Self-Sufficient Homestead

Im interested in starting my own self-sufficient homestead. Im planning on buying a large chunk of arable land close to flowing water and forests sometime in the distant future to slowly develop as a self-reliant home.

Does anyone have any suggestions on references, books, or websites with information on self-sufficient living or off-the-grid living? I recently purchased a book called "The Self-Sufficient Life and How to Live It" and found it to be along the lines of the kind of information looking for.

Thanks All!

 

Bumped.

 

this is a long term goal for me. i know that realistically it isn't something i can accomplish anywhere in the near future, but my goal is to spend my life acquiring the skills to make it happen and then have a completely self-sustaining homestead to pass on to my children and their children.

even if you don't get many responses, i'd love it if you would post up anything useful you find.

 

Check out the Mother Earth News index. It goes all the way back to the 1st issue. "5 acres and Freedom" is one I liked. Also anything by Euell Gibbons would be helpfull for identifying edible flora. Of course the web is good for just about anything you type in.

 

Thanks guys for the replies. Eggsprog that's exactly my thinking as well, my body has already had its fair share of processed food so I'm not too worried about myself but i figure if I can at least raise my kids on homegrown food they'll be better off because of it. Mother Earth News is one of my favorite publications! I read in one of their recent issues that you could buy all the past issues on CD for something like $40.

I'll give it a look! Thanks!

 

The Complete Book of Self Sufficiency - By John Seymour is a good book to start with I think. It contains a helluva lot of useful practical knowledge in self sufficiency. Its probably available from Amazon, and I know its also available from torrent sites as a free e-book download. (I've got a copy myself)

Like you and eggsprog, I too share this dream...and am working towards making it a reality.
peace

 

I love that book! I have the newly updated edition that they renamed. That's the book I mentioned in my original post, I also realized looking through old Mother Earth News archives that lots of info from this book were once articles in that magazine or the info has been adapted to the magazine. John Seymour is an inspiration!

I'm glad there are many people who share this dream! Best of luck to you.

 

I remember learning about transcendentalism and Henry David Thoreau back in high school. (One of the few things I learned that was actually worth remembering)

I've personally never read it, but from what I understand, "Walden" by Henry David Thoreau is a classic, and would be a perfect read in regards to your goals. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walden

 

i have a really cool book called:

The Encylopedia of Country Living by Carla Emery. you should definitely check it out.

some of the sections include:
introduction to plants
grasses, grains, and canes
food preservation
introduction to animals
poultry
bee, rabbit, sheep, and pig

really great resource

 

The 'Foxfire' series.......

 

glad to hear that others are having the same thoughts. i'm lucky in that my wife shares my ideals, and would love nothing more than to be able to grow our own food and use electricity generated in ways that are not harmful to the planet.

i'd like to find a place with a small amount of farmland, and within about an hours drive from our families. just enough room for a couple fields for crops, a few fruit trees, some chickens for eggs, and a barn for goats/cows to have milk and cheese.

start slowly, and then eventually get off of the electricity grid. it would be nice to still get municipal water if possible, but still having a working well as an option.

sorry for rambling... i love talking about this stuff but only have one friend around here who thinks this way as well, and he's off planting trees for a few months, so i have to get it out somewhere.

 

I think that well drilling is a VERY expensive proposition nowadays. It would be nice to find a water source above one's property to use gravity to pipe it down to a tank with a ball float (like in a toilet) to keep it filled. Could be filtered for consumption and used as is for gardening and washing. Hope this helps.

 

All very good points! :2thumbsup:

How much land do you folks think i would need for such a venture (in terms of acreage)? Considering i would want the main structures to be fairly secluded and surrounded by a good bit of forest for lumbering, foraging, etc.

 

a rain water collection system would work as well... so much to learn.

 

I second the recommendation ot "Five Acres and Indepencence".

Another book that is a must-read, considering that this if the Hip Forums and all, is "Living the Good Life", by Helaen and Scott Nearing, and the sequel, "Continuing the Good Life." They are classics, and contributed a great deal to the back-to-the-land movement in the 1970s.

 

You should give www.homestead.org a look great info and great people.

 

It can be done, believe me, I'm there and doing it - required sacrifices, but worth it(to me).

Peace,
poor_old_dad

 

my farm here http://directory.ic.org/22661/Central_Pa_Mountain_farm

 

Ditto. On 18.87 or so acres of forest. Got a GREAT well of perfect water that cost 11,000.00, but we are on top of the mountain and it is a 400' hole with 200' of standing water flowing about 32. The casing for that mud cave ate up the pump money tho, so still on the tank for now.
You don't want top water. You want that stuff to filter through a couple hundred feet of rock and earth, I mean, if you ask me. The springs can all but quit running up here and the well will still be fine.
We need some help having a 24/7/365 presence around there if you want to leave town now and build a hut. Need to be ready for plain forest and pretty feral deal.
Working towards getting the blacksmith shop going again and the kung fu temple rebuilt farther back in the woods.

 

anybody still interested in this? my wife and I are doing this right now and would be happy to share what we know.