Living Sustainably means Living with the Land.
Why pursue self-reliance?
Because Growing Your Own Food is Satisfying
It goes without saying that growing your own food is one of the most satifying aspects of living sustainably. Put in raised garden beds. Learn to dry food, preserve fresh produce and store everything so it lasts over winter and summer. Take some time setting up your garden well, thinking about the position, the shade it provides in summer, the delight it means, when you look into your garden on a hot summer day and how close you need it to your dwelling to be able to go and grab what you need for your next meal. The most surprising thing I have tasted is a fresh onion!
Because Raising Chickens is Fun
The birds will give you eggs and fertilizer. Fresh chicken eggs are delicious, and if they come from chickens that have eaten mostly grass, seeds and insects, the eggs will be healthy and you enjoy every meal.
Only raise and grow what you eat at the beginning. Later Fresh Eggs are a great give-away or a means for bartering. Your pursuit of self reliance will become easier, the longer you are at it. Avoid getting exotic chickens at the beginning. Find out what chooks do well in your area and get those to start with.
Because Learning New Skills makes you feel better
If you are prepared to learn a few new technical, mechanical or electrical skills, you can fix your leaking pipe, build an enclosure for your chickens, manage your solar energy supply and enjoy your managing your self-reliant life. Later this may lead to you growing a small crop that you can sell or barter with.
Because Linking Up with other people makes you part of a new way of life
Network with other people.
Get some land in a co-operative and live in a community of people.
Join up to some good blogs and read the the magazines that keep you informed and motivated, like 'Earth Garden' and 'Grass Roots'.
Join an organic gardening blog: http://aussieorganicgardening.com/ and get valuable info on moon planting, what to plant in what month and how to go about seed saving and selecting the right plants for the right climate.
Because Finding Ethics means bringing a fresh 'breeze' into your life
http://www.permaculture.org.au/what-is-permaculture/
Because Growing Your Own Food is Satisfying
It goes without saying that growing your own food is one of the most satifying aspects of living sustainably. Put in raised garden beds. Learn to dry food, preserve fresh produce and store everything so it lasts over winter and summer. Take some time setting up your garden well, thinking about the position, the shade it provides in summer, the delight it means, when you look into your garden on a hot summer day and how close you need it to your dwelling to be able to go and grab what you need for your next meal. The most surprising thing I have tasted is a fresh onion!
Because Raising Chickens is Fun
The birds will give you eggs and fertilizer. Fresh chicken eggs are delicious, and if they come from chickens that have eaten mostly grass, seeds and insects, the eggs will be healthy and you enjoy every meal.
Only raise and grow what you eat at the beginning. Later Fresh Eggs are a great give-away or a means for bartering. Your pursuit of self reliance will become easier, the longer you are at it. Avoid getting exotic chickens at the beginning. Find out what chooks do well in your area and get those to start with.
Because Learning New Skills makes you feel better
If you are prepared to learn a few new technical, mechanical or electrical skills, you can fix your leaking pipe, build an enclosure for your chickens, manage your solar energy supply and enjoy your managing your self-reliant life. Later this may lead to you growing a small crop that you can sell or barter with.
Because Linking Up with other people makes you part of a new way of life
Network with other people.
Get some land in a co-operative and live in a community of people.
Join up to some good blogs and read the the magazines that keep you informed and motivated, like 'Earth Garden' and 'Grass Roots'.
Join an organic gardening blog: http://aussieorganicgardening.com/ and get valuable info on moon planting, what to plant in what month and how to go about seed saving and selecting the right plants for the right climate.
Because Finding Ethics means bringing a fresh 'breeze' into your life
http://www.permaculture.org.au/what-is-permaculture/
