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I do agree but there are many hurdles to owning livestock, finding correctly zoned property that has potable water line for humans is just the first. Owning animals is really an "all-in" to the self sufficient life when you add animals to be responsible for. So much less expensive, in many ways, to depend on grocery stores...until they ration meat.
"Country squire" may be a old thing that comes back as a worthy goal for people who are going through this pandemic now.
When we decided to migrate to Maine, we had no idea the area hosts such a wonderful community of off-grid self-sufficient farms. It began as a network of hippy communes, from that they organized the world's first Certified Organic certification. They originated the idea of organic food.
Can you grow all your food in Maine? I own vendors who have a 5 acre garden and they market enough veggies to support their families. Without need for subsidies or a job in town.
I do not see raising livestock as a 'hurdle'. There is a learning curve, there are capital investments that need to be made. We have raised chickens [meat & egg], ducks, turkeys, goats, sheep and pigs. You can go from one to the other, as your confidence grows.
A lot of homesteaders only want to raise one pig. They want to buy a piglet in the Spring, planning on butchering in the Fall. We did that for a few years. But now we breed pigs, and sell the piglets.
Location: New Albany, Indiana (Greater Louisville)
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Eastern half of nation, preferably near one of the large rivers or Great Lakes. These areas have plenty of water and good climate and social for food production. It's where the majority of large Native American settlements were.
IMHO, don't worry about an 'ideal' climate or area. In fact, the worst land is the cheapest. Invest effort to modify the environment to suit your needs.
The catalyst for the construction of the underground abode was a result of the hot summers typical of the Fresno area. The inspiration lends itself to ancient Roman catacombs that Baldasare was infatuated with in his youth. Countless hours were spent excavating the hardpan layer that cements much of Fresno's soil to create his underground home. It had a summer bedroom, a winter bedroom, a bath, a functional kitchen, a fish pond, and a parlor with a fireplace.
Interspersed amongst the beautiful stone walls and archways are grottoes and courtyards that allow for pockets of light. The intricate pathways were created section by section, over a span of 10 acres, without the aid of blueprints.
There are 65 rooms in the Forestiere Underground Gardens. The gardens, while subterranean, have many skylights and catchbasins for water.
The plants and trees, some of which are over 100 years old, are protected, by virtue of construction, from the frost in the winter months. Each level was planted at different times, so they bloom in succession, in order to lengthen the growing season. It houses a variety of fruit ranging from citrus and berries to exotic fruits like the kumquat, loquat, and jujube. The trees have been grafted to bear more than one kind of fruit, allowing for a larger variety to be grown throughout the space. Trees and vines were also planted above the dwelling, acting as insulation and forming canopies that provide protection from the elements.
- - -
Visitors are amazed how much cooler it is in the underground gardens, during the mid day heat.
- - -
Type in "rice terraces" into your search engine, and marvel at the many many mountainsides made into lush farmland. Humanity has been reforming the raw land into human habitat for millennia.
There really is no "bad land" or "bad climate" - just opportunities for creative industrious people.
Go buy cheap, crappy land in miserable climates, and unleash your endowed right to live, prosper and thrive.
IMHO, don't worry about an 'ideal' climate or area. In fact, the worst land is the cheapest. Invest effort to modify the environment to suit your needs.
I must disagree.
Find a location with surplus fresh water and not drought-prone.
I have found very cheap land among the peat bogs. It is cheap because there are peat bogs in the area, but it also has abundant water.
There is a lot of cheap land with no water access in the deserts.
Quote:
... Another example of engineering one's environment
The catalyst for the construction of the underground abode was a result of the hot summers typical of the Fresno area. The inspiration lends itself to ancient Roman catacombs that Baldasare was infatuated with in his youth. Countless hours were spent excavating the hardpan layer that cements much of Fresno's soil to create his underground home. It had a summer bedroom, a winter bedroom, a bath, a functional kitchen, a fish pond, and a parlor with a fireplace.
Interspersed amongst the beautiful stone walls and archways are grottoes and courtyards that allow for pockets of light. The intricate pathways were created section by section, over a span of 10 acres, without the aid of blueprints.
There are 65 rooms in the Forestiere Underground Gardens. The gardens, while subterranean, have many skylights and catchbasins for water.
The plants and trees, some of which are over 100 years old, are protected, by virtue of construction, from the frost in the winter months. Each level was planted at different times, so they bloom in succession, in order to lengthen the growing season. It houses a variety of fruit ranging from citrus and berries to exotic fruits like the kumquat, loquat, and jujube. The trees have been grafted to bear more than one kind of fruit, allowing for a larger variety to be grown throughout the space. Trees and vines were also planted above the dwelling, acting as insulation and forming canopies that provide protection from the elements.
- - -
Visitors are amazed how much cooler it is in the underground gardens, during the mid day heat.
- - -
Type in "rice terraces" into your search engine, and marvel at the many many mountainsides made into lush farmland. Humanity has been reforming the raw land into human habitat for millennia.
There really is no "bad land" or "bad climate" - just opportunities for creative industrious people.
Go buy cheap, crappy land in miserable climates, and unleash your endowed right to live, prosper and thrive.
The Forestiere Gardens Are impressive. I worked there when I was in college.
