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. There's only one problem. How to make enough money to be able to sustain this life?

Sure one option is just to keep working at your mundane, never going anywhere, non-fulfillment job but there's so much life and work you miss out on at your dream home. I mean why work to achieve this to only spend all your time off in your cubical. Many do this. They try and make some semblance of a sustainable life but keep working their normal job to pay for it and all the other amenities they haven't given up. If this is your plan let me warn you it's not usually a successful one. It will wear you down trying to work to keep up two lifestyles. This may be ok for a short time but in the long run many can't keep it up and end up reinserting themselves back into the matrix. 

Another option is to live so primitive that well, you just don't need money. All that you need to live off of is found in the wild. While this is possible it is not the life for most and usually isn't what most dream of, at least not in a practical sense. Sure I've read stories of people living without money in some kind of a hobbit hole but most of those stories are single people or maybe two adults. So what is your option if you have a family? 

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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 you need not worry because it's still not too late to get it going and I want to give you some ideas on how to have fun gardening and stay on a tiny budget. For those on a very limited income it can seem a little daunting to get the garden going even if you know it will be an investment with a great payoff. 

Of course your first decision is where to plant your garden. Deciding where it will grow and how to prepare the soil is the most difficult and costly part. If you have yard space to plant in first pick a spot that gets lots of sun. Pick a sunny day and take note of where the sun shines on your yard and where it is shaded. The best sun is from about 10am-4pm so try and find a place that gets the most sunlight during those hours. If you don't have a lawn, say maybe an apartment hold tight because a little later we will talk about gardening out of potted plants. 

Once you have decided upon the area to plant you now must begin to prepare it. Sure it's best to have done this last fall or earlier in the spring but it's still not too late. You'll need to decide if you're going to have a raised bed garden or plant directly in the ground. Raised beds are usually considered the best. The soil is generally better quality and drains better and it's also easier to control weeds. Planting directly in the ground requires less money and resources but it is usually more labor intensive. 

Raised beds: 

Keep in mind that we are doing this on a budget and realize that a raised bed doesn't have to be as esthetic as you see in a magazine. All you need is something to hold the dirt in. You can be creative, it's amazing what I've seen people come up with. Check curb alerts on sites like

Craigslist or yard sales and of course asking around can sometimes help you find what you need for little to no cost. Repurposed lumber that's at least 6" wide, hay or straw bales, concrete blocks, large rocks, bricks and cut up pallets are just a few ideas. I've even seen old metal barn siding or fiber cement siding used. You never know, look around your own house to see what is available. Raised bed plants don't need as much space and traditional gardens so you won't need as much square footage. If you're inexperienced in building things ask around, put a call out to your Facebook friends or check with a local gardening club to see if they would have any volunteers to help. 

Next is the dirt. Please stay away from trying to fill up you're raised beds with bags of dirt from the local big box store. Even if it is cheap it will take far too many bags of dirt than you will expect, trust me. Check Craigslist or go to your local farm and feed store and look for bulletin boards. If you live near cattle farms you could stop by a couple and ask if they sell garden soil that is ready to use or maybe ask at your local nursery. A pickup truck size load shouldn't run much more than $40-50 for a local delivery. If you don't have a truck or small trailer don't be afraid to ask around for some help getting your dirt. Make sure you know what you're getting. You don't want fill dirt or something with a lot of clay or manure that's fresh. The manure needs to be at least a year old or it will be too hot to grow food. For most beginners without a truck this can be your biggest expense. Once you get your dirt in you're ready to plant!

Planting directly in the ground: 

For some this might be your only option. If you're confident you have good top soil with a low amount of rocks this option, although is more labor intensive, is the cheaper option. Depending on the quality of your yard this could be as simple as scraping the sod off with a spade and using a hoe to break up the ground. In my area soil that easy to break up is unheard of. If you live in a subdivision your yard is probably rocky fill dirt with maybe 3" of top soil. You'll need at least 6"-8" of loose soil to plant. You may have to till that garden space. Depending on your situation and knowledge you can either rent a tiller or have your area tilled by a local lawn care business. In my experience a tiller usually rents for about $40 for 6-12 hrs and having it done by someone else should run $40-70 depending on the size you want and the distance they would have to travel. Put in the time after it's tilled to remove as many rocks as you can. Once done you are ready to plant!

