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Survivalism, homesteading... living off the grid

Guys, don't fall for his mockery. Lets start a thread titled "Why Trump supporters should be put into Concentration Camps and rehabilitated against their will" and watch them get riled up in a frenzy.
 
I'm in SC, and hand dug a well just like this guy did:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rYPRMm8Arw&t=3s

I did 2 of them, the first one I got down to 23 ft. The second one I rigged up some quick disconnect pipe extensions and made it down to 33 feet after hitting water bearing sand at 19 feet. It wouldn't yield enough to put an electric pump on, but I was able to make a deep well/sucker rod type hand pump with basic materials from Home Depot and can pump out 5 gallons per about 25 strokes. Great drinking water too. I got some PVC well screen with very fine slits cut into it to allow water to seep in. The auger bucket made an 8-9" hole, so I poured pool filter sand down into the annular space between the well screen and the water bearing sand (can only dig so far into the water table before the hole will collapse). The water seeps in through the pool filter sand/gravel into the well casing and is very clean. It recovers well and I can pump 10 gallons out at a time before I have to give it a minute or 2 to recover enough to start pumping again.

You guys up north or or midwest could probably drive a well point into the shallow water table without digging like this.

We actually had to go 500 feet down to hit the spring water that also came out of the hill on our property. Ice cold and pure as can be.
 
Having a brain fart, but you ever watch those Alaska shows? Thinking about that 21-year-old who's an incredible trapper and he built his log cabin completely by himself. I know there have been many but this kid was incredible with his skills and mental toughness IMO.

Jesus, can't even remember his name after watching him for like 3 seasons.

I watched 2 or 3 episodes. Cool show. Alaska is gods country. Nowadays I'd be more inclined to move to a tropical island and live off of fish&coconuts.

A friend of mine in school taught me about trapping. I actually stepped into a few of those damn things over the years while out hunting. Thankfully all small traps, not the bear traps, which will ruin your day and send you to the er.
 
Started watching this clip last night, can't believe how much of this 1 1/2 hour long video I was able to watch without looking away.... so soothing and has all the feels.

Can't vouch for the veracity of this film, who know how much help this guy got from others... but doesn't matter. Shows pretty much the entire skillset you guys mentioned, logging, woodworking, carpentry, building shelter, hunting, fishing, gathering, cooking, et al.

Whoever mentioned the need to be in good physical shape nailed it. The amount of work involved, hauling lumber, firewood would be incredibly challenging, particulary in bad weather. This dude looks to be in his 50's, very impressive and the diversity of his skillset is pretty remarkable.

I think the nearly year-long Covid lockdown has gotten me to this point, where my mind is wandering.... away from the city....into the wilderness, with a dog as primary company.

Thanks for the replies, just thought it would be a cool thing to discuss, especially with some of you who have first hand experience with this.





One man leaves the city life behind to build a cheap off grid log cabin and homestead in the Canadian wilderness, including a log home, an outdoor kitchen, an outhouse, a woodshed and a sauna bathhouse. Building mostly with hand tools, Shawn James harvests building materials from the forests north of Toronto, Canada and crafts them into functional tools and shelters using traditional woodworking tools and methods. He practices bushcraft and survival skills every day, including fire starting, tree identification and harvesting, wild edible foraging, fishing, hunting, camping in the summer and winter, travelling by canoe and snowshoe, navigation and water collection and purification. Continue watching in 2019 as Shawn finishes the sauna, plants a forest garden for fruit and vegetables, builds an underground root cellar, ice house and cheese cave, a timber frame workshop and a remote hunt camp closer to fish and game.
 
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Another full year in the wilderness living my dream. There is no place I would rather be than in the wilderness, self reliant, thriving in an off grid log cabin and living close to nature. Spring arrived today, and in my mind, it's the beginning of a new year and I reflect on the last 365 days spent building my homestead and creating a safe place for my family and me for times like this. The next 365 days will bring big changes for me and my family as we continue to learn how to and practice becoming more self reliant and put the lessons I have learned over the last three years to use. This year, food security and health are our focus, along with a few building projects that I'll be undertaking alone to make our homestead more self sufficient. Stay healthy and be kind.
 
I'm a city slicker basically so I'm gonna have to move in with Djfan, Tim or S4E for a while.

Bring lots of ammo.

I really need to get I to trapping. Wyoming actually needs more of it. The varmints are eating bird's nests too often.

I always have one or two jars pop their lids.

Also, our water table has too much alkali in it. It's snow melt or the river for us. There are rumors of a spring on the south end of town, but I know nothing more about it.
 
I plan to get out to a local lake, where, for some odd reason, thousands of people have lost their guns in, and dive down to get me one. .

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so soothing and has all the feels.

Whoever mentioned the need to be in good physical shape nailed it. with a dog as primary company.

Sheep not doing it for you anymore?

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"Tibsy, I know you wanna get yer feels on again, I'm right here waiting"
 
Bring lots of ammo.

I really need to get I to trapping. Wyoming actually needs more of it. The varmints are eating bird's nests too often.

I always have one or two jars pop their lids.

Also, our water table has too much alkali in it. It's snow melt or the river for us. There are rumors of a spring on the south end of town, but I know nothing more about it.

Will do. Looking forward to it. If your water is too alkaline I believe there are safe/healthy ways to make it more acidic (buy citric acid powder, Milliard 5 lb bag ideal). But high alkaline water is actually much better for you, unless it's out of control high (anything over 10 pH I believe).
 
I think the nearly year-long Covid lockdown has gotten me to this point, where my mind is wandering

It's gotten to hundreds of millions of people you self-absorbed little commie shitbag. Go find yourself somewhere else.
 
