"Home Stead" Living

[SwampDonkey]

I can remember the same things as CK recalls. Although, I never had to be smothered by blankets, but it was still cold when you could sit on the only heat register in the house and still be cold with a gravity fed furnace. I remember a 30 x 25 foot woodshed full of wood as well as a cellar full. I remember the old house wrapped up like a caccoon with plastic to keep the wind out in winter. I remember when a new pump was put in, the well was already dug but we was using a cisturn for washing. I can remember the rats gettin in that and drowning (what a lovely thought) 

What I'de like to know is how cheep do ya figure that generator is gonna be running, along with its costs of maintenance and the costs of the solar panels. A six gallon jub of gas here costs $28.50, how long will that last in an inefficient gas engine? How are ya gonna keep your meat from turning green? Your milk from turnin into cheese? Your jam from turnin mouldy after ya open it and sit it around in the heat for several days? Grampa used to cut the green off the pork in the oat barrel and eat it after, are you gonna? He had an ice house that kept stuff untill mid summer, do you have ice in winter for a summer ice house? Now, when do ya have time to go to work during the day job? It will take the dedication of the whole family to make that way of life work. If one person does it and the rest get waited on, I wonder how long that will last? I think of all that and say $55-70/month to run a whole house is way cheaper and more convenient. I don't waste electric because I hardly use a light at night unless I need to find or read something. I use the clothes line when I can during summer months, I can't get to it because of snow in winter.

My grandmother used to say the good old days are now. And mother always said that the later years were the best times of my grandparents' lives.

There aren't many today that would crawl up in a Hudson Bay sleeping blanket and stay with a horse in a hovel during the cold winter months, while working in the woods. No wonder the old man had the Rumatoid Arthritis and ached all over as if he was run over. Just some things to think about during the time you spend at the day job.

[Gunny]

I don't know that the consideration of living the simpler life demands that all current ("modern") amenities be discounted and/or disposed with.  Humanity seems to have embraced, for better or for worse, almost all technologies which have surfaced which are supposed to aid in the creation of a "better" life. 

Frankly, having spent over two years living in the absolute filth of a jungle hole and another six months without the benefit of a shower or bath tub in a desert, I'm sticking with my hot and cold running water until the end of my days.  I ,too, enjoy the benefits offered through my relationship with our rural electric cooperative and don't have any plans to trade my refrigerator-freezer for the ice-pit we used while building our log cabin years ago.  And we all enjoy our PBS affiliate immensely.  Inasmuch as I'm the laundry-guy in this household, I'm hanging on to that auto-washer with glee while line-drying everything.  We use an Amish rack-dryer throughout the stormy months.  I don't think my desire to utilize a few of the current "tools" available is much different than those folks who opted for oil lamps over wax candles, iron tools over stone, wheeled vehicles over sledges, air-tight woodstoves over fireplaces, etc.  Isn't it really more about a state of mind?

There's not much discussion about the effects of the stresses we moderns have placed upon us--either externally or internally--which seem, often, to have driven us (especially we North Americans) to become obsessed with self-medications.  Oftentimes, our destructive behaviors may well reflect a state of being that no amount of technologically-advanced creature comforts can or will ever soothe.  In my weaker, consumptive moments of my life, the options I chose to conform to the "norms" around me allowed me the pleasure of hours-long commutes, numerous lights blinking on my 10-line phone, 100-hour work weeks and near total isolation from those I loved.  All the amenities my money bought did little to bring a balance into the life of "busy."

I've lived in a cave and could do very well--alone--doing that again.  Certainly, I'd never think of asking anyone else to try to share those primal pleasures since our culture is so absolutely removed from that reality.  The question might be this:  If the (sub)urban or "metro" life is so replete with those items which should bring such pleasure into our lives, how is it that we present ourselves, socially and culturally, as, perhaps, the least happy of all peoples on this planet?  Consumption of tobacco, alcohol, and over and under-the-counter drugs, coupled with the rampant (mis)diagnoses of supposed personality "issues" is almost overwhelming. 

Perhaps it is time that we all  try to get just one more footstep closer to the garden?

[Patty]

This is a great thread.

As I grow older, I find myself getting closer and closer to the land. Life is harder when you produce most of your own food, heat, etc; but I also think it is more rewarding. Like CK, I like the comforts of a home with electricity and running water; and I can remember as a child taking baths in a big metal tub mom put out on the kitchen floor. No wonder we only bathed once a week back then! Each of us makes choices, do I live in the city and make buckets of money and wear a suit to work, or do I live in the country, create my own jobs, wear whatever I want and use my buckets to haul grain to the animals. Norm & I butcher our own meat. It is hard work, and very time consuming, but it is our choice to do this extra work. It means alot to me to know where the meat was raised and how the animal was treated and how it was slaughtered. Again that is a choice we made, we certainly could go to the store and buy the meat they offer; it is just not as fulfilling as producing our own. Same with vegetables and fruit.

