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Self Reliance – Page 3 – Homesteader Depot

Tag: Self Reliance

  • Thriving 23-Year-Old Permaculture Food Forest (Video)

    Thriving 23-Year-Old Permaculture Food Forest (Video)

    I recently had the pleasure of watching this amazing video on a 23-year-old food forest that Robert and Robyn Guyton have grown in the small town of Riverton on New Zealand’s South Island.

    This is the ultimate goal of permaculture, to create your own natural, sustainable ecosystem that you can live off of, but that thrives and grows on its own.

    It takes many years and a lot of patience to cultivate something like this, but hearing the couple talk about their relationship with their food forest and watching the blossoms, insects, and hearing and seeing the birds and other creatures that thrive in this amazing little ecosystem is incredibly inspiring.

    I think what makes this food forest particularly successful is their knowledge of and respect for the native species of birds, insects, and animals, and their willingness to serve and give back to the local ecosystem as well as benefit from it on their own.

    In a stressful and crazy world, take some time to appreciate the beauty of nature and set some goals of your own for your own little self-sustainable sanctuary one day. Enjoy!

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  • Clever Ways to Teach Children About Self-Reliance

    Clever Ways to Teach Children About Self-Reliance

    Kids these days! The new generation seems to be so fixated on their devices and pop culture, and I think a lot of us who grew up with these things are looking at today’s youth and shaking our heads.

    But of course, the truth is, that adults as well as kids need to learn more about self-reliance and basic survival skills, because our world is in a precarious state! Start them young, and we just might be able to raise a few kids who can carry on the traditions and self-reliance of past generations.

    Here are a few ideas for basic skills to expose your kids to that will give them a leg-up in a self-reliant lifestyle, should they learn to pursue it one day.

    Gardening

    Gardening is a really fun way to show kids how our food system works, and to get them involved in homesteading, even if you’re an urban homesteader. Small children especially love watching seeds sprout and grow, and appreciating where our food comes from.

    Cleaning

    Keeping a house clean and organized is actually becoming a lost art, and getting children involved in the things they might otherwise take for granted such as washing dishes, cleaning floors and windows, vacuuming, and laundry, will help them realize just how much effort goes into keeping their lives comfortable.

    Raising animals

    Raising chickens in your backyard or even just designating pet care to your children can give them an idea of what it takes to sustain life and how to use animals for survival and self-reliance, as well as help them to understand just what a big job it might be to take care of the pony they keep asking for.

    Basic vehicle care

    Get older kids involved in changing a tire or changing oil, so that they realize the vehicle they get driven around in every day takes maintenance and work to keep up. As a matter of safety, especially, teenagers should not be learning to drive unless they also know basic vehicle maintenance and safety.

     

    Let’s raise the next generation up right so they know how to take care of each other; and us!

     

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  • How to Grow Watermelon in a Pot

    How to Grow Watermelon in a Pot

    There’s nothing quite as refreshing on a hot summer day as a nice, juicy watermelon.

    Unfortunately, the watermelons you find in the supermarket are often conventional and even GMO. If you’d like to harvest some of your own this summer, you don’t need a whole field, you can grow them right in your backyard or porch!

    Here’s how:

    Container: 

    Watermelons will need a large, deep container, at least 2′ deep, so that it’s long taproot will have enough space to expand. Choose something sturdy as well, and with proper drainage.

    Soil:

    Watermelons like both sandy and loamy soil, with plenty of airy and well-drained substrate and a pH around 6-6.8. Well-composed animal manure is very helpful in achieving the right texture and soil nutrients for watermelon.

    Propigation: 

    Due to the taproot of watermelon, it will need to be sowed directly into your container as it does not transplant well. Sow 3-4 seeds in one pot in the early spring, as soon as temperatures are above 65 degrees. It should sprout within 6-10 days, after that, choose the heartiest seedling and thin out the rests.

    Placement: 

    Watermelons like lots of sun so be sure to place them somewhere they will get direct sunlight for at least 6 hours out of the day. They will also want to climb, so a sturdy trellis is very important. This can be placed directly in the pot once the plant is big enough to train up it, or you can place the pot at the bottom of a freestanding trellis.

    Watering:

    Watermelon, true to its name, is a very thirsty plant, so you will want to make sure it gets plenty of water and also is draining properly. Water at least once a day.

    Care:

    Fertilize accordingly for both growth and fruiting, and make sure to prune appropriately. This means removing any sickly or weak branches, and try to keep a central stalk by removing any extra branches as they sprout.

    Harvesting: 

    Harvest time will vary from plant to plant, but it is typically around 30-50 days after flowering. When the fruit is ripe, it won’t look any different than the younger fruit, so you’ll have to “thump” the side of the fruit to see if it sounds dead and hollow; that’s how you know it’s ripe!

     

    Enjoy!

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  • Top Five Reasons to Homestead (Wherever You Are)

    Top Five Reasons to Homestead (Wherever You Are)

    “Homesteading” typically means living on a homestead, raising animals and growing your own food, and being independent and self-sufficient. As the global economy seems to teter on the brink of total collapse, modern life becomes more and more reliant on large-scale grids subject to fail, and urban environments are becoming increasingly dangerous, more and more people are becoming drawn to the idea of homesteading.

    Now, as we’ve often discussed, you don’t need to own your own land to homestead. There are many ways you can homestead right where you are. And here are the top five reasons why you should be doing it:

    1. Stability 

    The more you learn to do yourself, the more you can rely on. You never know when our grid might be shut down by a terrorist attack or natural disaster, so as you learn to find ways to be more independent and self-reliant, you’ll have more factors in your life that you can control.

    2. Health

    Buying local, growing your own, avoiding pesticides and GMO, are all ways you can be  more energy independent and move away from reliance on large agribusiness corporations, but they’re also all way healthier for you.

