Hello all. This is our first post on here, {Wife has learnt' me to always enclude her.} So " We've" been working towards the ultilmate lifestyle, of living off the land, but it sure takes alot of time and work, not something that can be done in just a few months, it comes alittle at a time and we're forever learning at it, it seems. Our latest developement was setting up an ole' ringer washer under the tree out back, just before the freezing temps. set in... Sounds like hardship, but it's actually Fun to see each real piece of "survival" come together..while living Free with mother nature... Just wondering if there's any other backwoods survival folk sitting around the Campfire here, who are living their dream too? Mr.& Mrs. Montana

Welcome to the forum!
I am nowhere even near to self-sufficiency, and I think never will be <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

What is "ole' ringer washer"? Is it kind of like a washing machine?

You might want to check out www.homesteadingtoday.com and www.backwoodshome.com. They have a lot of interesting articles on self-sufficiency.

I have lived off the land for a lot of my life, in fact, I prefer it. And you're right , it can be fun with the right attitude. It may be the hardest thing you'll ever do but it will also be one of the most rewarding. You'll find a lot of useful information Here

One can dream; right now it is hard to live off the land in Oakland.....

Thank you Angel and Red Star, and for the thoughtful links!! The ole' [old] ringer washer, is one that I horse-traded alittle work for, from one of our neighbors this last summer, it's green in color, dates back in the 30's I believe, but still works like a new one.. Actually, this is our "second" attempt at survival in the mountains, our first try only lasted about 2 years and we went so broke that we couldn't afford to get anymore chainsaw gas, and lived too remote to do much about it... so sold out and came back to the work-world... This time though, we've alittle bit more prepared, stocked up and got an ole' backhoe, am able to make a few $$ now and again to keep us afloat... So with the land paid for and etc. I believe we'll make it this time around... If the Lord is willing and the creek don't rise...as the saying goes.. <img src="/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> Also, our first try at suvival back in the late 90's, we only started then, in a dome-tent with a woodstove, this time we have an RV and we got the roof onto a 10 X 20 room addition, [still have to finish it though] also got our underground water holding tank in with gravity flow water lines, but that's about all we could get done in our first summer, into getting settled here... Our ultimate plan is to build an earth home, but figure that'll take us two or three more years to get completed. Plus there's the "future" Greenhouse; large garden; root cellar and etc. to get put in too... <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Personally, I don't think we'll be into the "real survival period" until after 2012, and especially so after 2016.

So what happens in 2012 & 2016?

todd

It would take a book to explain all this really, but mainly, it is based on the work of cycles and the work of W.D.Gann. Here's a short vidio from Gannglobal on the subject of these cycles: http://gannglobal.com/v/crb01/?img=132&kbid=1002 and give you an idea of what this cyclic-work entails.

I am well acquainted with wringer washers, used to have to use one to wash my work clothes when I worked in the oil fields. But I've gotta ask...what are you going to do with it? Is the land providing electricity to run it??

I'm interested in earth homes as well. I'm currently scrounging the web for information, and trying to come up with some viable design options for a future project. I'm not sure what direction I'll end up taking, but that will partially be determined by the area where I choose to settle. I'm looking at a number of different materials ranging from rammed earth to cobb and a few others, as well as weighing out in-ground designs.

I'd like to make this an off-grid home powered by alternative energies, and would like to be able to include rain harvesting or a well, and on-site waste management/recycling. Once again, all of this will also be determined by region and what local laws have to say about such things.

It's a long term goal I guess... I hope I have time. :P

What particular type of structure are you thinking of building, mtman?

Thanks for the come-back ole'baldguy, Ya asked about the ringer washer, yes, we have elect. to run the washer, also a generator, and if all else fails, got a solar aray to harmonize with nature if needed, however, we havn't gotten to the point of getting everything up and running yet... waiting for the temps to get back above -0- first... <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> Meanwhile the laundry keeps piling up... <img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

the idea of living off the land might sound romantic however reality bites really hard on the rear end. The Learning channel did a documentary drama for several couples re-enact 1900 rural life. Those people suffered a great deal of hardship in the drama. They became really ill from the flu and they had to be evacuated to hospital. They lost a lot of weight as a result of building the wood cabin.

We aren't equiped mentally to deal with the stress of living off the land.

