onethousandk said:
Great thread Ice House. I hope this isn't too personal of a question, but I'm curious how economical this sustainable living is. I envy your plot of land and your dedication to the garden/farm, but I can't see myself doing it until I retire simply because of the upfront cost and time required for maintenance. Do you still have a job on the side? Is the cost of living low enough to where you can essentially live on savings? Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks!
Now thats a damn fine question! No its not personal at all.
Let me start off by saying that it is a work in progress and it IS evolving. Each season it becomes more and more cost effective. As I learn more about Permaculture I am able to arrange my garden so that individual projects within the whole support each other. It has taken time to accomplish this.
Once upon a time my garden and livestock was a huge money pit that took allot of my time.
I came to the realization that I was in a catch 22 I couldnt put a price on organic home grown food but I also couldnt afford to do it the way I was.
So I had to invest some time and money into a system that produced enough biomass to make it finacially worth it, because, to be honest since I live in farm country, I could just go to the farmers market down the road twice a week and buy cheap organic produce.
So I did some research and changed my farming practices and
I can now say that I produce food at the same price it would cost me to go out and buy it at the farmers market.
This took considerable research and some up front cost. I put in raised beds, I planted dozens of fruit trees. I have a permanent productive system for processing compost and mulch producing great organic soil every year. I have integrated worm farming into this. I have also learned to effectiveluy utilize my chickens and livestock to help with my garden prep and end of year clean up. I grow my own seed stock I collect and recycle rain water among other things.
I do have a job on the side. We couldnt live like this without income. I have a home and autos and a pretty fun lifestyle that I need to finance.
I could go into more detail on how I cut costs to make my farming more cost effective, but let me just finish off this long winded post by stating a few things that you cannot put a price tag on.
I grow my own food I KNOW what I am eating! From May until about January we purchase no produce and almost no fruit.
I am teaching my son a wonderful way of living that he will no doubt pass on to his children.
If something bad happens, ie a total ecconomic crash or a massive natural disaster or whatever, we here at the Ice House homestead have the know how and the capability to live! Notice I did not say survive. In case of energency we will really do well.
We are prepared!
Those three things alone are priceless.
Its not cheap doing what I am doing but its getting cheaper and cheaper every year.
I havent bought potatoes in over four years! My chickens free range and eat table scraps so feed costs are minimal. I havent bought eggs in over four years, as well as onions, garlic and sun dried tomatoes. We can our own jellies and tomatoe sauce, I have squash in my cellar that we will still be eating this spring. I have jars of dried beans, gallons of frozen apple cider, many jars of home made salsa and pickled beans and peppers, salted and roasted pumpkinseeds and sunflower seeds. Dried figs and apples and pears and plums/prunes.
Yea, its a bitch! It costs some money to get going it takes allot of HARD work. It can be cost effective and it is very rewarding.
What price would you pay for FULLFILLMENT?