Hi all, newbie here. I have been thinking alot about living off the land lately, leaving the rat race and live instead like a human being. I have lots of ideas but one of my favorites is to live in an area thats basically very warm most of the time. I'm not too partial to cold weather... dont want to spend too much time trudging around in knee deep(or higher) snow. A longer growing season for gardens/crops is more likely in places with warmer climates. I would really like to get some property on or near a quartz crystal mine/vein and supplement income by mining and selling crystals. Theres always a market for quartz crystals. Arkansas is crystal country, though I haven't really checked out the weather scene there, is something I need to look into. I am not saying I am ready to do this right now,, but if anyone wants to run with this idea, please keep me in mind as a possible future participant. I have really been wanting to build a little cabin with these things called starplates: http://www.strombergschickens.com/starplate_building_system/starplate_index.htm >>>"Starplates are steel plates, with channels to hold 2x2's, 2x3's or 2x4's. You simply drill holes in each end of 25 struts of equal length and bolt them into the 11 star plates to build a solid, mini-dome framework in UNDER TWO HOURS!" "Anyone can erect a sturdy, good looking building... in record time and using up to 15% less material and labor than conventional construction would require. Set includes 11 starplates, complete instructions, bill of materials, dimensions achieved by using various sized struts, and helpful suggestions." <<< With these starplates you can build a building up to 14 ft wide, which isn't too shabby. My ultimate would be to have 7 of these built in a seed of life pattern , one in the middle with 6 all around it, or a few of these groups of 7. Heres another link to a build your own solar generator that some of you may find handy: http://www.rain.org/~philfear/how2solar.html
Nice info - ordered several kits today - been wondering where to find them starplates Thanks for passing it on
Hey, You're Welcome oldwolf! I have to get myself a couple sets too, I have so many ideas I'd love to see come to frutation, and these starplates are a big part of them. What would be perfect in my book, would be a group of people that bought some acreage, and each have individual areas to reside and a community garden. More like living alone, but going into 'community area' which would be where the groups crops would be tended to by all when needed, any community tools that are shared between town members, storage areas. Like Main St. anysmalltown where all would gather for touching base, and mandatory gardening, food gathering, preparation for storage, etc. The basics. One for all and all for one without all the pressures. Just live, but not on top of each other. Each having their own 'space' and personal belongings they may or may not want to share with all, or some. Though it would be nice Respecting and tolerating each others differences, but all coming together on the importance of maintaining the integrity of the property, the safety of all who reside on it, and of course , whatever it takes to keep it running smoothly, neccessity-wise for all, so we can successfully continue to live peacefully among each other and in the "community". Most of your time dedicated to whatever creative or survival project you personally are working on, or suit and tie job if thats your thing, while contributing a portion of your time to the whole of the community, work being divided FAIRLY between the land dwellers. Object- Peaceful living without anything expected of you but the required weekly input of tending to insuring basic neccessities that all will equally share. Those neccessities being food, shelter, warmth, any bills, cooking, canning, gathering, mixing, digging, all kinds of fun stuff that needs doing to get this world up and running. No themes, except to have good intentions to live in tune with the earth and with each other. You can be a hermit just coming into town to do your share of upkeep, or you can spend all your time being sociable at the main gathering place. Its up to each individual who lives there. Vegetarians, and those who still eat meat, without any judgements upon each other for personal choices or beliefs (to a certain sane point). Not trying to imitate or mini-create the big rat cage we just left behind, in anyway.
