Is Self-Sufficiency Possible?

[livingnlearning]

fwiw: self sufficiency isn't "simple living." It's anything but. We have a huge garden. We (meaning everyone living at home) work it. This year was cold and wet at the start and blistering hot since. We've had VERY little produce and we have gardening experience, beds that are double dug and composted and full up with worms. Sometimes conditions just don't agree with what you are doing.

And as an aside I think lots of folks a couple of generations ago suffered from malnutrition. My grandparents wrere both under 5'9" and both of their boys were over 6'3". Out of both of my grandfathers and their 7 siblings there were only a handful of biological children.

 

also, you're correct about the malnutrition. the school lunch program came about because when the service was drafting for WW2 and found so many young people had the effect of malnutrition.

 

http://www.educationbug.org/a/the-history-of-the-school-lunch-program.html

[WishboneDawn]

And as an aside I think lots of folks a couple of generations ago suffered from malnutrition. My grandparents wrere both under 5'9" and both of their boys were over 6'3". Out of both of my grandfathers and their 7 siblings there were only a handful of biological children.

 

All of the 9 kids in my dad's family are about 5'7". The difference between them and their children, who are all taller, is a bit funny. Dad grew up in an area that the depression never really left. He joined the army and couldn't get over how most of the other recruits complained. He'd never had so little work and so much food in his life! :)

[BillieBoy]

I’m late to the party, but I felt the need to chime in. This is right up my alley.

We strive to live a ‘more’ self-sufficient life style. I grew up rather jet set and privileged, but found my niche in the country. I read and read and read, then married a county raised boy. Our first homestead was off grid in the Cascade Mountains, little sunshine, lots and lots of rain and snow. We lived there for ten years; DD was born there. We did okay and learned a lot the hard way, but when shopping for our dream homestead we had a huge list of wants and needs.

Location, location, location is key. You can homestead anywhere by necessity, but if you can choose, choose carefully. Most everything plant and animal is adaptable or you can find certain breeds and seeds that will do better in your zone. A community of like-minded (and open minded) people nearby is a must. Sometimes human transplants have a hard time assimilating. Take the good and the bad and learn from them. Most have been there and done that. Study your area for climate zones, soil deficiencies, micro-climates, and get to know your county extension officer…well. Look for property with outbuildings that with a little elbow grease can be made into a chicken coop or milk shed. Make sure you have plenty of good quality water. Gardening and livestock require lots of it. If your well is producing 2 g/m and has a 30 ft static level…it’s not going to cut it.

We have twenty acres in NE Washington, part heavily treed, part open for pasture. We also use some of the in-laws twenty acres of unused fields for hay and grain. Hay is relatively inexpensive in this area, but we grow our own so I can control the mixture and the weeds and do so organically. We raise, have raised or will raise again, hens for eggs, meat birds, ducks for meat and eggs, turkeys, a dairy cow, goats, pigs, rabbits, sheep, and horses (we only have one now). Unless I can get my daughter’s champion reining horse hooked up to a plow, (har, har, har) he and most horses have no practical use on a homestead, but I love them.

We do raise ‘almost’ all our own feed. We don’t raise corn and I am very anti-GMO, so I buy non-GMO corn in bulk direct from the co-op. We mix our own for each animal group. You must know each species nutrient/protein requirements as well as how those requirements change with the seasons, gestation, lactation cycles, and age. We still have to buy other additives i.e. limestone, salt, etc. Yes, my husband has an income, it is necessary.

 

I will strongly disagree with another poster that a chicken can be left to her own devices. Our chickens are pasture raised. They get plenty of green grass (in the spring and summer) and juicy bugs (yes, chickens are omnivores) however for optimum health, life longevity, and the best egg and meat production they are still fed a mixture of grains and minerals (free choice).

Mind you, it is a heck of a lot easier to run to the feed store and buy layer pellets at $18 a fifty pound sack, and we used to do just that when that same bag was $6.00. Fifty pounds goes awful fast with a dozen layers. Before you know it you are eating $6.00 per dozen eggs. Times are changing. I won’t get into the politics of it all, but exports, GMO companies and laziness has all contributed to higher prices for a lesser quality product.

Most of our animals are heritage breeds on the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy list. I find the ‘older’ less manipulated breeds to be hardier, can breed on their own, have better foraging qualities, and taste better. It’s hard to decide on some things. Modern chicken breeds such as the Cornish-Cross gives you a nice 6lb dressed roasting bird in ten weeks, where as a heritage breed will take up to twenty five weeks, use more food in the long run, and may never get that big. I debate this all the time.

Dairy animals can be maintained on grass alone. There is a big movement towards this. You will sacrifice a bit on the quantity (not much), but the feed bill is a heck of a lot cheaper. We only grain the dairy cow a small amount and that’s just to get her in to the stanchion. She gets free choice minerals.

Pigs, cows, goats, sheep and chickens also do well with a supplement of such crops like comfrey, mangel beets, and Jerusalem artichokes. The latter two can be root cellared and chopped for a mid-winter boost.