    3. Spirituality 

    Whatever your belief system, learning to do things yourself is incredibly rewarding spiritually and philosophically. Taking the time to slow down, take inventory of everything material in your life, and radically change your relationship with it, is great for mental peace and clarity.

    4. Security 

    A big way in which you can secure your homestead lifestyle is to be more secure as well. Owning your own weapons and learning to use them, both to hunt and to defend your loved ones, is, in essence, a prime example of self-sufficient. Why outsource the protection of your loved ones to the police?

    5. Freedom

    With great power comes great responsibility, but taking responsibility for yourself and your resources also comes with great power. The more independent and self-reliant you are able to become, the more free you will become. Freedom is what makes our country great, and as long as we have the power to live in peace and make our own way in the world, we should make a point to work hard towards independence and self-reliance.

     

    Homesteading is not just a lifestyle, it is a statement you make in a changing world to stick to what works, to rely on yourself more than anyone else, and to make your own rules for how you will live your life.

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  • Homesteading Before Having a Homestead

    Homesteading Before Having a Homestead

    You might be wondering about the title. How is it possible to start becoming a homesteader before you have land and an actual homestead? It is easier than you might think and it is actually a good idea to do this before you buy a large plot of land. This simply means that you are starting to learn some of the skills you will need as a homesteader, if you do not already know them. It also means that you will be implementing some of these elements into your current lifestyle.

    You need to start thinking about the different ways that you can be more self-sufficient. This means learning to repair things around the house, including mending your clothing. You have to get out of the mindset of simply being able to buy everything that you need brand new.

    In addition, you should start to consider the possibility of growing some of your food. Whether you have a small yard, a patio, or even if you have to grow inside, you can start now. Maybe you are only able to produce a few tomatoes, some herbs, and a couple of zucchini. You are supplementing your food and saving money. Even more important, you are starting to learn more about gardening.

    By learning to homestead before you buy land, you will also get a better idea of whether this lifestyle is really for you. If you can’t be more self-sufficient while you still have modern luxuries around you, it will be difficult to do it for real. It is better to know this sooner rather than later. You might find that you love the freedom that homesteading offers; and it can spur you to save more for your land so you can start to expand as a homesteader.

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  • DIY Home Energy Independence

    DIY Home Energy Independence

    One of the biggest draws towards homesteading is trying to achieve energy independence.

    It sure is rough out there today. Electricity costs are soaring and you probably know the feeling of dread that comes over you each time you open up an energy bill.

    Well, it actually is possible to be completely energy-independent, and never pay an electric bill again. I’m not even kidding. This incredible video explains how, and really blew my mind!

    If you’re sick of being beholden to big energy corporations that fleece you monthly, and tired of shivering through winter and sweating through summer just to try to lower your energy bill, only to find it barely makes a dent, you totally have to watch this too. 

    This man has figured out the secret to green, renewable, energy independence, and I highly recommend you hear him out.

    Click here to view the video “DIY Home Energy” now! 

  • A Simple Guide to Starting a Beehive (Video)

    A Simple Guide to Starting a Beehive (Video)

    Last week, we shared the very cool idea to make a beehive using mason jars, so since it did not come with instructions as to how to actually start a hive, I thought I’d go ahead and follow up with that one.

    Bees are a wonderful thing to do on the homestead, or even in your backyard, if you’re able to. Raw honey is one of the most valuable and nutritious substances on the planet, so raising bees is a space and time efficient way to produce food on a small scale, and a wonderful addition to any homestead or self-sufficiency operation.

    It can a bit overwhelming getting started, though, from choosing your bees, setting up your hive, getting protective gear, etc. This video is a great introductory course for beekeeping, and will help demystify the process and get you well on your way to functional, thriving hive in no time.

    Be sure to let us know what else you’d like to learn about bees!

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  • How to Reduce Waste in Your Kitchen

    How to Reduce Waste in Your Kitchen

    Our kitchens can produce tons of waste. Food scraps, packing, plastic bags, used napkins, and paper towels. Unfortunately, all this waste just ends up in a landfill somewhere, after being hauled away, of course.

    If you have any kind of desire to be more self-reliant, off-the-grid, and self-sustainable, waste removal is going to be an issue. So reducing waste in the kitchen is a great way to get started addressing this issue, and get you thinking about long-term waste solutions for your home or homestead.

    Here are some ideas for quick and simple ways you can reduce waste in your kitchen.

    1. Compost

    So much of what we throw away in the kitchen is food scraps of all kinds. Spoiled food, vegetable trimmings, egg shells, etc. Building a small compost pile or worm bin is a great way to harness all of these scraps for your garden.

    2. Get pigs or goats

    Pigs and goats will help you reduce kitchen waste as well, as they’ll eat virtually any food scraps, pigs especially! Pig slop is perfect for all those awkward portions of leftovers you don’t know what to do with or rotten food you hate throwing away. If you raise pigs or goats for meat, this is like recycling your food!

    3. Opt for cloth

    Getting or making reusable cloth towels, napkins, shopping bags, and produce bags is a great way to reduce waste. You’d be surprised how easy it is to get by with dish rags rather than paper towels, cloth napkins rather than paper, reusable shopping bags rather than plastic, and cloth produce bags rather than plastic as well.

    4. Buy in bulk

    Not only does it save money to buy in bulk, it requires less packaging as well! Dry goods and meat can be purchased in large amounts, and you can divvy out into glass containers or reusable vacuum-seal bags for storage.

    5. Cook from scratch

    The less processed, packaged foods you use, the less waste you will produce. Not to mention you’ll probably lose weight and be much healthier as a result! Cook using whole ingredients like fresh produce, whole grains and meat from the butcher.

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