big brown horse
Hoof In Mouth
Yeah, I was never a good typewriter or speller!
The Self-Sufficient Skills thread (new name, old thread!)
- Thread starter freemotion
- Start date
Yeah, I was never a good typewriter or speller!My list of what I have learned thus far this year . .
*Make laundry soap (love it)
*learned to enjoy line dried towels (this is a skill, isn't it??)
*built a chicken coop
*raised day old chicks
*raised day old turkeys (RIP - due to neighbors dog and not me, thankfully)
*grew peas and enjoyed eating them
*started many garden plants from seeds
*turned a wheel-barrel into a planter
*made my own yogart
* Reduced our water bill by 50%
*reduced our weekly garbage out put by more than 50%
*Paid off 2 debts
*learned to crochet dishtowels -much cheaper than store bought and better quality too
*recycle plastic bags by turning them into "plarn" and crocheting them into srubbies
*learned to mend socks (seems so basic, but I was challenged)
*started several plants from cuttings! (I used to be such a brown thumb)
*started an emergency fund savings account that allowed me to go to my grandmothers funeral -out of town for a week- with no credit card!!
very excited about that one, too
*Make laundry soap (love it)
*learned to enjoy line dried towels (this is a skill, isn't it??)
*built a chicken coop
*raised day old chicks
*raised day old turkeys (RIP - due to neighbors dog and not me, thankfully)
*grew peas and enjoyed eating them
*started many garden plants from seeds
*turned a wheel-barrel into a planter
*made my own yogart
* Reduced our water bill by 50%
*reduced our weekly garbage out put by more than 50%
*Paid off 2 debts
*learned to crochet dishtowels -much cheaper than store bought and better quality too
*recycle plastic bags by turning them into "plarn" and crocheting them into srubbies
*learned to mend socks (seems so basic, but I was challenged)
*started several plants from cuttings! (I used to be such a brown thumb)
*started an emergency fund savings account that allowed me to go to my grandmothers funeral -out of town for a week- with no credit card!!
very excited about that one, too
tamlynn
Lovin' The Homestead
I finished my chair!tamlynn said:this is a great thread.
things I'd like to learn/accomplish this year:
Re-upholster my wing back chair. I can sew, but have never done something like this before. I even bought the fabric a few months ago, but have been waiting for summer to get going.
Finish a quilt for my dd. The pieced top is nearly done. I have made quilts before, but its been many years. I keep getting frustrated because I am not following a pattern and can't decide what to do. BTW, I started this quilt when she was an infant. She'll be 9 by the end of the year.
I'll keep my list short so I'll have a better chance at success.
http://tamlynnj.blogspot.com/2009/06/feeling-rather-proud-of-my-staple.html
justusnak
Almost Self-Reliant
OK, so here it is June, 09....and what have I learned so far..as a "new" SS Skill? Well.........I have learned..
To care for sheep. (bottle feeding and diets)
Made goats milk cheese. ( pretty easy, and yummy!)
Learned a new way to plant potatos.( in a raised cage type thingie, thanks peddler)
Learned to correctly erect a pasture fence.
Ohhh, I learned that black snakes, WILL strike at you, when you kick the fence they are on!
ETA: Tamlynn, the chair looks FAB!! Great job!
To care for sheep. (bottle feeding and diets)
Made goats milk cheese. ( pretty easy, and yummy!)
Learned a new way to plant potatos.( in a raised cage type thingie, thanks peddler)
Learned to correctly erect a pasture fence.
Ohhh, I learned that black snakes, WILL strike at you, when you kick the fence they are on!
ETA: Tamlynn, the chair looks FAB!! Great job!
I just found this thread wow great ideas folks some of you have doing a lot. (I haven't read it all yet , but working on it)
By building our New Greenhouse I learned it's tooo costly to try to heat the whole thing through the entire winter to have ripe tomatoes.
Sure learned a lot of what not to do and some tricksof what can be done. I will start my list tonight.
tamylyn Great job on the chair
I have 2 wing backs in storage I will be tackling when our house is built. I hope I can do half as good. 
Karan
By building our New Greenhouse I learned it's tooo costly to try to heat the whole thing through the entire winter to have ripe tomatoes.
Sure learned a lot of what not to do and some tricksof what can be done. I will start my list tonight. tamylyn Great job on the chair
I have 2 wing backs in storage I will be tackling when our house is built. I hope I can do half as good. Karan 
Blue Skys
Lovin' The Homestead
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I just saw this thread too, and I am really excited thinking about what I have done to become more ss!!
