Homestead mailing list

[Mark Stutzman <mark AT transvantage.com>]

I'm in the same boat as you, Robert.  I just joined this list a few days 
ago (hi, everyone) in order to increase my knowledge of homesteading 
skills.  I'm not sure if I'll ever get to the point where I'm a true, 
off-the-grid homesteader, but I'm interested in learning as much as 
possible, as I've little to no faith that our government is going to get 
it's act together regarding our reliance on unsustainable (read: fossil 
fuel) energy before it becomes cost-prohibitive for all but the super-rich.

Currently, I'm concentrating on food production and storage, rather than 
energy, simply due cost.  The garden is currently a small, "square foot" 
garden, which I will expand a little every year.  I started canning 
things last summer.  Gathering wild edibles.  This winter I hope to 
build a couple of beehives.  The list goes on.

My preparations for if the power goes out have so far been limited to 
stockpiling a bunch of water, both potable for drinking/cooking, and 
non-potable in old kitty litter jugs for topping off the toilet tank or 
heating on the woodstove for bathing.  I also installed a fireplace 
crane, so I can hang a dutch oven over the fire, and picked up a 
replacement grill grate, so I can grill in the fireplace.  Someday I'll 
weld up a support rack for it, but it works OK now, just resting on a 
couple of chunks of firewood.  So, now  we can cook and bathe by 
candlelight or a propane lantern, and sleep in relative comfort by the 
woodstove, if the power goes out.

It's easy to get lost as to where to start if all you can see is 
"off-the-grid homesteading" as a goal.  You might try breaking it up 
into many smaller goals, and then tackling them one by one (make lists, 
and cross things off as you complete them).  The smaller the chunks you 
are able to break something up into, the easier it becomes to find 
somewhere to start, and see progress toward the ultimate goal.  I 
consider my power loss prep to be Phase 1.  We can be comfortable 
without power for a few days.  Of course, now that I've accomplished 
Phase 1, we haven't lost power this winter at all (so far).

-mark

Robert Walton wrote:
> I'm not an off grid homesteader. Sometimes I wonder if I'd even make
> it into the homestead category, if it existed and had a hard
> definition. I just do my own thing and like to be self sufficient.
> Like not having a wood burner that needs electric power, etc.
>
> Some of my plans for losing power are just to not really need external
> power. Just keep it an optional thing.
>
> I'm reconsidering this a bit. I'd like to create some power so that I
> could lose external power and still keep some of my basic electrical
> things going. Lights for sure. Maybe the well pump.
>
> Is anyone off grid here or partially off grid? I'm really kind of lost
> as to where to start.
>
> Rob - Va
> _______________________________________________
> Homestead list and subscription:
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/homestead
> Change your homestead list member options:
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/options/homestead/mark%40transvantage.com
> View the archives at:
> https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/homestead
>
>
>
>