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Off the Grid/Homesteading Skills:  Your Favorite Self-Sufficiency Tools/Items?  |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
 Posted - May 10 2012 : 08:50:08 AM
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Hi girls -
Right now, we're considering which items we will need to buy or make this year to help us become a little bit more self-sufficient as well as to reduce our family's energy consumption - actually, consumption in general - you know: do more, preserve more, spend less, use less, and prepare a little bit for an emergency. Because of where we live, we're fairly limited as far as what the city will allow us to do (no chickens, goats, bees, etc.), but I'm sure there is still a lot we can do, and I'm sure there are a lot of farmgirls out there who are also wondering where on earth to begin.
What are your favorite tools or items for self-sufficiency? What about them do you love? Is there a special brand or size or style you recommend? Is there a "best place" to acquire them? Is there an item that you feel is hands-down absolutely necessary and should be purchased (or made) first, over and above all others? How do these tools/items make a difference in your life or impact your community? How did you choose which items to purchase first? Any tips or advice? Any funny stories? Any lessons learned? Is there anything you reuse or recycle that perhaps you've found an extremely unusual but wonderfully unexpected beneficial use for?
Thanks in advance for any wisdom you share - I know there are a lot of us who are giving this thought, and it'd be great to hear what you seasoned pros think. Farmgirls absolutely ROCK, and I'm convinced there's nobody better to ask!
Hugs -
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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Edited by - Ninibini on May 10 2012 08:50:45 AM |
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queenmushroom
True Blue Farmgirl
985 Posts
Lorena
Centerville
Me
USA
985 Posts |
Posted - May 10 2012 : 08:58:01 AM
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You could try container gardening or raised beds for your own gardens. I know these modern neo-nazi town gov's or gated communties make things difficult (glad I live in the middle of no where). If you go with raised beds, Jonsered makes a small mixed gas cultivator that works well. There's a 2 year warrentee on it. The shaft that the cultivator comes on can have other attatchments as well like grass trimmers. Maybe pricey, but most dealers, like my hubby, service what they sell and the warrentee is worth it seeing that what you buy in the big box stores are throw me away. If you need service with those, call 1-800-waaaaaa and get someone over seas that can barely speak english to help you. Check with your town to see if they would have a problem with raised beds. If they do, then container garden away.
Patience is worth a bushel of brains...from a chinese fortune cookie |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - May 10 2012 : 10:24:22 AM
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LOL! "1-800-waaaaa"! You are just too funny, Lorena - and, unfortunately, spot on! :) Actually, I do have raised beds. Most of my backyard consists of a pool, raised garden beds, an antique lilac, an antique climbing rose, a couple of wisteria, a couple of potato condos, a compost bin and a small patch for our dog to do her business (she gets a lot of exercise and socialization in other ways, don't worry!). It's extremely small, but we try to get as much practical use out of it as possible! Neighbors laugh and call us "Oliver and Lisa," and my hubby really loves singing the "Green Acres" song for them when they do! LOL! But I do have a question for you - what is the difference between a cultivator and a rototiller? We have been blessed to have been able to borrow and use our neighbor's rototiller for the past few years, but they're moving, and the tiller is going with them. I'd love to know more, because that is definitely a need at the top of our list! Is there a better time of year to purchase one? I'll look into the Jonsered cultivator, for sure! Where can one purchase them?
Thank you for the info!
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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Cherime
True Blue Farmgirl
1222 Posts
Cherime
Wasilla
Alaska
USA
1222 Posts |
Posted - May 10 2012 : 12:06:25 PM
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I absolutely love my Bosh impact driver. With as much wood work as I do this thing is a real arm and back saver. One does have to charge the batteries but they last a good long time and it will drive screws into the hardest wood you can imagine without busting your shoulder. The supposedly less powerful model, the somewhat smaller one does a really good job. For under $100 inflated Alaska prices, I got the entire kit with charger and one extra battery. Great Tool.
CMF |
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oldbittyhen
True Blue Farmgirl
1511 Posts
tina
quartz hill
ca
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - May 10 2012 : 12:48:37 PM
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I have had my "Mantis" tiller for 25 plus years, its small and very light weight, will adjust for leftys also (which my boys all are), perfect for my smaller kitchen/raw eating garden.. replaced the spark plug once, and the gas tank once (its plastic, and I broke it ), love it...my hula hoe is something I can't live without...4-5 gallon food grade bukets with lids, are water/moiture/insect proof, store in them emergency supplies, sugar wheat, medical kits...see if you can find a small local farm that will allow you raise some poultry/rabbits/goats in trade for work, rent or barter or ?....grow double or more of your veggys and can all the surplus, it lasts for years and is great in the winter...
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
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Wauka Mountain Mama
True Blue Farmgirl
239 Posts
Fran
Fairburn
Ga
USA
239 Posts |
Posted - May 10 2012 : 2:36:02 PM
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I've found getting the older versions of most kitchen items are useful. My fave is metal ice trays which I bought off of e-bay after I got sick of having to buy plastic ones because they kept breaking. I'll never have to buy an ice tray again!
