I LOVE this!!! We are being told there are food shortages coming so we had better pay attention!!! My husband and I just bought 8 acres and we have spent the last two and a half months cleaning out 6 structures of junk (the last owner was a hoarder who fell ill and nothing had been touched for years!!). I'm convinced this land was meant for us and we are finally at a place where we can work on the vision we have for it- YAY!! I have to admit that I have always been a city girl (septic tanks, wells, and propane tanks are all a mystery to me-LOL) but it makes me so happy to be out there in all that space and I'm so anxious to start learning how to free ourselves from the system!!! Can't wait to learn more from you Tara!!!
Congratulations, Anne! That is so exciting! I don’t know what it is about hoarders and rural abodes but we had, and know many people that have also had, to deal with the same situation. For us, it was our first farm and the old farmer that had lived there his whole life said that “dumps were ripoffs” so he just used his barns and forests for his garbage. Ugh.
I am so excited for you! Are you focusing solely on food this year with things like "household goods" - soap, for instance - still being among the things you can purchase, or are those on the make or barter list too?
Well I already make my own medicines but I will step that up. For cleaning I make my own soap but have been unhappy with shampoo bars so we’ll see. But no, that’s not really the in the plan. The idea is more to see how we will do when there is no outside good source. I don’t think I’d care much about my limp hair in that situation 🙂
I admire your determination and wonder if there are climate zones of self sufficiency. Ironically you have built a truly strong virtual community through your vision and I’m just sorry I can’t email you a lemon!
There are definite pockets of geography where communal sufficiency is easier or harder (or impossible.) I am reminded of the differences in civilizations around the world throughout history and which were nomadic (harder/impossible sufficiency areas included into a larger swath of microclimates to allow for survival) and which were stationary (easier communal sufficiency due to oceans/rainfall/etc.)
Haha I’m sorry too🙂 I would think every place no matter the climate can feed its people. Even the Inuit figured out how to live robustly. The question is whether people are willing to adapt to their environments.
You guys are so inspiring! I have been “homesteading” for about 8 years and we move closer and closer to eating just from our farm. We bought 40 acres of raw land and moved into a 5th wheel in 2020 and have developed so much already, shop, barn, milking parlor, root cellar with an A-frame cabin above, large pond for our water fowl, greenhouse with coils in the dirt to heat it (we are in alaska) and hay fields hopefully coming next season! (My husband is the definition of driven apparently. Haha). It’s a piece of paradise for us. Reading your stories I sometimes feel like “man I wish I could be doing all that!” But I know we are still building our farm without paying for labor and have toddler twins and a 4 year old so I have to keep in mind different seasons of life. But your lifestyle is my goal one day! So beautiful! I love all the nutritional information I get from you as well. I was wondering if there is a place to find the minerals you give your cows?? I saw it on your story once and never wrote it down. Thank you for continuing to inspire and encourage so many!
Wow, Amanda, that’s so wonderful! I know how much work that is! When your kids are small, you really have to be gentle with yourself. Everything we have done has been by our labour. We couldn’t afford to hire people either. Man, how quick it could have all gone if we did, but what we would have lost, too!
I guess raw usually means wooded. At least here it does. What animals did you start with? Did they help you clear the land? Do your children just love it? We have 3 under 7 and they are so excited about it all!
Yes i guess everyone just calls it “raw land” up here. We had goats and a dairy cow at our first home we built on 5 acres (also from raw land! It was tough deciding to start all over again but I’m so glad we did!!) we also had pigs, chickens and ducks. We moved down with 2 cows (dairy cow and heifer calf) and our breeding pair of pigs and chickens. We have since gotten rid of the pigs and now have 8 cows- 2 dairy cows, 2 bulls, an angus beef cow and then 3 babies right now. The animals didn’t really help clear. I would tie the cows out so they could graze but now that we have so many, we are putting up a fence through the trees this summer for them. The hay field/landing strip for my husband is still being cleared. We have about half of it done. I have heard you can use pigs to clear but never really tested it out I guess. My kids do love it! I’m so excited for you and your new journey! Good luck in the 5th wheel! That part was tough. I can’t imagine with 3 little kids as well! So worth it though! Congratulations!!