I can't say that folks who choose a lifestyle similar to mine are better than those that don't. I can say I have found happiness in the choices I have made. I'm not so sure that others can say the same. They don't seem so happy being a part of the rat race; but who am I to judge. 

[Buzz-sawyer]

Swampy
Sounds like some less than enjoyable memories you have there.....mine are of the smell of hickory burning in the cold air, rich warm black dirt in my hands in the spring, sounds of birds singing in the rain showers..........checking a trapline before its really light and seeing red over the river.The satisfaction of grinding burger, and stuffing sausage outta meat I hunted, killed, skinned , butchered ........and devoured.
Of seeing my kids play with chickens, or run wild in the creek bottoms.........(these are this last years memories!)
The less cash I NEED to support this habit the better (the habit is country livin).so the simpler the better. I am not religiously amish, or compulsively anti anything......I, like you LOVE refrigeration and electric power.SOOO useful! BUT . a sense of appreciation for the things we have seems to make them all the more enjoyable....and I think slowing down and livin life instead of chasing after an illusion of life, or the dollar is what I am describing. livin GOOD now not  livin fast paced and disconnected now so so one day we might be able to live a good life. So often SOMEDAY never comes!
From what I have read from you you live a fairly rustic and country life too.

[Randy]

Swampdonkey
 I am Sure the Life some of us choose to live is not of interest to others, Its just like Drinking, smoking, doing drugs, cussing, Whore-hoping, golfing, playing ball, in dept up to the roof, living beyond their means, Etc. There is alot of people that has these habits/hobbies/lifestyles----------I feel if that is what they want, then that is their business. I am Happy for them--Really because Thats What they Want. Me, I don't do any of the above, I love going to church, fishing, hunting some,  raising some animals, and LOVE Camping and my hobbies are sawing logs and becoming as Self sufficient as I can. I sure know what its like to live in a house that had no heat at night after the heater burnt out, with 8 home-made quilts laying on top of me, getting up in the mornings and it would be so cold any liquid that was sitting around would be froze on the colder nights, getting that heater fire going so the rest of the family could get up to some warmth----no bathroom, not even a out-house(had to go in the woods)no hot water except to boil it on the stove, taking a bath a couple times aweek in a no. 3 wash tub. Other than "Roughing it" camping I too don't want to go back to that life style. But if some of you do---------I would Love to hear about it, might pick up some good Idea's.


 I have to have my shower daily, maybe more some days. I Never put on dirty Clothes when I get up in the mornings. I just Like the challege of building and doing things to become as self reliant as possible. I want my TV and my Hot water, shower, but I feel that its not good for my kids to sit in front of the TV 8hrs per day. When My G-friend and her kids come over to my place for a day--her kids bring video games to hook to my TV, but they are limited to the amount of time they can sit indoors and play them. Give them some seeds to plant and a little garden spot for thierselfs, they can feed the animals, get up the eggs, help with choirs, fish etc. I want them to know more than Videio Games.  I personally want some of the things that make life simplier, like a Washing machine, Tv a AC for the hot nights(cant sleep Hot), a fridge, but if My Solar power is Low because of a few rainy days in a row, I want get upset that I can't watch TV for a day or two. I sure want run a generator to watch TV or use a electric can opener, but if it is nessary I WILL run the generator to wash clothes(a scrub board don't fit my hands) or to run the water pump to build the pressure up for a quick shower. To clear up the AC deal------------I only Cool the bedroom and only had to run it 3 nights last summer. I use a energy efficient fan alot. If the windows are open and the house is where it get alot of evening shade--it is fairly cool at night. It don't cost alot to run or keep-up a generator if you only run it 2 or 3 hours per week. As far as keeping meats, milk, etc--I will always have a gas/electric refridgerator, but I will try to use it on solar more than on gas, but most of our meats will be in a walking type fridge until needed--------you know what I mean--------chickens in the pen, rabbits, fish in the lake. We are getting into learning the proper way of Canning meats(bought a Big, nice Canner), Already dehydrating some meat making jerky etc. So keeping meat want require alot of electric or gas. I enjoy getting some deer meat from some of my customers, cutting it up, grinding it with my grinder making jerky with my jerky gun. I dehydrate vegetables too. I want everyone to know it will cost more to convert or build a solar house than it will to go total electric and pay the light bill--the upkeep of solar can cost and if you are not willing to cut back on your electric usage, that would mean a Larger more expencive Solar System. You can build a solar set-up for just a few hundred dollars, but a good set-up to run a average home with a average light bill could cost more than $50,000. When I get my cabin built and get all my solar panels up and running I will have more than $15,000 in solar alone. This is probably more than I need and ALOT more than I would have ever bought but I ran across a DEAL on about $13,000 of solar items(Give a used 4wheeler worth no more than $2000--Even swap----Good Deal for me).  You can pay alot of light bills with that much cash. For my living by myself I got a $2000 set-up and its pretty much All I need. But when I get the cabin/house built my family will increase, so It will be nice having All the Solar panels. As I told you all before its not about the money to me----its about doing what I love, its about being able to Close the Gate if I wanted and be able to live for months without having to open the gate to go out. This will probably not happen, but it would be nice to know I could if I wanted. Trying to become Self-reliant is My HOBBY. Randy

