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How Self Suffecient are You?

7K views 45 replies 12 participants last post by  MUSIBIKE 
#1 ·
I'd like to think that I have most of the basics covered, but realize that true "Self Suffiency" is nearly impossible. Why is that? Well, there would be so many different situations to prepare for that it would take a fortune, and all available spare time to put it together. I feel that at a minimum, most Persons/Families should stock necessities for 30 days-3 Months. That's my plan, and I would be trying to hold down the Homestead. Self Sufficiency would largely depend on the educated mind, and a willingness to live. What do you think?
 
#2 ·
if you were to log all the commodities, fuel,food, and misc. items you utilize from the outside world over a 2 to 3 month period you would get a real wake up call. 'self suffiency' defined at the "Grizzley Adams" level is impossible for anyone existing in a modern society . 'survival' is another topic. before anyone starts stocking ammo and MRE's i think the mind needs to be placed in the appropriate gear. it's not a game. when you factor in the needs of others in your life the task takes on a new personality. how often we fail to recognize the needs of other people because someone else is in charge of that aspect of their life. my wife and i would be fine, but the fact that my Mom lives one house away, alone, and my Father in law, poor health, lives in the apt in my house, gives an entirely different meaning to " being prepared". animals are another aspect. over the years i've changed my priorities on the subject and now hold mobility in the top tier of my needs. i could move 10 miles in any direction and the whole picture would change.
 
#3 ·
I agree, self sufficiency is nearly impossible if the norms of lifestyle are to be maintained. We are a consumer based society, and we take a lot of support to keep us going. I'm thinking that maybe the closest comparison would be the Mennonites, and their way of taking care of themselves. I beleive that I could become a good "Hermit", but if I drag the Wife & Kids along, that might not work so well. Living in a rural area, I have learned to do many things for myself because of the inconvenience of "Running in to Town" just to get the tire fixed, have the oil changed, get the mower fixed, etc.. I do know that "generally speaking", we are much less self sufficient than people were a few generations back.
 
#5 ·
fuzzy said:
:thumbup1: have to agree with you , freebore. hardly anyone i know is prepared. to busy just trying to get by thesedays.
Yep, it's a constant struggle. I suppose the best thing to do is maintain some degree of preparedness, keep your awareness level at a moderate level, and deal with any of life's complications the best way that you know how.:wink:
 
#7 ·
It is important to learn to be as self sufficient as we can. Teaching the wife and kids is a nessesity. In times of crisis your family and friends of like mind are assets not hinderences. I often look at it from a perpspective of their comfort level and not my own. As head of household I feel it is my obligation to provide for them. And Flopshot is 100% right about mobility. Hard lesson: Spread your supplies out to different areas because in a natural disaster you may have to leave your home. All the stockpiling in the world won't help you if you have to leave it behind, as we did during huricane Isabel. We held out until the dog could swim off the deck. However we had a plan, a place to go ,and supplies at that location.
 
#8 ·
I currently have six months worth of food and water, and intend to cache more elsewhere. I made it a point to taste all of it before buying more to avoid all the crappy tasting foods. Also a good supply of personal items(toilet paper, soap) is a must. Don't forget to get extra for trading. I also went through some serious survival training. A couple years ago I set a plan in case I have to leave the area. I have several ways out in case Highways or Freeways are blocked. I also have a totally rural dirt road/back road/cow trail escape route just in case. Don't let anyone laugh at you. You're better safe than sorry.
 
#10 ·
To me, be self sufficient means " getting off the grid"- producing everything that you use, by means of solar, wind, water, wood, bio, work and bartering. We're working on it. We figure when the electric company's buying power back from us, we're there.
 
#11 ·
GeneC said:
To me, be self sufficient means " getting off the grid"- producing everything that you use, by means of solar, wind, water, wood, bio, work and bartering. We're working on it. We figure when the electric company's buying power back from us, we're there.
you're closer than me then. :thumbup1:
 
#12 ·
sniper69 said:
you're closer than me then. :thumbup1:
If you produce more electricity than you use they have to buy it back, but we have a garden (Florida has 3 growing seasons) and raise meat rabbits, worms under the cages and chickens and that's a complete ecocycle (rabbits eat leftover from garden[stalks, leaves, vines, etc], fertilize garden, produce bed for worms, chickens eat worms- we eat veggies from garden, eggs from chickens, chickens, rabbits and catch fish with worms. Nothing's wasted. Solar panels produce electricity, heat the water and recharge trhe cellphones. A windmill produces electricity, as does a waterwheel. We still have to get into bio fuel. Anybody heard of the Foxfire books?
 
#13 ·
#14 ·
I'm in the reseach mode for the power. I fully understand the importance of getting off the grid. We will probly go solar here and windmill at the farm. Add to the fact that the main supplier in Maryland just increased the rates by 70%. That is not a typo. 70%. My electric bill is now going to be over $400 per month! That's almost as much as my payment on a 2500 LT Suburban! Hows that for incentive? The foxfire books are great. I have a couple. I don't remember which volumes, I need to dig them back out. GeneC, sounds like your doing it right.
 
