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Self Reliance – Page 4 – Homesteader Depot

Homesteader Depot

Tag: Self Reliance

  • Homestead (and Life) Lessons From the Great Depression

    Homestead (and Life) Lessons From the Great Depression

    The Great Depression was one of the most harrowing periods of history in our country, and there are many lessons we can take from it. It dramatically changed our economy, our government, our agriculture and our people. We made it through the recent Great Recession with far less damage than the Great Depression, but the possibility of something far worse seems to be constantly looming on the horizon and it’s hard to imagine we’d be prepared the way our resourceful ancestors were.

    The thing is, life has changed so much since the 20’s and 30’s, and we have become far more reliant on the resources of a globalized economy. This is why homesteading is so appealing to a growing number of people; in the face of a crippling economic meltdown, we want to be prepared, and self-reliant, and self-sufficient.

    Here are some lessons we can take from the Great Depression for homesteading, self-reliance, and life in general:

    1. Use what you have

    We get so used to constantly spending, we’ve forgotten how to use what we have already. Homesteaders are probably already familiar with this, especially if you live far from town and get used to  being resourceful, but Amazon Prime has definitely made it easier to order the most obscure homesteading equipment to be delivered right to our front door (or the mailbox at the top of our country road). Before you spend, try to imagine you have no spare money, what you would do. You’d be surprised how quickly you can problem solve sometimes if buying an additional tool or supply were not an option!

    2. Rely on others

    Community is the backbone of any country, and we have, over time, become more autonomous, individual agents who are ironically much more reliant on the grid and less on one another. Get to know your neighbors, your suppliers, shopkeepers, etc. Form bonds with others, trade work and supplies, pitch in to help others out and ask for help on your own homestead. Find a church, homeschool group, grocery co-op, book club, farmer’s market whatever it is that you’re interested in and make connections. When things get crazy you’ll need support and resources, and a few heads are always better than one.

    3. Get skilled

    Skills are invaluable, and the more you learn, the better equipped you are for #1 and #2. If you can build or repair things you won’t need to spend as much hiring others or buying new supplies or replacement parts, and if you have marketable skills or an artisan craft you can trade your work for things you need or simply pitch in to help others out and help strengthen your community.

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  • The Benefits of Solar Water Heaters

    The Benefits of Solar Water Heaters

    As the cost of energy rises, more and more people are looking toward solar power. One of the areas that interest them the most is solar water heating. While it can seem more expensive in the beginning, utilizing a solar water heater has the potential to provide you with a substantial amount of saved money in the long run. In addition, this will help to get you entirely off the grid.

    There are two different types of solar water heaters available – active and passive. The active systems use cells, pumps, and controllers as they move fluid through the system. The passive systems do not have any pump or electrical components. Of course, even within these two different types of water heaters, there are still many different types of choices to make. Do you want a direct or indirect system, for example?

    You can find companies that are able to install these solar water heaters for you, or you can check out some DIY projects and try to do them on your own. If you are handy and you are relatively certain you could create a solar water heater, or solar panels, on your own, then you might want to try this do-it-yourself route.

    You may still want to have a traditional water heater installed as a backup. However, solar energy may very well be the way of the future. It is also a good option for homesteaders because you are truly living off the land when you utilize the sun and cut down your reliance on traditional, expensive energy.

    The subject of solar power is a big one, and there is quite a bit to learn. If you are looking to truly get off the grid though, it might be just the thing for you to look into.

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  • Simple Steps Towards Self-Reliance

    Simple Steps Towards Self-Reliance

    If you’re homesteading, you’re probably already pretty self-reliant. But if you’re not and you wish you were, there are still many ways you can become more self-reliant, no matter where you’re living. Every little thing you can do counts, and also will help you assess just how much you rely on “the system” and what you can do to change that.

    Here are a few simple ideas to reduce your dependence on, say, multi-national corporations or globalized trade, and more on yourself and the resources that are available in your community. It might be called “self” reliance, but really, relying on our communities, local farmers, artisans, and small-scale production, is a huge leap towards resource independence.

    Buy Food Local and Seasonal

    It might some adjustments to your diet, but find out what grows in your area and shop according to what you can purchase locally and seasonally. Find local farmers markets, community gardens and local food production like bakeries or butchers that specialize in local meat.

    Learn to Cook

    Learning to cook as much as you can from scratch will give you a better idea of what the food you like to eat requires. It also will help you be more independent from large-scale food production and narrow the food you eat down to more local, fresh, organic ingredients.

    Make Something With Your Hands

    Whether it is knitting, weaving, carpentry, soap or candle making, learning to make something yourself, instead of buying it from the store, is not only fun, it will make you feel just a bit more able to survive on your own, without the support of lots of large-scale industries.

    Buy Something Handmade

    Obviously you probably don’t have the time or resources to make everything you use on a day-to-day basis for yourself, so shopping for handmade, local, artisan items yourself is a great way to supplement what you can’t do. Soap, food products, clothing, fabrics, furniture, purses, belts and wallets, even art or metal work are usually made by people who work hard to create unique, beautiful and high-quality items. If you can’t find much locally, Etsy is another great way to support small artists and keep money between individuals, not big companies.

