Generalized Self-Sufficiency Thread

[Rain]

Thank you Crille.

The most difficult part of self-sufficiency is getting started, because there's so much information to be learned and that can be especially difficult when you lack experience. The best way, though, is to just get out there. However, another spot of difficulty is getting through winter. It's hard to remember how much to plant each year because one growing season can differ greatly from another. During the first few years of practicing self-sufficiency, it is most likely that you will still have to rely on local supermarkets for the majority of your food until you are more comfortable and practised with the techniques. Start small so you don't get overwhelmed. Do your homework so you know what to expect. Get in contact with others who have experience. Your grandparents can be indespensible with their information, as they may have been raised on farms or grew up with gardens.

[Technowraith]

Mom and Dad are looking to expand the variety in the garden to include a pear tree. Dad loves pears, and is thinking a pear tree may be a good addition. We have sufficient room and the soil is healthy enough to support a big addition. Dad adds compost to the soil throughout the whole yard, not just the garden. We have the spreader, so we just run it across the yard. So once we get the pear tree, we wont have to get apples or pears from the grocery store in season. Dad is also thinking about a banana tree, but i told him to research that before getting anything. Not sure if Banana trees grow well this far north.

[Crille]

Yeah the winter is a tough challenge. Sadly I don't live with my parents atm, so I am 100% dependent on supermarket food, I try to buy organic food though.

[Rain]

Mom and Dad are looking to expand the variety in the garden to include a pear tree. Dad loves pears, and is thinking a pear tree may be a good addition. We have sufficient room and the soil is healthy enough to support a big addition. Dad adds compost to the soil throughout the whole yard, not just the garden. We have the spreader, so we just run it across the yard. So once we get the pear tree, we wont have to get apples or pears from the grocery store in season. Dad is also thinking about a banana tree, but i told him to research that before getting anything. Not sure if Banana trees grow well this far north.

Oeyä sempul is planning a berry arbor as well, as I just found out. Depending on your location, homework would be a good thing to do regarding banana trees. If that doesn't work, look into Pawpaws, or Indiana Bananas. They grow wild just a few miles south of where I live.

[Leana na'rìngtìranyu]

Carla Emery's book The Encyclopedia of Country Living is an excellent resource for just about anything you'd want to know about growing, preserving and cooking with it.

I placed our chicken coop next to the garden and every once in a while let the chickens in to eat the bugs. You have to be careful with this, though. Because if the plants are too young or too close to harvest, the chickens will eat the plants instead. I find it best to let them in before I've done my planting.

As far as prepping the garden, I will admit, I've gotten lazy (I'm allowed, though. I'm about 50 and severely arthritic). So, I don't turn the soil anymore. I use a thick layer of newsprint to smother what I need to and throw the mix of straw and horse manure that I collect from mucking the stalls over it all. Let it sit over the winter. Add more newsprint as needed about a month before planting. Sometimes, I will just cut holes in the newsprint and place the plants in each.

Make sure if you use any type of manure that it has composted some first. Fresh manure is not generally good for a garden, although you can get away with some fresh chicken manure.

If you have limited space and don't need much in the way of produce, find what they call "stone fruit" trees or "fruit salad" trees. You can buy these from most good nurseries or make your own if you know how to graft. Mum has an apple tree with Fuji, Granny Smith, and two other varieties of apples on it. 

[Technowraith]

Mom and Dad are looking to expand the variety in the garden to include a pear tree. Dad loves pears, and is thinking a pear tree may be a good addition. We have sufficient room and the soil is healthy enough to support a big addition. Dad adds compost to the soil throughout the whole yard, not just the garden. We have the spreader, so we just run it across the yard. So once we get the pear tree, we wont have to get apples or pears from the grocery store in season. Dad is also thinking about a banana tree, but i told him to research that before getting anything. Not sure if Banana trees grow well this far north.

