With the way the world is currently changing, I've been seeing more and more miscers talk about being self reliant, growing their own food, hunting, etc. So I think it's about time we have a thread to discuss those ideas. Same as the guitar mega thread, the cologne thread, and so on.

I am by no means an expert, more like a beginner, so this will be a good place for me to learn. It is a goal of mine to become self sufficient within the next 5 years and I'll be using this as sort of a personal link library, which I will start adding later on.

Feel free to share your knowledge, ask questions, we're all here to exchange and learn from each other.

For your time, an example of what you could do with 1 acre.

You’re jerking yourself off.

Would love to do this, but it looks like $1M+ to even get started and you still need continuous income to live. Doesn't seem plausible unless you are in a unique situation.

Yea I've been talking about this for months. I am looking to buy a place with a little extra land in the spring. If too expensive though, I might buy a small place, and then buy a small plot of land or lease land from an old neighbor.

Eventually the goal is to have a functioning garden, laying hens, nigerian dwarf goats for milk, among other things.

I am a beginner too but I am learning quite quick. Learned how to grow vegetables this year pretty well and have had a good harvest, for winter I have sprouts and am going to start microgreens a little later, I joined a local farmers co-op to buy raw foods like raw milk, grass fed beef with no bullchit, and everything else. It is more expensive, but worth it. Especially if grocery stores start having major issues this winter (they will) with beef, eggs, chicken, and all the fresh goods we normally eat.

Then in the future I would like to have 5+ acres, 2 cows for milk, alpacas for wool and manure, the goats, meat birds, laying hens, etc.

The best part is creating an overabundance....so that you can share. I want to get to a point where I am growing and sustaining a farm and allowing my family, friends, and neighbors to reap the benefits as well.

Good thread OP. I'm here for it.

All you need is a balcony to get started brah, if you have a backyard or access to a rooftop, then even better.

Also, raw land, depending on how far you're willing to live from a Metropolis can be extremely cheap. I live in Montreal, so maybe prices are different down in the states, but within a 2 hour radius I find huge woodlots, I'm talking between 50-200 acres, with access to streams/rivers/lake, for anywhere between 100-200 grand in moose dollars.

Construction costs will vary depending on the size of the house you'd like, but personally I don't need more than a bungalow with a basement. I did the math and it would cost me less than 400k, at today's prices.
And you're watching me.

Mirin, hope you find something good. You really don't need much space for a garden, which is the beauty of it, and the returns are insane. I definitely will be getting some chickens and goats and I'd like to harvest some maple syrup, but if I can't find a woodlot with maples then I'd give beekeeping a shot. Got a friend who finds the time to tend to his farm, teach and go to part time classes so it's definitely doable. I try to visit him as much as I can to help and learn from him as I currently live in the city so all I have are some herbs, but at least it's something. He built a small pond, with the proper vegetation and all, so he could raise some trout to fish for every once in a while.

You've obviously thought about this more than I have since you're already thinking about wool and manure hehe. I think it's important to find a community that you can share and trade with in this kind of setting. It looks like you're on the right track.

Do you plan on hunting and trapping as well?

In.

Just picked up a ranch house with 4.5 acres in Fugoff, Tennessee. Been here about a month.

Some infrastructure is already in place. Small 2 stall barn with a nice pasture. Fully fenced property (wire fence). Pretty nice little workshop which needs some personal customization.

This weekend's project is going to be installing a drainage system emptying my front-facing gutters into the pond out front. Metal roof so don't have to worry about nasty shingle sediment getting into the water. Over the winter I'm going to cut back a lot of the overgrowth around the pond perimeter. It's even got a ton of growth out in the pond itself so that's gonna be a nasty job.

I've been planning the beginnings of a fruit orchard as well. High priority as they take a long time to bear fruit. Going to at least get some quicker producing dwarf trees planted within the next few weeks, along with some berry bushes. Might do a very small winter garden in a raised bed that's already in place. Compost production is underway.

Thinking about livestock but will probably put that off for a short while. We're doing some work inside the house as well and it's a lot to take on. Did meet a local farmer and picked up 1/4 of a cow. It came out to about ~$6-7 / lb. That's everything from ground beef to brisket to filets / steaks, roasts. Insane price for meat that puts the supermarket to shame.

Hope this thread gets some traction. I'll share any good updates as they come along.

Finished my drainage project.

Routed the three downspouts at the front of my house down in to the pond.

A lot of work for a torn up front yard but it was worth it. Keeps the water away from my foundation and should help me to restore the pond which needs some work.



Next up, I'll be working on getting an orchard started.