It's gotten to hundreds of millions of people you self-absorbed little commie shitbag. Go find yourself somewhere else.

What's wrong, Steelworth? You're mighty wound-up nowadays. Nobody said a word to you, yet you come screaming through this thread like a chainsaw murderer, a full-on lunatic with crazy eyes, frothing at the mouth.

Is everything ok? I certainly hope so.
 
And Blitz, love your post and what you're doing. I really need to think about long-term and potentially moving out of San Diego where it's just not possible to do the things you're able to do. But I believe it was you (among many I imagine) who mentioned you grow your own garlic? I have a secondary little patio I might turn into a small garden. Could I effectively grow garlic, tomatoes & all the herbs out of pots?
 
What's wrong, Steelworth? You're mighty wound-up nowadays. Nobody said a word to you, yet you come screaming through this thread like a chainsaw murderer, a full-on lunatic with crazy eyes, frothing at the mouth.

Is everything ok? I certainly hope so.

I just love trolling the troll. I see you've got quite the imagination though, better start getting your "soothing feels" on very soon.
 
I just love trolling

Glad you're able to admit it, kudos to you. It's been obvious, seeing your unwarranted, unilateral personal attacks. Being honest and truthful with yourself is the first step of recovery.

Hopefully, you've gotten it out of your system and can discuss the nuances of homesteading, survivalism and the great outdoors from this point forward. Hopefully, it'll help smooth your nerves, take the edge off a little.
 
Glad you're able to admit it, kudos to you. It's been obvious, seeing your unwarranted, unilateral personal attacks. Being honest and truthful with yourself is the first step of recovery.

Hopefully, you've gotten it out of your system and can discuss the nuances of homesteading, survivalism and the great outdoors from this point forward. Hopefully, it'll help smooth your nerves, take the edge off a little.

Calling you a commie shitbag is "personal attacks" to you? I call it realism. And if your wittle feewings get hurt that easily with da personal wittle attacks on you - better buckle the **** up, buttercup.
 
And Blitz, love your post and what you're doing. I really need to think about long-term and potentially moving out of San Diego where it's just not possible to do the things you're able to do. But I believe it was you (among many I imagine) who mentioned you grow your own garlic? I have a secondary little patio I might turn into a small garden. Could I effectively grow garlic, tomatoes & all the herbs out of pots?

I grow garlic. It's so much better than the Chinese **** that most grocery stores carry. I have raised garden beds but I'm sure you can use pots. Here in the Midwest we plant after the first frost, usually late October. I would buy a few heads from a local farmers market, the bigger the better. Then you plant each clove separately, pointed end up. It's easy.
 
Calling you a commie shitbag is "personal attacks" to you? I call it realism. And if your wittle feewings get hurt that easily with da personal wittle attacks on you - better buckle the **** up, buttercup.

Wow, you can't quit, crazy cat lady. Just pull the curtains and get back to whatever wierd **** you're doing. Creepy....
 
We actually had to go 500 feet down to hit the spring water that also came out of the hill on our property. Ice cold and pure as can be.

That's is awesome, I'm sure one of life's pleasures.

Yeah, seems like it's all where you live. People talk about dowsing rods, but here in upstate SC where I am the surface water table is just water bearing fine sand starting at about 18-20 feet down. Doesn't matter what part of the property I dig or with the main bored well, it's all at the same point as water seeks it's level even underground. That's why bored 2 ft diameter shallow wells were the standard here before deep drilled. The recovery rate is slow, but the 2 ft diameter gives you storage capacity to keep from pumping dry when cycling the electric jet pump. On the hand wells, they're just 4" diameter so you don't have the storage capacity but it's hard to overpump it by hand,
 
I grow garlic. It's so much better than the Chinese **** that most grocery stores carry. I have raised garden beds but I'm sure you can use pots. Here in the Midwest we plant after the first frost, usually late October. I would buy a few heads from a local farmers market, the bigger the better. Then you plant each clove separately, pointed end up. It's easy.

I'm going to look into this ASAP. I'm sure if I get big enough pots it'll be doable. And I love my garlic.
 
I'm going to look into this ASAP. I'm sure if I get big enough pots it'll be doable. And I love my garlic.

Once my four season room is complete, the herb garden goes in there.
 
Once my four season room is complete, the herb garden goes in there.

I just measured little patio I mentioned, it's pretty tight. 7.5' long but not even 4' across (really it's just a BBQ area) and I'm gonna need some room to walk around a little bit as well. Hmm, I'm sure just starting with garlic and herbs will be okay and just go from there.
 
Short of a broad based nuclear attack I don't think we'll be without power or water for any length of time in my lifetime.

That said we have a well. Our heat is propane. We live near a bunch of farms and I could grow stuff if I have to. So as long as we don't go broke (which we could someday from buying propane) we'll be able to survive.

I do think a lot about getting a gun. I don't like them and have never touched one, but this trend toward violent rioting and looting these days is concerning me. I don't care about my stuff, don't need most of it and that's what insurance is for. But I do worry about my family's safety.
 
Short of a broad based nuclear attack I don't think we'll be without power or water for any length of time in my lifetime.

That said we have a well. Our heat is propane. We live near a bunch of farms and I could grow stuff if I have to. So as long as we don't go broke (which we could someday from buying propane) we'll be able to survive.

I do think a lot about getting a gun. I don't like them and have never touched one, but this trend toward violent rioting and looting these days is concerning me. I don't care about my stuff, don't need most of it and that's what insurance is for. But I do worry about my family's safety.

Today's toxic environment is driving record gun sales. May as well get your license and have one for safety.
 
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