This leads me to ask... What are you doing to sustain yourself?
Some ways i have become less dependent on the way society has become...
no longer do i depend on some large, mass producing dairy. A place where possibly the cows have poor living conditions, and no grazing (how cows are naturally supposed to live).
I barter with a Lady that milks her own cow (by hand). Twice a week i milk for her, she gets a break and i take home the milk. It is amazing how much money i save. I have an endless supply of milk in which i make cheese, sour cream, yogurt, plus all my different uses in baking.
Another way I self sustain is I own a few chickens. I get about 15 eggs a week. Think of how much that saves? A healthy dozen of eggs that could compare to my free range eggs costs about 3$. so about 12-15$ a month. Plus even if you buy free range eggs at the store... you can visible see the difference in those and my chickens eggs.
Growing our own veggies... besides having the fresh produce for a portion of the price from stores, I know exactly where and the conditions it grew in. Other ways to get good produce and fruit at better prices, depending on the seasons, is gleaning. I like to ask different people that have gardens or fruit trees if they have stuff that is going bad that they want to get rid of. A lot of times people have gardens with so much they don't know what to do with. After all this... to make the most of it, Can the good bounty so you have it through the winter! Its awesome.
My husband and I like to salvage shop!... its the best(just don't be too friendly, I've found.) Take what you need when up for grabs and leave the rest. The point is to do your part in recycling not creating a dump at your home.
places to do this are on the side of the road... just ask, maybe those people have been wanting to get rid of that wood for a long while. Free page on Craig's list... and in newspapers and alternative papers. Also look at postings at co-ops and stores.
The latest endeavour is our five wool sheep. I wont get to reap the benefits until spring and next fall, but for now i get cute little sheepies to love.
My husband started to collect veggie waste oil and was building a filtration system for it. For now we don't have a diesel to convert, so that project is waiting for another time.
I am just glad to see that more and more people are realizing how ridiculous our culture has become and where it is headed if we don't change what we all do as individuals. I have come to meet more and more people doing there part for themselves; even if they don't realize how much it helps get the rest of the society on a better track in America and benefits the earth we live in. So next time you go down the isle to buy some cheese puffs.. . maybe think again and wonder "what the hell are Cheese Puffs anyways?"
