Living Off the Grid - Survival Techniques

[yiolas]

Whether it be from earth changes, solar flares or political and social upheavals, I believe we should begin preparing for living off the grid. There might come a time in the near future when we will have to provide for ourselves and family without electricity, pumped in water supply, energy for cooking and heating, waste management, ventilation and food supplies.

Even if we remain in our homes during the coming times of change, we will still need to know how to provide food, water and shelter. We should obtain this knowledge while there is still time.

I would like to begin with providing a couple of you tube videos and hope that others can share the same:
How to build a two can stove: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5Q2-mXk4Bo
Building chimney parts: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbN5xhV8Auo

The list is endless:
Growing Food, Animal Husbandry, obtaining water, first aid, etc., etc.

[rosie]

I agree yiolas, saw this a few years back, and thought it would be cool to make a dog house using this technique, but, alas, no dog house yet, life just seems to be getting in the way. ;)

I find this following construction interesting, but of course it would have to be built withing the right conditions for such material. (I am not associated with this company at all, just ran into it during one of my searches.)

Living In Paper - 2010

Papercrete is relatively light and quite strong, which makes it an ideal material for building arches, domes, and vaulted ceilings. In practical terms, the advantage of domes and vaulted ceilings is that they obviate the need for expensive and often insufficiently insulated roof systems. Papercrete is used for the ceilings as well as the walls. Besides providing great insulation, this minimizes the number and variety of tools necessary in construction. Over the life of a home, the roof is arguably the area which requires the most maintenance. By building dome and vaulted ceilings, a great deal of extra maintenance expense is avoided. In aesthetic terms, curved lines, rounded openings and high ceilings are simply more interesting, graceful, comforting and relaxing than sharp lines and squares. Both designs have their place.

Sean Sands builds his domes using fidobe, a version of papercrete with no cement. (Some practitioners have expressed the viewpoint that using unstabilized padobe or fidobe blocks for domes may be unsound.) See Mixes for more information on various papercrete formulas. Sean's building methodology is fascinating and simple. He starts by attaching a rope to a pivoted anchor set in the ground at the center point of the proposed dome. He then stretches the rope taut, and ties a knot in the rope at the radius of the dome. With the rope pulled taut, that knot can be moved left or right, up or down, to define all possible horizontal and vertical arcs. To build the dome, the rope is pulled taut and each block is positioned so that the knot can touch the block's inner surface. As each course of block is laid, the knot and the angle of the rope determine the gradual inward position and tilt of the blocks. This procedure is followed all the way to the top of the dome. As each layer of block is completed, that course locks into place against itself. This makes it possible to build the dome without any interior support. According to Sean, it's similar to building a paper igloo, but without the need to shape the individual blocks. When the dome is complete, Sean digs out the earth beneath it to create higher ceilings. Sean's domes are a testament to what is possible with papercrete, a rope, a mixer and a few hand tools.

Link, http://www.livinginpaper.com/domes_vaults.htm

[HORIZONS]

There are two ways to approach this: Those that live in city/urban areas and those that live in the country. I live on a farm so it is way different for me then for those that live in cities and other urban areas. It will not be near as difficult for me to hunt, fish, grow a garden, get water etc. as I do most of those things now. We grow garden food and have livestock, lakes/ponds and other water sources, and LOTS of open space to do/build whatever we want. This is not true for all others. Really concise plans are in order for those that are caught living in city/urban areas. This is very important to do - to be prepared for when/if the grid goes down.

[Majorion]

I live on a farm so it is way different for me then for those that live in cities and other urban areas. It will not be near as difficult for me to hunt, fish, grow a garden, get water etc.
I envy you my friend. Its always been one of my dreams to live that kind of life being more in tune with nature and living away from industry and city life, dependent on your own skills to survive and can even grow your own food.

I think one of the most important things people need, I haven't seen it mentioned yet, but a good stock of high quality/grade Vitamin C, good stock of antibiotics, and any other medicine like an analgesic anti-inflammatory (aspirin). One thing you can't discount if the world plunges into some chaotic situation is how the state of health would be, I'm pretty inclined that disease would become more widespread (population reduction? who knows, you never know), and you need these meds; not only in this hypothetical scenario, but you need these things right now, you should if you don't.

Peace,

[Vidya Moksha]

MMS would be top of my list. Easy to transport, and good vs lots of different problems, its even a water purifier.

I built a self sufficient farm 13 years ago and learned a lot of different techniques. These days I would say fuel (firewood) and good water are perhaps the main requirements (with shelter of course). If you have the good fortune to have a good water supply and a drop in elevation, then micro hydro would be the way forward if you needed power generation.

I gave my farm to my son when I toddled off to India, Im still semi nomadic, perhaps that is my strategy if TSHTF? I have a fair idea what will be in my rucsac :)

[HORIZONS]

Majorion -- You are correct my friend, and this is exactly what I have been doing - stockpiling homeopathic meds, vitamins and mineral supplements. I can generate colloidal silver as well. All of these will be needed, and will be GREAT for bartering. There will be a big need of natural products and know-how in a situation like this.

I grew up in S. Cal (beach cities) and slowly made my way out to this farm life. I went from a corporate management position to a poultry farmer. Hows that for change!!! I HAD to get away from all of the corporate industrial hodgepodge of crazy energy, and I was able to. It's not an easy transition but it CAN be done. Now I am working on developing a self-sufficient life as much as possible. That too is not easy - but it WILL be done. :-) All I know to do is to "keep a plowing".

[MargueriteBee]

Horizons, thanks for this thread. I went from living the pampered life in the city to living on our family land. We have cows, chickens, etc. Tomorrow I start planting the garden. Of course I am learning as I go. Today we seperated the mama cows from the calfs and they are still mooing!

I'm thinking of buying the latest in solar and keeping in a faraday cage until needed.

I have fresh water and lots of firewood. I will be doing a ton of canning this year.

[HORIZONS]

There are two different kinds of canning: Pressure and water bath. Each kind has its benefits depending on what you are canning. As a general rule, you shouldn't can more than what you can eat over the winter.

[MargueriteBee]

I have a steam canner and I will report on how well it works this fall. We have ten fruit trees so I will be sharing alot and there are many mouths to feed on the mountain so I won't let it sit around too long.

Edit: All my city friends think I'm nuts. :wacko:

[Vidya Moksha]

I have a steam canner and I will report on how well it works this fall. We have ten fruit trees so I will be sharing alot and there are many mouths to feed on the mountain so I won't let it sit around too long.

One of the things I played with was a solar dehydrator. This is great for all fruit, I understand they retain much of their goodnes and vitamins after dessication, have a shelf life of many years and are small to pack and carry. We built a small wooden dehydrator that looked rather like a chest of drawers and worked very well...

[Vidya Moksha]

[QUOTE=MargueriteBee;1491
I'm thinking of buying the latest in solar [/QUOTE]

Hi MB, solar as in solar photovoltaic? for producing electricity you mean? I did this... would have reservations about doing it again.. on many levels...

[HORIZONS]

I have a steam canner and I will report on how well it works this fall. We have ten fruit trees so I will be sharing alot and there are many mouths to feed on the mountain so I won't let it sit around too long.

Edit: All my city friends think I'm nuts. :wacko:

LOL!!! All my old city friends thought I was nuts too, and some people still think I'm nuts -- quitting good jobs, moving out to a farm??? Your crazy!!!. You should have seen my boss's face when I turned in my notice. Ha ha... Well if i'm crazy - so be it. :-)

[MargueriteBee]

Yeah I am looking into that and will be building a solar oven this summer. I mainly mean solar power for music and a fridge, least for music. I need to do some research on the latest solar techonology.

Edit: And, I need power for fans, it gets hot here.

[Vidya Moksha]

Yeah I am looking into that and will be building a solar oven this summer. I mainly mean solar power for music and a fridge, least for music. I need to do some research on the latest solar techonology.

You cant run a fridge off solar power, not really (unless you install a huge system). They take far too much juice. You can build a good fridge from canvas.. if u put charcoal in a dish and drip water onto it there is some chemical reaction that keeps things cold. If this is done inside a canvas box suspended from the roof, you have an effective fridge! I used one of these in portugal with good effect, not as good as a regular fridge but good enough. I have even kept things in containers inside water pools, another good option. While they are avaiable, gas bottles are good for fridges

The small solar devices are great, so a portable solar charger for a phone, or cd player etc are great. I really couldnt recommend going much bigger than this in scale, unless money really is no object and you realise it could all be useless if the sun doesnt shine.

solar ovens are great. If you drive a car or a tractor you can cook in the engine bay in tin foil while you work, and after you work you have a hot meal :)

[MargueriteBee]

Thanks for the information Vidya. I don't want to go all out on solar power so your suggestion on making a fridge from canvas looks good. I've also thought about digging out a root cellar but this place is all rock so I'm not sure I can.

Here's a link to my little blog if anyone is interested.

http://margueritebee.blogspot.com/

[THE eXchanger]

Thanks for sharing, all this good stuff :)

[Vidya Moksha]

Thanks for the information Vidya. I don't want to go all out on solar power so your suggestion on making a fridge from canvas looks good. I've also thought about digging out a root cellar but this place is all rock so I'm not sure I can.
http://margueritebee.blogspot.com/

Dynamite is good for making root cellars in rocks :boom: and depending on the rock they can be really good. Having two cellars is always a good idea, one dry and one damp. Sometimes you can get lucky and have natural seepage in a natural rock cave...

I was going to post a link to the canvas fridge but I cant fnd one! I only googled but even so ....?