[Rockn H]

Randy, I have a lot of fun trying to find more power down at the camp.  It's wired up now so when we get there we turn on the inverter and it's like there was a meterloop outside.  2500 watts run the lights ,ceiling fan, TV, satelite.  It will run the pump to fill our water tower, if everything is off.  It's a regular shallow well pump so we could use it without the tower, but with gravity fed water there's plenty for several days use and it's so quiet. There is plenty pressure for a good shower .  With doing dishes, showers, flushing the commode(it and the shower are inside )the tower will last about 4 days before refilling.  The air conditioner during the summer is all we have to run a generator for.  If I wanted to add another 2500 watt inverter I could do away with the generator and will one day.  Of course the fridge and water heater are propane. 
A friend of mine switch to sprint  so he could go wireless on his laptop.  He came down a while back and showed me a (card?) that goes in the side of his laptop with a little antenna.  It lets the laptop call up the internet just like it was using a land line (regular telephone line).  Internet service no matter where you are.  To me thats what is nice, not roughing it, just being unhooked from everything and still keeping the amenities close.  Hightech- redneck?

[Randy]

Rockn H---------Sounds Like I have a High-Tec Redneck Brother out there ---Questions------------What are you charging the batteries with that you are running the 2500 watt inverter on? How many batteries? It takes ALOT of batteries to run a AC over night on a warm night that the compressor runs alot.  I also run a 2500 watt inverter, but I have a 5000 in storage that I will get out when I get my cabin built. My 2500 runs my shallow well waterpump good. I burn't out several 12 volt demand pumps before I went to the shallow well pump. I have a 60 gal storage tank so my pump doesn't have to start up as much-----------That start-up is TOUGH on the wattage draw!!! How do you have the water tower set-up? How High? Randy

[SwampDonkey]

Buzz and Randy,

In summer I'm sometimes gone for days in the bush living out of a tent and cooking and lighting with coleman products. I set up my tent when I arrive. I try to find a sheltered place from the wind. I have a 20 x 30 tarp that I tie to surrounding trees in case it rains hard and I have a dry place to sleep, eat and recline. I have a nice cot and sleeping bag and I also take a portable DVD player that I can recharge with the invertor in the truck. It's good for 4 hours. Sometimes I just go to bed early and get up before the sun shines and in summer that can be before 5 am up here. I prepare some of my foods at home, such as sandwiches and cooked casseroles or meats, boiled eggs, green salad so when I get back to camp I'm not all night cooking. All I have to do is warm up my main dishes. Can't forget the coffee for mornings and i do have a stainless coffee perk, but I started using instant at my camp setup because it saves on water. I have a 20 gallon water jug that lasts me for up to 4 days and I take sponge baths daily after I come in from the bush. I make very little garbage, unless its from prepackaged food, and I take it back home always. My main reason  for doing this as part of my work is to save on long travel distances, gas, and wear and tear on the pickup. I usually am quite comfortable from mid May to the end of September. I like to see my little warm nest and warm shower at home at the end of the week though.

cheers

[Randy]

Hey SwampDonkey
 I like your set-up. I kinda did the same thing but had a couple of extra batteries tied into the charging system of the 'truck' car that I would disconect from the charging system(to cheap to buy a isolator and didn't trust them--might drain my cranking battery) while camping. It gives alot more TV time or what ever you need electric for. I even used a average size bug light to draw the bugs away from me also gave me some night light. I also use a 12volt drop light hanging over my stove area---didn't have to buy flashlight batteries or fuel for other lights. Then when I get ready to head back home--I plug my batteries back up to the charging system. Charge them while driving back home etc. All a man has got to have is a Dream and Desire to do something and some time--And he will figure out "His" best way to get that desire done over time. If the will and desire is strong enough---You can move a mountain--Look at how much dirt a handful of ants can move
 They are steady and carry a load that they can handle-----So---Don't get your dreams and desires to high. You are sure to fail!! Be realistic. Randy

[Doc]

I have looked at the solar setups, and to some degree that isn't bad....costly, but not bad. I am investigating all kinds of ways to make up the difference in what I have in town, and how I can have something similar in the middle of nowhere without going broke doing it. I will live without alot of things that I now consider useless when I leave town, but I will still remain comfortable if things work out based on "the plan".

