How self sufficient are you ? Honestly ?

[homedad]

After reading many of these comments, I think this site should start a contest on who could start a thread that gets the most pages of replies in a week. I have a feeling it would be a political thread.

 

[Rob-D]

The grain mill I built to run the Country Living Mill *(great mills if you need a grain mill!) the motor is from a tread mill and allows Nancy to change the speed for different grains. I made the Charka a few years ago for her to spin cotton on and the temperature controller runs a 10 dollar crock pot to within a few tenths of a degree to make yogurt, butter milk and other products.
There's a picture of the new sun room on the back side of the house and one of the 6.44Kw system on the new garage.
I have detailed CAD plans of the solar mounts if anyone wants them and the circuits for the temperature controller also are yours for free. The preamp (Merlyn) is from a magazine design I did last year. I made the circuits here and also the case in the machine shop. All the plans are free. Next year I'll try to take some photos of the 'new' GE Elec-traks ( I have 5 now!) and the restoration project. When I build the windmills and microhydro next year I'll post the design for anyone who wants to make one.

ps: The garden plot is now about 5 to 8 times as big as is pictured here.

Alspo you can see straps on the panel mounts, that was for Sandy... just to be sure!

 

[Soundguy]

a few of us know how to get one closed fast.

 

[sweettractors]

Could The Amish "way of living" be self sufficient enough that they could make it? Ken Sweet

 

[Soundguy]

i know in some areas.. the amish make a good living selling their wares and services to those of us dependent on power and water. now if we weren't there.. it might effect them too.

 

[Rob-D]

Could The Amish "way of living" be self sufficient enough that they could make it? Ken Sweet

I guess they could but they do use electricity:

Do Amish use electricity?

"The Amish approach to electricity is somewhat complicated. Almost all Amish groups forgo using power from the public grid. But the Amish do rely on a variety of other sources to generate electric power."

 

[forgeblast]

i see threads like this come up on a 'gun' forum i read.. and like this one.. many of the posters are kinda 'do it yourselfers'
I was going to post this also. People here are mostly Do'ers, instead of watchers.
Food I think a year would be good, the food we bought (superpails from emergency essentials) has a 30 year shelf life and we can always use it for camping or for just general cooking.
With us we would need enough food to get through a winter.
My grain mill is from homebrewing I can run it on a drill or hand crank. It is also adjustable for different grains. I have something similar to the MaltMill, grain mill malt mill.
I would really like to have a solar greenhouse built. I have seen some that will produce food all year long in Colorado. I would love to do an aquaponic set up also, using ibc totes and fish and plants.

 

[dave1949]

Could The Amish "way of living" be self sufficient enough that they could make it? Ken Sweet

I am sure they have a good running head start on 99% of the rest of us at being self-sufficient where that means living without modern conveniences. But, they would also go through some adjustments. I just don't think they have as far to adjust as most.

Going back to the community thing, the Amish already have a strong, functioning community in place and use it everyday, no start-up drama--which I would have to assume is going to be experienced by any group of people under stress, while feeling their way through how it all will really work.

 

[Soundguy]

i agree!

 

[EE_Bota]

The grain mill I built to run the Country Living Mill *(great mills if you need a grain mill!) the motor is from a tread mill and allows Nancy to change the speed for different grains. I made the Charka a few years ago for her to spin cotton on and the temperature controller runs a 10 dollar crock pot to within a few tenths of a degree to make yogurt, butter milk and other products.
There's a picture of the new sun room on the back side of the house and one of the 6.44Kw system on the new garage.
I have detailed CAD plans of the solar mounts if anyone wants them and the circuits for the temperature controller also are yours for free. The preamp (Merlyn) is from a magazine design I did last year. I made the circuits here and also the case in the machine shop. All the plans are free. Next year I'll try to take some photos of the 'new' GE Elec-traks ( I have 5 now!) and the restoration project. When I build the windmills and microhydro next year I'll post the design for anyone who wants to make one.

ps: The garden plot is now about 5 to 8 times as big as is pictured here.

Alspo you can see straps on the panel mounts, that was for Sandy... just to be sure!

Thanks for the pictures Rob. You have a really nice thing going what with the solar, the sheep, and the chickens all running around. There is a lot of beauty there too in the landscape and the furnishings. Great job!