Anyone here want to just live off the land ?

[blues90]

Just bow out of politics and the rat race to some job you hate and are underpaid . Get away from high tech stuff and leave the car abandoned by the side of the road .

I really wonder many times what the price of trying to live in so called society costs one in mental health .

I am ready to find some sort of small commune or go it alone rather than deal with mans mass creations of complete madness .

Everything we are told makes life easier and saves time is really nothing more than a way for you to work harder for less and spend more just to keep up or be left behind . Not in the sense of keeping up with the jones but just keeping up with the pace in order to remain viable in todays working world .

Where are we going and what is the rush , what sense does this make ?

[ClassWarrior]

1. Sure. You got some?

NGU.

[cynatnite]

2. Hell no!

Isolating myself would drive me batshit crazy. I'd rather keep my car, my house, my electricity, computer and all that. I can do far more good with what I've got now than isolating myself away from the rat race no matter how aggravated I get.

It's easy to romanticize, but in reality that kind of living can age a person several years in a short time. I know people who lived like that. No way.

[MrSlayer]

3. Too many bugs in the wilderness.

Not to mention the lack of hot showers and the butcher down the street. I'm a city boy, I don't go in for that outdoors stuff.

[hfojvt]

13. Yeah, it was the hot showers that I really missed

The bugs were not as big a deal as the tanjed mice. And the poison ivy too. The first summer it seemed like it rained for about 20 days straight and my roof was leaking. The next summer was really, really dry, which did not help my garden any, but the raccoons and deer were worse.
Plus, I hate vegetables. Who doesn't?

[hfojvt]

4. I tried that when I was about 25

It's very hard. The land is cold and I don't know anything about farming, or building. I would love to be part of a commune - in theory. In reality, it would be very hard to get a group of 50 people together without including half a dozen serious a$$holes who would probably ruin it for everyone. Heck, given my reception on DU it's quite possible that I would be one of the people that almost nobody likes.

I am pretty comfortable with where I am, although it is alot of work fighting rightwing cupidity and stupidity. But that keeps me from getting bored too, I guess.

[Phoonzang]

5. No thanks.

I like technology and can't live without it. Maybe you should consider a career change rather than running out into the wilderness. I mean...it's dirty out there. :)

By seriously, you're talking about working hard. Living off the land, you spend all of your time just trying to survive. Doesn't seem fun to me, I likey the leisure time.

[sandnsea]

6. There's a commune near me

Nice people.

http://www.life.ca/nl/61/alphafarm.html

[H2O Man]

7. "Back to Basics"

is a 1981 Reader's Digest book on "how to learn and enjoy traditional American skills." It provides a lot of great information about living off the land.



(This is one of the turnpikes from the Revolutionary War era. Part of it is now my driveway. My house was a stage coach station in the late 1700s.)




(On a clear day, you can see a long ways!)



(This was the site of a "cloth & carding" factory, in the late 1700s.)

[xxqqqzme]

37. one of the streams on our WV farm

looks very much like your last picture - we could skinny dip there - looks like you can do the same.

[Sequoia]

8. No way. Tent camping is hard enough.

[shanti]

9. i used to when i was young, in the early 70's

but reality (and kids) knocked me upside the head! ;)

[MonkeyFunk]

10. no thanks

my ancestors didn't stumble out of the savannah just so I could go without hot water.

[Rock_Garden]

11. Sounds like you need a change of....what?

I've felt like that before, and it led to a big life revision. Occasionally I just put everything on pause for awhile, and I don't push play again until I'm good and ready.

[oblivious]

12. Yes, that interests me. Not a commune though.

I like the idea of trying to reduce my ecological footprint as far as possible. I couldn't live without the internet and hot water though.

I'm going to try it eventually.

[peacebird]

14. me too - we are growing organic veggies (and fruit - tho the deer don't share it with us...)

LOL!
We are trying to reduce our footprint as much as possible. THis spring we will be raising chickens for eggs as well. LOL! Oy.....
But we still work in the rat race - I look forward to being able to just work my land full time after I retire. BTW - solar hotwater is a great thing - reduces your electric bill dramatically too! We have photovoltaics as well, but not enough to power the whole house by any means. Hubby is building a mini-hydro for the river behind the house to augment the solar, but we still won't be off the grid. However these things should help our retirement substantially by reducing the amount of energy we need to buy. And it feels like the right thing to do, because we can. :-)

[TheCowsCameHome]

15. As long as there are chocolates on the pillow and room service.

[blues90]

16. Well I don;t mean living in a tent

some sort of structure and there is fire for heat and hot water , lanterns for light . It would be alot more work than turning on a tap or switch and I would miss the internet but the balance and trade off is debatable .

