Fall's coming, and as the sweat drips down my left cheek I was thinking about Muck Boots http://www.muckbootcompany.com/ — They'd make a real nice birthday present (women’s size 10 the tall type).
If you REALLY want to live a self-sufficient lifestyle you’ll need a pair of these for each member of your family. Right now we have the cheaper version from Tractor Supply http://www.tractorsupply.com/ — the black rubber boots that come up to your knees. Some with insulation, some without; bee sting proof in the summer, and just wear wool socks in the winter! Ah, to have a pair of authentic Muck Boots — well, it’s a dream anyway!
I also dream about the worn out kitchen floors of my ancient farm house (that was once a barn —the real house was hit by lightning and burnt to the ground before we arrived) with fresh cut grass trudged in by our makeshift muck boots on these warm summer days that I’ll busily sweep back out the door three or four times before bed on the weekends we can get away.
I make plans for our future Rambouillet Lambs, Champagne D’Argent Rabbits, and Ring Necked Pheasants we’ll breed and sell off, or eat and Russian bee’s hives for honey — tea or mead, or drizzling on your homemade bread and butter — take your pick! I own almost every book on the subject - thank God for Amazon.com's used book section! Yes, my friends, this is homesteading 101!
All those books will help me learn how to create our own food, and wool, and if I am lucky I’ll even learn to milk a sheep for butter, cheese and the “milk” itself. I hear it's better than cow’s milk — and since I have dairy allergies I can't wait to give it a try.
We’ll also have a large garden and I'll learn to can everything possible from our friends who are already living self sufficient lifestyles nearby. I’ll grow my own flowers to cut and grace my vase in the kitchen and in the living room. I'll find out what vegetables and fruits grow best in our area of the great USA. We’ll seed and hay the fields after clearing off the over grown Christmas tree farm on our southerly hill and feed our livestock with the fresh new wheat.
My husband will be the “muscle” of the house of course, his mother will be the brains behind the plant life and partnership, and I’ll be the “administrator.” All of these are important jobs that need to be done. Self-sufficient means just that — no one else is going to do it for ya!
My husband's already talks to our Amish friends about cutting lumber, building a barn, and learning how to ride one of his horse and buggy’s. It’ll sure save on fuel for short trips! My mother-in-law prunes trees, and has a vast knowledge of plant life and office organization — as for me, well I’m a bookworm, have administrative know-how, and have a knack of making things work out.
In the winter, things tend to be a little calmer — other than feeding the fire with wood, and snow removal. A little more time to read by firelight, write, blog, work on some art projects, and we listen to NPR http://www.npr.org/ where the stories range from A Prairie Home Companion to Gunsmoke on the weekends at night and REST — who needs TV?
Mark my words, if you are smart and have some money or equity in your homes left — sell your house and get a farm. If there is any way in the world you can get 50 acres, a barn, and a farmhouse or at least 5 acres and a house that will allow you “create” a small homestead — buy it NOW! I don't really care who is the President right now — we are in a recession that is not going to let up for YEARS — face it — it is time to be Self Sufficient and Frugal RIGHT NOW.
Later on, when the recession is over, if you want to change your mind you can — and you’ll have a working farm to sell if you need to. You may actually find that you like rural living much more then the rat race you used to belong to and might just stick with it.
As soon as we can get out of New Jersey, we plan on living off “the land” and the things we will grow on our farm. By then we will hopefully have a barn full of animals, a fenced in yard, a huge fenced in garden, fields of grain where trees once stood, and perfectly pruned apple and pear trees, strawberry patches and many areas of raspberry patches with a nice root cellar to fill, a stocked freezer, and pantry to store with mason jars filled with goodies from the garden.
I am one of the many unemployed people in the USA right now — just graduated in 2009 at age 45, Summa cum Laude with a 3.86GPA. This should be something to celebrate, or at least something a prospective employer should find as a sparkling future asset to invest in. Unfortunately, my BA has done nothing for me except hang sadly on the wall as I scramble to find a job — any job — just to survive. I’d be better off in my dream barn in a pair of dirty muck boots!
In my opinion, you have a better chance riding this recession out on a homestead.
If I could leave NJ now, believe me, I would.
