Why Homesteading and Self-Reliant Living Information?

To be honest I have wanted to live independent of at least utilities since the 1970’s. Mainly because I felt the utility companies were ripping us off and in some ways I still believe that today.

“… The more you depend on forces outside yourself, the more you are dominated by them.” Harold Sherman

As I continued living on this earth and traveled I matured and experienced more things which caused me to add even more reasons to this independence that I sought. What things? You name it. I backpacked around North America and really saw this land that the U.S., Canada and Mexico reside in. I saw several Hawaiian volcanoes, Mt. St. Helens, Glacier, Arches, Grand Canyon and Yellowstone parks. I traveled to South America and experienced the Cloud Forest and Chilean Coast. I remember sandbagging on the Mississippi and volunteering in Mexico City. I grew up on the shores of Lake Michigan and my grandparent’s farm; I lived on a Co-op and became an adult in the Philly area.

Backpacking all over the place has given me a great appreciation of “Mother Nature” in all her beauty, glory and tantrums and above all, the mystery she is shrouded in.

I have been fascinated with history for a long time now. The why, where and how people lived and what humans have collectively learned over time. What I read, experienced, saw and felt was the worst and best that humans on this planet revel in and endure.

“History fails to record a single precedent in which nations subject to moral decay have not passed into political and economic decline. There has been either a spiritual awakening to overcome the moral lapse, or a progressive deterioration leading to ultimate national disaster.” General Douglas MacArthur

All of this got me to thinking and realizing that just about anything can happen at any time in any place. Add to this the influence of human civilizations and governments and this list of possible miracles, trials and tribulations increases exponentially.

Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect. Chief Seattle, 1854

My career has had me living in urban or suburban areas most of my life and I have almost always had a vegetable and medicinal herb garden and sought other forms of energy. Throughout my life I have survived through many monetary tight spots too.

"At the bottom no one in life can help anyone else in life; this one experiences over and over in every conflict and every perplexity: that one is alone. That isn't as bad as it may first appear; and again it is the best thing in life that each should have everything in himself; his fate, his future, his whole expanse and world." Rainer Maria Rilke 1875-1926

Politically I became disillusioned way back in the 70’s. I have been a long time Independent voter for a number of reasons – from the “flip side of the same coin” Republican and Democrat platforms to the political propaganda I have personally witnessed over the years. Add in that great teaching tool of history where our founding fathers didn’t want our new government “restricted” by political “factions” (parties) and one can see why I politically distance myself from any political party. I do strongly believe in our Constitution and Bill of Rights and am extremely thankful to the founding fathers of this nation for fighting so hard for them. My immigrant grandparents believed in these documents so much they left their native country and crossed the Atlantic to get here. Politically I am neither a Conservative nor Progressive and don’t believe in any existing political party enough to support them. If I must be pigeon holed then I guess I am a Moderate Constitutionalist who believes in bio-diversity and freedom in all things.

"My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government." - Thomas Jefferson

So, over the years I have been called all kinds of things from a survivalist, to a wacko. No problem, people can call me whatever they want, I am what I am. However I do strongly suggest that people try to at least understand why I am this way before they believe whatever they want about me.

What this all boils down to is I see history repeating itself today. Spiraling towards human-made economic collapse with some environmental catastrophes all because of some kind of perverted greed for control, power and money over others; some God-like mentality that any one person or group of humans is better or more worthy than another. I see generations of humans who for some reason, no longer feel the need or know how, to take responsibility or care for themselves.

We still do not know one thousandth of one percent of what nature has revealed to us. Albert Einstein

We humans have disconnected ourselves from growing our own food, building our own homes or making our own clothes. Instead we rely on all these human-made infrastructures to do this and numerous other day-to-day things for us.

Depend not on another, but lean instead on thyself. True happiness is born of self-reliance. The Laws of Manu

Couple all of this with my personal living experiences and one can see why I am preparing for when these infrastructures are no longer readily available. Today I am what people call a “Prepper”, someone preparing for the worst that human civilization and nature can throw our way.

“Life belongs to the living, and he who lives must be prepared for changes.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

For the last 30-40 years I have been working towards self-reliance and have finally reached a point where it is within my grasp. Because of the unpredictable reactions of humans in a crisis, I have contingency plans for almost all of the possible catastrophes that may occur. One can never stop preparing since we humans seem to have the uncanny knack to constantly come up with new ways to do ourselves harm.

Hence all the articles and information on various catastrophes and how to not only survive them, but live well during and after them. I think of people like myself as modern era Pioneers setting the foundation for future civilizations to grow on and passing this accumulated knowledge to future generations.

So Prep On and enjoy what I share.

Note: My apologies to any entity (individual or corporate) if I have infringed on a document by posting it here. I have been collecting information since the 70's and as a result may inadvertently post something that I should not. Just have it removed. I am only trying to share the knowledge that I have accumulated over the years and in no way am attempting to earn monies off this information or rip anyone off. Thank you one and all ;-}

“It's not a single idea, but many ideas and attitudes, including a reverence for nature and a preference for country life; a desire for maximum personal self-reliance and creative leisure; a concern for family nurture and community cohesion; a certain hostility toward luxury; a belief that the primary reward of work should be well-being rather than money; a certain nostalgia for the supposed simplicities of the past and an anxiety about the technological and bureaucratic complexities of the present and the future; and a taste for the plain and functional.” unknown