Suburban Homestead Store
Archive for the ‘Off the Grid’ Category
America’s Favorite Farmers Markets
Farmers Markets provide a valuable connection between the people who grow our food and those that consume it. They play an important role in keeping farms viable and farmers on their land, by providing venues to spotlight their sought after products. But, how do you know which markets are the best in your state?
That’s easy.
Click here to find out the five best Farmers Markets in your state. Check them out next time you’re in the area and spread the word! Getting the word out to other farmers market enthusiasts, local media, and city governments greatly impacts the viability of these markets and keeps farmers coming back.
Let the Money Games Begin
40 Ways to Help You Reduce Your Expenses
and Increase Your Bankable Cash NOW!
If your financial situation is less than optimal or if the current economy is causing you a certain amount of concern, that isn’t a bad thing. The less content you are with your finances the more likely you are to be motivated to do something about them. So, get mad, act quickly and score fast cash with these easy to implement money saving tips. Read the rest of the story »
Living Well Without a Job and With (Almost) No Money
Looking to bypass the money economy?
By adopting “possum living,” it is possible to get the good things in life without having to go to a boring, meaningless, frustrating job to get the money to buy them.
In this excerpt from Possum Living: Living Well Without a Job and With (Almost) No Money, Dolly Freed shares why she decided to shun the rat race and live off the land on a half-acre lot outside Philadelphia.
Originally published in the late 1970s when Freed was 18 years old, Possum Living is part philosophical treatise, part down-to-earth how-to, and provides a no-nonsense approach on how to beat the system and be self-sufficient — right in suburbia.
Living Well Without a Job and With (Almost) No Money
Looking to bypass the money economy? By adopting “possum living,” it is possible to get the good things in life without having to go to a boring, meaningless, frustrating job to get the money to buy them.
In this excerpt from Possum Living: Living Well Without a Job and With (Almost) No Money, Dolly Freed shares why she decided to shun the rat race and live off the land on a half-acre lot outside Philadelphia.
Originally published in the late 1970s when Freed was 18 years old, Possum Living is part philosophical treatise, part down-to-earth how-to, and provides a no-nonsense approach on how to beat the system and be self-sufficient — right in suburbia.
Back to the Way Things Used to Be
I found this song on another blog and wanted to share it with all of you. It’s called Old Old fashioned, by the Scottish indie band, Frightened Rabbit. I love the meaning behind the words. I think it speaks to the way we are trying to live our lives – simply, uncomplicated. The lyrics are below so you can see for yourself. You can get more details of the band, and listen to their songs here.
I think this would be some great gardening music for the ipod.
Old Old Fashioned
I’ll turn off the TV
It’s killing us, we never speak
There’s a radio in the corner
It’s dying to make a scene
So give me soft, soft static
With a human voice underneath
And we can both get old fashioned
Put the brakes on these fast, fast wheels
Oh let’s get old fashioned
Back to how things used to be
If I get old, old fashioned
Would you get old, old fashioned with me?
Put the wall clock in the top drawer
Turn off the lights so we can see
We will waltz across the carpet
1-2-3-2-2-3
So give me the soft, soft static
Of the open fire and the shuffle of our feet
We can both get old fashioned
Do it like they did in ‘43
Oh let’s get old fashioned
Back to how things used to be
If I get old, old fashioned
Would you get old, old fashioned with me?
So give me soft, soft static
We won’t need no electricity
If we both get old fashioned
We won’t have to rely on our memories
Oh let’s get old fashioned
Back to how things used to be
If I get old, old fashioned
Would you get old, old fashioned with me?
Listen to the song here by clicking this link. But, be forewarned, this isn’t a “family friendly” album. I wouldn’t consider listening with the kids in the car…
Who’s Watching Us Shop?
Grocery store shopping cards have been around for more than 10-years. They offer deep discounts on groceries and special purchases. They enable stores and government agencies to track back to the source of food bourne diseases, which is a good thing. But, with all this tracking and data storage, what is the hidden cost of “someone” knowing what we buy on a weekly basis?
Decide for yourself if you want “someone” knowing how many pounds of apples you buy or how often you stock up on canned goods by reading the article here.
Taking Control Of Your Life
If you’ve decided to take control of your life in these uncertain economic times, you’re not alone.
Thousands of families are taking control of their lives by turning their “home” into a ”homestead”. And, in doing so, they’ve found a level of personal security in being less vulnerable.
Economic survivalists take root
When the economy started to squeeze the Wojtowicz family, they gave up vacation cruises, restaurant meals, new clothes and high-tech toys to become 21st-century homesteaders.
Now Patrick Wojtowicz, 36, his wife Melissa, 37, and daughter Gabrielle, 15, raise pigs and chickens for food on 40 acres near Alma, Mich. They’re planning a garden and installing a wood furnace. They disconnected the satellite TV and radio, ditched their dishwasher and a big truck and started buying clothes at resale shops.
“As long as we can keep decreasing our bills, we can keep making less money,” Patrick says. “We’re not saying this is right for everybody, but it’s right for us.”
Hard times are creating economic survivalists such as the Wojtowicz family who are paring expenses by becoming more self-sufficient.
Read more about one family’s venture into a more self-sufficient lifestyle.