Interested in building an earth home eh? Cool...and clearily you've done some homework on the subject, I've built two of em' in my younger years, ain't much to them really, alot depends on the amount of $$ that you want to sink into it, as materials vary, Our first one was built out of cinder blocks, coated the outside walls with plastic emulsion, [tar] and slapped 2 in. bead board on the walls and backfilled. Didn't put dirt on the roof though, R-Factor wise, I framed the roof on top and put in R-30 insulation, [equivilent to about 3 foot of earth I believe] Second earth home was a small two room one, took plywood and built half-wall forms with re-bar, then a wheelborrow run ramp with a small cement mixer.. only took a week to get all the footings & 10" walls pours, wife had the job of hammering on the walls filled with cement to compact it, but it was a hussle-hard working days until done... then tared the outside walls, put cross-ties as a solid slanted roof, covered also with tarpaper, tin and tar, and backfilled... the backhoe that backfilled it was sitting right on top of the roof... [strong enough to support a train actually..] Though I should have put 2" beadboard on the roof too, as twice a year when the wide temps swings, there was signs of condensation on the roof, so had to keep painting over the stains on the drywall... Straw bail houses are very simply and easy to build too, with a 60 R-Factor... It's the R factor that's reallly important, unless you're wanting a nuke shelter, and that can always be built into about kind of home structure. Hope this help.. God bless!

Hello Picard, Sorry that you have not "experienced" the bliss and freedom that comes with the "programming" that this way of living is an awful miserable lifestyle.. Let me tell you about a little old lady, who has lived back in the mountains without indoor plumbing, running water nor elect for over 40 years now, her name is Armenta, she lived about one and half miles from out last mountain-living adventure... She is over 70 year old now, still living alone, and can walk up to the top of a mountain faster than either my wife or I could keep up with, she sure taught us alot about sheep sorrell and some other wild herbs of the mountains, also how she keeps the bears ran off with the noise from her cook pan and a wooden spoon, and she always seemed to "know" that we were coming up her mountain for a visit as she'd already have places set at her table with a hot pot of tea "waiting" for us to arrive... Soft spoken, and as sweet as you'd expect any Angel from heaven to be like...
I'm sorry to hear that you have heard terrible stories about mountain living, but as with nature, you can harmonize with it, or become subject to it, attitude makes a bit difference... God bless

There are some of us that feel more comfortable living off the land. We are not only able to survive but we thrive. When I'm outside, that's where I find my discovery channel and my learning channel and sometimes even my travel channel. There's a real sense of accomplishment and pride that comes with taking care of your life and your needs. It's not for everyone, but for some of us it's home.

I can't survive without electricity. The winter will be a real [censored]. I would have to do alot wood chopping to keep fire place burning. What about my gadgets, toys? <img src="/images/graemlins/ooo.gif" alt="" />

I would only live off the land under exceptional circumtances.

Like I said, it's not for everyone.

Every now and then I stop and think about how easy we've got it in today's society. If I want to wash my clothes I simply find an open laundromat. If I need food I just find the closest grocery store. How different life must have been 100+ years ago. Heck, we probably don't even need to go back that far!

Mtman thanks for the interesting posts... it would be really neat to see some pictures of your setup at some point.

My dream is to have a nice cabin tucked back in the woods where a person can go and enjoy themselves without the nuisance of cell phones, 24 hour-a-day news, and battling crowds at the mall.

This reminds me of a guy I was talking to a couple of years ago, true story: for years he did not have a telephone. Lived in a pretty remote area of California. So finally he decided to get a phone -- he ran a cell phone into his property by placing the antenna waaay up in a tall tree to get a signal. He powered it up... and lo and behold... the first person to call him was a telemarketer! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I prefer the phrase 'living with the land.' Living off Mother Nature sounds like a deadbeat boyfriend. The 1970s saw a post hippie era 'back to the land movement' fueled largely by Mother Earth and RODALE PRESS, publisher of countless and frustratingly short print run books on countless related subjects. Socially it was partly usurped by the survivalist ideology that imploded with Ruby Ridge and that brilliant academic but social moron and plagairist the Unabomber. But lots of people are doing this, many modern homesteaders in Alaska, practitioners of 'the primative movement'- which I first thought was going without TP, and countless others.

Speaking of builiding a log cabin, this book is a good read. Guy retired from his job at about 50 and had himself flown into a remote lake in Alaska. All by himself he build a log cabin, food cache on stilts, all of the furnishings in the cabin, you name it, he built it. While he did not live completely off of the land (a friend flew in some supplies from time to time), it is still a fascinating book. He lived the dream I had as a kid...

