Living More Self-sufficiently
A Summary and Check list

Introduction

The global community is currently experiencing many potentially destabilizing factors including:

• Climate change with increasing extremes of weather with historic floods and droughts, One author suggesting a 20% to 40% forecast reduction in food production for 2009. (http://informationclearinghouse.info/article21955.htm)
• A collapse of the world monetary systems with increasing bank fore-closures, government debt and difficulty in obtaining credit finance.
• Fluctuations in the prices of oil along with increasing demand and the potential of having reached peak production.

These are leading to:

• Increasing food prices and shortages.

• Increasing un-employment.

• Many more people falling below the 'poverty line.'

• Increasing social unrest.

There is a rapid change in community lifestyle values in Australia with increasing:

• Awareness and appreciation of the environment.

• Recycling of materials and conservation of water and energy.

• Relocation of people from the cities to the country.

• Interest in 'home' grown food.

• Interest in renewable energy production.

• Overall awareness of the need for greater self reliance.

We at Pindari started moving towards a more sustainable and self-reliant lifestyle some 17 years ago. We now grow much of our own food using our own water, electrical power and wood fired heating. From the experience gained we have prepared a summarized “check list” below as a resource.

Power Generation

Steps that can be taken to reduce electrical power consumption are:

• Convert to wood fired or solar hot water, have short showers, use cold water in the washing machine.
• Turn the thermostat down on the hot water cylinder.
• Turn off all un-used lights and users of 'phantom' electrical power by using switched power boards
• Convert all lighting to compact fluorescents or LEDs.
• Install electrical solar panels and wire the house for 12V or 24V DC lighting.
• Insulate ceiling and windows. Increase the use of solar heating.
• Converted the refrigerator and freezer to the much more efficient 12 or 24V DC or highly insulated 240V AC.
• Put on extra clothes in winter and improve ventilation in summer.

Water Supply Management

Some of the steps are:

• Collect roof water. Use a “first flush” system to reduce pollutants.
• If living in the country and pumping your own water, use a water header tank to provide a steady low pressure supply of water for the house reducing consumption of water and power.
• Water the gardens in the evenings with the minimum water possible by using drippers or low pressure sprinklers.
• Use 'grey water' to water gardens.
• Build up the humus in the soil by the addition of compost and mulch the gardens.
• Plant trees or take other steps to reduce evaporation by wind.

Food self-sufficiency
Steps towards growing your own food:

• Make your exercise gym your garden.

• Replace lawn with vegetable gardens and fruit trees.

• Use organic methods to increase the quality and quantity of the nutrients in the soil and thus foods.

• Areas to consider in adapting to growing your own foods:

  • Firstly, establish your needs and the food types to be grown and plan the garden layout and infrastructures accordingly. Minimize paths and maximize garden. Plan to rotate your plantings.
  • Plan watering methods and source available landscape materials.
  • Plan and plant an orchard and prune so the trees can be netted. Consider espaliering the orchard.  
  • Plan to prevent animal and bird predation with adequate fencing (refer Floppy fencing).
  • Source non-hybrid vegetable seeds and learn how to save seeds.
  • Establish composting facilities from kitchen and garden waste.
  • Establish a nursery, obtain Hessian bagging for frost protection and build a hot house in cooler climates.
  • Establish a calendar around weed management, garden maintenance, planting and harvesting.
  • Establish an infrastructure for poultry and the means for their seasonal free ranging in garden. They are great for weeding vacant gardens but must be kept out of the garden when growing vegetables etc.
  • Establish a pantry or cellar for storage of home grown foods and purchased bulk foods. (See storage information)

 Herbal medicines.

Intelligent and careful use of home grown medicinal herbs is a useful way of being more self reliant in health care. (See Herbal Medicine Chest). Sixty percent of the world’s population still relies on this form of medicine and establishing a small medicinal herb garden with the knowledge base for its safe use can be a very self reliant step and involves:

• Researching what to grow, how to harvest, dry and store.
• Obtaining the correct species.
• Obtaining a comprehensive reference book and learning the opportunities and limitations.

