Movin to the country was not a big decision. We just done it! We were bound in town in a mobile home, rented lot about 50' X 120' right on a corner lot. Public housing right behind us along with some other folks around us in all the other directions. Nothin wrong with neighbors but I hated town back then and haven't grow'd any fonder since.

My older brother [not old Jeep] owned this 24 acres of farmland that had no house or anything. I told'm one day that if he wasn't gonna move on it believed that we'd just drag our old trailer down on it and "squat". He said--"Go ahead". I ask'm if he was gonna put in a well, septic, power and a driveway. I was jokin. He wasn't---said "well I rekon. Ya'll can't live there without all that." I did put in the electric---after all I was contracting electrical work. That was in 1978---we now own the farm, have a 24 X 42 shop, wired, concete floor, insulated, heated with wood and in 1994, October bought a new Amish Double Modular---set on concrete foundation and heated with Propane. We also have a big garden spot, plenty of deep well water, wild game, songbirds and trees! We are not self sufficient totally but could be in short order if need be.

Of all the modern conveniences that I think would be the toughest to give up would be grid power. That would kill all my internet contacts as well as kinda puttin a crimp in our lifestyle. I would have to have somekind of power ---for heat, waterpump, washer/dryer--etc.

What about where ya'll live? Could ya'll go selfsufficient?

Jesus is coming soon. Are you ready to meet Him? old hoot. Matt.24:44

-- old hoot gibson (hoot@pcinetwork.com), March 01, 2002

Answers

Hi Hoot, I don't know if we could be self sufficient or not. We live on 50 acres with all the modern ammenities. We do have a grove of walnut trees (alive and dead) and a wood burner. We haven't used the wood burner since we moved here 12 years ago but we still have it so if we had to we could. We have a deep well that is also artesian so we have flowing water year round. We have large gardens and I can alot of the food in it. We did have lots of meat on the hoof but no longer any cattle or hogs. We do have 3 llamas, 12 turkeys, 3 geese, 1 duck, 1 peacock and 1 rooster so we could if necessary have them for meat. Now they're all just pets but if it became necessary to eat them we wouldn't question.

Our heat is hot water radiator so as long as we have propane we can keep it going. The only electricity it takes is to run the thermostat and we have an inverter that can take care of that. We also have a generator in case the electricty is out for a few days. When we bought our new kitchen stove I made sure it was gas. The burners will work without electricity but the oven will not. Again, with propane available I can cook and the burners could help keep the kitchen warm enough for us to keep from freezing.

Are we prepared? Not really but if "it" really hit the fan I think we're prepared enough to make it. The main problem for us now is our ages. We're not old (58 and 55) but we're not as young and energetic as we used to be. We are out of debt, however, which I can't say for our kids so if they had to move back home there would be the younger generation to do the heavier work.

It's an "interesting" world we're living in. Just today in a town of around 3500 people a huge (for our area) trucking company (Umthun Trucking in Eagle Grove, IA) closed. There were alot of people working there and many will be out of work. The economy getting better like the government tells us daily.....I DON'T THINK SO!!!!

-- Anna in Iowa (countryanna54@hotmail.com), March 01, 2002.

I don't really want to be self sufficient, I have to admit. In this house, it wouldn't be easy, anyway, because we have electric stove and oven, and no generator. We are planning on remodeling in the next couple of years, and I am planning on a gas stove when we do!

We have a fireplace, and well water, where the pump is also electric, but we have an old well bucket that I could put to use if I needed to!

Over all, I think I could manage if I had to - I could cook in the fireplace, it's a larger one, not those dinky little things they put in the new houses in town that will only take a stick if it's about a foot long!

When we moved in here, I told Lance I would never move again, but I've been looking at log home plans, and our school district just expanded to the east, where there's some really nice wooded areas....

-- Christine in OK (cljford@mmcable.com), March 02, 2002.

Hi Hoot, Your place sounds wonderful. I have a question about your modular home,Is Amish a brand name or is it really made by the Amish? Do you think the insulation is as good as it would be in a house? Is a modular the same as a mobile? Im trying to buy a mobile as it would be the most economical for me. Thanks for the info.

-- Roxanne (Roxanne143@webtv.net), March 02, 2002.

Roxanna! Lets see if I can remember --The salesman told us our house was built by Amish with Amish labor. Don't really know for sure but it is built really well. Everything is on 16" centers--2 X 6 walls, 2 X 12 floor joists, 2 X 6 rafters. Loads of insulation and the workmanship is exceptional. I don't really know what the difference is between modular and sectional but suppose this probably is a sectional. Very easy to heat and cool. The name "Dutch" is the brand name. The owner sold out after we bought ours and started another company called "Hart" according to the sales manager at Mt. Vernon Dream Homes in Mt. VErnon IL.

I'm very well pleased with our home and if it was to do all over again---I'd do the same thing with just a few little changes. There IS a big difference between brands and even costs of the same brand!

Feel free to email me for more info if ya'll want. old hoot. Matt.24:44

-- old hoot gibson (hoot@pcinetwork.com), March 03, 2002.

Hoot, are you close to Mt.Vernon?We are about 150 miles S.E. of there.

-- willa (goodall6@hotmail.com), March 03, 2002.

Willa! We're about 50 miles N.E. of Mt. VErnon. Between the towns of Noble and Clay City-in the country. old hoot. Matt.24:44

-- old hoot gibson (hoot@pcinetwork.com), March 04, 2002.

Hoot, I am green green green with envy. Sounds wonderful-espec the part about trees ans birds. Karen

-- Karen (abbaskid61081@yahoo.com), March 04, 2002.

Hey Karen! Not to "gloat" too much---but--this mornin I looked out east in our field and saw five big deer. Those ornery things were mosey'n north towards the waterway. Not too many cares to occupy their minds. I watch'm for a spell and then thought of my big coffee cup that needed immediate attention! AFter all---deer watchin ain't nothin special around here anymore. They come and go at will-- sometimes creating problems with my trees, shrubs and "rose of sharon's" right next to our house. Little nose tracks on our patio door from the little dudes/dudettes. They are a nosey bunch of critters! Wished I lliked deer meat!! old hoot. Matt.24:44

-- old hoot gibson (hoot@pcinetwork.com), March 04, 2002.

Hi I really like your post We've just bought this place last year Well the bank and us We got the cheapest we could figured we could fix it up and we are got the well water running in the house broken pipes fixed the septic dug out and being it was rusted the tank itself will proably last a few more years but the top had fell in so hubby and I gathered rocks and cemented a rise and then he built a tin roof to cover it. The tin was used from the fallen down barn roof. We have many plans rebuild a barn chicken coop and shop plus fixing up this drafty house. Today we cleaned out the cellar finally its nice needs some patching and shelfs. I think we're doing good considering we work 6 days a week at time 12 hours a day. But I would love to be off grid. And I've gotten some books from the library but they are way too advanced for me Do you know of any books that would help us figure it out. Hubby He's smart and common sense Jack of trades type of man. But we're not rocket sceinctist (msp) either : ) As you can see. Hope you keep your thoughts and post coming and wishing you enough Jacque

-- Jacque (bojaq@alltel.net), March 30, 2002.