Self Sustainability

If we had a second "Great Depression, what would you do? If the currency that you have in your pockets and in your bank disappeared, what would you do? If the government we depend on to secure us from outside attacks, requires 75% or more of our income in order to keep us "Safe", what would you do?

Those are a lot of "If's" there. But just as sure as the people were in1910 that a Federal Reserve Bank (a central bank which we were warned about by the founding fathers) would be the remedy during "The Panic of 1907" and be the economic stabilizer with bankruptcies and loan foreclosures happening then in 1920 and then The Great Depression in 1929 occurring, people never expected that either. Now we have a dollar that is no longer backed by Gold and if the private banks want to make it worthless, they can.

You'd probably say, "say my prayers" to any of these questions. I know thats what I would say because in unsettled times like those, only God could bring us through.

However, there is something that helped the previous generations during those times...so much so that they barely noticed the Great Depression. Its called "living a self sustainable life". People who didnt go in debt could produce everything they needed right off their farm.

No need to go to the store and get bread, there's some wheat in the fields, cut it, thresh it, and grind it....whala! you have flour...now make your bread with it. Then with some of the grain, save your seed and replant it in the fall for a second crop...then save it again for the next year. Doesnt take much when the goal is not to become wealthy but rather live sustainably.

For most people planning for the future means they either save their money or invest their money for a big retirement wad at the end of their life so they can do nothing and die only to have their children fight over the leftovers. What happens if all that cash that your saving, becomes like the confederate money, worthless (except to Antique collectors in this case)?

The answers to all of these issues are simple, become more self sustainable. Get out of debt and Stay out! If you do have money invest it into something that you can use to provide for your family rather than digits on a computer that might bring you some more money (also known as stocks). Forget about the lottery giving you freedom, the money they give away could be worthless by that time. Spend your dollar (or however much you spend on lotto) and put it to good use to purchase Open Pollinated Seeds (as apposed to genetically engineered seed) so that you can reused the seed every year. Some day that seed may be worth more than Gold! Get small livestock (not cattle they require too much food) and if you choose to have horses only get one or two because they require specialized supplements that you would have to grow which would take away from your normal crops that feed you. Goats, Chickens, Sheep, and Rabbits; these are great "sustainable" livestock types.



Goats eat everything so they are not high maintenance and you reap milk and meat. Chickens also eat about everything from plants to insects. They keep the bugs off your crops (be careful though they may try to eat your crops, use your money to buy fence). The chickens provide eggs and meat and the occasional alarm clock early in the morning. Sheep not only provide excellent meat and wool, but also milk so choose the breed wisely depending on your needs.
Last but not least Rabbits. The number one use for Rabbits is their manure. They have the best fertilizing manure you can get. The other purposes are meat and fur. Rabbit hide make great liners inside a Goat hide leather coat. Not only that but you'll always have plenty of babies for your kids to fall in love with....then learn about life on a farm and the dinner table.

Each of the animals can be managed so that they benefit your crops. Then, your crops can be managed to benefit your livestock and you. Then you have a synergistic (simultaneous action of separate things that have a greater total effect than the sum of their individual effect) relationship that will provide your means of existence.

Consider this, your daily allotment of Television and how it robs you of time, now imagine if that couple hours here and that couple hours there turned into a greater understanding of sustainable living (by learning through books or people about different topics for sustainable living) Now you give your children power and security through life lessons and not money to make them more dependent, in the event they must go through another great depression.