| I have been asked many times about how I | | | | use a shallow well and cisterns for all water for |
| came to live a plain and simple life, and I am often | | | | humans and livestock. We also started eating wild |
| asked how one begins living a self-reliant lifestyle. | | | | meats. |
| How does one transition from living a "virtual life" | | | | 1992: Sold business to concentrate on farming and |
| to a "real" life rooted in the reality of simplicity. In | | | | living more in tune with nature's rhythms. Built |
| this article I'll share with you how my life was | | | | pond and stocked with fish. |
| changed, and the basic steps one needs to take | | | | Began commercial farming of free-range poultry |
| to begin this challenging journey. | | | | and did on-farm slaughter. |
| But, before I go into this subject very far I want | | | | 1993: Began developing berry picking trails and |
| to make an important point: The "Simple life" is | | | | wildlife habitat improvements. Started making hay. |
| NOT simple. It is actually the "complex and highly | | | | Got family dairy cow and started raising beef |
| involved life". Everything you do takes more | | | | cattle. Began preparing area for commercial |
| thought, more planning, more action and more | | | | market garden. |
| knowledge. You do not decide to start living this | | | | 1994: Added 1000 egg layers to our operation, |
| life and just take the plunge. | | | | started drying food and making jerky. |
| You start out one step at a time. There are | | | | 1995: Began income sharing community and also |
| many steps and they can be taken in any order. | | | | started milking goats for our own use. Started |
| If you want to live the "simple life" you can began | | | | doing farm tours and demonstrating my |
| anywhere. Here is an example of a typical | | | | production methods. Wrote Free-Range Poultry |
| scenario. | | | | book and started teaching courses. |
| Let's say you are buying bread from the grocery | | | | 1999: Bought Kitchen Queen wood cook stove |
| store. A first step could be to buy a book on | | | | and expanded our range of wood cooking; also |
| bread making, purchase some whole wheat flour | | | | heated water with wood. |
| and make your own bread, using a bread making | | | | 2002: Moved to more remote 175 acres in |
| machine. | | | | Missouri and I am learning how to farm all over |
| After you have done that a few times and found | | | | again in a new eco-system. Planting more |
| a recipe you like you might decide to begin to | | | | perennials and developing foraging trails. |
| knead your bread by hand. Then your next step | | | | Researching and breeding open pollinated |
| might be to buy a grain grinder, purchase some | | | | vegetable varieties; growing bananas and citrus |
| whole wheat berries, grind your own flour, knead | | | | fruits in our atrium. |
| your bread by hand and bake your bread. If you | | | | Worked a lot on solving family problems involving |
| want to go all the way you can buy some seed | | | | my aging parents and recovering from the stress |
| and learn how too grow your own wheat. Each | | | | involved in that. A wasted year self-reliant wise, |
| step along the way you will become more | | | | but my lifestyle saved me (a story for another |
| knowledgeable, more self reliant and less | | | | time). |
| dependent on the "virtual world". | | | | 2003: Continuing to learn about Missouri farming |
| This is just an example. You can start anywhere. | | | | and how a river adds to my life. Once again ready |
| Just remember, the first step for one may be | | | | to consider community members and expanding |
| the last step for another. | | | | our on-farm business Back40Books and our |
| How it Happened for Linda and Me | | | | on-farm research. |
| As they say about all the successful musicians I | | | | 2004: Continuing to expand and dug a cache pit |
| was an overnight success at "homesteading and | | | | for our root vegetables (filled it with sawdust and |
| farming". Yeah, really! Here are the facts: | | | | it worked beautifully; had prior year's firm |
| My 1st thoughts about getting "Back to the Land": | | | | potatoes into July). |
| 1974; I left corporate life, read a lot and dreamed | | | | 2005: Purchased HD video and DVD production |
| a lot more. | | | | equipment to begin production of "self-sufficiency" |
| I finally began to put some ideas into practice in | | | | and "how-to" videos. |
| 1975. | | | | 2006: Began research of further uses of Autumn |
| I Lived in a converted sheep shed in metropolitan | | | | Berry fruits, Jerusalem Artichokes and Wine |
| Columbus Ohio; met Linda, worked as a | | | | Berries. I Applied for a commercial horticulture |
| handyman with Linda's help. | | | | license and seed production license. |
| 1976: Planted a small garden (had gardened since | | | | 2007: Continuing DVD production, major expansion |
| age 8) | | | | of , our site for self-reliant living and country folks; |
| 1980: Moved to country; began canning and | | | | started sales of seed tubers and wine berry |
| freezing | | | | plants. Ate fresh foraged greens all winter long as |
| 1982: Started heating with wood cut from | | | | well as goat chicken and turkeys we grew and |
| Grandmother's farm | | | | slaughtered and we ate wild raccoon, armadillo, |
| 1978-1990: Combined growing home based | | | | deer and opossum. |
| business and homesteading; Linda went back to | | | | So, this is the simple road to simple living. So far, |
| school getting a degree in psychology; we were | | | | it has taken me 28 years to learn what I know |
| both learning more basic skills. | | | | and I will never be finished learning. |
| 1990: We bought 160 acre Locust Grove Farm in | | | | One other thing: Did I mention the, TV? I long ago |
| Southern Ohio; began foraging and growing | | | | put the TV to bed, no time and no interest. |
| chickens and turkeys for eggs and meat. Cut | | | | Today about all I see is the Weather Channel |
| 6-10 cords of firewood per year and split from | | | | when I am on the road presenting at shows, and |
| our own woods. No back-up heat system. We | | | | an occasional educational DVD. |