The design is really simple. Make a wooden frame, say 1m tall 30-40cm square (or whatever you want, even several smaller ones?) . Put in as many shelves as you want. Fix canvas to 3 sides, top and bottom. The fouth side is the door, simply attach at the top and weight the bottom, so the whole flap is moveable for the door. Tie cord or wire to the top of the 4 uprights and suspend from the ceiling so its vermin proof. Then on the top shelf of the fridge (deosnt have to be very deep) put a dish of charcoal. Then either run a wicking material through the roof, or a simple tube, to an external water container (sited above the fridge).. then gravity drip the water onto the charcoal.. and you have a fridge!

I guess you can even wet the canvas, the latent heat of evaporation will further cool the unit.

How easy is that? And it really works

:cheer2: :juggle:

[yiolas]

Hi Guys, thanks for all of the great info provided. Starting this thread was the result of months of imagining what I would do to protect and sustain my family in a variety of threat situations, i.e., nuclear fall out, radiation from the sun, solar flares, earthquakes, tidal waves, breakdown of society, etc.

I live on the outskirts of the city on a medium sized plot land on the small Mediterranean island of Cyprus. The elevation is 700 ft, but there are mountain peaks of 2000 ft within 30 minutes driving distance, if we have to go to higher ground. We have about 25 mature fruit trees which include olive trees for oil. We raise about 20 chickens which provide eggs for us and enough left over to sell to the neighbors. We also have a water well which we pump for garden irrigation.

My concerns are:
How are we going to pump the water out of the well without electricity? I need an inexpensive way to do this w/out electricity.
What if we are forced to go to higher ground? How do we get and store water then?

How would one heat their home w/out a fire place? If you were to build one, you would need to learn the mechanics of ventilation and exhaust pipes.

What kind of protection does one need from radiation either from the sun or man made sources.
Most everyone knows how to grow a garden, but do we all know how to harvest and grind grains for flour? Do we know how to extract oil from olives or other seeds?
Our emergency supplies of food will eventually be depleted. Do we know how to preserve, can, smoke or dry foods?

Do we all know the basics of first-aid ?

A lot of questions which I hope that we can explore the answers to in this thread .

[MargueriteBee]

Just Goggle: hand pump wells and you will get several listed. I have to get two myself so I am checking these out. My family doesn't know, and doesn't want to know, anything about SHTF so I have taken it on myself to get them ready and I do have most everything already.

[stardustaquarion]

Solar power for laptops and batteries works general speaking quite well. For refrigeration the best method is to big terracota pots that fit inside the other leaving a small gap to fill with sand in between. One just have to put water to moisten the sand and a wet tea towel on top. Apparently it works very well is Africa.

I have a solar cooker (just carboard) and it works very well here in England in the summer months.

I would love to live in the country but family does not want to know anything about it

Love

[MargueriteBee]

It is hard, stardustaquarion, when family are sleeping, just do the best you can. I started growing food on the second storey balcony of my apartment last year.

I'm off now to go get some chicken wire for the garden.

[Swanny]

I reckon you should have this lot as a bare minimum


Kelly kettle (http://www.kellykettle.com/)
Lifesaver water bottle (http://www.lifesaversystems.com/)
Good knife
Food for free book by collins (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Food-Free-Collins-Richard-Mabey/dp/0007183038/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1269197258&sr=1-1)
Pack of cheap lighters or a flint stick thing

That should help you survive for a while :pizza:

[PINEAL-PILOT-IN MERKABAH]

i got enough equipment in 2008 to be deployed in iraq lol.... still have it all , not got food yet. just need a bergen 120litre back pack incase i get homeless.
i have the food for free book and a lifesaver bottle. also got 10 water straws 40litre each. storm matches, snap glow sticks , knives , machettes.

[yiolas]

If things get rough, we might not always have clean drinking water.
I found these great videos describing on the fly water filtration and purification techniques.
From wildernessoutfitters . This guy is very thorough and informative.

He also has a whole series of wilderness and survival videos on you tube.

Water Purification Techniques
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELBKBY-XY6w

Improvised Water Filter Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q99AN79ZNjs

Improvised Water Filter Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmr9nWy0i0g

Blessings,
Yiola

[yiolas]

Hi MB, solar as in solar photovoltaic? for producing electricity you mean? I did this... would have reservations about doing it again.. on many levels...

Hi Vidya, just out of curiosity why would you be hesitant to use photovoltaics ?
I've been debating about them myself for years. I've don't think that I would consider them for two reasons:
1. They are very expensive
2. I just don't like the idea of have an electrical power plant and storage facility on my roof. Have there been any studies done regarding the Electromagnatic radiation coming from these things ?

I would consider looking into wind turbines though .

[HORIZONS]

If things get rough, we might not always have clean drinking water.
I found these great videos describing on the fly water filtration and purification techniques.
From wildernessoutfitters . This guy is very thorough and informative.

He also has a whole series of wilderness and survival videos on you tube.


Water Purification Techniques
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELBKBY-XY6w

Improvised Water Filter Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q99AN79ZNjs

Improvised Water Filter Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmr9nWy0i0g

Blessings,
Yiola

Very informative vids, thanks!

[yiolas]

Just Goggle: hand pump wells and you will get several listed. I have to get two myself so I am checking these out. My family doesn't know, and doesn't want to know, anything about SHTF so I have taken it on myself to get them ready and I do have most everything already.

Hi MargueriteBee, Thanks for the suggestion. I guess I was looking in the wrong places. I googled hand pump wells and I found a plethora of hand pumps. The great thing is that they can be installed right next to your existing electrical pump and they do not cost as much as I thought they would. What a great find ! Please keep us informed if you decide on any particular one.

Thanks again, Blessings,
Yiola

[K626]

I reckon you should have this lot as a bare minimum


Kelly kettle (http://www.kellykettle.com/)
Lifesaver water bottle (http://www.lifesaversystems.com/)
Good knife
Food for free book by collins (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Food-Free-Collins-Richard-Mabey/dp/0007183038/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1269197258&sr=1-1)
Pack of cheap lighters or a flint stick thing

That should help you survive for a while :pizza:

What no toys??!! :p

[xbusymom]

What no toys??!!

I got a 'Family 10 Game Center' - the classic tin-, added some card decks( reg. and a couple of specialty games) , a few extra dice, and a revolving card holder...

and you are good to go...

[MargueriteBee]

Make sure you have plenty of matches. I got the big kitchen ones and they work great for starting a fire. I put 10 boxes to a bag and vacum sealed them. I got two boxes for a dollar at the dollar store.

I would like to invite you all to a Group I started called, Life in The Country. You can find it in the groups list.

[Vidya Moksha]

Hi Vidya, just out of curiosity why would you be hesitant to use photovoltaics ?
I've been debating about them myself for years. I've don't think that I would consider them for two reasons:
1. They are very expensive
2. I just don't like the idea of have an electrical power plant and storage facility on my roof. Have there been any studies done regarding the Electromagnatic radiation coming from these things ?

I would consider looking into wind turbines though .

Wind is a good option, as is micro hydro, both these energies will charge a battery through the night while you sleep.

Solar. its expensive and inefficient and it needs the sun to shine in order for it to work. Im sceptical about some of the predicted earth changes but if it isnt sunny for whatever reason then you have no power. Battery life is an issue. You will get 5 good years from a good set of batteries, with the next 5-10 years giving average or poor performance. Its just not worth it. Unless money is not an issue and you dont ever need to rely on them. I would guess a small panel hooked up to a 12v light system might be ok, but there are solar lanterns as well and the new led lights are pretty amazing too.

My panels were away from my house, as were my batteries, so that's no real issue. Running any electrical wiring is always an issue in terms of electro magnetc radiation effects, but this can be localised, and best kept away from sleeping areas etc.

Candles are good for light. little solar chargers are good also for small batteries and small devices, but there is a large investment for little return on a bigger system.

If I were doing it again, as of today, I would look for wind and water power but would have 2 generators to do most of the work, the small silent ones are great for bits and bobs, and a bigger one to run larger power tools etc... but then again I am also liking the idea of going back to hand tools, what's the rush? Im tired of the noise and danger and expense of power tools. ....then again, :) , a small chainsaw is really handy for all sorts of things, including building.

[Vidya Moksha]

I reckon you should have this lot as a bare minimum


Kelly kettle (http://www.kellykettle.com/)
Lifesaver water bottle (http://www.lifesaversystems.com/)
Good knife
Food for free book by collins (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Food-Free-Collins-Richard-Mabey/dp/0007183038/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1269197258&sr=1-1)
Pack of cheap lighters or a flint stick thing

That should help you survive for a while :pizza:

I cant argue with this list :) maybe a machete - but a good one, not one of these 10 quid rubbish jobbies from the outdoor centres. And, I would always include a sharpening stone, these water ones are great. You can build shelter, but a tarp or a bivvy bag is worth it. Add MMS and a small backpack and you are away :)

[Vidya Moksha]

I hope this doesnt break forum rules on advertising, obviously I have nothing whatsoever to do with this company.. except I couldnt find a better water purifier on the market for my needs so I bought one :)
http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp357/lerrocco/Pocket_Lg.jpg

[Swami]

Ibota Waterfilter - Cheap, fast & in use around the world

http://projectavalon.net/forum4/attachment.php?attachmentid=158

More info:
http://www.ibota.org/component/option,com_frontpage/Itemid,1/lang,english/
http://ilovemyanmar.org/news/update.php?title=ibota-water-filter-for-myanmar&entry_id=1264534723

[annemirri]

What no toys??!! :p

K626,

You will have no time to play,
and you will be so exhausted after all that work you have to do yourself
by hand without any help ...(do not count on your possible partner to do it all for you!)