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  • The Cost-Effectiveness of Homestead Pigs

    The Cost-Effectiveness of Homestead Pigs

    A lot of people don’t like pigs because they’re stinky, dirty and loud. But most people won’t object to bacon, ribs or pork chops. And this is a pretty good reason to have pigs, and why most people raise them!

    Not only are pigs delicious, however, they are also very cost-effective sources of meat, especially if you are looking to be more or totally self-sufficient. Larger meat animals like cows need a lot of space, and smaller meat animals don’t yield anywhere near as much meat.

    But pigs are just perfect! Here are some reasons why they are economical choices for the homestead:

    Space

    As opposed to cows or even goats, pigs need much less space to live. Of course, the bigger the space, the less offensive the smell, but you can keep your pigs in a pen with a minimum of 20 square feet per fully-grown hog. Given how large pigs can get, this is a great use of small space on a homestead for a big meat yield.

    Quick Growth

    It takes about 12 to 18 months until you can butcher a cow. However, if you buy a weaned piglet and give it 24/7 access to food, you can butcher it and fill your freezer up in as little as four months! Buying a piglet every six months will more than exceed your yearly bacon quota.

    Waste Not, Want Not

    One really fantastic advantage of pigs is that you can feed them your slop! Homesteads often produce lots of scraps from the garden or food processing, so you will have to spend very little on pig food if you regularly feed them scraps from your kitchen and garden. Plus it adds variety to their diet!

    Multiple Babies

    Cows only have one or maybe two calfs at a time, but pigs have whole litters! To breed them you will of course need a male and a female, but you can quickly turn your two pigs into nine or ten, which means more pork than you will know what to do with.

    Overall Cost

    Piglets are very affordable, especially compared to weaned calfs that can cost hundreds of dollars. Your average weaned piglet can cost about $50-$100 (depending on your area). And given how much meat you can get in such a short period of time, this is a steal! Add that to the small amount of space they need, how much you can supplement their diet with scraps and how easily you can multiply your herd, this makes pigs a very economical choice for the homestead.

  • 5 Tips for Storing Food in Harsh Conditions

    5 Tips for Storing Food in Harsh Conditions

     

    Storing dry foods can be tricky. Ideally, you want to store your food at about 50-55 degrees Fahrenheit, with low humidity (less than 15%). Of course, that just isn’t possible for a lot of people, especially those who live in exceedingly warm or cold climates, floodplains, etc. So how can you improve your food’s longevity, even if you’re storing it in harsh conditions? Follow these tips.

    • Be selective with expiration dates – Canned goods can usually last years past their expiration dates, but it’s a good idea to choose the ones with the longest dates to be sure that your food doesn’t go bad while you’re not paying attention.
    • In humid conditions, store food higher – Your gut instinct might be to store food in the basement, but if you live in a floodplain, that can be problematic. Store food in the attic or one of the upper floors of your house to avoid flood damage and minimize humidity.
    • Invest in a vacuum sealer – if you’re bagging up dry goods, you can extend their shelf life in any conditions by sucking the oxygen out of them. A vacuum sealer is an inexpensive investment for longer lasting food.
    • Date your food inventory – Your canned goods will likely have expiration dates on them, as well some of your dry goods. If you’re doing your own canning or bagging, though, make sure to put the dates on all containers. Then always use the oldest dated foods first before moving on to newer containers.
    • Grab some Five-Gallon Buckets – If you’re worried about pests getting into your food supplies and/or you want to keep them fresher longer, invest in some five-gallon buckets with tight-fitting lids.

    With these tips, you should have no trouble extending the shelf life of all of your canned and dry foods, even in harsh conditions.

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  • Top 3 Reasons You Should Be Growing Your Own Food

    Top 3 Reasons You Should Be Growing Your Own Food

    Whether or not you’re a homesteader, there’s no arguing that vegetables fresh from the garden just taste better than the ones you buy at the store. Even organic store-bought veggies just don’t have that same delicious taste that you get from vegetables that you grew yourself. If that isn’t enough to convince you to grow your own food, let’s take a look at just a few of the top reasons you might want to start a garden today:

    No Fear of Food Recalls

    Every year, we hear about different food recalls in different areas. People get sick from eating tomatoes, spinach, lettuce, and all kinds of other vegetables. That’s something you won’t have to worry about with food from your own garden. While others are looking forlornly at the produce section of the store, wondering what’s safe, you can pick anything you want and eat it without a care in the world.

    Less Wasted Cash and Food

    On average, American households throw away about $600 per year in over-ripe, damaged, or rotten produce. When you put in the time and effort to grow it, though, you’re a lot more likely to plan when to eat it instead of just letting it go bad in the fridge. And, when you do have over-ripe vegetables, they can go straight to compost instead of going in the garbage.

    It’s Better for the Environment

    Think of all of the fuel and labor it takes to get vegetables from factory farms to the store, and then there’s the fuel you spend driving to and from the store, as well. Add to that any packaging that’s used in the process, and you have a pretty big impact on the environment. With your own garden, you can just walk out the back door and pick your veggies, leaving a much smaller carbon footprint behind.

