Is Earthing just a craze or a real health benefit?

So I'll start this out by admitting something, I'm a little bit hillbilly. I'm 36 but grew up very old fashioned for my age and just a hair on the hillbilly side. Now, I'm not ashamed of that and I certainly don't think my childhood has in anyway hurt whom I have become. I would like to think I am a fairly cultured and well read and yes, a little hillbilly.  I say that because I was told that a lot as a child. I went without wearing shoes...

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My Top 10 Book List on Self Sufficiency

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and assume that the majority of those in the sustainability community that might have a thing for books. I'm not sure why but it just seems they go hand in hand. So as a fellow bibliophile I want to share with you my favorite reading list on the subject of self-reliant homesteading. This certainly isn't a complete list, I'm sure many of you would have several to add to this list but I wanted to make a sort of top...

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How to make enough money to keep you self-sufficient.

So you've embraced permaculture, sustainable living, off-grid life, modern homesteading or whatever label you want to put on it. You long for the simplicity and self-reliance this life can bring. You dream of gardening, natural houses, solar power and strong likeminded communities. You believe what you are doing will help create a better tomorrow because you know how it has changed you for the better. You've planned it all out, you've read anything you can get your hands on to help you learn more and you've saved all you can to begin this life....

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Free Education and Building Sustainable Communities

So a free education, sounds nice doesn't it? We've all heard to term used. Some may embrace it, others feel it's a right while other cringe at the term but learning for free just might be a good thing. Now before I go further I have to come clean. In not talking about the kind of education you get in a brick building or on a maze filled campus. I'm not talking about devoting years of your life for a piece of paper that gives you a slight chance for...

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Small Budget Gardening Tips for Beginners

With Spring in full force across most of the country the gardening bug is spreading and probably already infecting you. For those experienced gardeners you probably already have some of your garden in the ground or have at least prepared for your planting. But what about those beginners that haven't yet started. What about those that want to get a garden started but aren't sure you know how or maybe you just can't afford to get it started. Well...

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Vegan Homesteading

When thinking about living a self-sufficient lifestyle one has to also consider sustainability, the sustainability of your home, your life and really the entire planet. I usually talk about the two as if they were the same thing and that's because to me they really are. Being self-sufficient isn't just being able to go buy your own hamburger at the drive through every day. Being self-sufficient is knowing that the fate of your existence is resting...

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Choosing the Best Home for your Self-Sufficient Journey pt. 2

In part one of this article I talked briefly about the pros and cons of living self-sufficient in the city verses the country. We went over some of the he reasons people may choose either option and some ways to help you make that decision. In part two I want to touch on some specific styles of homes that are out there and talk briefly about those different options. Of course I couldn't cover all the styles and options because truthfully when it...

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Choosing the Best Home for your Self-Sufficient Journey pt.1

Possibly one of the most important pieces in living sustainably and self-reliant is the home you live in. It is usually the biggest investment one will make and this is even more true when it comes to living sustainably. It is not just where you find shelter and comfort but it is where you share the wonderful experiences of this journey with your family and friends. It is where you will cook, store and maybe even grow your food. It is where you and your family will learn and where you will relax. Deciding on where you will live and what kind of...

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Self-Sufficiency Can Be Our Common Ground to Independence

As the growing desire for simple independence and the increased awareness of the instability of our system, the lack of health in manufactured foods and the freedom in simple self-reliant communities more and more people are beginning to turn to doing more things themselves, insuring their own survival and guarantying themselves more fulfillment in their daily lives. People desiring this type of life are all around us and they are beginning to form...

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Trendy Self Sufficient Living vs. Reality

Waking up to a chilling fresh air as you roll out of your warm bed covered in vintage handmade quilts. Then rushing to the wood stove to stoke the fire and heat a blackened old coffee pot as you peer out the window of your quaint cabin, soaking up the sun as it glistens across the dew covered grass has now become a typical morning for you. This may sound like a dream morning to most but to many of you living a simpler, more sustainable life is...

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We have become slaves to our own indifferences.

So a couple of days ago I posted a video on YouTube asking is it possible for at least some in the anarchist community to come together, put aside their differences  and work together on issues they can agree upon. Hopefully this video is just the first of many more on the subject.  Although I'll be the first to admit that the video is not my best work and making videos and being able to properly express myself in front of the...

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Anarchists Coming Together

Well I have finally started the philosophical video series I've been wanting to start. Fellow #anarchists beware. I am not trying to lose friends or step on toes but build relationships and coalitions to find our similarities and stop fighting about our differences. I truly believe we share more common ground than we think and if we are ever going to really move forward and make any real impacts in our communities we must be more open minded and welcome differences and discussion. Please feel welcome to join in the discussion. P.S....

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Hospital Update and Sharing Some Wisdom

It's my third day in the hospital following my brain surgery. Man it's been a painful one for sure. They've been giving me morphine and Percocet  every two hours with only minimal relief. I'm told I get to go home tomorrow and all the staff have been shocked on how fast I have recovered. I also made this video to kind of reflect on how we become so busy in our lives that we forget what really matters. Just don't wait for something like this to happen in your life for you to realize that. Time with the people you love means more than any...

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Personal Update from Travis and a Big Thank You For Your Support!!!

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Just a personal health update....

Just wanted to give everyone an update on what's going on. Had my appointment with the surgeon today and my brain MRI came back clean, no tumors. I was glad to hear that but we are going to have to surgery. I have what's called a Chiari Malformation but he still doesn't think that's the cause of the cysts or syrinx in my spinal cord but he wants to go a head and do the brain surgery on that anyways. The two cysts in my spine are very large and advanced and he's almost sure that a surgery on them would leave me with some paralysis. He's not sure...

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Life changes and my openness on cannabis

I wanted to take a few moments and write about a couple things that I hope will open your eyes and heart and give you some awareness. One is about something that has become a very large part of my life and caused significant changes. The other is something that could alter or improve that. A few weeks ago I was diagnosed with a rare spinal disease called Syringomyelia. I don't expect many, if any, of you to know what that is, most doctors don't...

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A personal update on what is happening in my life

Travis Maddox Medical Expense Fund Well I don't know where to begin. First of all I am so thankful and greatful to our dear friend Danae for setting this up. True friends are really hard to find and she's about as true as they get. For those that know me personally know I'm not the type to ever ask for anything. I tend to be a little stubborn that way. I tell myself I'm not asking for me but for my family. I'm thirty five and have a wonderful wife and four kids and have worked hard my whole life. I enjoy working and have been told I'm a workaholic....

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