I am myself very well prepared, I spent my childhood in middle of Finland (and here I mention it again) and I had to learn to grow my own food, vegetables,
pick wild berries even for school, mushrooms...

My other grandmother lived off grid,
and I have very fond memories of her and my mother taking us children to a lake to wash all the laundry by hand,
putting the fire under the huge black cauldron,
rinsing the laundry in the crystal clear waters, hanging it on the line to dry.
Since that time I have loved the smell of clean crisp sheets without any hint of artifical smells.

And I used to love to watch all kind of survivor programms ! I learned a lot.
(my children say that I am so crazy and competitive one that I would definitely win all those survivor games.)

and I am good at knitting (form of meditation) and making clothes , cooking,
and chopping wood !

A few years ago when I lived in Scotland off grid, without electricity or central heating,
I began my days by making a fire to get some hot water...washed all laundry by hand.

What I learned there is that one needs in order to survive
a clean spring for water, some land to grow wood, a forest to pick up firewood,
some wild berries...a good sense of humour, a lot of stories, some wine to keep the cold away ,
and a few people to talk to,

and many many books...if you run out of firewood.

in our medicine cabinet we kept and keep only plasters,
as we all have the power to heal ourselves.

a.

[blue777]

quote
n our medicine cabinet we kept and keep only plasters,
as we all have the power to heal ourselves.

IF SO WHY DO WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC ILLNESSES IF WE CAN HEAL OURESELVES?
LOL
BLUE

[annemirri]

IF SO WHY DO WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC ILLNESSES IF WE CAN HEAL OURESELVES?

Tell me about it !
Like my son was born with heart failure (TOF) had an open heart surgery at the age of eight months. I was told that it is almost impossible for him to grow to be a grown man without another operation. He is now 14 and two weeks...and I have been on hold last thirteen years fearing the day that he will have a new operation, as I do know the risks too well,
(and I do have feelings as I am a mother after all that, although I am not a humble person...)

But - perhaps a miracle, last September the cardiologist said that he is doing so well with his heart that it is most likely that he will never need a new operation.
Wait and See.

and ... you know how the mind creates illnesses ? right ?

A little bit over a year ago, I told my children that I may get cancer soon as everywhere I look there is something about cancer...breastcancer...
So, one morning I woke up and my other breast was twice as big as the other one !(laugh)
I waited a few days, I thought that it is some kind of infection, but it hurt so much that I could not sleep...
I went to see a nurse, she gave me very strong antibiotics, ate them all, nothing happened, no help,
I went to see my GP...
He was really worried that I have that fast growing breastcancer,
meaning that I will be dead in a few months (dark humour here) and refered me to a breastspecialist in nearby hospital.

I was so ready to die, just like that. As I know that it is better outhere than here...
but my children...they were so sad.

So,w hen I finally after a week went to see the breast specialist, my breast was fine.
It kind of healed itself. And I decided to live to be 98!

Hope this helps!
a.

[samvado]

IF the grid goes off-line due to a CME (google michio Kaku on that, some excellent videos on Youtube) the grid MAY go down worldwide and everything containing a metall coil of any kind will just burn out. That would be EVERYTHING, from water pumps to Electric generators, starter motors in cars, all phone and radio, all computers and as a result we are back in ca. 1820 minus the self sufficiency of that time.
Of course photovoltiac wont work either. Nothing will work that is based on electricity. So forget about flashlights :-)

it is a quite probable scenario, IMO much more probable than an extended war. It happend in 1857 last, but has been with us always (as recorded in history as northern lights in southern countries)

the primary thing you will need is CLEAN water, dirty water is almost everywhere.

this little toy makes drinkable water out of a sewage tank. one cartrige is good for 50.000 liters. consider it as insurance.

http://www.katadyn.com/en/katadyn-products/products/katadynshopconnect/katadyn-wasserfilter-endurance-series-produkte/katadyn-pocket/

I have NO stakes in the product - of course ...

***** and just realized Vidya had beaten me to it ***** cheers Vidya !!

[K626]

That looks cool and Swiss made means it is quality.

[yiolas]

The way I see it, what ever is coming our way, it is time to get organized.
I personally believe that it we are on the threshold of a universal shift in consciousness and entering a trans-dimensional reality.But we must first be able to survive the coming upheavals and prepare for the insuing disruption of goods and services.
This can be undertaken within the framework of the 6 main categories below. The extent to which one prepares depends on if they are preparing for the Short Term: A few days to a month Medium Term: 1 – 6 months Long Term: 6 months to indefinitely

We must also keep in mind that we should prepare equally for in-house survival and maintenance as well as for evacuation/on the road circumstances.

Survival Supplies, Preparations and Skills
1-Water


Supply of Bottled Water
Water Storage Tank(s)
Proximity to water source
Methods of collection, filtration and sanitation

2-Food

Supplies of canned, dried and packaged food
Seeds and Hand Tools for growing food
Equipment and methods for cooking storing and preserving food
Book w/local edible plants
Instruction booklet for canning and preserving food
Books on homesteading, hunting and fishing

3- Shelter

In- house safe room or other refuge area for shelter from EMP’s, solar radiation from solar Flares, Hurricane Force Winds, Flooding, extremes in temperatures
Fire starting equipment and techniques
Light weight camping equipment and protection from the elements if on the road
Tool Box with all the necessary hand tools and supplies for building and repairing


4- First Aid and Medicines

Well stocked first-aid kit and book
MMS and Colloidal Silver
Book on herbal medicines and remedies


5- Communication and Transportation

Means of transportation – mechanical or otherwise
Means of communication – mechanical or otherwise
Crank up, solar or battery operated radio and short-wave radio

6- Community Connection

There is safety in numbers w/in a service to others community setting

Please feel free to add and expand to this outline with suggestions and links.

[john.d]

IF the grid goes off-line due to a CME (google michio Kaku on that, some excellent videos on Youtube) the grid MAY go down worldwide and everything containing a metall coil of any kind will just burn out. That would be EVERYTHING, from water pumps to Electric generators, starter motors in cars, all phone and radio, all computers and as a result we are back in ca. 1820 minus the self sufficiency of that time.
Of course photovoltiac wont work either. Nothing will work that is based on electricity. So forget about flashlights :-)

it is a quite probable scenario, IMO much more probable than an extended war. It happend in 1857 last, but has been with us always (as recorded in history as northern lights in southern countries)

the primary thing you will need is CLEAN water, dirty water is almost everywhere.

this little toy makes drinkable water out of a sewage tank. one cartrige is good for 50.000 liters. consider it as insurance.

http://www.katadyn.com/en/katadyn-products/products/katadynshopconnect/katadyn-wasserfilter-endurance-series-produkte/katadyn-pocket/

I have NO stakes in the product - of course ...

***** and just realized Vidya had beaten me to it ***** cheers Vidya !!

Thanks for the link , i shall be investing in one of those . I was thinking of getting a non electric distiller :
http://www.waterwise-distillers.com/waterwise-model-1600.htm ......... but The Katadyn Pocket makes a lot more sense .

John

[yiolas]

[QUOTE=Swanny;1696]I reckon you should have this lot as a bare minimum


Kelly kettle (http://www.kellykettle.com/)
Lifesaver water bottle (http://www.lifesaversystems.com/)
Good knife
Food for free book by collins (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Food-Free-Collins-Richard-Mabey/dp/0007183038/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1269197258&sr=1-1)
Pack of cheap lighters or a flint stick thing

Thanks Swanny,
I checked out the products and they look top of line and not too expensive.
I like the Kelly kettle because it uses minimal combustible materials ( sticks, pine cones etc) to boil liquids and has a cooking pot attachment. The Lifesaver bottle looks very promising because it filters out both organic and chemical pollutants . Have you tried any of this products.
Great Finds. They will definitely go on my list. As far as edible wild plants go, I think that everyone should have a book with pictures of their local plants.
Blessings,
Yiola

[annemirri]

personally believe that it we are on the threshold of a universal shift in consciousness and entering a trans-dimensional reality.
But we must first be able to survive the coming upheavals and prepare for the insuing disruption of goods and services.


How long do people think that they will survive with all those fancy equipment,
water purifiers, flashlights....stockpiled foodtins and cans...candles ...

if they do not even have COMMON SENSE or BASIC SURVIVAL SKILLS.

Good example, like yesterday I had 16 year old english girl over for dinner, spagetti,
she had never had it before, and did not know how to eat it.
She tried, but...too difficult.

I do not stockpile anything myself, keep some warm clothes ready and some suncream.

There is not that much we can actually do
other than relocate to a place that feel right for us.

It is the inner guidance that tells where the place is,
no one else can tell you that.

Be safe.
a.

[xbusymom]

How long do people think that they will survive with all those fancy equipment,
water purifiers, flashlights....stockpiled foodtins and cans...candles ...



that was my thought too, ... If I gathered everything I might need ... I could see it needing a UHaul...

so I would either be stuck where I was - fending off theft- or abandoning it all to relocate...

I don't know the answer... I just know that I have to pay attention to my priorities (which is keep job/ pay bills, etc. so I am not out on the street prematurely... ) and the rare spare moments I devote to mental list making, research, forum...

I feel brain-scrambled...

not knowing what is coming makes it hard to know how to prepare/ and for what... how does one prepare for everything in so little time... I am confused:confused::confused:

[MorningSong]

It is for this very reason, annemirri, IMO we must all learn TO DO some basc/advanced methods of doing things in a self-sustaining way.... that we can call upon in a survival situation... even without fancy pre-fab gadgets. Kinda like each one of us having a "McGyver" conscious.