Oeyä sempul is planning a berry arbor as well, as I just found out. Depending on your location, homework would be a good thing to do regarding banana trees. If that doesn't work, look into Pawpaws, or Indiana Bananas. They grow wild just a few miles south of where I live.

Sounds good Rain. I'll let dad know about the other bananas. I know he's been doing research. I dunno if he's actually gonna get the banana tree though. He balked at discovering the need to climb the tree to harvest it. LoL.

[Rain]

*strokes chin* True, true...

[Rain]

I don't want o hog the thread, friends. Anybody else have ideas to share?

['Itan Atxur]

I'm overwhelmed with things I'm trying to research atm. I swear I'm trying though




-'Itan Atxur

[Rain]

It's okay 'Itan, I believe in you! Baby steps...don't overstrain yourself.

I hope no-one is feeling pressured but this "living green" idea. My hope is that we all try to do whatever is within our ability. I for one know that I cannot live completely off of my own work because of the house and its expenses, and I'm going to college, so I need the technology. What I hope to do though is learn how to use it to it's potential while still being as efficient and "green" as possible, considering my budget and the way I live. I couldn't possibly grow ALL of my food AS WELL as the food my flock needs. Let's not forget that the Na'vi were part of an extensive network, and they all relied on each other as well as the world around them to survive. The way humans are, we need each other for many reasons, companionship being only one of dozens.

[Rain]

Our baby ducks came in today, and the 50 chicks will be arriving next week at the farm co-op.

[Skxe Eywaftu]

I too like to be self sufficient, i grow some vegetables, and fruits, like a couple weeks ago i harvested roughly 7 full sized watermelons, which lasted a while (also shared at school)
and at the beginng of each month there is a growers markets type thing, where its all 100% locally grown fresh produce, it tastes great and is money in the pockets of hard working people. (imagine a fresh bread roll, bacon and a DUCK egg)

also any ideas for some healthy meals? (possibly Na'Ví inspired)

[Rain]

Today, my family and I (4 of us) weeded the garden, which is 50 feet wide and 70 feet long. We'll be planting almost 80 sweet potato plants, 50 tomato plants, 15 pepper plants, 12 cabbages, an unknown number of carrots, peas, cucumbers, squash, melons and pumpkins. We have 12 fruit trees (apple, peach, pear, cherry and plum) and we weill soon be assembling the supports for a berry arbour. We will grow blackberries, raspberries, blueberries and mulberries.

Help me keep these forums going!

[Amaya]

Today I started transferring my tomato babies from their starter cells to individual paper pots.  If all goes well I'll be eating lots and lots of nummy tomatoes this summer!

[jaytea]

Random question I live in the marshlands aka Florida but were I live the ground(dirt) isnt good enough to crop or garden was there an alternative to doing it?

[Rain]

You could probably do your gardening in pots or in raised beds, and you might even consider hydroponic gardening. How much space do you plan on using?

[jaytea]

hydroponic? Havent heard of that but I should be buying atleast an acre of land when I get my house

[Rain]

Holy cow, a whole acre to yourself? Lucky!
Anyway, hydroponics is a system where no soil is used, but you suspent the roots in running water through a hole in a tube. The tube is made of PVC piping and the plants are placed so that the roots dangle in the water, which is run by a small fishtank pump. The water has nutrients in it that you have to add every so often. There are more methods than I actually know, so I looked for some websites for you:
http://www.jasons-indoor-guide-to-organic-and-hydroponics-gardening.com/homemade-hydroponics.html This one has several overviews of different systems

http://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Homemade-Hydroponics-System This one is pretty straightforward

http://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Hydroponic-Garden For variety

http://www.easyhydroponics.net/ Good links

[Skxe Eywaftu]

Hey its starting to come into Autumn/Winter here (Australia)
any suggestions on fruits/veggies to plant?

[jaytea]

Thank you Rain big help! I shall stay in touchh and let you know how it goes or what I do =)