Hi! I loved reading this! We are beginning this journey…as in we just moved into our RV today and will hopefully be finding land soon. I’d love to just hear more about how you did it all! Did you start with wooded land and clear it?
Yes we did! I was pregnant with breech twins (unbeknownst to me until 32 weeks) and my husband came home early from commercial fishing because our boat sank in rough weather… he built our shop with an apartment in 6 weeks and I had the twins a week before it was finished. So we moved in after. It was a crazy year!! But when we moved to the property we had bought an excavator so he used that, cleared and put in a road and septic. We hooked our trailer up to the septic and then he was gone all spring and summer mostly so not much happened. After our boat sank, it freed up a lot of resources to work on our land. If you can get an excavator or finance one and then sell it when your done, I highly recommend that!
Yes it was a wild year! I planned a home birth just like with my first, and thought I had one breech baby so I got an ultrasound at 32 weeks and it was two breech!! I scrambled for a new plan because our hospitals policies were not something I was interested in for my delivery. I found a doctor who was going to fly to alaska and deliver them breech for me at home (I couldn’t find any support in alaska and wasn’t really set on just going solo). My water broke too soon though so I called the OB I had talked with who was in full support of me laboring naturally and she just sorta said “well I’m on this morning and if you come in pushing it’s too late for a c-section” so I showed up and just refused drugs and c-section and they both were born breech no complications or interventions. I wasn’t happy with the whole experience at all but took what I could get… Afterwards everyone was so amazed it could be done and I got much positive response from the staff (as opposed to when I arrived)…. after that we moved into our new 700 square foot apartment over our shop. So yes it’s been hectic and fast paced for sure. We feel the urge to get things done now before everything crashes. But I know it is a lot on me while these babies are young. I feel it a lot lately. I don’t have family or support and the days get so long and the lists of things to do longer… my husbands drive and motivation makes it harder because I feel I have to keep up! My mom died when I was 24 and I never knew I would miss her so much until this season..
I appreciate your love for slowing down and enjoying the moments. Thank you for that.
Tara, I am so interested to see how this goes, what a great thing to document. Have you read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver? It's very much in this vein. As an urbanish dweller, I can't raise my own animals but I can buy from a farm down the road and try and keep all my purchases local and grow my own as much as possible. It think it is absolutely eye opening to do this and localisation re food is such a solution multiplier as the wonderful Helena Norberg Hodge says! Bravo, on board with this journey and looking forward to the inspiration!
Thank you, Tania🙂🙂 I did read that book years ago. What a delight! And I have no idea who Helena Norbert Hodge is but I’m going to find out. Buying from local farmers is so important and I believe it’s how we relocalize our communities and improve our health and the health of our environment.💕
Reading your blog, my heart beats a bit harder...in trepidation at the prospect but also with joy & excitement, knowing you’re as prepared as you can be; things can go wrong, unexpected things can happen...good & bad; I’ll be waiting in anticipation to hear how your journey unfolds...sending blessings💕
Nothing frightens me more than the coming food and supply shortages. Oh perhaps one thing actually, and that's the obliviousness of the masses. I don't think just 'stocking up for 6 weeks worth' is enough, as many of my friends have. Without your own means of production.... I don't know. Those who survived on potatoes back in the day must have been so damn stoic with a million times the bacterial diversity we have these days, so can you imagine that happening now? This incessant assumption that a return to normal is imminent whatever the given situation is probably the most baffling thing to behold these days. Also this odd and curious smile I seem to have inside amidst it all - as if it's somehow all a little familiar. Might be my genes who lived through way harder times (and likely those Irish famines) or goodness knows what else but yeah, as overwhelming as it might become, in a weird way I think 'and so it should fall'. It's just going to be a little extraordinary to witness and I know you know it Tara! Enjoy your bounty and the deepening into mindful gratitude around all blessings.