Thanks Chris K. for your thoughts and pointing out the difference in Living with or off the land, very interesting observation and concept. Mother nature, providing all our basic needs of life, one can justly say that they life "off" of her, as we take trees for building and drink of her fresh waters as her springs provide, and listen to her music as the birds sing her songs of harmony.
However, I do see the need within this viewpoint that one also needs to protect the provider too, and preserve these balances of Nature with the upmost respect.
Don't know about the Ruby Ridge or Unabomber, but heard about them and even saw the movie about the Ruby Ridge family, but tend to see that even with the mountain-minded folk, that there are a variety of different mind-sets and beliefs, just as there are within the mass social structure of cities and etc.
I do believe that the enviroment of the mountains and country sides, the "Natural Lifestyle" of living with or off of mother nature, or at least in harmony with her, is the "ideal" for mankind as a whole, as the mind is more easily cleared of it's thought-clutters, the senses are elevated with awareness in stillness, and with time, the depth of ones true being emerges and finds balance.
This "balancing" is conductive to a "Peace" that must be experienced to fully appreciate and fully understand.
To know and experience this, is most difficult within the city enviorment, where one finds themselfs elbow to elbow in crowds, fighting to get into turn lanes on the freeway, and using alram clocks to start their race off with the work world every day, and where Freedom is measured with the size of their bank account.
The accumulation of which builds inner stress, tempts the morals and conductive to hightened senses and emotions and breeds unnatural behaviors and defenses within many.
On one hand, one lives for the security of a pretty house; car; power and competive accomplishments, supported by the security of green paper.
On the other hand, one lives more for quality than quanity, satisfied with humblist of roof coverings and more green leaves for TP than green-paper. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Very interesting post Cedfire, and though I agree that it is a bit of pain to have to drive over 50 miles to the nearest small town, half of which is over dirt roads, and almost 200 miles into the nearest larger city where certain "material" and bulk shopping is better had, there are surely sacrifices to be made by living out in the boonies as we do.
But as you well pointed out too, that the hussle and bussel of the crowds we certainly don't miss...
Neither my wife or I are old enough to draw social security yet, got a few more years for that, and we have no real secure income from the world really, but are as secure as a bug in a rug here, and somehow, our needs are always met and work $ comes to fulfill any needs too.. but our Peace is maintained with our trust in our provider.
I guess initially, from the far side of the world, one might see us living in hardships, but actually, life here is soooo easy too, sure, the laundry might pile up until a nice day to get caught up on it outdoors... but there's no stress with that either..as our laundry day is a fun day of laughing and joint duty that we share, [if I'm not busy with another project]
The "theme of our days" is moreso doing whatever we wake up and feel like doing, yesterday afternoon, it was 1 above -0- and we just went for a walk and played with our dogs dancing around... then came back home and got settled in for the night.
Next to us here, is a path leading up to the top of the ridge/hill top, where we have made a large wooden bench seat, we call it Calvery Hill, a special place where we often go to just sit and meditate with the 100 mile view out across the Custer national forest and mountains, not a cabin or structure in site...
For the most part, there's not alot of wild life moving about now for winter, but in the summer time, we are getting a flock of turkeys that venture through almost on a daily bases, and the deer are often seen playing and grazing out in the back pasture. Not to memtion the rabbits that is forever frustating our dogs, as they outwit them every time darting into the brush and becoming long-gone while the dogs are still going around the bushes...
It's been my experience that it takes about 2 to 3 years to settle the comforts of a new homestead, so there is much to look forward to, plan for and mix it up with some play times too..
Hardships? It's been a few weeks since I've opened my wallet, but we do have a trip planned into town soon... this I disfavor, as it is sooo tiring to have to go into town shopping... but the roads are bad this time of year, so I'll "have to go"... I guess this will be a "hardship day"... <img src="/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

That's what happens when you take a group of hardcore TV watchers and put them in a situation where they have to do for themselves. There's a lesson in there somewhere....

There is much good to be said about self-sufficiency and a simple lifestyle.

However, I don’t think that we can take a snapshot of a particular point on the timeline of technological development and say that this is the ideal state for all mankind to live in. Man’s only “natural state” is to be constantly thinking of ways to build on what others have done before him.

This is not to say that everyone should live shoulder to shoulder in the hustle and bustle of city life either. Just remember that those PHRASECENSOREDPOSTERSHOULDKNOWBETTER. are the ones that make your own luxurious lifestyle possible. They are the ones that make the antique washing machine you use, never mind the PV panels, batteries and inverter that power your off-grid home.

Without ideas like division of labor, mass production and modern agriculture, a lot more people would be cold and hungry. Or more likely, they just wouldn’t be alive at all.

Please don’t take this post as criticism, I’m just trying to put things in perspective. In fact, the way you live sounds very attractive to me! In many ways, it is more luxurious than the most decadent of the Hollywood celebrities.

Smartest line of the day!

-Blast

Thanks for the book recommendation, OldBaldGuy. Just ordered "One Man's Wilderness" today. This should make for a good read while the winter storms roll in... <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I forgot to mention that there is a video that was made based on the book. I have not seen it yet, but will order it one of these days. Supposed to have a lot of the movie film that he shot while building and living in his cabin. It is called Alone in the Wilderness...