Raising most of your own livestock feed can be done with a lot of hard work, planning, land, water, and ingenuity. We do it because we feel better about how and what we raise and consume. Yes, it is very hard work, but the most rewarding kind of work thier is. There is something that feels good and right about really providing a home cooked meal that you grew, raised, nurtured, and processed from soil to table.

Some recommended sources are: The Stockman’s Handbook (old but good breakdown of feed mixes and livestock needs), The Country Living Encyclopedia by Carla Emery RIP (best book ever), Old Countryside magazines and old MEN.

I hope my ramblings have helped or have at least gives you a different perspective.

Gosh, sorry, I went on and on and on…. Aghhh and I didn’t even get into gardening and food preservation. :eek:

[Denisemomof4]

Yes. It is possible. However, if your idea of self-sufficient comes from Little House on the Prairie, you will experience a harsh awakening.

 

If you are truly interested, there are many good resources online, including forums/online communities for people who are self-sufficient right now and those trying to get there. There is also a wealth of helpful books. Storey is a publisher who produces books on a huge variety of subject helpful to homesteaders.

 

To be truly self-sufficient, you would also need to look into producing your own power. That is often the last step for people, and most never get to that stage. It isn't impossible, but it is expensive and can be tricky to accomplish.

 

As for livestock... I'm sorry, but yes... they have to be fed, watered and cared for every. single. day. No exceptions. Whether you can produce enough to feed them all will depend on your fields and your ability to reap a good crop (which itself is dependent on about 1,000 things that are mostly out of your control).

 

Livestock are expensive to keep. There are times when the cost of keeping them might even outweigh the cost of buying their products elsewhere. Farming carries no guarantees. Generally, the larger the animal, the more expensive it is to keep. You must keep on top of their health and make sure they get the proper diet. If you do not, they will not produce well, or they will die, or they will die and infect all the rest of your stock.

 

To be honest, I never, ever recommend people to "move to the country and be self-sufficient." I have seen too many people come out here with that in mind, only to become horribly bitter and then leave, often after the marriage or family completely disintegrates. It can be tough on a marriage and family.

 

That said, take the time you have now to do a lot of research, read a lot of books and talk to a lot of homesteaders. Go in with your eyes wide open and don't promise yourself anything. Nature has a way of laughing at well-made plans. Try what you want to try, but don't rely on it. Case in point... we've been farming all our married life and have been self-sufficient in many ways. This year, the garden is underproducing drastically. I'm going to have to buy produce that I've not bought in 12 years. I'm reeling at the cost of things, but I know every year that I cannot rely on the garden to feed us. That's why we make contingency plans (and funds). There are no guarantees. We don't expect anything, so on the occasions we don't get anything, at least we're not disappointed.

 

this is excellent. I would go into this with the desire to be MORE self sufficient. If you ever get to be 100% self sufficient, that would be an unexpected bonus.

 

Allow for mistakes. You're going to make A LOT. You will learn from them, so nothing will be a total waste. Allow the mistakes and don't let them overwhelm or anger you.

[Katiebug_1976]

I don't know if this is what you are looking for, but our chickens have supported themselves for the last 1 1/2 years. We sell the extra eggs they lay and up until last month, the $$ from the eggs has been enough to buy the feed for them and also to make any repairs/additions to their coop as well. Unfortunately, we have had quite a bit of trouble with possums, racoons, wild dogs, & hawks that we have gone from 60 chickens down to 19 in the last month. So now we don't have very many eggs to sell and they are not supporting themselves anymore. But it worked out really great before we lost so many...thinking we will have to build our flock back up and find a better way to keep them protected, yet still "free range."

[LucyStoner]

also, you're correct about the malnutrition. the school lunch program came about because when the service was drafting for WW2 and found so many young people had the effect of malnutrition.

 

http://www.educationbug.org/a/the-history-of-the-school-lunch-program.html

 

Yes, very true.

 

People who long for the good old days sometimes need to look at those times with a more critical eye.

 

That said, I am all for taking steps towards more self sustainable practices.

[Carol in Cal.]

I think that one of the things that people tend to underestimate is the sheer relentlessness of having animals. I have friends who have 3 big dogs, several cats, and also raise chickens for meat and eggs and rabbits for meat, and they literally can't go away together. There is no one who can really cover for them so one of them always stays home if the other one must travel. They were pretty satisfied with that lifestyle, and in fact it drove an interesting career choice for the wife--she did under the table home health aide work, cash only (I'm not defending this, just describing it), 4 hour minimum per visit. Her clients LOVED her because she worked 7 days per week with them.

 

You can leave your garden, pretty much, although during the summer it's pretty risky to turn it over to anyone else. But animals are much more tricky. It's important to think that through before you get them.

 

I agree with others that it's best to start with things that are easy--fruit trees, herbs, cabbage, potatoes, etc.--or MUCH better for being homegrown--tomatoes, greens, etc.--or VERY expensive to buy--fresh herbs again, exotic peppers, radiccio, endive, artichokes, berries. It's a process.