    Sources:
    http://www.gardenweasel.com/top-10-reasons-to-grow-your-own-garden/
    http://www.cookinglight.com/food/in-season/reasons-to-garden

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  • Soap Making Basics

    Soap Making Basics

    Making soap is a wonderful skill to gain, and given the amount of harsh toxins and chemicals in commercially-available soap, it’s also a great way to guarantee you’re getting wholesome, natural ingredients.

    Speaking of chemicals, one reason a lot of people are intimidated by soap-making is the use of the ingredient lye (remember that scene in Fight Club, right?). It can be very dangerous when not handled properly, and burn the skin. However, you simply can’t make soap without it. All soap contains it, the thing is, once the reaction that creates the soap has taken place, the lye has changed forms and is no longer harmful-it’s actually not even lye anymore.

    The key to safe soap-making is following some basic precautions. Use gloves, eye protection, a dust mask and fully covering clothes, and also work in an extremely well-ventilated area, if not outside. Make sure you are using food-grade lye, and in between soap-making sessions, keep your lye and other supplies well out of reach of children and pets.

    The three bases for soap are lye, a fat or oil, and water. Animal fat can be used-so soap-making is a great option for hunters and homesteaders. Oil soap is also great for homesteaders, and gardeners, as you can make all sorts of scents by infusing your oil with herbs or flowers.

    To start soap-making, you’ll want to get a few supplies. This is what’s suggested by UrbanSurvivalSite.com‘s soap-making recipe:

    • A soap mold
    • Parchment paper
    • A gram or kitchen scale
    • Non-reactive container (like Pyrex)
    • Utensils-metal is not recommended for lye so wooden chopsticks are one option
    • An immersion blender-try to find one made just for soap-making so it won’t splash
    • A spatula
    • Help-when working with lye it can be very helpful to have an extra set of (gloved) hands to ensure it all goes smoothly

    Next, just find a recipe and have fun! Your necessary ingredients will vary from recipe to recipe, but as mentioned above they will usually contain some combination of animal fat or oils and fragrance, with a water or tea base and lye. Here are 71 soap recipes to get you started.

    Once you know what you’re doing, you can have more fun experimenting and using the supplies you have available such as animal fat or fresh herbs. Soap making is just another step on the road to self-reliance and a simpler and more wholesome life!

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  • Skills to Build While You Wish You Could Homestead

    Skills to Build While You Wish You Could Homestead

    Whether you’re stuck in a cramped apartment in the city or living in a suburban starter home while you save up to buy land, there’s no reason you can’t start building your homesteader skills now, as you dream of more self-reliant times ahead. You can check out our guide to how to homestead in a city if you can’t wait to free yourself from the grid, and also start developing the following skills to be ready when the time comes to fully escape the plugged in life:

     

    1. Bake your own bread: We tend to take our packaged, fluffy white supermarket loaves for granted, but there is nothing as delicious or satisfying as freshly baked homemade bread. It’s not too difficult to master, and doesn’t require anything more than what you can buy from said supermarket. And in addition to delicious bread, it will provide you with more of a sense of control over what goes into your food and a whole lot of respect for homesteaders of yore-who grew, milled and baked to get their daily bread.

     

    1. Pickling and Canning: There’s no reason you need to be growing your own crops to start preserving food. It’s always good to have a nice supply of foods that don’t need to be refrigerated, and really rewarding to make them yourself. Pickling is great because pickled and fermented foods are actually an amazing source of probiotics, and canning your own food is a great way to take advantage of marked-down produce at the supermarket as well as a healthy alternative to most GMO, BPA, toxin-ridden store-bought canned products.
      Check out: 7 Steps for Easy Canning

     

    1. Render tallow and lard: Mostly a forgotten homesteading art, rendering tallow and lard can be both greatly rewarding and cost-effective. Using often-times free scraps from butcher shops, or, if you’re lucky enough to know a hunter or farmer, the remains of a deer or cow after butchering, tallow and lard can be used in place of conventional oil or store-bought butter and tend to be far more delicious and nutritious.

     

    1. Make your own soap: The cost-effectiveness of making one’s own soap is probably the best reason to try it-homemade-soapbut, like making your own bread or canned products, also gives you a sense of control over what is going in your soap and knowing it’s safe. If you can get over the fear of working with lye, soap-making can be a blast, and odds are you won’t go back after you’ve tried it. Just make sure to follow basic safety precautions and you’ll be making all your family members homemade vanilla-lavender-coconut suds in no time!
      Check out: 5 Step DIY Soap

     

    1. Butcher a chicken: OK, so odds are, if you live in the city or suburbs, you probably don’t have access to a live chicken, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start practicing butchering now. Most supermarkets and butchers sell whole chicken, and they’re always much cheaper than chicken cuts. It’s a great way to whet your pallet for butchering, and you can use the giblets for gravy and bones for tallow-learning how to use the whole animal will give you a great taste for proper homesteading!

     

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