If someone wants to invest in fancy tech, go for it...but learn to repair it or when it breaks, it's just rubbish. I would love to have one of those water filter, by the way, but I know that if it needs repairs, I'm out of luck.

Another example: Got your stockpile of soap? Good! But what happens when it's finished?? Soapmaking lessons, anyone??

[yiolas]

The truth is that I have not had the time or the money to stockpile anything either. That is why I've been trying to learn everything I can about homesteading and self sufficiency. Like the water filter using just a plastic bottle that I linked earlier in the thread. I've got instructions for making soap from scratch as well . I will post that soon. There are so many skills that we can be learning now, like harvesting water via condensation or learning how to hand grind grains for making bread. However, it is essential that you have some basic tools around the house, a good knife or hatchet, rope, tape, nails, plastic sheeting, a couple of good lighters,band aids, dried legumes and rice, an extra blanket. Start with the basic stuff and keep it all in one place, so that you can grab it and run if you have to.

Blessings,
Yiolas

[xbusymom]

ohhh...that gives me an idea...my mom (when we lived in phoenix) was involved with a group of crafters that put on a "pioneer days" festival every year...

I know how to make a drop spindle (and can spin), weave (I am currently working on a super-simple re-design of the weaving loom), dye wool/natural fibers with nature items, quilt (sort of- anyway I know the basics of designing quilt patterns), and the like...

lets see... she also did pictures from broken glass and nature items, showed me how to make a table-top pyramid for preserving stuff, sun dehydrated grapes for raisens and other dried foods... and a whole bunch of other stuff I will have to work on remembering...

I will see if I can dig up some stuff and put it in a PDF to share.

I think if we just make up instruction sheets for "how to build" stuff... we wont need to cart around the actual things, and it will also be easier to relocate with just a few books...:dance:

[MorningSong]

I agree with you 100%, Yiolas!

I wisened up back in '99 with the Y2K scare... but I've always been very attracted to life off the grid... used to love listening to my grandma tell about her life growing up in the late 18-early 1900 on their farm. Although while growing up in the States, we didn't live on a farm, we did live in the country. My mom taught me a lot too about wildcrafting, gardening and living a simple (haha) lifestyle. My life experience here in Italy has only been a movement foreward in my learning. It all adds up finding my life mission. And I am so grateful.

Oh, xbusymom, I would love to learn to spin...have done a google search and pdf'ed stuff recently! Lots of people have sheep here, and throw the wool away! Wow...yes, lets build looms!

[Shairia]

http://farmgal.tripod.com/lyesoapconcoctions.html

How to make soap and other useful things.

[Swanny]

How long do people think that they will survive with all those fancy equipment,
water purifiers, flashlights....stockpiled foodtins and cans...candles ...

if they do not even have COMMON SENSE or BASIC SURVIVAL SKILLS.
.

Longer than those that don't have them, which means I won't be in the streets fighting for a tin of beans :)

Yiola I have all those things on the list :)

[annemirri]

.. used to love listening to my grandma tell about her life growing up in the late 18-early 1900 on their farm.

..my mom taught me a lot too about wildcrafting, gardening and living a simple (haha) lifestyle. My life experience here in Italy ...

I would love to learn to spin...ly! Lots of people have sheep here, and throw the wool away! Wow...yes, lets build looms!

GOOD GIRL ! that is the way to go ! (see my earlier posts on this same thread!)
back to basics with the help of modern technology, if we get it working with sunpanels...

(For one month I lived in a small village up in the hills of Tuscany, In Italy, of course, the life there was pretty much the same as it was hundred years ago...)

LOVE to you all,
a.:dance:

[EsmaEverheart]

The last couple of months I have been putting together what they call a Bug Out Bag. Basically I am putting everything I will need to survive for a while in the wild in a backpack to have ready if everything goes south. I have also been dehydrating and vacuum sealing some food too. I just thought that I could dehydrte my own instead of buying big cases from those expensive companies. Not to mention that I have a lot of diet restrictions because of my health, so it is just easier for me to dehydrate the foods I can eat.They say that the dehydrated food will last a year or longer in the vacuum sealed container. It would also be a lot lighter and therefore easy to carry in my Bug Out Bag if I have to go mobile to survuve.

I am also feeling a strong urging to really get into physical shape and do some training with my backpack ...maybe I will go do some hiking trips this summer. If I have to go mobile when it all hits the fan, I want to be physically strong enough to do it.

[kinsuemei2]

Survival is about Will, and know how.
I highly recommend you scout the area in which you live, drive through or visit, so that you are familiar with any edible vegetation , also for communities start growing your food as soon as possible, doing it tomorrow could be the difference between life and death, of course basic shelter info is useful, also how to build a fire and look for natural tinder is paramount.

Make sure you have some good boots available for hiking and break them in, don't wait for a rainy day. having a good lay of the land is always handy. The best guy for learning stuff from in my opinion is Les Stroude, and I am sure most know of him, he lives off the grid himself, and did Survivourman for 3 amazing seasons from being stalked by Jaguar in the amazon to the Canadian Boreal forest's from Kalahari desert to even being lost as sea, this guy is practical for emergency situations, and will not get you killed, please ignore Bear Grylls he is entertaining but very dangerous, and whilst 75% of his info is alright the other 25% will get you killed.

I spent a good 4 years in the jungles of Burma so I am familia with nature, tracking and trails, but I do not think that it is a very comfortable place to be in the Urban Jungle to many people, with the same idea.

[Ross]

Hi all,
Check this dude out. He lives in Australia, he can live on anything in his enviroment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Is4qyLD6Zc


Peace

[MargueriteBee]

Gosh, there's loads of excellent advise here. Thanks everyone for that.

I moved to the ranch last May and it has taken a long time to bring my core strength up. I sat at a desk for 25 years and I was not prepared for the hard physical labor that it takes to bring in the food. I have spent hours and hours hoeing weeds in the garden and the yards because I refuse to use poison there and on the entire property. I've gone from walking with a cane to lifting heavy furniture and pushing around 1200 lb cows.

Another thing is: Dogs, should we have any? Do we need them for protection? And, how do we feed them? Are you prepared to be a real pack leader of attack dogs?

[john.d]

Only problem with dogs is that all the other wildlife stay away . Some animals are benefitial to you and your garden , for example hedgehogs eat slugs .

John

[yiolas]

http://farmgal.tripod.com/lyesoapconcoctions.html

How to make soap and other useful things.

Hi Shairia, Thanks for the great link !
The soap making technique in this link calls for boxed ready lye. If you don't have it in your supplies you will have to make some with wood ashes. Please be warned that this can be a dangerous endeavor and the proper untensils must be used.

Please see the link below for making lye.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Natural-Health/1972-01-01/Soap-Making-in-the-Woods.aspx
Also: http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_ashlye.html

Blessings,
Yiola

[Bill Ryan]

I very highly recommend Matthew Stein's book WHEN TECHNOLOGY FAILS (http://www.whentechfails.com):

http://projectavalon.net/when_technology_fails_cover.jpg

Kerry and I did a good remote interview him at the Brussels Conference, posted here on the Camelot site (http://projectcamelot.org/brussels_10-11_october_2009.html#Matthew_Stein).

Matthew has a fascinating personal story - he was "told" to write the book in a communication he now feels was from friendly ETs.

[heyokah]

Ross and Bill, thanks for the links !! ....

[yiolas]

I very highly recommend Matthew Stein's book WHEN TECHNOLOGY FAILS (http://www.whentechfails.com):

http://projectavalon.net/when_technology_fails_cover.jpg

Kerry and I did a good remote interview him at the Brussels Conference, posted here on the Camelot site (http://projectcamelot.org/brussels_10-11_october_2009.html#Matthew_Stein).

Matthew has a fascinating personal story - he was "told" to write the book in a communication he now feels was from friendly ETs.

Hi Bill, thanks for giving your input into this very important subject.
I checked out Matthew Stein's website and in fact his book 'When Technology Fails' is a veritable treasure trove of useful information . Reviewing the table of contents, it has everything from surviving a nuclear disaster to canning and preserving food ! This is exactly the kind of information sharing that I hope this thread can accomplish. I bet you could teach us a thing or two from your mountain climbing days .
Blessings
Yiola

[EsmaEverheart]

Well if it hits the fan and I have to go mobile, my dog is going with me. She could never survive on her own. She has her own backpack and can carry her own food, water and fist aid. As a matter fact she wears her packpack every time I take her for a walk now. She seems to think she looks beautiful wearing her packpack. lol!

[yiolas]

Well if it hits the fan and I have to go mobile, my dog is going with me. She could never survive on her own. She has her own backpack and can carry her own food, water and fist aid. As a matter fact she wears her packpack every time I take her for a walk now. She seems to think she looks beautiful wearing her packpack. lol!

Thank-you Esma, the backpack is a wonderful idea ! I have 3 little poochies and a cat as well. I would not dream taking off without them. It would be like leaving my quardian angels behind !Even the gataki follows us on our nightly walks. Dogs will carry their own weight and they can learn to eat just about anything. Besides, they are great as guards. They can smell/hear a moving object from hundreds of yards away plus they can keep your feet warm at night. LOL

[K626]

Excellent talk that from Matthew.

[5thElement]

One of the things that most people don't want to talk about is chronic medical conditions that require medication or regular medical treatment ( think heart conditions, dialysis, seizure disorders, insulin dependence). If you or your loved ones has a condition like this - you really need to do some planning. Some conditions will improve if the person improves their over all health (physcial, spiritual, emotional).