Personal Preparation

Personal preparation is about being mentally and emotionally prepared for any eventuality. This above all else means being able to clearly think your way and peacefully act through any difficult situation. When food, water and medicine are in short or non-supply, many will be acting irrationally and even violently. Refer to Spiritual Preparation on how you can prepare your mind for this eventuality. Other steps can be:

• Obtain, read, store and apply information and books on living a simpler, healthier and greener lifestyle.

• Store some provisions. (Refer to Food & Medical storage information )

• Prepare a garden area and learn how to grow vegetables. (Our experience is available at: Growing food at Pindari)

• Get back to basics with diet and wean yourself of all food addictions such as coffee.

• Prepared to live mostly on vegetables with some fruits, fish and meats and a little cereal as refrigeration and transport may be limited and thus dairy, cereals. meats and all processed foods will be in very short supply.

• Prepare a means of capturing and holding rainwater or another clean source of water.

• Prepare a means of baking and cooking food without electricity and gas.

• Prepare a safe means of heating your accommodation if living in cooler climates.

• Refer further to: Basic provisions.

Spiritual preparation

The advice we offer here is based on our understanding:

• That our life on earth is a place of proving to our Creator and our self that we heed His/Her Command to: Love one another and thus are: Only loving, compassionate, merciful and forgiving as we live in peaceful co-existence with our earthly brothers and sisters. 

• That there is one Universal Law being: What you do or have done to others in this life or in the past, will be done to you. Good deeds returning good deeds. Negative, painful and destructive deeds returning the same at a time and place as ordained by our Creator and on a 'eye for an eye' basis. This law is inviolate and un-avoidable and is not and never annulled by membership in religious clubs or beliefs, or participation in rituals.

• Our spiritual destiny is decided by our deeds, i.e. We are known by what we do.

• Hence the critical need to heed our Creators Command as above and for a steady mind. Our belief is that this is best achieve by thrice daily sincerely saying the Morning star meditation, full details of which is available at: www.the-testament-of-truth.co.uk/web/starpray.htm 

If asked as to the three most important things we can do to prepare for the times ahead, we would say:

• Firstly - prepare your mind in the manner indicated above

• Secondly - prepare your mind in the manner indicated above.

• Thirdly - prepare your mind in the manner indicated above.

• Then after that put away some provisions. 

Family Preparation

Preparing yourself and your family for possible difficult times ahead is the same as the personal and spiritual preparations multiplied by the number in the family and varied according to their individual or idiosyncratic needs. (Such as special medicines)

Family security

In the times ahead we all will be challenged and family security will be an issue. Click here for a discussion on this. 

Community Preparation

All in the community will need water, food and shelter. Many will be TOTALLY unprepared physically and mentally and will be in great emotional distress. This is when your steady mind and the sharing of your put away provisions will be necessary. It could well also be a time when madness runs through the community with much personal trauma and material destruction. (Refer: An open Letter to; all community members, especially to community elders and organisations such as local Councils.)

Obtaining a healthy diet

This is such a complex area but simply put. Prepare your body now health wise by only eating 'nature' made foods and not man made foods. i.e. Avoid all processed food where you cannot recognize the original starting material eg. sugar and white flour. Also:

• Drink clean water. (Around 2 litres per adult per day.)

• Exercise and get fit.

• Get plenty of sun light for Vitamin D but not so as to be burnt.

• Learn what garden 'weeds' can be safely consumed.

Summary

The above is a brief overview of what is required to become more self-sufficient. An 'honest' appraisal of the current global situation facing humanity would suggest that much change is afoot and it is accelerating. By acting now and preparing, you are taking out an 'insurance policy' for your family and self. It takes time to materially prepare and to access the services of skilled tradesmen in the technologies around self-sufficiency.

Spiritual preparation i.e. preparing the mind, as said is of the utmost importance, and that too takes time. 

Ken Atherton  
Pindari Herb Farm
A Resource Centre for Self-Sufficient/Self-Responsible, Harmonious and Healthy Living.
200 Norwich Drive LONGFORD TAS. 7301    www.pindariherbfarm.com         

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