Choosing your plants: 

Since this article is for the beginner I would recommend for your first garden to stay with easier, common plants. Things like tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, squash, beans and onions are common in gardens because they are easy to grow. Now you need to choose between buying plants or seeds. Again check with Craigslist for plants or ask any experienced gardening friends to see if they have extras for less than what you would pay at the nursery. A lot of experienced gardeners start their plants out from seeds and many times end up with too many starts than they have garden space. Another way to save a few pennies on plants is to check with the nurseries towards the end of planting season. Many times they will mark down what they have left. It's been picked over so you'll likely be getting some sad looking plants but with a little care you can almost always bring them back and grow them into healthy, producing plants. If you're using seeds it won't hurt to make little mini green houses until they get going good. One and two liter clear plastic soda bottles with the

bottoms cut off and the cap removed for air will work great at covering the plants. Once your garden starts sprouting using your lawn clippings between the rows of plants can help cut down on weed growth. 

Planting without a lawn: 

Apartment living? Landlord won't allow gardens? Maybe a disability prevents you from planting a garden. Well no worries because you can still enjoy fresh veggies from your own toil.  Just because you may be surrounded by concrete and asphalt doesn't mean you cannot become a master gardener. Gardening in pots or boxes can produce some really great food. This can also be very cheaply done too. Pots and boxes can be found very cheap and even free. Again start checking classified ads, asking around and check out second hand stores. If you're not too concerned with the looks also ask at your local nurseries if they would sell you their used pots. Flower boxes can easily be made or repurposed from old dresser or desk drawers or from many other kinds of wood, plastic or metal boxes. Since you won't need as much dirt, buying cheap top soil by the bag or by filling up buckets should do the trick. Use the bigger pots for the tomatoes and squash, cucumbers and beans will do well hanging and little boxes will be perfect for lettuce, onions and radishes. I have seen small apartments produce quite a bit of food this way. An average healthy tomato plant should produce up to 10 pounds of juicy red fruit a season!  Here's another trick I learned from a friend. If you live in an apartment don't be afraid to ask the apartment manager if you can turn some of the landscaping into garden space. You'll need to keep it looking good and be willing to turn it back into landscaping when you're done but this is something I've seen work well. It's also an opportunity to create a community garden with your neighbors.

Healthy growing tips: 

Now that everything is planted what's next? Well my first advice is to commit to keeping your hard work organic, meaning no chemicals. Don't worry, even though you may hear it just won't produce enough growing organic remember we've been gardening long before pesticides so there are ways to protect your hard work. Pesticides are not only harmful for you and who ever eats out of your garden but they kill all bugs and there are some good ones you want to keep around. Lady bugs, Lacewings and Preying Mantis are just a few good ones you'll want to keep in your garden. 

Diatomaceous earth is a natural powdery substance that can be purchased at just about any nursery. Food grade diatomaceous earth is just ground up skeletal remains of microscopic creatures. To us it's powder but to little slugs is it like little razors. Just be careful not to breath it in and try to keep it dry. Wood ashes work well too if you have that available. I used to keep all of my ashes from my wood stove in a trash can just for this during growing season. There are also several different homemade spray recipes. Here's one to try. 

Grind 1 garlic bulb and 1 small onion. 

Add 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper to 1 quart of water and steep it all for 1 hour. 

Pour through cheesecloth or coffee filter.  

Add 1 tablespoon of dawn dish soap and mix well but not sudsy. 

Then pour into labeled spray bottle and keep for up to a week while using. 

Keep your garden weeded and watered and then wait for the fun to begin. Look for garden tools at second hand and thrift shops, yard sales and classified ads or better yet search for a possible community tool lending group. As an alternative you might also try is to play soft music or sing to your plants. Some may think this is kooky but there is some hard science behind the positive affects of certain music and plants. Above all have fun! Gardening is addictive and empowering. Even on a very small budget it can be done, just be creative. Learn from the experience and learn love the earth between your toes! 

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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 comes to creating your own home the options are really about as endless as your imagination will allow. In the past when talking about sustainable and self-sufficient living I've said to think outside of the box and to not allow yourself to be conformed to what society might deem "normal". In my mind this lifestyle is almost an abstract way of living. Allow yourself to be creative. Even when confined to the restrictions of the city and it's regulations there are still many ways to change your living habits so that you are becoming more one with the natural flow of nature. I believe this is really a key point to the success of this life. Regardless of the reasons that have driven you to this journey we must stop living as if we are a parasite on this planet, only devouring to suit our needs without any consciousness of consequences of our actions. 