[not_a_robot]

24. I want to

Fascist america does a lot ot keep us from being independant. The powers that be decide how you build your home under the guise of safety (and charge you for spending money on it while providing no service)but most of the code allows for building your home out of fuel and installing explosive utility. Property you already own is repeatedly taxed (eventually for more than the value of the land) whether you generate taxible income or not, and in most states restrictions are in place keeping you from growing your own food, dealing with your own waste, and even collecting rainwater on your own land. Sorry man, but you are a slave. Get comfortable with it. Pretend anything but living in a paperboard electrified home is way to hard, dirty, diseased, and really uncomfortable. Pretend it's severely detrimental to your physical and mental health. Pretend until you believe.

[AlCzervik]

17. i couldn't handle the commune thing at all. Living simpler, yes.

[shadowknows69]

18. Someone start the commune

and we'll be there

[WI_DEM]

19. and say goodbye to DU!!??

[WI_DEM]

20. there's another way. pay off your bills (credit cards), quit that irritating job

get a job to support yourself that you like (for me it would be a clerk in a small, used bookstore), move into a modest apartment or buy a small house, get rid of that car which constantly needs fixing and goes through gasoline like theres no tomorrow and buy a bike and live near a bus line. Get rid of cable television and surround yourself with books and interesting people. I guess that's my dream. I'm working on paying off all my credit card debt right now--it will be paid off within a year and a half. Live within your means and volunteer to help others.

[we can do it]

29. That Sounds Great - We Are Doing Something Like That

We are totally debt free and it feels great! No cable, small car, near the bus line, walking distance to library, groceries, parks, rec center...I started growing some veggies this past year, but I would really like more space to grow a lot (organic), that is what I wish for......

[ComeAndTakeIt]

39. cynical, bitter interlude

Sounds great, but I know a hell of a lot of twenty(and early thirty)-somethings who are already living in tiny apartments without dishwashers or washing machines or TV, going without a car, and working in small, used bookstores. Unfortunately, with an average of about $20,000 in student loans, and with no "good" jobs in sight, many in this generation are barely making it, or being forced into credit card slavery to make ends meet.

What are you supposed to do when you can't downsize?

And what about the people making minimum wage, with kids?

Slaves.





Edited for spelling.

[The Straight Story]

21. Screw all that hippie shit

There ain't no beer in the wilderness and no DU ;)

[SmokingJacket]

22. I OFTEN feel that way.

But... I'm married to a tech-head, and well, I love him a lot.

Still, I'm working on my handcrafting and gardening skills, because, well, you never know...

[mondo joe]

23. Absolutely not for me.

I love city life.

I love technology and art.

[MistressOverdone]

25. Did it way back when

It was hot, dirty and the chickens pecked each other's butts out and the coyotes ate the goats and the well was tainted and the garden never thrived. Outhouses are over rated and running water is under rated. We were glad for the experience, but gladder still to get back on the grid. But it taught us a lot of positive things.

[sendero]

26. Yes..

... and I'm working on a plan to do pretty much that.

[xxqqqzme]

27. Did it in '72.

Bought a 68 acre farm in West Virginia for $4,000) IN FEE. Our kids grew up playing in the hayfield, eating organic produce, & poultry, slashing in the creeks & swinging on a tire swing from the oak tree. We had a natural spring, high enough, that we gravity fed the water to the house. We had numerous chickens, a cow (briefly), goats (also briefly), a horse, pigs & many adopted cats & dogs. We grew the animal's food; had an awesome compost. Our gardens & fruit trees were jewels. We would have apple pressing parties in the fall & everyone went home w/ gallons of cider. Every other weekend all us 'back to landers', would gather w/ bounty from our gardens & play volleyball smoke 'homegrown' & play music. That lasted for about 7 years before marriages started breaking up, folks went away to complete their education......but it was wonderful while it lasted. My ex & I gave the farm to the kids a few years ago - property taxes in WV are very low. It is now theirs to retreat to if the need arises.

[porphyrian]

28. They'll fuck up the world whether you do something about it or not.

I don't blame people for wanting to drop out, but it's not a very responsible thing to do.