But the San Joaquin Valley is desert with extreme droughts. The WPA built the worlds largest aquaduct network there which helps a lot and has made the San Joaquin Valley into the nation's largest Ag producing region. All life there depends on the aquaducts.
Find a location with surplus fresh water and not drought-prone.
...
The Forestiere Gardens Are impressive. I worked there when I was in college.
But the San Joaquin Valley is desert with extreme droughts. The WPA built the worlds largest aquaduct network there which helps a lot and has made the San Joaquin Valley into the nation's largest Ag producing region. All life there depends on the aquaducts.
Frankly, I think Americans need to prepare their farms for drought, or the least, a reduction in fresh water availability.
Suffice to say, Israel is NOT a land with surplus water, yet they have reclaimed land from the desert. They also pioneered using brackish water for irrigation.
Going from 20% arable to 60% arable is an impressive achievement.
Recycling 80% of their waste water is great, too.
Our "American deserts" could be transformed, methinks.
WATER TECH - REVERSE OSMOSIS
Driven by necessity, Israel is learning to squeeze more out of a drop of water than any country on Earth. https://www.scientificamerican.com/a...n-era-is-here/
Small scale units are available for sailing ships and farms.
Starting a self sufficient homestead is not an easy task.
Pioneers, by definition, aren't taking the easiest path to achieve prosperity.
Since most of the best land is already owned, and sold at a premium, choosing less desirable and inexpensive land and transforming it may be affordable and therefore practical.
Self-sufficient means no external inputs. No irrigation except what falls out of the sky. No electricity or domestic water except for small scale hydro, solar or wind power. A woodlot is solar, which will provide heat. Buried metal culvert and a convection chimney will provide summer cooling. A steam or Stirling cycle engine will provide some horsepower when needed, also from the solar woodlot. Solid state refrigeration will work off of solar, but I'm not aware of any solid state freezers.
Most late 19th century technology can be adapted for self-sufficiency, with some 20th century admix. Rooftop solar will take care of hot water in the summer, coils and a wood stove will take care of it in the winter, while a couple sensors, valves and a programmable controller will take care of automatic switching, while a 1/25 hp recirc pump will keep the water moving.
Setting up a self-sufficient 21st century lifestyle would be a lot of work, and would not be cheap. Most people compromise with some external inputs, like food and fuel. I left 19th century tech like wood heat and gravity feed water intact for emergencies, but have telephone, internet and grid power, with a propane generator for emergencies. With modern insulation, the comfort level of the house doesn't change when the power goes out. I don't even bother to fire up the generator until the second day of an outage.
Well folks after some research I think I have settled on Oregon. My first priorities will be on purchasing the land while making sure it has good water rights then after that electrical independence with solar panels and a backup generator. Then after that setting up a garden. If this all goes well I will consider some small livestock like chickens but that is way down on the priority list. I will probably continue to use the internet so I will have to look more into how that works out in more remote areas.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,747 posts, read 58,102,528 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BornintheSprings
Well folks after some research I think I have settled on Oregon. My first priorities will be on purchasing the land while making sure it has good water rights then after that electrical independence with solar panels and a backup generator. Then after that setting up a garden. If this all goes well I will consider some small livestock like chickens but that is way down on the priority list. I will probably continue to use the internet so I will have to look more into how that works out in more remote areas.
Best wishes on your transition.
After 30 yrs in Colo, I made my transition to PNW (WA) almost 35 yrs ago.
so... do check out the neighbor of OR. I look out over Oregon in 180 degree of my view and can be there in 20 min (if I must), but greatly prefer and enjoy the benefits of WA. (freedom of thought and expression). I have worked, farmed, taught, schooled and lived in both states. Currently have (6) family members from CO living in OR, and (5) came to WA.
I immediately took Master Gardening classes, as the PNW was so much different in growing / sustainability practices, Participated in commercial small Ag and had u-pick fruits and veggies (and eggs / cider / pies) for about 10 yrs (them moved international for ~10 yrs). I still teach Small producer Finance for farmers. And do a lot of growing research and experiments.
My neighbor has yr round hydro, just running off a culvert under the road above him (70' head),
I have built (3) passive solar homes in PNW and used to frequent and present at Solwest and sustainable living events in Walla Walla https://www.slcww.org/. Active in Solar WA and in self fueling (Bio-d) processes (since 1976)
There is a lot of benefit and a lot to learn about a new area.
The PNW is one of few climates in USA that is quite suitable for WTSHTF / enduring sustainability.
120" of drizzle a yr has it's + and -... thus I have places in TX, and CO to flee to (often). But.. $39 to fly to CA is pretty EZ. Spirit ran $19.90 direct flights to San Diego for a couple winters, That was sweet... Down at 5AM, return at midnight, no need for rental car or hotel.
I also fly to CO often (for sunbreaks)
I miss CO biking and $0.75 lap swimming, but I don't miss watering / nurturing trees and garden to only be hailed out at harvest.
but I don't miss watering / nurturing trees and garden to only be hailed out at harvest.
Yea Colorado is stunningly beautiful but its not really a good place for growing things. Great post and very informative. I still have lots to learn and will continue to learn as I make the transition towards greater sustainability and eventually spending less money as well.
I grew up in Oregon. It has vastly different geographic climate zones. Out of curiosity, which one did you choose?
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almost 35 yrs ago.
