I am reading "The Long Emergency" right now. . Kunstler warns of the collapse of society years ago he didn't realize how bad things it would get. This book is an update to a previous book written in 2006. The book includes individual stories of people working and living outside of modern society. So far I've read about two organic farmers and a man in Baltimore so I am about half way through.
I am old and without children but maybe some of you with families should maybe face some of things head-on, in terms of what would bring the greatest chances of survive. Think about learning permaculture and how to grow food. Don't live in apartments dependent on the system. Find close-knit rural communities. I failed to do those things for now but maybe you have the health and vitality to pull it off still. Peak oil people warned years ago, that the energy was going to go away, and that solar and wind wasn't going to be able to keep our present day industrial world going. They are wringing out the very last drops via all the fracking. It is going to run out.
Hi Peeps,
ReplyDeleteI would highly recommend Carla Emery's book "An Incyclopedia to Country Living" to anyone considering this lifestyle of living off the grid. I had this book (whuch ironically the termites ate) it's over 900 pages and has just about everything (I think) that one would need to know. Of course farming is a huge part, making your own soap from lard, herbal shampoos, lotions, bee keeping, raising, killing and butchering your own food (my chickens and ducks all became pets) hunting and dressing your own wild meat etc. I know you would get a lot of enjoyment out of this book too, and might find some things you can do even in an apartment (like you do with your gardening). I really love all the hand drawn illustrations she does for just about everything, it just feels very natural and organic. They are comical too!
Looking into this just now, I see her daughter, Esther has a blog about living off-grid called Fouch Family Off Grid or Fouch-O-Matic Off-Grid. Hopefully you can find a copy at the library. I had the orange and green trim edition.
Hope all is well with you both.
Chelle
I'm going to look that book up and get one. I do wish I had farm and other skills, seems like it would be better for survival. Country living you have to be born into it or afford it and need land to make it happen. LOL about your chickens and ducks do you ever eat any? Seems like it would be hared. I wouldn't mind learning more on herbs. I do want to study some herbal medicine, need to get some books but accessing all this, I am figure it out. Hand drawn illustrations are nice too. I will check out the blog too. Living off the grid would be better now but I'm definitely kind of stuck in modern society. Am trying to get garden ready, I think I am going to have to buy some plants, but hopefully seeds will take off at gardening site. Hope you are doing well too, take care
DeletePeep
Hey Chelle, I plan to write more here to you tomorrow, it's very late, but I want that book. I wish I was healthier, that is kind of life I would seek doing but I would like to own and read it even for the information. My seedlings aren't doing too well, been a cold spring I think, I will have to plant direct when it warms up.
ReplyDelete