#15 ·
Thanks, I'd rather be trying to do something than doing nothng.

Yeah, setup for power is a big initial investment, but pays for itself in the long run-
solar panels/cells-$4000
Wind generator-$6000
water generator-$2000
modified junction box-$1000
telling the power company where to send the check-priceless!
 
#17 ·
Thanks, That's on the must have list for the go bag. I have an interesting story that some may benefit from. My dad, always trying to be the system beater, learned that the gov. will actually help farmers set up a windmill powersource. Well in his case (retired federal employee) he got this info and tried to run with it. He learned that there were grants that would cover half the expense. At the time there were 3 being offered. The problem was that the branch office is in Baltomore city. So the all 3 went to the department heads' friends. We will call him Tyrone. Any way by the time it looked like it was going to happen tyrone stopped returning dads phonecalls. So he calls the next one up the chain of command. We'll call him Rastis. Notice a trend yet? Rastis tells him that there ain't none left, you on your own. But for anyone running a small farm that doesn't show profit, it may be worth a shot. Might save you $15,000.
 
#19 ·
GeneC said:

Here is a solar battery charger that i have. I bought it before Y2K. The company I bought it from is no longer in business - but there are/were about 50 of these units that were given to another guy to sell on ebay. I haven't seen any listed - but from what I hear they pop up from time to time. Also there are other solar battery chargers listed on ebay as well. The number on the instructions is obviously a no go, as the company is no longer in business. the instructions look ratty - but I have had this stored for around 7 years. :D

Also it will charge alkaline batteries. :thumbup1:




 
#21 ·
tanvil said:
Hey Sniper, ol GeneC has us BOTH digging through the y2k stash. Wanna buy some canned hams? hahaha I guess there still good.? I haven't run across one of those widemouth canteens yet but if I do, I'll grab it for you.

Canned hams? Uh.... no thanks. I haven't ate pork in about 4 years or so. I don't eat it for health reasons. Now if it was some corned beef.... :thumbup1:

The canned ham should still be good, I would just check it over real good before eating it. :)

Thanks for keeping your eyes open for one of the wide mouth canteens. It is almost as bad as trying to find the holy grail. :eek:
 
#22 ·
tanvil said:
Hey Sniper, ol GeneC has us BOTH digging through the y2k stash. Wanna buy some canned hams? hahaha I guess there still good.? I haven't run across one of those widemouth canteens yet but if I do, I'll grab it for you.
Apparently Camelbacks have replaced canteens and I didn't get the memo, either.:confused:
 
#23 ·
Sorta like VHS and DVD's. I'm not going to replace all my canteens till they leak. 1 by 1. I pulled one of Tom Browns books off the shelf this week. Getting ready to do some camping soon, needed a refresher course. Maybe I'll eat a little thistle. The stuff is everywhere around here.
 
#24 ·
Running for it unless you have someplace better to go is pointless. Digging in and holding my ground has been my best decision twice now. Especially this last time when Rita catagory 5 was heading our way. EVERYONE left and were ALL stuck on the freeway out of gas, HOT and, out of stuff.

My wife and I with the two dogs set up a barbecue cook out with cold beer and a weather radio. We listened to several radios back there including the police scanner. All of those people who were stuck no more than 20 miles from this house, all sitting out in the open on freeways.

I opened up another almost frozen slush beer and was thankful that we made the decision to stay home to ride whatever out. It was not even raining outside. Just blowing hard wind. I listened to the radio report that the storm had shifted a bid East.

Yes, the storm that we would have ran from was bearing down onto Port Aurthur. This is exactly which evasion route we would have taken if we did in fact run from the storm. The hot side of the storm hit Them dead on.

Received a dozen calls the next day from folks we know stuck on the freeway. Talked to them till their cell phones died.

You can't run from a storm or a ground assault in a big city. You have to dig in and stand your ground as best as you can. That is the way I will throw my dice.
 
#25 ·
I recently jumped in with both feet. I was well prepared before, now I'm living off grid in a travel trailer(so I'm fully mobile if need be) I'm almost debt free. I'm in a rural part of the Mojave Desert on my own property. I have a great job and few bills so I can improve the property. I thought about doing this for a long time, and always talked myself out of it or let others talk me out of it. I thought it would be too primitive. It has been more like a breath of fresh air. I can sit outside at night and howl with the coyotes.
 
#26 ·
I have a swath of solar panels on my roof now. The local electric company came over to check my meter to identify why my electric bills are so low. I just pointed at the panels up there on the roof.

Now, I just need to get the water purification deal figured out. Can collect enough rain water to bath already. We have enough drinking water for 2 months.

Sometimes I go out and howl with my two dogs in the back yard. :)
 
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