And one more unpleasant thought - dentistry without electicity :O

Maybe get those teeth checked out now :)

5th

[yiolas]

Hi 5th element,
I've thought about Dentistry as well. It's a great idea to get our teeth checked in the very near future. I've tried MMS on a bothersome tooth before and it does work. Use the 2 drop MMS to 10 drops citric acid/lemon juice solution with 1/2 cup water and rinse it in your mouth for 30 seconds.
You can also dip your tooth brush in the activated solution with 1/2 cup water and brush your teeth . The germs won't have a chance.

[K626]

The main thing I'd say is that you need to visualise exactly where off the grid you're going to go...and research that area ie food, water etc..Have a travel plan to get there fast (all forms of mass transport won't be working) so it needs to be no more than one days driving away ideally....The car needs to be ready and prepped with supplies in advance and personally I'd od a test run that is timed so you know the route.

[xbusymom]

I have been thinking about the contradiction of Live for Now- but -get prepared for the future (future scenario unknown but prepare for it anyway)... and just decided to put my energies into getting healthy, food/teeth/body/thoughts/no-tech living/get-out-of-the-rat-race living... that seems to be the way that everyone seems to be talking anyway, they are just calling it 'disaster preparedness'...

so why not just call it what it is... getting back to better living (put it in the POSITIVE status, not the NEGATIVE status)... ya know - make "living well" the goal instead of "doom plans"


just thinking out loud... I mean - what is your focus on???

[K626]

I have been thinking about the contradiction of Live for Now- but -get prepared for the future (future scenario unknown but prepare for it anyway)... and just decided to put my energies into getting healthy, food/teeth/body/thoughts/no-tech living/get-out-of-the-rat-race living... that seems to be the way that everyone seems to be talking anyway, they are just calling it 'disaster preparedness'...

so why not just call it what it is... getting back to better living (put it in the POSITIVE status, not the NEGATIVE status)... ya know - make "living well" the goal instead of "doom plans"


just thinking out loud... I mean - what is your focus on???

Well if you're living in the countryside, that is already a massive advantage to surviva. People in the cities will be most at risk.

[yiolas]

so why not just call it what it is... getting back to better living (put it in the POSITIVE status, not the NEGATIVE status)... ya know - make "living well" the goal instead of "doom plans"


just thinking out loud... I mean - what is your focus on???

Maybe we should rename the thread Living Off the Grid and Thriving ! It's a wonderfully positive intention. I think that the majority of us here on the forum have awakened enough to realize that our future lies in living in communion with the earth and its inhabitants. Our purpose therefore can be two-fold.
1- to re-learn how to live in harmony with nature.
2- To be able to protect ourselves until we reach that point. Unfortunately, the last 3 generations of people living in the industrialized world has had everything provided to them as far as the necessities of life are concerned. It's going to take a little time for us to learn how to be self sufficient. Until that time we will be vulnerable to every hick up in the present system. From the looks of things we better learn very fast.

Blessings,
Yiola

[xbusymom]

. People in the cities will be most at risk.

yep, I know- cause I'm there- smack in the middle of the metroplex... and I cant see anyway around having to stay put for a least 1-2 more years... I was trying to figure out how to do this back-to-nature move more quickly, so i decided (instead of delayed action/extension of PLANS-which is quickly becoming just a mental daydream) that I would just start living AS THAT WAY from where I was...ya know - IN the NOW.

[starsmoonmtns]

Thank you Vidya for the information on the 'katadyn pocket' water filter! This is the next item on my list, excellent choice....
Lots of us may end up being mobile...
; )

Bill, When Technology Fails, looks like a must have too!

Like Y2K we can try and be as prepared as we want, but when it comes down to it, all u may be able to use is what you can carry on your back/pack or whatever.... nomadic wanderers comes to mind.... Sounds like an adventure!

Lets hope!
LOL

Great Thread!!

[Vidya Moksha]

I thought I had a good knife till I found this:
http://www.knivesplus.com/CM-BK7-BKT-Combat-Utility-Knife.html
It is incredibly strong, and sharp and as the blade runs through the handle and it carries so much weight it is a useful and effective hammer. Actually I use this tool more as a wrecking bar and a hammer than I do a knife .
http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp357/lerrocco/CM-BK6-1.jpg

This is my favourite piece of kit. This machete is better than most small axes:
http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp357/lerrocco/CM-BK6.jpg
http://www.knifedealsplus.com/camillus/BK6.html

These are BECKER knives, BKT, HIGHLY recommended kit. They are MUCH bigger than they appear in the photos, these are not insignificant knives, but I always carry them in the hold when travelling by air and I have never been challenged. I used the machete for opening cocunuts in India :)

but dont forget a good sharpening stone, i carry one of these:
http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp357/lerrocco/GransforsAxeSharpningStone.jpg

[Vidya Moksha]

great post Ross, he is so right eh? mmmm Ive been toying with going bush for a while now, why dont I?


Hi all,
Check this dude out. He lives in Australia, he can live on anything in his enviroment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Is4qyLD6Zc


Peace

[Ross]

great post Ross, he is so right eh? mmmm Ive been toying with going bush for a while now, why dont I?

Its a massive shift in perception to be honest, We are all so domesticated and soft due to the 'way we live'

This guy was bought up by his grandparents who had no power/phone, grew their own veges, made their own butter/cheese ect, He had a solid grounding in this way of living. Not sure if you saw how he ended up in a Mexican jail and had an 'experience'....this was the cataylst for how he now lives. He is incredibly in touch with all the 'natural energy' and is so at peace.

He is a beautiful human being.

Ross.

[Vidya Moksha]

Its a massive shift in perception to be honest, We are all so domesticated and soft due to the 'way we live'

This guy was bought up by his grandparents who had no power/phone, grew their own veges, made their own butter/cheese ect, He had a solid grounding in this way of living. Not sure if you saw how he ended up in a Mexican jail and had an 'experience'....this was the cataylst for how he now lives. He is incredibly in touch with all the 'natural energy' and is so at peace.

He is a beautiful human being.

Ross.

I have watched much of his stuff on you tube now... another nudge for me I think... I was self sufficient (ish) for 7 years on my own farm before my own 'experience' took me off to India for 7 years, where I was outside of normal society, and freely moving and living (no news, net etc...wonderful space to be in.. NO FEAR lol) so its not new to me.. I am happy in nature and in the bush and I have spent long weeks in solitude.. I quite like the idea... I seem to be waiting for 'something' to happen before I finally head out.. here in this forum I see how easy it is to be sucked back into mainstream (even alternative mainstream) (and I have a job again :rolleyes: ) but equally posts like your video I see as a nudge to be true to myself again take off..I have all the gear I need now thats one consolation. Im in NZ at the moment, thinking of staying here and going into the mountains,... but I must confess Oz appeals on some levels as well... we will see what the universe throws at me whilst I am planning something else..

[Ross]

Heya VM kia ora, Im a Kiwi...moved to OZ 3 yrs back, love it here in Queensland, I can grow food all year, solar, rain water, love it.

Peace to you

[Swanny]

I thought I had a good knife till I found this:
http://www.knivesplus.com/CM-BK7-BKT-Combat-Utility-Knife.html
It is incredibly strong, and sharp and as the blade runs through the handle and it carries so much weight it is a useful and effective hammer. Actually I use this tool more as a wrecking bar and a hammer than I do a knife .
http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp357/lerrocco/CM-BK6-1.jpg



I like the look of that knife but can't get it in England :(

[Vidya Moksha]

Heya VM kia ora, Im a Kiwi...moved to OZ 3 yrs back, love it here in Queensland, I can grow food all year, solar, rain water, love it.

Peace to you
:tongue1:
so whats wrong with NZ then? :smow: :rain: all the kiwis seem to leave lol .. actually the top of the south is nice and golden bay is a great place..

but.. (whispers) there is a chance i will move to queensland to help set up a farmstead/ self sufficient place.. its a future possible for sure, but i will live in the moment, here in NZ, until something happens....

[Vidya Moksha]

I like the look of that knife but can't get it in England :(

i had it shipped to the UK from America.....

[Swanny]

I loved NZ even thought it was winter when I got there.
Had a week snowboarding at Bob's basin on the south island :)

[blue777]

Whether it be from earth changes, solar flares or political and social upheavals, I believe we should begin preparing for living off the grid. There might come a time in the near future when we will have to provide for ourselves and family without electricity, pumped in water supply, energy for cooking and heating, waste management, ventilation and food supplies.

Even if we remain in our homes during the coming times of change, we will still need to know how to provide food, water and shelter. We should obtain this knowledge while there is still time.

I would like to begin with providing a couple of you tube videos and hope that others can share the same:
How to build a two can stove: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5Q2-mXk4Bo
Building chimney parts: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbN5xhV8Auo

The list is endless:
Growing Food, Animal Husbandry, obtaining water, first aid, etc., etc.

I agree totally, we need to get organized....thank you for your info...
lol
blue

[EsmaEverheart]

This guy has some great wilderness survival videos.

http://www.youtube.com/user/HedgehogLeatherworks

[yiolas]

Hi Guys, This is a link from from Matthew Stein's website where he gives advice on earthquake precautions: http://www.whentechfails.com/node/28
His website is chock full of info.

This is also a link to one of his radio interviews:
Financial Economic Collapse - How to Prepare Pt. 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uHzKn20HE8&feature=relatedollapse
Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Po7f9ruJYjc&feature=related
Part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qi3pQyltRv0&feature=related

His material is a must.

