Homesteading and living simply

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It boils down to a taste in the environment.

Life can be more complex for you in the country than in the city, if you were not raised in that environment.

As I posted before, do your home work before you make the move.

Jim
 
Chris Mccandless, of the book and movie, “Into The Wild,” thought he had it all figured out on how to live a simple life in Alaska.

He ended up starving to death and it was probably from “rabbit malnutrition,” than toxic poisoning from eating the wrong plant, as was the original story.

Jim
 
There are a lot of Catholic groups “off the grid” types in Idaho that I’ve heard. I’m sure the situation is similar in Montana. But, I have heard of plenty of folks doing that in Idaho. If that were to enter into your decision at all…

Godspeed to you!
 
unitive_mystic said:
If someone has to choose to live simply in either a city or the country, I don’t know why they would choose the city.

In the city you can only go so far until you bump into things that will limit your freedom no matter how much you simplify your life.

In the country your kids are safer and have room to do all sorts of activities. At the same time you can be self sustainable

In the city your separated from the land, and people are just forced to live close to eachother, when in the country more authentic communities are formed because you actually value your neighbor’s help.

I don’t know but I feel like if simple living gains popularity in our culture, rural life and self sustainability will be the default.
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I would definitely agree. As the migration to the cities has continued in our country (and plenty of small town America is declining), I think the time is ripe for a “back to the land” movement.
 
They can get bacteria in them, particularly in areas with lots of livestock. Algae requires sunlight and I’ve never heard of insect eggs being an issue. It IS a good idea to have your well water sampled and assessed regularly.
 
Do you get your tap water tested? It’s a good idea. I’m not sure how animals are falling into people’s wells and decaying. (First of all, why isn’t the well covered. Secondly, what happens when a kid walks by?) But when you spray you have livestock, or frequently slurry your field, you could get bacteria leaking into your well.
 
Modern wells arent just a hole in the ground with a bucket. You flip the switch and the water comes through the pipes. Or sometimes you pump the water manually.
 
I know. That’s why I’m confused about animals falling in and decaying. The wells I’m accostomed to are entirely covered with a pump. They way for bacteria and chemicals to get in is by literally seeping in through cracks in the walls of the well. That’s why it isn’t a really common problem. It can happen, so most people I know who use wells send in a vial of their tap water for inspection periodically.
 
It seems as though the way our society has constructed it’s system in a way where it’s designed for only those who live in urban areas. The majority of fields of study in college is only possible to pursue if you live in the city, therefore making my choice of careers very slim.

The people who live off the land today mostly inherited it from their parents while people like me have to start from scratch. Urban and suburban life hasn’t really done much good for peoples spirituality; the average American house has tripled in size since the 1950’s and birth rate is at an all time low. You would think a bigger house would serve the purpose of having more space for children but in reality the growing size of houses apparently have nothing to do with children.

Urban life also has bad effects on the environment. Agriculture has led us to turn miles and miles of what was once an abundance of forest and diversity of habitats for animals into a desert of corn or beans to provide food for millions of people living in the city because there is no land for them to grow their own; while the modern day career system makes it so that fathers and mothers do not have the time to produce their own necessities.

The back to the land movement will be inevitable as religious people come to realize how important it is to live connected to the silence of nature, as it reflects God in that aspect. Nature is typically seen as one of the greatest teachers as well as our own natural habitat.

With the amount of money people put into fancy cars and houses, anybody could buy an empty lot on the country side and with the right skills and equipment can build their own house using the recourses on the property.
 
Understand one important thing, you will not be able to live off the land without the aid of society.

You’re not going to cut wood or make a garden using stone axes and wooden shovels which you make yourself.

The steel used to make tools, comes from the populated areas of society.

Will you own a gun to hunt for food ? If so, where do you suppose guns are made ?

Remington is in Springfield Mass, the third largest city in MA.

Clothes ? Will you wear modern day clothing, or trap for furs and make your own ?

Modern day clothing is made in factories in populated areas. Today, mostly in Asia.

Spiritually, if you can’t grow spiritually in the city amony people, you’ll not grow alone in the woods either.

Spiritual growth comes from the transforming grace God gives us.

Whatever lifestyle you chose, besure you are following God’s will for you, and not a romanticized agenda you dream about.

Jim
 
Lee1 said:
Perhaps we should dare to do what we can. Say live in the containers comfortably whilst someone else hoes the land.

It can’t be that hard to sit in a rocking chair smoking a pipe giving advice and pointing out mistakes! 😂
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Now you’ve got the right idea! 😆
adgloriam said:
What is more, even a bunch of FV panels might not be able to power a normal 600w heater
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If someone is planning on living off grid, they should plan to use as little electricity as possible. There are lot of other heating sources that are more efficient and can sufficiently heat a space. Other sources of light. Other ways of preserving food vs. refrigeration. Etc. it all depends on the kind of lifestyle the OP wants.

FV solar panels are an excellent choice for charging your own battery banks without hooking up to the grid to sell power back. That power grid connection rather defeats the purpose of living off grid. And, so long as you plan to use this power for small appliances and limited technology, it won’t cost you much. It all depends on how much electricity the OP wants to generate.
 
Correct. I do believe many great things come from society but I also believe it takes quite a bit of moral maturity to live in the city environment.

If I gave a 4 year old an axe, He would probably hurt himself, maybe destroy the nature around him, or possibly hurt other people. So to with modern civilization, if people arent morally right they can use society to fulfill greedy desires and end up using immoral methods of trade.

Modern civilization is a tool that is double edged. Rural life and urban life benefit from eachother.
 
Then, you become the change you want to see in the world, whether you’re living in the city or country. Paraphrasing Gandhi.😃

Jim
 
Exactly so! Believe me, I know lots of people who live in rural areas. Collectively, they are no more happy or spiritually fullfilled than those who live in the burbs or city. A person who gains joy from the beauty of nature, is going to love the experience of a county park or tending an urban garden just as much one who works on a field of corn. A person who gains their joy from socializing with others will build close relationships with other members of a small community, just as easy as a large community. There are opportunities to serve God and grow spiritually everywhere.
 
There are a LOT of helpful Youtubes dealing with off-the-grid living, permaculture, water harvesting, and etc.

In addition a lot of people who live in their vans and RV’s use solar power they bought from Harbor Freight. Check for their Youtubes, as well.
 
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I don’t think this is wrong or you’re crazy or anything, but it does take a particular kind of person to want to do this. How far do you see yourself living from civilization? You gotta make sure you’re living somewhere where there is a demand for horse boarding. What if you get sick? How far are you from medical care? Are you married? How does the spouse feel about this?

Just some things to think about.
 
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