In 2008 we set out on an experiment. How self-reliant could we be on 5 acres in the middle of no where in central Florida? Away from people, traffic, convenience. We previously only lived in cities, buying everything we needed and then some. To say I learned a lot is an understatement. This ever-growing list is an effort to remember and share this experience.
- Shooting stars are common away from the city’s light pollution.
- Wind blowing through a pine forest sounds like waves crashing on the beach.
- It’s impossible to do everything yourself and ungrateful to think so.
- Just because land is dry this month does not mean it will be next month.
- Surrounding natural beauty can be easy to take for granted when you live in it.
- Folks living in rural areas are not necessarily environmentalists.
- They can be just as scared of snakes and spiders as city people.
- And some think burning trash is “good for the environment.”
- But if you can forgo judgement, you can learn a lot from people with different values.
- Tree height is inversely proportional to precision when estimating where it will land when felled.
- Homesteading is romantic until you actually do it.
- Farming and gardening involve just as much death as life.
- Figuring out what to do with all that food can be more difficult than growing it.
- It takes five days to dig a 3x20x30′ pond by hand with 3 people.
- There is no such thing as too much compost.
- Sometimes enthusiasm should be curbed; starting small is easier than failing big.
- There is nothing magical about permaculture.
- Over-planning can be just as problematic as not planning at all.
- Plans are not so useful for developing an exact recipe for action but more for thinking a process through.
- The human element is often the weakest and most unpredictable link.
- Never forget the element of time when designing.
- A system that requires constant intervention has compounding energy cost over time.
- Having livestock is a lot like having kids.
- Most mothers do not need assistance birthing.
- Play is common among juveniles of many species.
- Chickens are unique, even emotional. If you spend enough time with them you can tell them apart by their behavior.
- “Chicken wire” is not meant for chicken coops.
- A determined raccoon is very clever. They can open doors and work in teams. Given enough time, there is no such thing as a 100% raccoon-proof coop.
- Diurnal predators can be just as deadly as nocturnal ones.
- Cheap fossil fuels make manual labor exponentially easier and less time-consuming.
- Self-reliance is less about where you are and more about how you give and take.