Thank you, Monique. I like that you have that resonance in your bones from ancestors that transcribed their knowing somewhere deep within. I feel the same way. I’d say we’re at about 85% farm fed but that extra bit seems a nice way to vet the needs from the wants. And I agree, as the agenda unfolds, the squeeze will grow.
My first thoughts are wondering what I can send you (a person I don't even know!) in mid January that will put a smile on your face... something I can grow on my property that you can't on yours.... Unfortunately not lemons but I'll think on it! I would be tempted to send you a few vanilla beans in the winter but they wouldn't originate with me or my land... Maybe I'll trot down to Mexico and do a barter ....
This isn't only an exciting and courageous act you are undertaking, it also serves to make us all think about how we could possibly trade between ourselves--- in this community--- were there ever a need to do so! I look forward to hearing about this journey and how you find it changing you.
Thanks so much, A.B.! I love your observations. Yes, exactly this. I’m hoping to share what I learn and how things unfold and I would love for others to do the same. And thank you for thinking of what you could send, that’s really sweet of you. I think we will do okay and I’m actually looking forward to the sacrifice in many ways. Much to learn.🙂🙂
We hunt and have since we were married. I have a garden, except last year I let it fallow. But I haven’t canned anything in a while. Our local freedom food group is starting to get our community going and growing and bartering. It is so nice to be a part of a community! We have some who have never done any of this- but are jumping into growing and preparing. Oh yes, already there are what some would call failures-But learning is paramount. Let’s go y’all! We can fight the oligarchs and the devil- put on that whole armour! Keep writing, Tara! And do you keep addresses in case it really goes to heck? I might need to find y’all and vice versa. 😁😘
I love hearing about communities taking these things on! So inspiring! My husband is part of a men’s group in our community. They talk about defence and resilience and morality and just spend time together forging bonds. So needed! And we will definitely include hunted game in the mix! 🙂🙂
Have you thought about incorporating a freeze drier? Im a single woman and sometimes I end up just preserving/growing small quantities for my own. If I get enough lemons this year it be nice to freeze dry the lemon juice and ship it to you ☺️
I learned friends and families look at say my canned onion soup made with a 2 day prepped broth or canned vanilla peaches down upon. Ppl are so used to the plastic wraps bottles fake nutrition from the store.
Hi Denyse, thank you for such kind words. I haven’t really seen a need for a freeze drier, really. I could can liquids but I’m trying to avoid going into the year by stocking up first. I just want it to be like any other year but with being extra careful with quantity without the safety net of knowing I could get something if I want it. Want, but not really need 🙂
Wow. Yes. I have been wanting to start doing this for years.... Thank you for putting this out there, it has helped me to decide to start this right now. Much love, Kim
Omg Tara! I would barter lemons with you in a heartbeat! Our Meyer lemon tree gets ripe about twice a year and every time we end up with boxes and boxes of lemons idk what to do with all of them! I’m excited to hear more about your journey this year.
I LOVE this!!! We are being told there are food shortages coming so we had better pay attention!!! My husband and I just bought 8 acres and we have spent the last two and a half months cleaning out 6 structures of junk (the last owner was a hoarder who fell ill and nothing had been touched for years!!). I'm convinced this land was meant for us and we are finally at a place where we can work on the vision we have for it- YAY!! I have to admit that I have always been a city girl (septic tanks, wells, and propane tanks are all a mystery to me-LOL) but it makes me so happy to be out there in all that space and I'm so anxious to start learning how to free ourselves from the system!!! Can't wait to learn more from you Tara!!!