[sweetheart]

30. i agree, star trek integrates with the earth

I agree with you, but am not willing to sacrifice any of the modernity that
i find realistic. (a heated house, a quality diet, the ability to travel,
medical care, civil government, fundamental human rights) And i realize that
my real house is this planet earth, and we all share a living room.

And for the mess, i'm tragically sorry, but it wasnae me.

So just 2 days back, i was out on the new farm planting trees, my hips are still
sore from crossing rough ground to get the trees in.. but the joy of standing there
on the frozen silent earth, surrounded by earth-sounds, is a painting more profound
than any art gallery of man.


It is my theory, and i intende to prove it, that every human being can draw all
their energy requirements from the environment of where they live, food as well,
that the 'rent' of civilization be only the transport.... suburbia may become an odd
phenomenon, with roads half torn up, and lawns turned in to food-gardens... microfarming.

But each thing is a choice of architecture. In choosing a roof for a house, a designer
has many choices of material, from zinc, copper or lead, to glass, tiles, slates of whatever
material... each material with an embedded energy, an embedded pollution. The simplest is to
cover the roof with the ground earth removed from the foundation... its got the least embedded
energy.. (a green roof)... the ability to use the roof as the energy farm, the food farm and
the water-farm of the house... and prove it works by living it.

[Southsideirish]

31. Intentional communities?

They are popping up everywhere.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

32. been there, done that

I think there will plenty of time for that after the nuclear war

[blues90]

35. That may be true

[Maine-ah]

33. I don't get all of the hot water and electricity comments

you can create your own electricity & hot water through other ways, such as wind, solar, or water power.

[GregD]

34. Working on it already

My wife and I moved to a rural part of Northern CA 2 years ago and are working on a sustainability plan.

We are on an acre, enough of which is not landscaped that we have been able to create shed storage and large vegetable beds. We grew a large amount of vegetables in a pair of small garden plots last year, and will significantly increase our planted area this season.

We already have a 10x12 greenhouse built, and have started building raised beds in there.

Fortunately, my work (web development) allowed me to take my job with me, and she is a lab tech whose skills were in good demand.

Years ago, a friend told me the importance of having multiple income sources if I were to move to the country. I managed to establish just that, and can't tell you what a relief it is to be away from the big metropolitan area.

Edit: I don't know that it is necessary to eject from politics, technology and modern life to feel that you have regained your soul and a healthier lifestyle. Moderation in your escape might be sufficient as it has been for us...

[trashcanistanista]

38. Are we neighbors?

I planned my life around eventually having a sustainable rural lifestyle. I also live in rural No Cal, I am also a lab tech and work two to three days a week. I've started growing my own vegies and plan to gradually farm out my property (only three acres, though) and participate in Farmer's Markets. Still do politics, though, there is a need, it's mostly red where I live. There are groups to participate with re. farming, gardening - sharing and exchanging plants and food, conservation, etc. to get a nice social circle while you don't all have to live together. If you lean towards rural life, there are all degrees of sustainability. You don't necessarily have to go without heat and hot water. I have septic, wood stove, well, huge compost pile, get wood from friends in the suburbs who lose their trees to storms. My electric runs about $36/ mo., I keep internet and satelite TV which I chose to keep. It can be cheaper to live in rural areas and there are lot's of small houses to buy - former vacation homes or cabins so you wouldn't have to rebuild. Downside: very physical labor so you need to stay healthy, and I am tied to the job for health insurance despite the fact that I would love to cut free of it. Also, can't take many vacations when you are growing things unless you get a person to take care of everything. Not enough income for excesses but very rewarding all the same. I hope to do it as long as I can. I heartily recommend it to anyone who yearns for it. I do, however, like the isolation that goes along with it.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

41. I think like minded people could create different types of "communes"

If you have friends or family - live near them. Live next to them. Live on top or under them. Support and love each other. You can do this in the country or in the city. You can pool cars, gas, appointments, store runs, leftovers, child-care, anything you can think of. You do not have to wear tie-dye and smell of patchouli to create a commune.

[trashcanistanista]

42. Those are the ingredients for

a perfect community, well said. City or country.

[Unperson]

36. Baca Grande in Colorado. $8000 an acre

If you don't mind living in the high desert.

[lectrobyte]

40. With peak oil, we are headed there already. Saw this article and

thought it rather timely. Worth reading no matter how you feel about peak oil:

My 2007 peak oil to do list

http://www.energybulletin.net/24399.html