by 10 people |
Energy crash looms; the ice-caps are melting, sea-level rising, globe is warming. Doom and gloom. What to do? What to do?
Make easy, comfortable, sustainable-life choices. Swap your current lifestyle for one that feeds your soul and reduces your impact on the planet. Reduce energy consumption, use less, re-use more, recycle, eliminate waste, live abundance.
We're not advocating a return to 16th Century peasant serfdom, but sensible, simple, fulfilling choices that will enable us two-legged people to prosper in the 21st Century and beyond.
Magically we find ourselves transformed; filled with a sense of abundance, a sense of making a positive contribution, however small, to fighting the cancer of doom and despair.
Abundant Life
Self-sufficiency IS possible.
Ten years ago I was living a drudge's life in cubicle-world, 9-to-5-ing, stuck in a two-inch pipe, dreaming of a way to live closer to the Earth, more connected physically and spiritually to something sensed, seldom experienced. Took a leap of faith, and moved to Braamekraal Farm where my family and I began to build a more sustainable, fulfilling lifestyle.We designed and built a passive-solar home, harvest all our water from rain, manage all our own waste and largely feed ourselves from our extensive veggie garden.
We are happier, physically, mentally and spiritually healthier, more contented beings, no longer feeling helpless in the face of the unfolding global disaster. Every day we experience a sense of the Earth's abundance; her welcoming embrace, if only we work with her instead of against.
This is part of my ongoing efforts to share some of the lessons...
The "plan be" Blog
The Braamekraal Self-Sufficient Farm
My blog about the garden, self-sufficiency projects, and our progress towards a self-sufficient life. Also rants about other things, but in other categories...
Fetching RSS feed... please stand bySelf-sufficiency Projects
Websites of real self-sufficiency projects.
- Diversity Farm
- Diversity Farm is a Permaculture demonstration and education center situated in subtropical northern New South Wales, Australia.
- Hundredfold Farm - Gettysburg, PA, USA
- The Hundredfold Farm Cohousing Community is an effort of several families to create a 14-household rural cohousing community in the Gettysburg, Pennsylvania area . The members of this multi-generational community are learning together as they explore the art of living in a sustainable way.
- Melliodora - David Holmgren's Home
- David Holmgren is one of the Founding Fathers of Permaculture. His farm, Melliodora, is situated on the edge of Hepburn Springs, the spa centre in Central Victoria, Australia, and features passive solar house design, mixed food gardens, orchards, dams and livestock, and creek revegetation show how permaculture design can help to restore and improve land, provide for residents needs and enjoyment in a cool inland climate.
- Path to Freedom
- One of my favourites - these folks really get it and write with great heart. From the Path to Freedom site: "Our leaders, being politicians, are not leaders at all but are bound to be followers, who just won't be there for us in a crisis. So, it's me and you. Let's turn the world right side up as demonstrated through this website. Walk the path to freedom!"
- thomasstreet.info
- An urban permaculture project in Melbourne, Australia, these folks have converted their lawn into mostly a mixed food garden. It seems their landlord is not too impressed, though, and wants the lawn put back! (File under "Landlords with their Heads Screwed On Backwards".)
- Farmlet in New Zealand
- Kevin and Rebecca live on their small (5 acre), beautiful farm in the Far North of New Zealand.
Essential Reading
Not all self-sufficiency info lives in the web...
The New Complete Book of Self-Sufficiency: The Classic Guide for Realists and Dreamers
Actually we own the original edition, but bookstores only seem to list the "New Complete..." edition - every bit as good, and updated for the 21st Century.
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PERMACULTURE: A Designers' Manual
The permaculture classic, and very comprehensive. If it all looks a bit daunting as a Permaculture starter, you might prefer the "Introduction to Permculture" listed below.
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Getting Started
Self-sufficiency resources in the 'net
- Braamekraal Farm
- Our very own self-sufficiency project, and how we got started.
- Eco-living for a Self-Sufficient Life
- Eco-living and how to get started.
- Earth Activist Training Home Page
- Earth Activist Training blends a full permaculture
certification course with Earth-based spirituality, practical political
effectiveness, and nature awareness. Learn how to transform land,
communities, political systems, and yourself. Discover solutions, renew personal energy, and find hope for our world.
by mikro2nd
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