I say again, some of you don't realize how good you have it.

Doc

[Bro. Noble]

Well,  I guess I'm in style and didn't know it

I get up before daylight every day and go to bed early.

We raise a lot of our stuff and could get by without ever buying meat.

I don't average going to town more than once a month except to church.

We don,t buy stuff we can't pay for.

We generate our own electricity when REA is down.

We pick quite a lot of greens from the wild during the summer and watercress in the winter.

Never thought much about this stuff.  It's just life on the farm and I love it for the most part.

We used to do stuff like making soap and molasses,  raise our own grain,  and raised all of our own food and meat.  I don't find that stuff all that romantic and it's often more economical to buy it.

About 30 years ago a bunch of 'back to nature children'  moved into the neighborhood.  They were going to show the local people how to live 'self sufficiently'  At that time there were a lot of old timers in the neighborhood that never new anything but providing for themselves.  They didn't care for the newcomers because they were forever wanting to borrow stuff.  Most of them left and became 'yuppies'    One stayed and is my good neighbor------he lives about the same as I do

[Randy]

Bro Noble-----------------You Are In Style!!! Tell me about The GREENS you are picking in the wild!!! Am I passing up some good wild green eating? Randy

[Bro. Noble]

The polk is up here now.  That's what I eat the most of because it's easy to find and pick and to me there isn't that much difference in the taste of any of them.  My Mom doesn't agree with that and wants some others mixed in.  Ones that we pick are Carpenter's Square, Dock,  Lambs Quarter,  Mouse ear,  Dandilion,  and probably others that I'm not thinking of right now. 

I eat a lot of canned greens from the store.  They also taste much the same and are cheap   Mustard greens,  turnip greens,  and collard greens.

Also from the woods are spicebush tea,  sassafrass tea,  and greenbriar sprouts;  along with nuts and berries.  You can eat 'indian turnips'  if you want,  but be sure to cook them.  They are the roots of the 'Jack -in-the-pulpit' plant and will set you on fire when raw

[Randy]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm---------I guess I don't have "Polk" around here, We got a plentiful weed here that looks like mustard leaves on it--it grows like a collard hill, not as full of leaves and flowers out quick with yellow flowers. I call it wild mustard----------I don't know what it is. What does POLK look like? Randy

[Rockn H]

Randy, right now I have 3 batteries that I'm charging with a 3.5hp briggs and a delco alternator.  That's why we're using a gen. for the A/C.  When we move the camp before long I'm planning on trying some hydro power.  Right now I charge the batteries for an hour or so every morning.  Our water tank is 300 gal. and around 18' high.  I would say the pressure is around 20lbs. 
Polk salad with eggs, now that has gritts beat.  
The leaves resemble mustard greens with a dark stalk up to 3' high.  Likes fresh cleared ground and burnovers.  Needs to be boiled and drained several times before cooking.
These pics are from a post entitled River Camp.
Here you can see the water tower above the camp, just to the right of the tree.


This one shows the bank.  It jumps about 20' during the year.  Makes it a challenge for hydro power.

[Bro. Noble]

R-H,
I just use the very newest polk leaves and steam them with a piece of bacon.  When they are about done (good and wilted) I add salt and vinigar. 

Randy,

You could do a search on polk.  There was a picture of polk( probably on the plant ID forum), but it was old.  It gets a red stalk and purple berries,  but by that time it isn't good to eat.  Best way to learn your local greens is to have someone local show you.  About any old-timer in the country should be able to show you.  I used to pick greens with my Grandma before I was school age.  I've forgotten a lot of what she taught me,  but my Dad knows lots of edible plants.

[beav]

   I have been living off grid since '98. When I moved into this house(I mizered out of the woods)I never hooked it up. It was only a couple thou more to go with a solar setup than pay for a few power poles. It is a small system but sufficient for me and my three kids.
   I use solar hot water(wood-fired in winter), heat with wood, and use propane for cooking and the fridge. I don't think my lifestyle is compromised at all. We have running hot and cold water, a well built well insulated house(a saltbox that faces south).In the winter during cloudy periods I run my diesel generator to throw a quick charge into the batteries, usually less than 100 hours /year. Other than that there is enough elec. for a normal if ,tv deprived, life.
    My next goal here is to get some gardens going, chickens etc.

[Rockn H]

Way to go beav!
Bro. Noble, we use all the leaves.  After boiling and draining a few times we scramble eggs in with it.   We boil and drain to keep from making you sick.  Maybe thats since we use all the leaves?  Or maybe it's because all our grandma's did it?   
If anyone wants to try Polk Salad I saw Brookshire's has it in a can now.  First it was Boudin now it's Polk Salad, is nothing sacred?