We are living the reality of food self-sufficiency and it’s not what you would think.

0:00 New farm animal additions, turkey tractor
1:39 How we remove cover crops in the garden
3:42 Planting over 100 tomatoes and peppers
6:06 I’ve never trellised this before!
7:59 Planting a year’s supply of sweet corn
11:39 Canning strawberry jam
14:02 Completely devastated
17:29 Freeze drying strawberries
17:53 Update on losses and steps I’m taking to remedy the problem
21:45 Finished strawberries and how I store them
23:01 Following through on solutions

Links below include affiliate links

~The BEST freeze dryer (we have a medium size with oil pump): https://affiliates.harvestright.com/1290.html

~Lemony Strawberry Jam RECIPE comes from this book: https://amzn.to/3addbeM

~Vacuum Sealer: https://amzn.to/3O5RTi3

~Canning Jar Sealer (used with a vacuum sealer): https://www.rootsandharvest.com/product/canning-jar-sealer/canning-accessories

~Tomato Trellis String: https://amzn.to/3O60RvJ

~Egg incubator: https://amzn.to/3zc3Pu3

~I buy my cover crop seeds here: https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=1849618&u=3077997&m=115344&urllink=&afftrack=

~Garden hat: https://amzn.to/3wrlfkR

~Shop my favorite things: https://www.theseasonalhomestead.com/shop-my-favorite-things/

~Earthway Seeder (not my favorite but it’s budget friendly and easier than planting by hand): https://amzn.to/3x8ck8c

~Overalls: https://dovetailworkwear.com/collections/overalls-for-women/products/freshley-overalls-in-saddle-brown?variant=39247079833634

~Music: https://www.epidemicsound.com/referral/5slh1q

2022 is the year to start your journey to self sufficiency! Our resident self-sufficient guru Wren has come up with her recommendation of 11 steps to starting your self sufficient journey. It won’t be easy, but nothing worthwhile is! Share your journey and tips in the comments below- we love to hear from you!

Original Article: https://insteading.com/blog/self-sufficient-living/

0:00 Intro
0:39 What is Self Sufficiency Even?
1:38 Step 1- Garden
4:22 Step 2- Save Your Seeds
5:10 Step 3- Pick Your Staple
6:10 Step 4- Breed Your Protein
7:52 Step 5- Feed Your Animals
8:44 Step 6- Prepare for Winter
9:31 Step 7- Water Supply
10:18 Step 8- Get Out of Debt
10:47 Step 9- Change Your Mindset
12:16 Step 10- Face Your Addictions
13:04 Step 11- Manage Your Waste
14:01 Is Self Sufficiency Actually Possible
16:16 Books To Read

Not Sponsored or Affiliate- these books are just personal favorites!

Books Mentioned:
The Complete Book of Self-Sufficiency -John Seymour (https://archive.org/details/TheCompleteBookOfSelfSufficiency_726)
Self Sufficiency Handbook–Alan Bridgewater (https://archive.org/details/selfsufficiencyh0000brid/page/6/mode/2up)
Cottage Economy–William Cobbett (https://archive.org/details/cottageeconomy0000cobb)
The Complete Herbal Handbook for Farm and Stable: The only animal care book I recommend in terms of self-sufficiency. Juliette is super old-school and teaches methods of animal care from materials you can grow and forage on your land. Almost all modern books entirely rely on store-bought minerals, feed, and medicine. (https://archive.org/details/completeherbalha0000bair)
The Foxfire Series: A huge treasure trove of stories, diagrams, and anecdotes from the self-reliant Appalachians, documented and preserved before their wisdom disappeared with them (https://archive.org/search.php?query=creator%3A%22Wigginton%2C+Eliot%22)
Bittersweet: An Ozark version of the Foxfire project entirely available online (https://thelibrary.org/lochist/periodicals/bittersweet/toc.htm)
The Scythe Book: Cut, harvest, and cure your own hay without any machines.(https://scythesupply.com/the-scythe-book.html)
Liquid Gold: Turn urine into a resource, not waste (http://www.liquidgoldbook.com/)
The Humanure Handbook: The go-to guide for safely composting human waste into soil fertility (http://humanurehandbook.com/contents.html)
Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs: A good start for knowing and growing your own medicinal herbs (http://www.amazon.com/dp/1612120059/?tag=nfthmstd-20)
The Forager’s Harvest, Nature’s Garden, Incredible Wild Edibles: The BEST foraging books I’ve ever found (https://archive.org/details/ForagersHarvest/Disc+2.mkv)
30 Plants That Can Save Your Life, The Backyard Medicine Chest, Douglas Schar (https://www.amazon.com/Backyard-Medicine-Chest-Herbal-Primer/dp/1880216280)
Back to Basics (Note: The Homesteading title in this series is, in my opinion, NOT worth the purchase) (http://www.amazon.com/dp/1602392331/?tag=nfthmstd-20)
Tanks, Cisterns, Aquifers, and Ponds: Ways to store off-grid water (http://www.amazon.com/dp/0964343363/?tag=nfthmstd-20)
Create an Oasis with Greywater: Ways to use greywater as a resource, not waste (http://www.amazon.com/dp/0964343339/?tag=nfthmstd-20)
The Bread Builders: Sourdough is the way to go! (https://www.chelseagreen.com/product/the-bread-builders/)
Preserving Food without Freezing or Canning (http://www.amazon.com/dp/1933392592/?tag=nfthmstd-20)
Stocking Up (http://www.amazon.com/dp/0878571671/?tag=nfthmstd-20)
The Art of Fermentation (http://www.amazon.com/dp/160358286X/?tag=nfthmstd-20)
The Art of Natural Cheesemaking (http://www.amazon.com/dp/1603585788/?tag=nfthmstd-20)
Basic Butchering of Livestock and Game (http://www.amazon.com/dp/0882663917/?tag=nfthmstd-20)
Edible Forest Gardens, Book I and II (http://www.amazon.com/dp/1890132608/?tag=nfthmstd-20)
Heirloom Life Gardener (http://www.amazon.com/dp/1401324398/?tag=nfthmstd-20)
The Complete Vegetable and Herb Gardener (http://www.amazon.com/dp/0028620054/?tag=nfthmstd-20)
Permaculture, a Designers Manual (https://www.permaculturedesignersmanual.com/store)
Restoration Agriculture (http://www.amazon.com/dp/1601730357/?tag=nfthmstd-20)
Keeping Warm With an Axe (https://www.allbookstores.com/Keeping-Warm-With-Woodcutter-Handbook/9780876635520)
Seed To Seed (https://archive.org/details/seedtoseedseedsa0000ashw)
Nourishing Traditions (https://archive.org/details/nourishingtradit0000fall)