The New Self Sufficiency-Doing Without

In an earlier post I discussed how true self sufficiency is in fact impossible yet it is essential for our survival. I also discussed variations on the theme of self sufficiency such as green living, homesteading, living on the edge, and voluntary simplicity. But, I also discussed the fact that we now live in a very different world than our ancestors and that world poses many new challenges. And one of those challenges is our consumer society. You can read that post here.

I often think of my early childhood when I spent a lot of time on one or both of the working farms that were in the family. A lot of our meat for the year, as well as other things, came from the farm. I had a brother and two sisters and we often spent time on the farm working and helping with chores especially in the summer when we were out of school. We were often there helping our grandparents work the farm while our parents were at the day job earning the money that provided for our other needs. After all, you...

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Self Sufficiency is Impossible-yet Essential

True self sufficiency is impossible-yet it is essential. In many ways self sufficiency is directly connected to sustainability. But again, true self sufficiency is also impossible to attain. So, how do we get around that?

When I was growing up in north Georgia and Tennessee, both of my grandparents had working farms. And I spent a lot of time on those farms when I was younger. We had horses, cattle, pigs, chickens, rabbits, a huge garden, and numerous fruit and nut trees. And for an added treat, we would often forage for berries, especially black berries, and go fishing for trout. I am sure that at some point in time in my childhood I actually ate store bought meat but is was so infrequent that I do not remember.

My point being is that self sufficiency was never anything we actually talked about. It was simply how we lived.

Now fast forward into our present time, when you mention self sufficiency in front of a group of people, I can almost guarantee that 10 different people will...

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Composting With Worms

sustainability Nov 10, 2020
Although composting has many benefits, not everyone has an appropriate place for a compost bin. Additionally, some people like myself, live in a colder climate which can make composting more difficult. Not only that, I was hesitant to put together a large composing bin due to the local wildlife especially the bears. Consequently, for many years I never composted organic waste. But this all changed when some friends of mine introduced me too composting with worms.  

Benefits of Composting With Worms

Roughly 28% of what we throw away can be composted instead of ending up in a landfill. Most of this is comprised of food scraps and yard waste. These things take up a lot of space in the landfill and contribute to the production of methane, which is a potent greenhouse gas. However, if you have limitations due to climate and simply available space, composting with worms can provide an easy and efficient way to turn waste into valuable fertilizer. But, there are many other benefits....

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Sustainability on the Homestead

In my opinion, off grid living, homesteading, and sustainability all go hand in hand.  Yet, believe it or not, I had none of this in mind when I bought my cabin property. All I could focus on at the time was the fact that I’d finally purchased the property of my dreams. Initially I focused solely on being as self sufficient as I could. However, once I got established on the property and achieved some level of comfort, I knew I had to learn how to make my life sustainable. Since that time, sustainability on the homestead has been my primary focus. 
 

Although I will focus on the homestead life, sustainability is a way of life that applies to everyone. It does not matter where or how you live.  In this post, I will bring down to Earth some basic principles of sustainability. Then I will show you that it is possible to incorporate these practices into your life even if you live in the city.  

What Is Sustainability

 

You may initially be...

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