Congratulations, Anne! That is so exciting! I don’t know what it is about hoarders and rural abodes but we had, and know many people that have also had, to deal with the same situation. For us, it was our first farm and the old farmer that had lived there his whole life said that “dumps were ripoffs” so he just used his barns and forests for his garbage. Ugh.
Thanks for the support 🙂🙂
You will be living the dream of many -- a truly independent life. For those of us who don't have the fortitude, etc., we will live through you!!
Awesome! I will share what I learn. We’re about 85% self-feeding but I think this will get rid of unnecessary things (even if painful)🙂
I am so excited for you! Are you focusing solely on food this year with things like "household goods" - soap, for instance - still being among the things you can purchase, or are those on the make or barter list too?
Hi Danae,
Well I already make my own medicines but I will step that up. For cleaning I make my own soap but have been unhappy with shampoo bars so we’ll see. But no, that’s not really the in the plan. The idea is more to see how we will do when there is no outside good source. I don’t think I’d care much about my limp hair in that situation 🙂
Yeah, shampoo bars have never really worked for me. I've just been using our homemade soap for my hair for the past few years. 🤷🏻♀️
I think it's brilliant. Utterly brilliant. And I can't wait to read more!!
And if I could figure out a way to ship our wares from Portugal to Canada, we are abundant in lemons, Oranges and figs... xx
Well you’ll just have to bring some with you and hand them to me when that day comes.
I admire your determination and wonder if there are climate zones of self sufficiency. Ironically you have built a truly strong virtual community through your vision and I’m just sorry I can’t email you a lemon!
There are definite pockets of geography where communal sufficiency is easier or harder (or impossible.) I am reminded of the differences in civilizations around the world throughout history and which were nomadic (harder/impossible sufficiency areas included into a larger swath of microclimates to allow for survival) and which were stationary (easier communal sufficiency due to oceans/rainfall/etc.)
Yes exactly! True seasonal eating in certain regions might involve being nomadic. It’s so interesting to think about.
Haha I’m sorry too🙂 I would think every place no matter the climate can feed its people. Even the Inuit figured out how to live robustly. The question is whether people are willing to adapt to their environments.
You guys are so inspiring! I have been “homesteading” for about 8 years and we move closer and closer to eating just from our farm. We bought 40 acres of raw land and moved into a 5th wheel in 2020 and have developed so much already, shop, barn, milking parlor, root cellar with an A-frame cabin above, large pond for our water fowl, greenhouse with coils in the dirt to heat it (we are in alaska) and hay fields hopefully coming next season! (My husband is the definition of driven apparently. Haha). It’s a piece of paradise for us. Reading your stories I sometimes feel like “man I wish I could be doing all that!” But I know we are still building our farm without paying for labor and have toddler twins and a 4 year old so I have to keep in mind different seasons of life. But your lifestyle is my goal one day! So beautiful! I love all the nutritional information I get from you as well. I was wondering if there is a place to find the minerals you give your cows?? I saw it on your story once and never wrote it down. Thank you for continuing to inspire and encourage so many!
Wow, Amanda, that’s so wonderful! I know how much work that is! When your kids are small, you really have to be gentle with yourself. Everything we have done has been by our labour. We couldn’t afford to hire people either. Man, how quick it could have all gone if we did, but what we would have lost, too!
Thank you for the encouragement 🙂
I guess raw usually means wooded. At least here it does. What animals did you start with? Did they help you clear the land? Do your children just love it? We have 3 under 7 and they are so excited about it all!
Yes i guess everyone just calls it “raw land” up here. We had goats and a dairy cow at our first home we built on 5 acres (also from raw land! It was tough deciding to start all over again but I’m so glad we did!!) we also had pigs, chickens and ducks. We moved down with 2 cows (dairy cow and heifer calf) and our breeding pair of pigs and chickens. We have since gotten rid of the pigs and now have 8 cows- 2 dairy cows, 2 bulls, an angus beef cow and then 3 babies right now. The animals didn’t really help clear. I would tie the cows out so they could graze but now that we have so many, we are putting up a fence through the trees this summer for them. The hay field/landing strip for my husband is still being cleared. We have about half of it done. I have heard you can use pigs to clear but never really tested it out I guess. My kids do love it! I’m so excited for you and your new journey! Good luck in the 5th wheel! That part was tough. I can’t imagine with 3 little kids as well! So worth it though! Congratulations!!
