Love the new thread- but it's not always... (acres, house, light)

[VegasGrace]

Love this new thread but to me, self-sufficiency and preparedness aren't about doomsday preparation- it's about day to day, year to year living....being self-sufficient and being prepared.

Clergy was at my home a few weeks ago and made the comment that I give all new meaning to self-sufficiency. I'm a single woman doing a home renovation-by myself. Roofing, plumbing, flooring, building walls, insulating, landscaping, etc.

While living in Utah, my daughter's 6th grade class had each child to stand and tell their family motto. Be kind, be helpful, etc were said with each child varying a bit. My daughter stood and without knowing our family motto (we don't have one) she proudly said:

Be proactive not reactive.

The teacher was shocked and my family laughs when the story is told- but it's true. These are words I live by.

[Ticatica]

YUP! This could be a profitable new way of doing things not the end result of financial collapse or warfare. I'm doin' it for the money, baby!!! I plan to buy land and set up a completely self sufficient home. Hopefully I can generate enough energy to sell some back to the power company! A friend of mine got me started on this idea and I think it's brilliant! Everybody, especially people in the country, should use their land to take down their energy/food costs. Bank the cash you would have thrown away!

[Timm]

You know, when I saw the little thingie saying there was a new forum for self-sufficiency and preparedness (boy, that's sure a catchy little title, no?), I was thinking it would be more along the lines of this thread. Little did I know it was to be filled with bunker-building and omgCOLLAPSE threads. I think threads like this one would make for compelling reading, but I doubt that I'll want to wade through all the crazy to get to them.

[Administrator]

Feel free to write about all these topics. This forum is still new and all other threads you see here were moved from other forums. We already have Green Living and Rural and Small Town Living forums, so many topics that could have possibly fit here were left in those forums.

[VegasGrace]

Originally Posted by Administrator

Feel free to write about all these topics. This forum is still new and all other threads you see here were moved from other forums. We already have Green Living and Rural and Small Town Living forums, so many topics that could have possibly fit here were left in those forums.

Perhaps sub-headings would be beneficial like House has House and then sub-home decorating and something else I can't remember.

This forum would be great to have-
Self Sufficiency and Preparedness
-Apocalypse, Armageddon, Earthly disaster
-DIY, Providence, Prudence

[HappyTexan]

People today seem to want to be self sufficient for a number of reasons

-tired of corporate life...getting off that hamster wheel
-fear of total collapse
-becoming more aware of what they eat and how they live
-city, suburban, rural lifestyles are all different yet have much in common when it comes to these items; it's just the degree that differs.

I like the variety in this category. Me - I want to power down. I have 6 acres now and a corporate job. I'm planning early retirement and finding a bigger place further out in the country.
But I also fear we could enter a second Depression if things get worse, so that's in my mind as well.

So for me it's a win/win. I'll be prepared for the worse but if nothing happens then I've simplified my life, which is my first goal.

[Macrina]

The notice about this new forum caught my eye, particularly as I'd just read somewhere (don't remember where, but don't think it was on C-D...) that my area of Northern California is somewhat overdue for an earthquake.

Specifically: where I live is at the northern end of the Rodgers/Hayward Fault and historically there has been a substantial earthquake somewhere along the fault line every 140 years. The end of the current 140 years was last year... . .

So yes, I'm interested in thinking and talking about preparedness.

[Macrina]

Ummmm.....I'd just written the above and the at 11:52 PM we had a 3.4 magnitude earthquake It was very uncanny to be just reading and writing about earthquakes and then to experience one!

I've just finished writing an online report to the USGS site: M3.4 – Northern California

Sorry, I know this is slightly off topic. Actually, I'm so not prepared for any of this. . .I'll bet this event spurs me on to making some changes and getting ready

[willabee]

Several years ago I used to read a lot of the doom predictions. Strangely enough not many of them have happened. I really try to avoid the sky is falling scenarios and focus on learning to become more self sufficient. No, I don't have a basement full of freeze dried food. However, I do buy a lot of things in bulk, can vegetables, make my own laundry detergent, buy half side of beef at a time, etc. I have learned how to save thousands of dollars a year doing some of these things.

[DrEarth]

Reading the "Doomers" posts provides me with much entertainment.
~It is time to start building a bunker!!
~What will be the cause of the collapse?
~When will it happen?
~I just maxed out all of my credit cards to buy guns, ammo, food, and a bunker on 10 acres, because the world will collapse in the next 2 years!!!!!

Tin foil out.......