# Changes in the way we live



## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

So I've been thinking of what I can do to help out with the COVID-19 pandemic for myself and family members. 


I am more aware of how wasteful I've become. Our Grandparents and Great-grandparents didn't waist anything. You didn't go to Walmart to get your food. You grew the veggies, potatoes, and had a fruit tree. Gather wild berries, gathered eggs from the hen house, made your bread from scratch, went fishing & hunting for food, milked the cow twice a day, made your butter from the cream, had a couple cows, pigs and so on for meat. 


It was all "Natural", no GMO added to accelerate the growing process. We now see health issues climb, 45% of the adult population in the USA is overweight. (I'm in that group) 


As for myself, this has been somewhat of a wake-up call. From here on out, I will be trying to go back to the older ways of life when life was "tuff". 


What's your thoughts fellow forum members?


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## bfr (Apr 26, 2009)

Be like returning to my youth, had a milk cow, tended the garden, traded for stuff I didn’t grow and needed, raised rabbits for food and sold the hides for spending money, chickens for eggs and for Sunday dinners. After I got married, got out of the Army and settled into a new life and home didn’t have time for the simple stuff. Looking back wish I had made time for it although when my girls were little we had chickens and horses. Now I just can’t do it physically and miss it all the more.


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## Hunttilidrop (Jun 12, 2018)

Me and my wife just bought a house on 2.5 acres. We have a couple horses and 12 chickens. I love gathering up the eggs after work. We have plans for a couple goats and a maybe a cow soon. I’d like to raise a pig or two. Garden is tilled and ready to plant. It’s the good life!😁


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## caddis8 (Sep 10, 2007)

Hunttilidrop said:


> Me and my wife just bought a house on 2.5 acres. We have a couple horses and 12 chickens. I love gathering up the eggs after work. We have plans for a couple goats and a maybe a cow soon. I'd like to raise a pig or two. Garden is tilled and ready to plant. It's the good life!&#128513;


Come out to the prairie! Lots of space to do all of that. You can grow anything out here with a little water to it. No more rocks. If we could get government out of the picture, we could feed the world out here.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

We havent prepped our garden yet (heck it snowed yesterday), but we do have a dozen chickens and average 40-70 eggs a week. Got seed potatoes ordered up, should be here in a couple days. Staying self sufficent (as much as possible anyway), is one of my major goals in life. Its a primary reason I still hunt big game.


I never, ever wish to raise pigs however. Did that as a youth... never again. A few sheep for eating through though, hellz yes.



-DallanC


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

Yep, Victory gardens here we come!

Not really. 
When I was younger I went through the whole chicken, rabbit, goat, cow and garden thing. Never horses though. Couldn't eat them.

Now I'll just have to rely on other productive citizens to hopefully keep staples in the pantry.

Getting old isn't for sissies :smile:


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## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

Definitely a lot to be said about being more self-reliant/sufficient. There are tens of thousands right now that wish they had a little more stocked up and millions that wish they something at all other than what they panic shopped for.

We do waste a lot, but that is because we have a lot. As far as a health crisis and being overweight, our lives have contributed to that. Working longer stressful hours to get that proposal done for the next day, or making sure your kids have the right uniform, shoes, or whatever to play a sport.

Cell phones are strapped to our hip (or inside your back pocket) so you can work more from home or be available on weekends. People get real upset these days and impatient. You know this when they say "I called you, why didn't you answer?!" or "you didn't get back to me, I texted you!!" I had a supervisor have the audacity to once say "your cell phone is for *MY* convenience..." (emphasis on MY)

Nothing at all wrong with slowing down a little to listen to the breeze or sound of a stream. We do get to do more fun stuff though because of a better healthcare system and technology.


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## Jedidiah (Oct 10, 2014)

Don't live the always on life. If you aren't obligated to respond to your work when they call during your personal time, just don't answer. Be honest and up front, if they don't like it too bad. Being the one guy who always gives his free time to the company just makes you a fool.


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## olibooger (Feb 13, 2019)

I have wanted to "homestead" for about ten years now. This thing has really just pushed us to move faster on our plans. We are looking at land in Wyoming that is dirt cheap. It's a huge leap for us because the land has nothing on it. It does have a very nice mountain for hunting and a river nearby to fish...we bought some hens and meat chickens to push into it more and get used to "other" responsibilities. 
I have been an avid gardener for a while now. I really like to garden. I'm a potter too so I figured between that and raising crops/animals to sell I could get along monetarily. That is if this covid19 thing doesn't wipe out the dollar. 
We are generally pretty frugal people as it is. The economy and global health has really opened our eyes to how dependent we are on the system. That isnt what we want at all. I'd like to be more free to work and provide for myself and my family instead of being away slaving for someone else. 
I really hope the nation gets a grasp on this issue. It would be nice to pursue the afore mentioned life.


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## AF CYN (Mar 19, 2009)

I think Outdoorsmen are already more self sufficient than the population at large. I think between my outdoor skills, the chickens and the fruit trees we'll survive. :smile:


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

My friends and I have played this game of what if? for most of our adult lives. It is actually kind of fun.

I guess if you are ok with no access to outside help or modern convenience and willing to accept the average life span of 35 years you should be good to go.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

middlefork said:


> My friends and I have played this game of what if? for most of our adult lives. It is actually kind of fun.
> 
> I guess if you are ok with no access to outside help or modern convenience and willing to accept the average life span of 35 years you should be good to go.


I'm not saying you shouldn't have outside help. Just being more aware, of what we are up against. So far, most people are freaked out over the Virus. Running to the store buying up anything they think might be of value to them.

What are some folks going to do with a TP supply that's taken over their garage? If panic hadn't set in, there would have been food on the store shelfs.


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## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

Jedidiah said:


> Don't live the always on life. If you aren't obligated to respond to your work when they call during your personal time, just don't answer. Be honest and up front, if they don't like it too bad. Being the one guy who always gives his free time to the company just makes you a fool.


I agree. I would dare say that most people confuse "work ethic" with being foolish when it comes to working for free. Nothing is free. Work ethic just means you understand you get back for what effort you put in. That is what capitalism really is. An "atta-boy" from the boss is worthless, as talk is cheap. You lost out on foregone opportunities and the boss got to go the lake for a weekend or made an additional sum from your efforts he got for free. If you are self employed, additional effort either means your business grows or you make more money. If you work 80 hours per week and only pay yourself for 40, maybe you're in the wrong business.

What I am trying to say with my rambling is that you are able to be more self reliant when you can balance the necessary time required [earning money] to survive in the world we live in with being able to or learning how to provide other necessities that do not rely on the world we live in such as raise livestock, butcher, and process or raise vegetables and fruit then process for storage whether you dry/freeze dry or can. Canning is becoming a lost art, but after this "historical" event, I would think you'll see a sudden interest in it.


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