I think this is what I've done this year:
-Put up clothes line to line dry.
-made laundry soap.
-Got 11 pullets, just need a rooster to make some babies ot eat (the eggs will do for now - well um, when they start laying that is).
-Built compost pile - ruined it a couple of times - but I think it will survive.
-Growing garden
-installed rain barrell
-learned to use chain saw and cleared some dead trees from yard (cut them down anyway - they are still there and the chickens love them )
-planted two more trees on south side of house to assist in cooling during the summer.
-use grey dish water to water flower garden
I'm excited to add to the list and will do so as soon as possible.
I think this is what I've done this year:
-Put up clothes line to line dry.
-made laundry soap.
-Got 11 pullets, just need a rooster to make some babies ot eat (the eggs will do for now - well um, when they start laying that is).
-Built compost pile - ruined it a couple of times - but I think it will survive.
-Growing garden
-installed rain barrell
-learned to use chain saw and cleared some dead trees from yard (cut them down anyway - they are still there and the chickens love them
)-planted two more trees on south side of house to assist in cooling during the summer.
-use grey dish water to water flower garden
I'm excited to add to the list and will do so as soon as possible.
Rain- Hah! It's been doing nothing but rain here all month. My plants are starving for some sun.big brown horse said:That is really cool!! I love mapel syrup, but it is soo expensive! Good for you!!! I wish I had something to trade you for some! How about some rain?valmom said:Oh, one more skill I thought of as I sit eating my waffles for breakfast- I made my own maple syrup this year! No one came by to ask to tap our trees, so we decided to do a few and try it out. It worked, and it is absolutely delicious
Someone posted about the toilet paper roll fire starters- I love my egg carton ones. I don't know if someone posted about them yet. Fill each cup of an egg carton with lint. Melt wax from left over bits of candles and pour over the lint in each cup. Cut them apart and you have cardboard, lint and wax that goes up in flames like crazy.
big brown horse
Hoof In Mouth
Good tip! I have an excess of egg cartons that people donate to me for eggs etc.
I have tons of tp tubes in a nice basket in the guest bathroom that I'm filling up with lint, crayons and used candles.
I have tons of tp tubes in a nice basket in the guest bathroom that I'm filling up with lint, crayons and used candles.
Beekissed
Mountain Sage
I found another great firestarter.....shredded paper from the office! It told them to save me all the paper shreds and I'm going to store them. I can use them for bedding, starting fires, mulch...you name it!
These shreds are just plain white paper with black ink, so they shouldn't be a problem. Lots to shred in a medical office. Imagine if one could collect from all the offices in town?
These shreds are just plain white paper with black ink, so they shouldn't be a problem. Lots to shred in a medical office. Imagine if one could collect from all the offices in town?
FarmerDenise
Out to pasture
Like others, I just came across this thread and think it's great.
I grew up in a family that prided themselves on living off the land as much as possible. It also was a neccessity, since we were one of the poorest families in the county.
I continued living that lifestyle as much as possible most of my life. So I have attempted many things, learned lots and done lots. But I find that there is always something new to add.
I am also re-learning things I did when I was young and haven't done since. Like making yogurt and fancy yeast breads.
New things I've learned/done this year that I can remember at this point are:
1. making laundry soap
2. using vinegar for all kinds of cleaning
3. using lemons for cleaning, especially the kitchen counter
4. made soap, though not from scratch (used saved bits and a "kit" I got real cheap at Goodwill, and added my own herbs)
5. made our own temporary greenhouse using a canopy frame and clear plastic
6. made dolma (I love dolma and always wanted to make my own)
7. Managed to convince SO to try some new plants in the garden.
I grew up in a family that prided themselves on living off the land as much as possible. It also was a neccessity, since we were one of the poorest families in the county.
I continued living that lifestyle as much as possible most of my life. So I have attempted many things, learned lots and done lots. But I find that there is always something new to add.
I am also re-learning things I did when I was young and haven't done since. Like making yogurt and fancy yeast breads.
New things I've learned/done this year that I can remember at this point are:
1. making laundry soap
2. using vinegar for all kinds of cleaning
3. using lemons for cleaning, especially the kitchen counter
4. made soap, though not from scratch (used saved bits and a "kit" I got real cheap at Goodwill, and added my own herbs)
5. made our own temporary greenhouse using a canopy frame and clear plastic
6. made dolma (I love dolma and always wanted to make my own)
7. Managed to convince SO to try some new plants in the garden.
