What is your goal in self-sufficient living?

[MorelCabin]

Ithere are two generators for every person around where I live, I don't know anyone that doesn't have one. We bought a little one last year finally...but it won't run much more than just the fridge...if it will even run that.

 

[farm_mom]

For us, it's not only making ourselves as self-sufficient as possible, but our community as well. Whatever goods services we cannot provide for ourselves we look to those in our area who can provide them. Creating reciprical relationships through barter and trade is one of our favorite things to do.

 

[me&thegals]

I want to use to the absolute fullest the resources I have very close to me. For me, that is land. I have old buildings to use to raise chickens, I forage in the woods for mushrooms and berries, the ditches and fencelines for asparagus and other berries. In other cases, it is buying products from people near me who are great at creating them. I don't think it is practical for me to do it ALL myself. Isn't that what community is for? But, I can do as much as I can and then purchase/barter as much as is available from those around me, thereby supporting their efforts to be more self sufficient.

I want to reuse, reduce and recycle and keep learning ways to do each more fully. I want to be honest about what I can easily live without and then do it. I want to learn to be content without every possible food and clothing product from all around the earth and realize this is a strange, incredibly luxurious way to live, not just my "birthright" as an American.

I want to use as few natural resources as possible and my own body's power--bike and walk when practical, hoe and mulch instead of rototilling, etc.