Hi! I loved reading this! We are beginning this journey…as in we just moved into our RV today and will hopefully be finding land soon. I’d love to just hear more about how you did it all! Did you start with wooded land and clear it?
Yes we did! I was pregnant with breech twins (unbeknownst to me until 32 weeks) and my husband came home early from commercial fishing because our boat sank in rough weather… he built our shop with an apartment in 6 weeks and I had the twins a week before it was finished. So we moved in after. It was a crazy year!! But when we moved to the property we had bought an excavator so he used that, cleared and put in a road and septic. We hooked our trailer up to the septic and then he was gone all spring and summer mostly so not much happened. After our boat sank, it freed up a lot of resources to work on our land. If you can get an excavator or finance one and then sell it when your done, I highly recommend that!
Oh my word, good woman! This is wonderful!
Yes it was a wild year! I planned a home birth just like with my first, and thought I had one breech baby so I got an ultrasound at 32 weeks and it was two breech!! I scrambled for a new plan because our hospitals policies were not something I was interested in for my delivery. I found a doctor who was going to fly to alaska and deliver them breech for me at home (I couldn’t find any support in alaska and wasn’t really set on just going solo). My water broke too soon though so I called the OB I had talked with who was in full support of me laboring naturally and she just sorta said “well I’m on this morning and if you come in pushing it’s too late for a c-section” so I showed up and just refused drugs and c-section and they both were born breech no complications or interventions. I wasn’t happy with the whole experience at all but took what I could get… Afterwards everyone was so amazed it could be done and I got much positive response from the staff (as opposed to when I arrived)…. after that we moved into our new 700 square foot apartment over our shop. So yes it’s been hectic and fast paced for sure. We feel the urge to get things done now before everything crashes. But I know it is a lot on me while these babies are young. I feel it a lot lately. I don’t have family or support and the days get so long and the lists of things to do longer… my husbands drive and motivation makes it harder because I feel I have to keep up! My mom died when I was 24 and I never knew I would miss her so much until this season..
I appreciate your love for slowing down and enjoying the moments. Thank you for that.
Oh my!! What an adventure! I love it! Thank you for sharing that, definitely encouraging and helpful! It sounds like a lovely place to grow a family!!
Tara, I am so interested to see how this goes, what a great thing to document. Have you read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver? It's very much in this vein. As an urbanish dweller, I can't raise my own animals but I can buy from a farm down the road and try and keep all my purchases local and grow my own as much as possible. It think it is absolutely eye opening to do this and localisation re food is such a solution multiplier as the wonderful Helena Norberg Hodge says! Bravo, on board with this journey and looking forward to the inspiration!
Thank you, Tania🙂🙂 I did read that book years ago. What a delight! And I have no idea who Helena Norbert Hodge is but I’m going to find out. Buying from local farmers is so important and I believe it’s how we relocalize our communities and improve our health and the health of our environment.💕
Reading your blog, my heart beats a bit harder...in trepidation at the prospect but also with joy & excitement, knowing you’re as prepared as you can be; things can go wrong, unexpected things can happen...good & bad; I’ll be waiting in anticipation to hear how your journey unfolds...sending blessings💕
Thank you, Carolyn 💕🙂
Nothing frightens me more than the coming food and supply shortages. Oh perhaps one thing actually, and that's the obliviousness of the masses. I don't think just 'stocking up for 6 weeks worth' is enough, as many of my friends have. Without your own means of production.... I don't know. Those who survived on potatoes back in the day must have been so damn stoic with a million times the bacterial diversity we have these days, so can you imagine that happening now? This incessant assumption that a return to normal is imminent whatever the given situation is probably the most baffling thing to behold these days. Also this odd and curious smile I seem to have inside amidst it all - as if it's somehow all a little familiar. Might be my genes who lived through way harder times (and likely those Irish famines) or goodness knows what else but yeah, as overwhelming as it might become, in a weird way I think 'and so it should fall'. It's just going to be a little extraordinary to witness and I know you know it Tara! Enjoy your bounty and the deepening into mindful gratitude around all blessings.