My stove top percolator has also provided me with the joy of fresh coffee even when the lights have gone out or while on a camping trip.
After that self-sufficiency relies on knowing how to sew, garden, build and repair. (Maintaing live-stock is also important but hard to pull off in the city, but hey, you can always barter/trade skills with someone who tends live-stock.) As well as first-aid/health needs. So anything you can find or learn in those depts is important. I'd say any tools in this regard that also run free of gas or electricty are even better, but can be hard to find & sometimes require more effort, but are sometimes kinda fun to use. :)
Live simply. So that others may simply live.
http://waukamountainmama.blogspot.com/ |
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JojoNH
True Blue Farmgirl
1984 Posts
Joanna
Dunbarton
New Hampshire
USA
1984 Posts |
Posted - May 11 2012 : 04:17:58 AM
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Hi Nini,
What a great topic! I have been thinking about this for quite some time and realized it's several things that you acquire over time, rather than just one of something. I guess it depends on how self-sufficient you truly want to be. My approach has been with a list, writing down all the ways I "want" to be self-sufficient. Then, one by one I learned the skills and acquired the tools needed. So for me, the Kitchen is where I started. . being able to preserve a winters worth of food was my first goal.
So, collecting books on putting food up, root cellar storage, canning, dehydrating, freezing all were on the list. ( yard sales are priceless for acquiring these!) Then it was on to collecting the canning supplies, dehydrator and so forth... right down to the lighting source like candles and oil lamps. Once that was accomplished I started branching out into other areas.
Hope this helps! 
Joanna #566
JojoNH
http://www.etsy.com/shop/CountryCents
http://CountryCents.Blogspot.com
www.JoannasHomeStudio.com "Keeping traditions alive a stitch at a time"
http://twitter.com/NHJoanna |
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woolgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
901 Posts
Elizabeth
Great Lakes
IL
USA
901 Posts |
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annielaurel
True Blue Farmgirl
912 Posts
nancy
fernandina beach
florida
USA
912 Posts |
Posted - May 12 2012 : 05:53:36 AM
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I have gathered alot of kitchen things that do not require electricity to operate. I think being prepared to live without electricity is important. I have coffee pot, can opener, etc. I have also purchased heiloom seeds and stocked up on medical things like bandages, alcohol, peroxide.
Nancy
Farmgirl Sister #2301
Make everyday a celebration of the heart. |
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queenmushroom
True Blue Farmgirl
985 Posts
Lorena
Centerville
Me
USA
985 Posts |
Posted - May 12 2012 : 5:52:20 PM
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Sorry so late getting back to you. A cultivator is just a mini tiller. Think mantis but on a shaft. Go to www.tiltonequipment.com or www.jonsered.com and type in your zip code. It should get you to the nearest dealer. Husqvarna is the sister company. You can try your local husky dealer and see if they carry them. Hope this helps.
Lorie
Patience is worth a bushel of brains...from a chinese fortune cookie |
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prariehawk
True Blue Farmgirl
2914 Posts
Cindy
2914 Posts |
Posted - May 12 2012 : 7:57:46 PM
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One thing that I've found useful, as well as easy to use, is my dad's post-hole digger. I used it when I put up a trellis for my blackberries and it worked so well-probably because it's old and they made things better back then. also my camping stove, which I haven't been able to use yet--can't really go camping cause my dog can't be left behind and he's too old to do any real hiking. But it's ready in case I ever need it.
Cindy
"Vast floods can't quench love, no matter what love did/ Rivers can't drown love, no matter where love's hid"--Sinead O'Connor
"In many ways, you don't just live in the country, it lives inside you"--Ellen Eilers
Visit my blog at http://www.farmerinthebelle.blogspot.com/ |
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FarmDream
True Blue Farmgirl
1085 Posts
Julie
TX
USA
1085 Posts |
Posted - May 14 2012 : 06:39:40 AM
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I have a lot of old gardening tools. Some I don't even know what they are called. I have one that has a rectangular serrated edge on both sides and is swung in a back and forth motion and it will cut the grass. We have an old post hole digger, lots of shovels, hoes, rakes, etc. It's easy to pick these up at garage and estate sales as they are usually rusted and deemed "junk." My favorite tool by far is my heavy duty apron. It is made of canvas, like upholstery material. It has two large pockets. I wear it almost everyday for almost every chore. It's super sturdy and my extra pair of hands.
~FarmDream is Farmgirl Sister #3069
Live Today, Cherish Yesterday, Dream Tomorrow
http://naturaljulie.etsy.com
http://julie-rants.blogspot.com |
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Wauka Mountain Mama
True Blue Farmgirl
239 Posts
Fran
Fairburn
Ga
USA
239 Posts |
Posted - May 14 2012 : 11:41:24 AM
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Julie, Iam pretty sure you just described a Sling blade. My daddy used to have one. :)
Live simply. So that others may simply live.
http://waukamountainmama.blogspot.com/ |
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Off the Grid/Homesteading Skills: Your Favorite Self-Sufficiency Tools/Items? |
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Your Favorite Self-Sufficiency Tools/Items?