[yiolas]

New Product Innovation: The Peepoo Bag By designer Anders Wilhelmson, in collaboration with Camilla Wirseen and Peter Thuvander, has developed the Peepoo bag – a single-use, disposable toilet bag intended to improve sanitary conditions in developing nations.
http://www.dezeen.com/2009/03/16/peepoo-bag-by-peter-thuvander/
The toilet is actually a biodegradable, plastic bag filled with crystals that transform waste into fertilizer, while destroying pathogens.
2 min. you tube intro. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dp5_ySFsH9E

This small single use bag made of degradable bio plastic processes and sanitizes feces and and transforms it to valuable fertilizer within 2 weeks !

[morguana]

i would love to live off grid, a hobit house would be my first choice, love the idea of earth eco homes, to be inside the earth would be very beautiful (have a thing for caves too, lol). but i am not in any position to do this so i have been busy learning and relearning bushcraft skills instead, and have been passing on my knowledge to my children. they love to gather food, make fires and build camps, we have done water purification tecniques to. all of us have very decent equiptment (5 season, extream use and hardy), and it is always packed to go, should we ever need to.
love m x

[yiolas]

Hi everyone,
Looks like we've been given our own sub forum. Don't know if the moderators are going to do this or not. But it would be great if everyone who posted links to various topics within the main thread, copy and paste your replies/links within the subdivisions of food/water, shelter etc. etc.
This will help us all in finding the sub topics that we are interested in.
Thanks,

[Swanny]

I'm pretty much set up for living off the grid in my van
Will head south when things start getting really bad :cool:

[yiolas]

I'm pretty much set up for living off the grid in my van
Will head south when things start getting really bad :cool:
I can respect that Swanny, but what about your supply of PeePoo bags ! lol

[Swanny]

I'm like the queen I never poo :couch2:

[Gita]

Dave does!!:p

[Fredkc]

I'm pretty much set up for living off the grid in my van
Ahhhh... youth! he heh...

I can remember my mid-20's (yes, barely) I would proudly point to my Chevy Van named "ShoeBox" and tell people
"Yup! everything I own fits right here in the van, with me!"

...and it came in real handy a time or two, back then.

Then.... life happened. (See: George Carlin, re. "Stuff")

[xbusymom]

I can't find my stuff from years ago... but here are sites that have very good directions to follow:

make a drop spindle-
http://www.joyofhandspinning.com/make-dropspin.shtml
* and the collar piece doesn't have to be round, i had 2 drop spindles (1 triangle, 1 square)...
just be sure to notch around the edges to help anchor the thread/yarn so you don't end up unwinding as you spin.

washing the wool:
http://www.joyofhandspinning.com/washing-fleece.shtml

pre-spin prep: (carding the fibers)
http://www.joyofhandspinning.com/hand-carding.shtml

natural dyes:
http://www.joyofhandspinning.com/natural-dyes.shtml

plus a lot more on the left-side menu-

these people seem to have it all together- and they have world-wide list of contacts:
http://www.interweave.com/spin/resources/spinning_guilds/


I will finish up my simple loom instructions and post it this weekend...

[MorningSong]

What a wonderful surprise!!! Thanks Mods!

Looks great xbusymom!

[morguana]

i would like to share this book with you folk http://www.amazon.co.uk/New-Complete-Book-Self-Sufficiency-Realists/dp/0751364428 one of my all time fav's, a super read with loads of self sufficiency knowledge.......definatly worth a read

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Seymour_%28author%29

love m x

[Vidya Moksha]

i would like to share this book with you folk http://www.amazon.co.uk/New-Complete-Book-Self-Sufficiency-Realists/dp/0751364428 one of my all time fav's, a super read with loads of self sufficiency knowledge.......definatly worth a read

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Seymour_%28author%29

love m x
I had to smile the other day. There is a copy of 'self sufficiency in New Zealand' here in the house, and I see thats its seymours book, with the seasons switched over, and a 'new' author credited :)

[annemirri]

I can respect that Swanny, but what about your supply of PeePoo bags ! lol

You do not need peepoo bags as,

"Human urine and wood ash appear to make a potent, inexpensive fertilizer combination for boosting the productivity of food crops, scientists say.

Results of the first study evaluating the use of human urine mixed with wood ash as a fertilizer for food crops has found that the combination can be substituted for costly synthetic fertilizers to produce bumper crops of tomatoes without introducing any risk of disease for consumers.

The new study found that plants fertilized with urine produced

four times more tomatoes than nonfertilized plants and as much as plants given synthetic fertilizer. "


http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-09/acs-sfu090209.php

a.

[yiolas]

You do not need peepoo bags as,

"Human urine and wood ash appear to make a potent, inexpensive fertilizer combination for boosting the productivity of food crops, scientists say.

Results of the first study evaluating the use of human urine mixed with wood ash as a fertilizer for food crops has found that the combination can be substituted for costly synthetic fertilizers to produce bumper crops of tomatoes without introducing any risk of disease for consumers.

The new study found that plants fertilized with urine produced

four times more tomatoes than nonfertilized plants and as much as plants given synthetic fertilizer. "


http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-09/acs-sfu090209.php

a.

This I've got to see to believe. I always thought that human feces and urine had e-coli bacteria and the such because we are meat eaters, therefore not suitable to throw on the compost pile.
The sight of catching my elderly Dad taking a quick pee in the corner of the yard has always upset me. If this is true, I can tell him to at least aim it over the wood ash pile.

I'll check the link out and let you know.

[annemirri]

The sight of catching my elderly Dad taking a quick pee in the corner of the yard has always upset me. If this is true, I can tell him to at least aim it over the wood ash pile.

I'll check the link out and let you know.

We had an outhouse in our summerhouse, and my father would spread all the waste,
pee and poo, on our fields, even to our kitchen garden.

(but first he let the waste dry for a whole winter, like in a compost .)

And my mother was a nurse and a real hygiene freak !
and we grew up just fine eating our home grown vegetables and berries.

My father did not let us buy poisonous, fertilized strawberries,
or eat imported fruit without peeling them and washing our hands afterwards.

The link I posted earlier is about the results of a scientific study,
which are to be confirmed today in university debate.

a.

[Vidya Moksha]

This I've got to see to believe. I always thought that human feces and urine had e-coli bacteria and the such because we are meat eaters, therefore not suitable to throw on the compost pile.
The sight of catching my elderly Dad taking a quick pee in the corner of the yard has always upset me. If this is true, I can tell him to at least aim it over the wood ash pile.

I'll check the link out and let you know.

The quote says urine and wood ash (no faeces), i can believe this. If you pee on a straw bale it makes great compost. and no smell. Wood ash is great in compost toilets as it reduces smells and gives potash to the mix...if you add faeces to this mix you would have big trouble! but then a separate compost toilet would be easy enough - compost toilets are great and easy to make, but they dont give enough for the land, out faeces is mostly water......my compost toilet had a one metre cube collecting chamber, it took 3 people nearly 2 years to fill it! another 6months to a year to compost, you have a couple of barrows of compost every 2 years :(

[MargueriteBee]

Anyone have links to a composting toilet or have you used one on a steady basis?

[john.d]

Anyone have links to a composting toilet or have you used one on a steady basis?

A friend of mine had a small buiseness making these which were really good . Basicly you rotated the drums once a week to help speed things up .

http://www.xandika.com/products/mobile-compost-toilet.aspx

[Vidya Moksha]

http://b1b2.org/EcoSan/Images/CompostToiletDraw.jpg
heres a simple design. I design and build compost toilets and have used one for many years.. what do you need to know? I can probably describe how to build and use them its very simple.....
For years I just used a bucket, above which i had a plank of wood with a hole cut in :) then when it was full I would dig a 1m deep hole, empty the bucket, add soil, then plant a tree on top :) very simple, very good for the tree, by the time the roots were deep enough the compost was well under way...

If theres one trick to compost toilets : its WOOD ASH . Use wood ash to spinkle on top after each use.... it removes all smells and provides potassium....

you can separate urine in the toilet design, you can build a separate urinal, or you can add urine to your toilet, if its correctly designed, and you use enough material as a soak... the latter is not ideal but not impossible....

let me know what you are looking for specifically and I can detail what I know..

http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp357/lerrocco/toilet.jpg

[MargueriteBee]

Thank you john.d and Vidya - great link. The holes look small Vidya. I was reading elsewhere on the forum about urine and woodash making a great fertilizer. I am researching, preparing.... Actually I like the bucket.:p

[xbusymom]

lets see if this works this time...

the Super Simple Loom instruction sheet....

[xbusymom]

I came across this DIY Dental Care website-

http://mizar5.com/toothpst.htm

with a hand-held Oral Irrigator
http://mizar5.com/perioflex.html

and other products to include in your Self-Sufficiency Kit
http://mizar5.com/products.html

AND there is a radio interview here... http://www.oneradionetwork.com/dr._robert_nara,_dds_-_how_to_become_dentally_self_sufficient/
where Dr. Nara states that toothpaste is ALL marketing... all you need is salt-water (brush for 20 minutes, use as a rinse, etc.)

[Swanny]

Good post here about teeth.
http://projectavalon.net/forum/showthread.php?p=128798#post128798

All you need to clean them with is soap :brushteeth:

4. Teeth reenamalize when clean. TO MAKE TEETH CLEAN ONE BRUSHES WITH ANY BAR SOAP. Soap washes off in just 2 rinses. What about toothpastes? Glycerine in all tooth pastes is so sticky that it takes 27 washes to get it off. Teeth brushed with any toothpaste are coated with a film and CANNOT PROPERLY REENAMELIZE.