Thank you, Monique. I like that you have that resonance in your bones from ancestors that transcribed their knowing somewhere deep within. I feel the same way. I’d say we’re at about 85% farm fed but that extra bit seems a nice way to vet the needs from the wants. And I agree, as the agenda unfolds, the squeeze will grow.
My first thoughts are wondering what I can send you (a person I don't even know!) in mid January that will put a smile on your face... something I can grow on my property that you can't on yours.... Unfortunately not lemons but I'll think on it! I would be tempted to send you a few vanilla beans in the winter but they wouldn't originate with me or my land... Maybe I'll trot down to Mexico and do a barter ....
This isn't only an exciting and courageous act you are undertaking, it also serves to make us all think about how we could possibly trade between ourselves--- in this community--- were there ever a need to do so! I look forward to hearing about this journey and how you find it changing you.
Thanks so much, A.B.! I love your observations. Yes, exactly this. I’m hoping to share what I learn and how things unfold and I would love for others to do the same. And thank you for thinking of what you could send, that’s really sweet of you. I think we will do okay and I’m actually looking forward to the sacrifice in many ways. Much to learn.🙂🙂
We hunt and have since we were married. I have a garden, except last year I let it fallow. But I haven’t canned anything in a while. Our local freedom food group is starting to get our community going and growing and bartering. It is so nice to be a part of a community! We have some who have never done any of this- but are jumping into growing and preparing. Oh yes, already there are what some would call failures-But learning is paramount. Let’s go y’all! We can fight the oligarchs and the devil- put on that whole armour! Keep writing, Tara! And do you keep addresses in case it really goes to heck? I might need to find y’all and vice versa. 😁😘
I love hearing about communities taking these things on! So inspiring! My husband is part of a men’s group in our community. They talk about defence and resilience and morality and just spend time together forging bonds. So needed! And we will definitely include hunted game in the mix! 🙂🙂
U always INSPIRE me ❤️
Have you thought about incorporating a freeze drier? Im a single woman and sometimes I end up just preserving/growing small quantities for my own. If I get enough lemons this year it be nice to freeze dry the lemon juice and ship it to you ☺️
I learned friends and families look at say my canned onion soup made with a 2 day prepped broth or canned vanilla peaches down upon. Ppl are so used to the plastic wraps bottles fake nutrition from the store.
Hi Denyse, thank you for such kind words. I haven’t really seen a need for a freeze drier, really. I could can liquids but I’m trying to avoid going into the year by stocking up first. I just want it to be like any other year but with being extra careful with quantity without the safety net of knowing I could get something if I want it. Want, but not really need 🙂
Wow. Yes. I have been wanting to start doing this for years.... Thank you for putting this out there, it has helped me to decide to start this right now. Much love, Kim
Awesome, Kim!
What a brilliant way to explore and test run this lifestyle. I'm so excited to see and hear how it goes🤗
Thank you, Sasha :)
I love your idea! Thanks for taking us along for the ride.
Thanks for coming along :)
Omg Tara! I would barter lemons with you in a heartbeat! Our Meyer lemon tree gets ripe about twice a year and every time we end up with boxes and boxes of lemons idk what to do with all of them! I’m excited to hear more about your journey this year.
Oh, how lovely is that! :)