BarredRockMomma

[BarredRockMomma]

I can tell that I will enjoy this group of people. I am a Marine, a Christian, and a mom, I am very synicial and sarcastic (also spelling is not a strong point). I have a few addictions, one to animals at last count I was close to 100 counting all permiment and those that pass through, another is to reading I LOVE books I will give just about any author a chance. This means that I read everything from historial christian romance, to spy/counter-terrorism, to sci-fi romance and just about everything in between in the fiction scetion and in non-fiction I tend to stick to books about the animals I have and/or want. So if anyone has the name of an author or series to try let me know. (just don't get offended when I say all ready read that one ) Well I guess that I should get off of the forums and get to work if I want to be done in time to go home early.

 

[sparkles2307]

1. What state/province/country are you in and what is your climate like?
The Great White North (aka MN) because half the year its covered in snow and the other half its covered in Norwegians.

2. How many people are in your family? Marital status?
4 in my house. Hundreds in my family, more depending on how far back you want me to go.

3. How would you define self sufficiency?
Ideally, being "off the grid". Growing and or producing most of our food and energy.

4. What would you do with your spare time if you had any resources you needed?
Make my own cheese. Grow a better garden and put up more produce. Work outside more.

5. Have you ever built a house , or other types of building? Do you want to?
I helped my parents spend 3 years building our family home in Washington as a child. We built as we could afford. It was a good learning experience.

6. Can you weld? Steel, aluminum, MiG, TiG, stick, Oxy-Acet?
I can't weld, I would like to learn. I can use a cutting torch tho and enjoy that a lot.

7. Who or what inspired you to become more self sufficient?
My inner cynic's desire to stick it to the man. Having grown up in a community of many self-sufficient families it is just something I desire.

8 Cloth or paper?
Circumstantial

9. In what ways are you self sufficient now and in what ways would you like to learn more?
I was doing really good last year at becomming more self sufficient. We had a lot of losses in the barnyard and have backslid some.

10. In what way(s) will you never choose to become self sufficient?
I will probably always need the internet.

11. Are you interested in stocking up for future needs?
I am, but I haven't started yet and I don't want to get too crazy with it because if I let myself I'd build a bunker before you know it.

12. Where do you end up when you sink into yourself, away from the outside world?
In a book, historical fiction, I enjoy the idea of living in a simpler time where the work a person did each day was for their own home and family, not for whatever boss you workf or now.

13. Can you drive a farm tractor or a semi?
I can drive a skidsteer. I am going to learn to drive tractor this year so that I can drive topper for beet harvest.

14. Do you make crafts or useful items? Would you want to teach others how to do these?
I can crochet. I am good with dried flowers. I can paint, sculpt, and am decent at photography if I have a good camera. I know how to make butter. I have some wilderness skills and hunt.

15. Can you have legally livestock where you are at? Do you have any? What kinds?
We live in rural MN... I think I cuold have a giraffe and no one would care. We have beef cattle, chickens, and used to have a lot of ducks and stuff but now we just have a naughty dog.

16. Can you operate a lathe? Metal, wood?
Havent tried that yet.

17. Do you like to garden? If so, what do you enjoy growing?
I love to garden. Tomatoes are my favorite. I always try watermelon even tho its hard to do in MN. I want to talk to the local Amish families and find out what type of melon they grow that does so well here. I suppose I could just buy one of their melons and save the seeds...

18. Do you fish? Bait or explosives?
I grew up in a family that taught that the only true sports are hunting, fishing, and camping. I know how to fish very well. I don't fish much now because MN is a boring place to fish.

19. How much space/land do you have or rent? City? Country?
Um, 120ish acres? Maybe 160, I can't remember.

20. Are you a Novice, Technician, General, Advanced? ARRL?
At what? I'm advanced in snark.

21. What is your self sufficient specialty? Or what one would you like to learn?
Um, I kinf od need to learn it all. I know a little about many things but not a lot about anything.

22. If you could create a degree and curriculum, what would you major in and what classes would you take?
No idea. I'd like to be able to work outside, wildlife management in WY would be good.