Understanding how nature works and learning to live in that system will enable us to thrive and not just survive. Although it may not seem so, this is really a great principle to take with you when creating your sustainable home. 

If your path leads you to urban sustainable living then, as I have previously stated, your options are more limited on the style of house to choose from. But that is usually where the limitations end. Whether in a house or an apartment you can still make a major impact in your self-sufficient life just by making certain changes. Think of this as a challenge to build a small eco-system on your city lot. For most, it is still possible to use solar power or at least supplement your usage with it. Solar can also be used to cook with (solar ovens) and heat with (solar heaters). Even just supplementing your usage can have a great impact. I read about a family in California that added 4 solar panels and changed how they used their power and was able to drop their electric bill from about $300 a month to under $20. Rain collection is also something to do to use to water your garden. This can be done very cheaply and limit your water connection to only household use. 

Food production is usually very important to living sustainably and this can easily be done in the city. Many may have heard about the Dervaes family and their urban homestead. They live almost completely off their land and that is only a small 1/8th acre lot in Southern California. They have learned the importance of utilizing every square inch of their property. In fact they produce so much they have a good business selling their produce locally. One option for urban homesteaders is to look for vacant lots that can be turned into community gardens with the owners permission. This has become very popular and is bringing the knowledge of self-sufficiency to even our inner most cities. Growing food does not have to be just a rural thing. Plant your urban gardens and watch how it opens the door to strengthening your community. Greenhouses, walipini's and hydroponics are also ways to increase your food production amongst the brick and mortar life.

One of the benefits to city life is the ease in building close nit communities. The ability to barter and help each other becomes very convenient when your neighbor is only a few feet away. Because of this and because of the obvious disadvantages of living in the city it is really a must to build these connections with your urban neighbors.

One other thing easily possible in the city is to cooperatively buy or rent out a place with other like minded friends. In many towns it's much more affordable to purchase a large older home in some of the older historic areas of town and as a group create your self sustaining oasis. 

In the rural areas where there are less restrictions and the ability to build more it allows more options. Of course there are many existing farm houses and for the sake of this article they can be treated much the same way as a house in the city. By adding better insulation, utilizing solar energy and harvesting rain water you can take an old farm house and turn it into and thriving sustainable homestead. 

But what about those that want to actually build their home? Lets briefly go over a few of the options for those willing to take on this task. 

Traditional Log Cabin: Nothing says living off the land as the log cabin. For just about anyone living in North America this is what they think of when they envision living off the land. Over all this style of home can be a good option. They can be economical, long lasting and good comfort and warmth. Depending on what style you build they can also be something someone with moderate knowledge can handle. They are labor intensive to build and don't be fooled by some Hollywood movie showing a few people erecting a log cabin in a matter of days. Even for the experienced builder they can take a minimum of two months to build. If the site your building on has enough natural resources to supply the build they can be very economical. It is also possible to buy them as a kit where the logs are already cut and numbered so putting them together is like a really big Lincoln Log set. These are beautiful natural homes but the reality is they usually aren't that efficient so there are some negatives on the sustainability aspect. 

Cord Wood Home: This is really just a simpler version of a log home. Instead of long logs stacked on top of each other you are using short pieces, about the length for burning, as bricks with some type of mortar in between them. They are much easier to build with a lot less heavy labor in them. They have their own unique beauty and are about as efficient as a log home. They can be considered more eco-friendly since you can use a variety of types of cordwood from just about anywhere you live. 

Earthships: This is rapidly becoming a popular style of sustainable housing. It is one of my personal favorites. When built properly they encompass all the energy, water and even food needs into the construction of the home. This style of home was developed by architect and designer Michael Reynolds. He has spent the last 40 years perfecting this design. They encompass thermal energy heating, passive convection cooling, rain water collection for all the homes water needs and a built in greenhouse for year round growing. They offer their own unique beauty, some comparing their style to something from Star Wars. and much of the supplies needed for building them literally come from the trash. There are really very few negatives to this style of structure other than the big one and that is cost. Since the only one building this home is Mr. Reynolds and each one is a unique design the cost for a home can easily reach over $180,000 and that's not including the land. It is possible to learn how to build your own earthship through his academies he hosts on how to build your own home but the systems in the home to make it work are quite advanced so this would definitely be for the advanced builder. 