[annemirri]

I can respect that Swanny, but what about your supply of PeePoo bags ! lol

But if you really want to use PeePoo bags

"A Swedish entrepreneur is trying to market and sell a biodegradable plastic bag that acts as a single-use toilet for urban slums in the developing world.

Once used, the bag can be knotted and buried, and a layer of urea crystals breaks down the waste into fertilizer, killing off disease-producing pathogens found in feces. "

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/02/science/02bag.html?scp=1&sq=peepoo%20bags&st=cse
a.

[Vidya Moksha]

But if you really want to use PeePoo bags

"A Swedish entrepreneur is trying to market and sell a biodegradable plastic bag that acts as a single-use toilet for urban slums in the developing world.

Once used, the bag can be knotted and buried, and a layer of urea crystals breaks down the waste into fertilizer, killing off disease-producing pathogens found in feces. "

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/02/science/02bag.html?scp=1&sq=peepoo%20bags&st=cse
a.

this seems a little absurd in so many ways. Why not just dig a hole and cr ap in it? cover it with soil and let it decompose. Plastic anything makes me shudder. It may (or not) be biodegradable, IT certainly mimics oestrogen in its molten stage. bbrrrr , horrible idea :(

[yiolas]

"Self Sufficiency = Freedom"

[Gita]

Have washed teeth before with soap - by accident - thought it was toothpaste in a tube but it was travel soap in the tube - couldn't eat all day as the taste of soap lingered on and on and on... maybe that's a good thing in times to come as will keep the food supplies up!

[Swanny]

I tried the soap it's not nice but not too bad :brushteeth:

[xbusymom]

Have washed teeth before with soap - by accident - thought it was toothpaste in a tube but it was travel soap in the tube - couldn't eat all day as the taste of soap lingered on and on and on... maybe that's a good thing in times to come as will keep the food supplies up!

yeah, I just can't get through the 'yuck' feeling - just thinking about using regular soap... so I started using baking soda last week.. just opened the box and dip the wet toothbrush in and do it... it left a salty taste for a couple of hours, but I can live with that... its really not too bad

[xbusymom]

pot gardens... a not-so-new idea (to us)?? how about upside down??
this is catching on pretty fast... now shown in mainstream media...

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/20/garden/20tomato.html?no_interstitial

[kudzy]

Anyone have links to a composting toilet or have you used one on a steady basis?

Everything you need to know can be found in the book;
The Humanure Handbook - A Guide to Composting Human Manure by J.C.Jenkins
I've been composting my excrement for the past 14 years using his technique.
In Summary;
Poop is high in Nitrogen. Straw, sawdust etc are high in Carbon.
The optimum ratio is 30:1 (Carbon to Nitrogen) for thermophilic composting.
This means the temperature gets up high enough (above 120deg F) to kill all pathogens.

I use a double chamber design on the surface of the ground with a roof over head to avoid runoff from rain.
It takes about a year to fill one side. Then it sits for a year while I fill the other side.
I use unbleached TP and cover with sawdust after each use. It never smells bad.

That's a very, very brief summary. There's more to it. Get the book, it's funny and informative.

I find it absurd that we purify Our Sacred Water, crap in it then flush it to a treatment plant (with all sorts of toxins) to be purified again.
Grow food=>Eat=>Defecate=>Compost=>Grow more food
May the circle be unbroken.
Good luck, have fun.
Just talkin' ****.:rolleyes:

[xbusymom]

I know I havent posted on any of the progress of the projects ... but I have been very busy DOING...

this is my last day in the city... I have been able to join an Intentional Co-operative community...

the progress reports and plans are on our new website http://www.stoneagescooperative.com - our plan is to DO it and then write up step-by-step for others to follow in our footsteps...

I will have some short computer access sessions for website updates and will try to post on here to let everyone know how things are shaping up, but for the most part- I will be spending the majority of my time developing the farmstead (I have to build my own shelter before winter comes) **anyone for a MUD (cobbing) HOUSE???

'Create your reality' does work! LOL

Come join us!! (we are gonna need lots of help to do this right)

[yiolas]

Hi XbusyMom, How wonderful for you !! You are a great example for all of us.
I wish you the best and will keep you in my prayers. What a great example.
Thank-you and keep us updated.

[Ron Mauer Sr]

Composting Toilets

Many styles of composting toilets are available from SunMar. Two of us used the Excell NE ($1495, Apr 2009) full time for several months with great success. There was very little odor and no overflow. If odor or overflow become a problem, use more peat moss. Cover all deposits with peat moss (works best), sawdust or other material. The original factory directions suggested that one pretend there is a rabbit living in the toilet and feed it.

Another very simple and inexpensive composting toilet option is the Sawdust toilet or “The $25 (or less) Hinged-Top Humanure Toilet” used all over the world. This system has three necessary components: the sawdust toilet, cover material (peat moss, sawdust, etc.) and the compost bins. Two compost bins are needed because composted waste must sit for at least one year without fresh manure being added before it is safe to use on your garden. If the compost pile is too small to get hot then wait two years. The entire award winning Humanure Handbook is available as free download online. Hard copies can also be purchased in several languages. No one should be without an inexpensive simple composting Sawdust toilet during periods when potable water is scarce.

One user of a sawdust toilet reported that he had found a way to bypass the need to construct and maintain the composting bin specified by Jenkins. Instead, black trash bags intended for use in a trash compactor (much tougher than garbage bags) were used as a bucket liner. When full, the black bags were removed and put in a sunny spot next to the garden. After an unspecified length of time the contents were completely decomposed and the finished product was without odor. Once the compost had cooked the trash compactor bags could be emptied in the garden and recycled as a fresh liner in the collection container.

Compost temperature is important. In chapter “Monitoring Compost Temperature” of the Humanure Handbook it is said that a temperature of 120 degrees F for a few hours would eliminate pathogenic organisms completely.

more .... (http://ronmauer.net/blog/?page_id=216)

[Arrowwind]

When it comes to canning there is the bath method but if you want to can a wide variety of foods you really really need a pressure canner.
I looked into this extensively before my purchase and I think I got about the top of the line for home canning. I made a point on purchasing it before we dumped the city because its so expensive... I wanted to make sure I had it. Its called the All American Pressure canner, stainless steel and no gasket that can go bad on you. The one I got holds 7 quart jars, I think.. haven't used it yet.

When the harvest come in at my friends house short distance from me, they are running three canners all day! 200 cans of corn they did this year

http://www.allamericancanner.com/allamericanpressurecanner.htm

and a pressure cooker is so valuable for saving energy. A smaller model is good for cooking beans particulary in about 25% of the time which may be essential if you are reduced to cooking with wood

[Hybrid5226]

Horizons, thanks for this thread. I went from living the pampered life in the city to living on our family land. We have cows, chickens, etc. Tomorrow I start planting the garden. Of course I am learning as I go. Today we seperated the mama cows from the calfs and they are still mooing!

I'm thinking of buying the latest in solar and keeping in a faraday cage until needed.

I have fresh water and lots of firewood. I will be doing a ton of canning this year.

I canned lots of butter last summer when it was below 2.00 a lb an canned meat just to see how it turned out after finding good prices on meats .
also had a epic season for chantrelle mushrooms so we canned an dehydrated those .
Peace

[Hybrid5226]

great post Ross, he is so right eh? mmmm Ive been toying with going bush for a while now, why dont I?

I have a friend who is 72 years old (looks 40) . Black belt in Martial arts . Makes his own bow an arrows. Kills only what he can eat .
When he goes out an lives for months at a time on his own with a sleeping bag an his bow an arrows . Then comes back he looks so refreshed . His eyes are clear his skin looks so healthy .
He is the reason I spend more time today then I have ever in the past out doors . Hunting for mushrooms an berrys ,hiking , walking to work instead of driving etc.
Peace

[TWINNICK]

http://b1b2.org/EcoSan/Images/CompostToiletDraw.jpg
heres a simple design. I design and build compost toilets and have used one for many years.. what do you need to know? I can probably describe how to build and use them its very simple.....
For years I just used a bucket, above which i had a plank of wood with a hole cut in :) then when it was full I would dig a 1m deep hole, empty the bucket, add soil, then plant a tree on top :) very simple, very good for the tree, by the time the roots were deep enough the compost was well under way...

If theres one trick to compost toilets : its WOOD ASH . Use wood ash to spinkle on top after each use.... it removes all smells and provides potassium....

you can separate urine in the toilet design, you can build a separate urinal, or you can add urine to your toilet, if its correctly designed, and you use enough material as a soak... the latter is not ideal but not impossible....

let me know what you are looking for specifically and I can detail what I know..

http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp357/lerrocco/toilet.jpg

:lol: Wow what a great view, you could sit there all day.

I'm going to get me one of those 20lt buckets and keep it in the back of the ute, you can get portable locking toilet seats for them from the camping shops which makes it a lot more comfortable to sit down and "contemplate".

I'm over the digging holes in the bush, especially when snakes and bull ants are around, that can be a trip I can tell ya:lol:.

..Nick..

[Ron Mauer Sr]

Build your own inexpensive composting toilet.

http://ronmauer.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/sawdust_toilet21.jpg

The Humanure Handbook is available in 7 languages.

Free download. (http://weblife.org/humanure/default.html)

You will also need a compost bin.

I have heard of one person who lines the bucket with a heavy duty black plastic trash compactor bag. When full, he puts the tied off filled bag outside in the sun near his garden. It turns to compost very fast. (I have not tried it.)

Another neighbor, with a limited water supply, has been using one of these sawdust toilets for more than a year.