23. Do you do wood work? framing, finish, cabinet?
I can if I have to but it wouldnt be pretty.

24. Are you interested in herbal medicine?
Yes, I enjoy learning how I can use the wild plants that grow in my area.

25. If you could live any place you chose, where would it be?
In an isolated mountain nook in Wyoming.

26. Do you use a wood stove for heating or cooking?
We have a woodstove int he shed, but my allergies prevent us from having it in the house and we cant afford to install an outdoor wood stove.

27. What would your ideal super hero/villain be?
Invisibility, super-strength, flying, bullet-proof, and able to control the climate.

28. Are your family or friends also interested in self sufficiency?
Yes, but we have different motives. I don't trust the govt, my hubby just likes the idea of self-sufficiency.

29. Do you like to cook? Are you interested in whole foods and natural foods? raw milk? farm fresh eggs?
I love to cook. We use mostly our own eggs and 99% of the meat we eat is raised on our farm.

30. What was your MOS?


31. Do you forage or hunt for part of your food needs?
Depends on what I'm in the mood for. if the morels are up we forage like bandits. we walk the ditches every few days in spring for asparagus. I like to bring home thinsg like wild onion, etc for forcing upon my husband who thinks I'm going to poison us all someday. We all hunt.

32. What skills do you have that help you be more self sufficient?
Desire, experience, and a love of learning.

33. In which fictional universe would you most like to live?
The one where I don't have to do what the government tells me and my hard work doesnt pay for someone elses groceries.

34. Do you have solar panels? Plans to use solar energy?
If I could afford to I would. I'd like a wind turbine.

35 What is the mass/weight ratio of a European swallow carrying a coconut from the tropics to England?
Honeybee

36. Have you ever lived completely off grid? Would you like to?
No, but I'd give it a try if I could stay home. its hard to go off-grid when you have to work 40 miles from home.

37. In what do you trust?
God, my family, and myself.

38. Do you make things yourself to save money?
If I have time. I work too far from home to make much difference right now.

39. Has trying to be more self-sufficient changed your attitude or habits about money/spending?
some but I grew up in a thrifty home and its not a new concept.

 

[CuteChick]

I figured you'd say something like that.

Someday I might think of answering those questions honestly and seriously..... might think of doing that.... might

I'd like to see you try to be serious! LOL

 

[Detlor Poultry]

I'd like to see you try to be serious! LOL

I figured you'd say something liek that, too.

 

[MuranoFarms]

Hi BarredRockMama!

 

[BarredRockMomma]

:bun

I have started my herb container garden. Most I am starting from seed and plan onstarting them this weekend. I have all ready planeted my starts of speatmint, apple mint and lemon balm. So far they are doing wonderful. Over the summer I will build a portable garden for them. So that when the weather turns I can just move them inside.

Now I am just looking for suggestioins on what to plant, I have, sage, tyme, basil, sweet basil, camomille, lavendar, chives, parsley, orgeno, and a couple others. What would you add and why? I want herbs for cooking, medicinal, and to add to soaps and the like. :watering

 

[The Mama Chicken]

Yarrow is good for bites, stings, and poison oak. Rosemary is always good for chicken, stuffing, soups. Loveage is one of my favorites, it tastes a lot like celery and is really good in potato soup, but it gets really big (like 6 ft tall) so it probably would be the best for a container but it should overwinter just fine. Summer savory is delicious with meat or in gravy. Parsley, of course, for sauces. Horehound is really good for coughs and colds, as is echinacea. There are so many great herbs, I'm sure that other people will have more suggestions.

 

[BarredRockMomma]

Yarrow is good for bites, stings, and poison oak. Rosemary is always good for chicken, stuffing, soups. Loveage is one of my favorites, it tastes a lot like celery and is really good in potato soup, but it gets really big (like 6 ft tall) so it probably would be the best for a container but it should overwinter just fine. Summer savory is delicious with meat or in gravy. Parsley, of course, for sauces. Horehound is really good for coughs and colds, as is echinacea. There are so many great herbs, I'm sure that other people will have more suggestions.

Thank you. I love learning about herbs and I hope that I get a lot of responces so that I can make a long list and hopful have them all planted with in 5 years.

 

[BarredRockMomma]

Well most of my herbs have been started. Now I just need to finish the raised bed that I have started But that won't take too long. I am still hunting for more, but not having much luck I have yet to find rosemary.

The goats and chickens are all doing well and I may be adding a cow to the mix. (just until she reaches slaughter weight)