Cob or Straw Bale Homes: As far as simplicity this style may be the best fit for the novice. These two styles are very similar, cob is simply a mud or clay covering over some natural or recycled inner walls. Straw bale is just that, bales of straw covered in mud, clay or some type of stucco. This style is probably the cheapest and one of the easiest to build. Once a foundation is built, usually a poured concrete, the walls are as easy as stacking bales of straw, bags of sand or earth, earth pounded tires or several other recycled items. Generally these houses are naturally fire retardant and depending on the design are easy to incorporate thermal energy heating. I find the love or hate of the look of these homes usually splits down the middle. They have a much more primitive look with usually a hint of southwest styling but this does not have to be standard. One of the biggest advantages in this style is to possibility to incorporate a lot of artistic styling in the home. Rounded walls, colored bottle walls, circular windows and enclosed courtyards are just a few of the possibilities in this style. Using the roof to collect rain water or to grow a living roof can either make the roof practical or add natural beauty. 

Yurts: Although not seen as much anymore a yurt can still be a good option for a temporary or even permanent home. Traditionally a yurt is simply a circular tent structure held up by a type of foldable lattice wood infrastructure. These have been used for centuries by nomadic people because of their ease in building and the ability to transport the home when you move. Yurts can also be permanent and there are companies that sell permanent kits that are easily built. They can have simple canvas walls or cob, metal or many other materials. Generally they are simply one big circular room but can be broken up with curtains or even solid built walls. Depending on the materials, these can be very easy to build and fairly economical. They generally aren't able to utilize thermal heating and the canvas models aren't as strong in areas of high winds and tornados. 

Metal Storage Containers/Silo Homes: These aren't technically a natural home but are very eco-friendly since a good majority of the materials used to build the home are recycled. It is as simple as buying a used storage containers, the kind you see on flatbed train cars or ocean freight ships and setting them together or buying an old grain silo and having it cut down to live in. As odd as these types of homes may sound they offer a very strong and sustainable home. Both storage containers and silos are made from thick strong steel meant to last a very long time. They do have an industrial look but for many that is a plus. Storage containers can be set side by side or on top of each other, welded together and doorways cut in them. They are easy to build since the roof, walls and floors are already built. All that needs to be done to them is simply finish the interior and run your utilities through the house. They are pretty economical, usually running $800-2000 a container depending on size and condition and once the heavy work of setting and connecting them is done the interior can be as simple or elaborate as you like. Silos are very similar. They are usually cut in half and set side by side with either a doorway or breezeway connecting the two. These usually range from 18' to 36' in diameter and can easily have two or three levels. This is not the cheapest style of home because of the cost of moving and erecting the silo and making reading to finish the interior but the silos themselves can be purchased fairly cheaply. If this industrial look is for you these types of homes can offer a strong, long lasting home that is built very green. 

All of the above styles can easily have solar, rain collection, composting toilets and certain types of natural heating built in them. This by far is not a comprehensive list but it does give you some variety when considering a natural or eco-friendly home. Each one has their own unique beauty and benefits so thorough research needs to be done before one is decided upon. 

Whether an apartment, mobile home or Earthship finding the home that fits your needs and especially your budget will help make your journey to a self-sufficient life easier and so much more enjoyable. 

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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 not just what you dream of but is what you are striving for each day. This sustainable movement, shall we call it, is growing more and more with a growing number of people realizing the healthier, sustainable and more fulfilling life can be had with less from the modern world and more from becoming closer to nature. 

For almost two decades now this is what I have been striving for and I have noticed so much change in this area and a continual steady growth in popularity. When I first began this journey I could rarely find anyone who desired this same kind life, we were sparse and hidden away but now it seems I can find them all around me. This, of course excites me to know that I am not alone and that there are more and more people out there waking up and working for a simple lifestyle. This increase in popularity brings advancements and innovations that helps make this lifestyle more attainable, but like with many things, an increase in popularity can bring commercialization and a loss in  authenticity and that is where I want to take this article. 

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