Ideas For Self Sufficient Living During Financially Turbulent Times (http://ronmauer.net/blog/)

[Ron Mauer Sr]

An inexpensive water pasturizer.

Many people believe that you have to boil water to make it safe to drink. In fact, if you heat water to 65° C (149° F), all of the germs that can cause disease in humans are killed. It takes much more fuel to boil water than to heat it to 65° C. To learn more about this, see Water Pasteurization Frequently-Asked Questions (http://solarcooking.wikia.com/wiki/Water_pasteurization). A simple solar water pasteurizer can be made from a soda bottle. A Water Pasteurization Indicator (WAPI) can be used to measure water temperature to determine when the water is sufficiently hot for pasteurization and safe to drink. Read more (http://solarcooking.org/pasteurization/metcalf.htm#wapi) about recent advances in water pasteurization.

Since water pasteurizes at temperatures well below the boiling point of water, WAPIs save time when solar pasteurizing, and save fuel when using traditional fuels. Or use a solar cooker (solar oven) to pasturize water.

Solar Cookers International offers the AquaPak (http://www.solarcookers.org/catalog/aquapak-p-37.html?osCsid=75f5feb409e29d28ea9c92718d6f3d20) a $20 solar pasteurizer that provides four to five liters of water at a time, up to 15 liters per day. Simply fill with water and lay it on a flat surface in the sun. A built-in WAPI indicates when water is pasteurized, in as little as 2 hours. Weighs 6 ounces when empty.

Water Pasteurization Indicator (WAPI) video clip.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKsVcB_07iI&feature=player_embedded

Ideas For Self Sufficient Living During Financially Turbulent Times (http://ronmauer.net/blog/)

[Ron Mauer Sr]

SteriPEN™ is the only portable water purifier that uses ultraviolet (UV) light to destroy waterborne microbes. It only takes 60 seconds to purify 32 ounces of water. Available from Emergency Essentials ($80) and other sources.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MAwcl7dv5E&feature=player_embedded

Ideas For Self Sufficient Living During Financially Turbulent Times (http://ronmauer.net/blog/)

[xbusymom]

lets see if this works this time...

the Super Simple Loom instruction sheet....

Has anyone done my loom kit yet... Is it working well for you?

I am getting pre-made hooks this week- so I can get things rolling with the loom... and my first project is to make a doormat out of the plastic grocery sacks (i got the idea from a fellow fiber-crafter)... will let you know when the video is posted...

[Carmen]

No, xbusymom, but Im just getting into spinning and weaving, and loving it. My son-in-law hand shore my black ram last week. I washed the greasy wool in my washingmachine, spread it out on the trampoline to dry and now Im spinning it. Lovely colours of black, grey and some tan. Have yet to tackle the loom but that will be next. Great fun inside doing this during this wet autumn. The dog and cat come spring are going to be contributing!! Also my neighbour has alpacas so I will buy some of that off her. My daughter, who lives next door is a great knitter so I will supply her with the wool. One other way of acquiring cheap wool is to go to the op shops and buy old jerseys and unravel them. Cos man oh man, is bought wool expensive!!!

[Ron Mauer Sr]

The Loveable Loo has been updated from generation 1 to generation 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jhFKSjvqX4&feature=player_embedded).

These simple to make sawdust toilets can be a valuable asset if water is not available for a conventional flush toilet.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jhFKSjvqX4&feature=player_embedded

Compost temperature is important.


“Complete pathogen destruction is guaranteed by arriving at a temperature of 143 degrees F for one hour, 122 degrees F for one day, 114.8 degrees F for one week or 109.4 degrees F for one month. It appears that no excreted pathogen can survive a temperature of 149 degrees F for more than a few minutes.” (reference http://humanurehandbook.com/downloads/Chapter_7.pdf)


One user of a sawdust toilet reported that he had found a way to bypass the need to construct and maintain the composting bin specified by Jenkins. Instead, black trash bags intended for use in a trash compactor (much tougher than garbage bags) were used as a bucket liner. When full, the black bags were removed and put in a sunny spot next to the garden. After an unspecified length of time the contents were completely decomposed and the finished product was without odor. Once the compost had cooked the trash compactor bags could be emptied in the garden and recycled as a fresh liner in the collection container.

[onawah]

Backyard Pool Turned Into Aquaponics Food System
May201302


The Garden Pool was a large run-down pool that is now a backyard closed-loop food production system using aquaponics and is powered by solar energy. The GP was designed to feed a family of four with organic eggs, milk, fruit, veggies, herbs, and fish 365 days a year while using 90% less water than conventional farming methods.

(I don't know how to embed this video. Perhaps one of the Mods will.
It's worth watching.)

http://www.whitecrowfarmproject.com/backyard-pool-turned-into-aquaponics-food-system/

[ThePythonicCow]

I don't know how to embed this video. Perhaps one of the Mods will.
I don't know how to embed that kind (Ooyala (http://www.ooyala.com/)) of video either :).

[Hughe]

Get handful of hemp seeds and plant them on your property.

[778 neighbour of some guy]

Hi everyone,
Looks like we've been given our own sub forum. Don't know if the moderators are going to do this or not. But it would be great if everyone who posted links to various topics within the main thread, copy and paste your replies/links within the subdivisions of food/water, shelter etc. etc.
This will help us all in finding the sub topics that we are interested in.
Thanks,

Thank you for helping giving everybody a headstart, imo this part of the forum is very much underapriciated, thank you.

[norman]

2.2 million views in 5 weeks ! . . . must be a popular topic.

Newly Discovered PRIMITIVE WATER FILTER! 100% Effective



2,256,244 views 18 May 2024
According to the CDC, waterborne disease killed over six thousand people last year in the US alone. Waterborne pathogens such as e. coli, cryptosporidium, and giardia are prevalent in many surface water sources. There are several primitive methods for water purification including surface wells (gypsy well), boiling, and other primitive water filters which utilize some combination of course substrate, plant materials, and charcoal. I recently found a research article from MIT (link below) that showed the xylem tissue of gymnosperms effectively filtered out all bacteria from contaminated water. In this video I set up a filter using those findings but also, using a never before seen method using grape vines as both a siphon and filter in one. A lab analysis confirmed the presence of e. coli bacteria in the water to be filtered. The water that passed through the grape vines had no detectable e. coli bacteria! You can't do any better than that with the best whole house water filter. This has practical uses in backpacking, survival situations, wilderness living, camping, etc.

nSBwJNDDUfc

[palehorse]

2.2 million views in 5 weeks ! . . . must be a popular topic.

Newly Discovered PRIMITIVE WATER FILTER! 100% Effective



2,256,244 views 18 May 2024
According to the CDC, waterborne disease killed over six thousand people last year in the US alone. Waterborne pathogens such as e. coli, cryptosporidium, and giardia are prevalent in many surface water sources. There are several primitive methods for water purification including surface wells (gypsy well), boiling, and other primitive water filters which utilize some combination of course substrate, plant materials, and charcoal. I recently found a research article from MIT (link below) that showed the xylem tissue of gymnosperms effectively filtered out all bacteria from contaminated water. In this video I set up a filter using those findings but also, using a never before seen method using grape vines as both a siphon and filter in one. A lab analysis confirmed the presence of e. coli bacteria in the water to be filtered. The water that passed through the grape vines had no detectable e. coli bacteria! You can't do any better than that with the best whole house water filter. This has practical uses in backpacking, survival situations, wilderness living, camping, etc.

nSBwJNDDUfc



it is actually an ancient technology used by indigenous people to drink water from the vine, interesting it can be used to filter dirty water.

Drinking water directly from the vine (not filtering)
GhTQYC9sbnY

hRODDG46FOY

[norman]

I Investigate "RADICAL" Alternative Off-Grid Community In The UK
JoeFish - Sep 21, 2025


Today I continue my investigation into the rise of Alternative Communities across the UK. With recent reports suggesting more people than ever are applying to live within intentional communities in the UK. Whether that be Off-Grid, Van Life, Eco Villages, homestead communities or other examples of intentional community life across the country. With over 400 intentional communities in the United Kingdom in this documentary I was given exclusive access inside the UK's Most Viral Off-Grid Community, One Tree Farm home to the Wild Minds Community. The Wild Minds Community have amassed millions of followers across social media and tens of millions of views showcasing their Off-Grid Journey from bare field too a fully functioning Off-Grid community in just two years!

One Tree Farm which is home to the Wild Minds Community is nestled in the Somerset Countryside in the South West of England. I was given exclusive access inside this Alternative Off-Grid Community to meet the leaders of the project to hear from them about their journey, the reasons behind it, what life is like living Off Grid in the UK and many hidden truths behind Off-grid Life. We covered many of the most asked questions this included: Off-Grid Electricity, Off-Grid Water, Living Conditions, Food supply and much more!

Massive thanks to Billy & Alfie from One Tree Farm / Wild Minds Community! If you want to check them out on their websites here: https://www.wildmindscommunity.com/ or https://www.onetreefarm.org/

You can check them out on Social Media shown at the end of the video by searching Wild Minds Community.


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[Ewan]

This next offering is an hour long, so save it for when you will have the time to watch.



Built on a tranquil lake nestled in the mountains, 7Asian's floating home is more than shelter: it’s an ecosystem, handcrafted to function as a living organism. The house breathes with the rhythm of the water. The fishponds feed and fertilize the garden beds. The bees pollinate the flowering plants that surround the deck. He doesn’t just harvest; he regenerates. He doesn’t just endure nature, he becomes part of its cycles.


AJSXVUd8190