath canning, want to learn how to pressure-can. Want to learn more about dehydrating. Will be adding goats and at least one beef cow, and some rabbits.
10. In what way(s) will you never choose to become self sufficient? Interesting question. Given enough land and resources, I don't know that there's anything I wouldn't do to become self-sufficient. Right now, I don't have enough of either to get there right now.
11. Are you interested in stocking up for future needs? I already do, and want to do more.
12. Where do you end up when you sink into yourself, away from the outside world? In the middle of the woods in West Virginia.
13. Can you drive a farm tractor or a semi? Not yet, but I can learn.
14. Do you make crafts or useful items? Would you want to teach others how to do these? I don't make any useful crafts.
15. Can you have legally livestock where you are at? Do you have any? What kinds? Yes, we are in an agricultural district. We currently have 42 Barred Rock chickens. We want to get a couple more breeds of chickens, rabbits, 2 or 3 goats, and at least 1 beef cow.
16. Can you operate a lathe? Metal, wood? No
17. Do you like to garden? If so, what do you enjoy growing? Yes, I love to garden. We grow most everything we like to eat. Everything from Artichokes (which are still growing, haven't gotten a darned 'choke off one yet) to Watermelon, all things in between. I grow my own herbs also. Planted some raspberry canes & grape vines this year, have an asparagus bed, and am growing horseradish root. The next foray will be into fruit/nut trees.
18. Do you fish? Bait or explosives? Occasionally - bait or lures.
19. How much space/land do you have or rent? City? Country? We live next door to my in-laws; between us we have 3 acres. We're in a 'neighborhood' in the country.
20. Are you a Novice, Technician, General, Advanced? ARRL? Novice, I guess. My DH and I have a lot of skills, but have just started working towards more SS the last couple of years.
21. What is your self sufficient specialty? Or what one would you like to learn? I grew up with lots of farm animals, so I have a good idea of what's involved in raising cattle & rabbits. We raise our own chickens and have their eggs. I have a green thumb when it comes to garden plants (not so much indoor plants). I cook from scratch.
22. If you could create a degree and curriculum, what would you major in and what classes would you take? Living SS - I'd love to take classes in alternative energy, animal husbandry (to better be able to care for my herds/flocks), organic gardening (again, for more information to do even better in the future). I'd like to learn to sew.
23. Do you do wood work? framing, finish, cabinet? We do framing and finish.
24. Are you interested in herbal medicine? Yes, don't know much about it now but I think it's very interesting.
25. If you could live any place you chose, where would it be? Mid to Northern Arizona.
26. Do you use a wood stove for heating or cooking? Not yet, but hoping to in the next year or two.
27. What would your ideal super hero/villain be? Super villain - our government right now. They scare me, all out for their own gain and not doing much to help our country.
28. Are your family or friends also interested in self sufficiency? DH is. His kids think we're kinda nuts. His parents are interested, but do not have the ability to do much of it themselves.
29. Do you like to cook? Are you interested in whole foods and natural foods? raw milk? farm fresh eggs? LOVE to cook. We already have fresh eggs, are getting to the point soon where we won't have to buy chicken. Working towards expanding my garden so I can have more of my own fresh produce. When we have goats, we will be getting raw milk.
30. What was your MOS? IDK
31. Do you forage or hunt for part of your food needs? No. DH would hunt if he had more time.
32. What skills do you have that help you be more self sufficient? Like to learn, love to cook & garden. We can salvage/build our own shelters/pens/etc. We do almost all of our home repairs (we are both in construction). We are willing & able to raise our own livestock.
33. In which fictional universe would you most like to live? none
34. Do you have solar panels? Plans to use solar energy? No, we don't have them, but we'd like to - got a roof with good southern exposure.
35 What is the mass/weight ratio of a European swallow carrying a coconut from the tropics to England? I'd like to see that swallow try!
36. Have you ever lived completely off grid? Would you like to? We haven't, but would like to.
37. In what do you trust? My DH and myself.
38. Do you make things yourself to save money? Yes. Greeting cards, pasta, bread. Buy almost no pre-prepared foods, I cook from scratch. Going to start making my laundry soap once the box I have is gone (got everything to make it). Made our coops from mostly salvaged materials - probably only have a couple hundred dollars in two coops/runs, which includes 32' of tinned roof shelters that are not part of the coop.
39. Has trying to be more self-sufficient changed your attitude or habits about money/spending? Very much. I think about whether I really need something before I spend money. I have always been a comparison shopper and gotten great deals, but I now find myself stepping back more, and deciding not to purchase things that I wouldn't have thought twice about before. We recycle almost everything, our 'garbage' has been reduced dramatically. I try to buy what is seasonal as much as possible.
