Reason for trying to be self-sufficient: because you feel you have to or because you enjoy it?

[spector]

I always call myself a semi-prepper, because I am not "hard core" about the whole thing. I was thinking about it today, as I was transplanting a wild rose and thinking that a "real" prepper would not be wasting time on flowers. I realized that I practice self-sufficiency because I really have fun doing it, not because I feel like it will save my life some day. I am on a couple of sites where I think people are way too wrapped up in stressing about TEOWAWKI to enjoy their homestead and the practice of figuring out how to do things that take advantage of the free resources all around us (wild edibles, rain water, etc). I was almost surprised, when the shut downs hit, to realize that I was just fine, because I have ample supplies of what I need around me, and some spare to give to friends and family. I hadn't been planning for it, it just happened organically because I like to have such systems in place. Today, I am working out how to finally set up a rainwater catchment system for this winter, not because I am worried that my well will run dry (I am actually thinking about having a new and better well put in, since this old dog was put in about 50 years ago and pumps an incredible 2-3 gallons per minute. [And no, I did not forget a zero in there.]) but because I like to experiment and want to see how much rain I can catch and use in my garden next summer. No stress, no worries, no sense of urgency, just having fun with the process. I am not sure if my attitude makes me less genuine as a prepper, or more genuine, but either way, I think it keeps my blood pressure down.

 

[DTK]

spector, I pretty much agree. I grow veggies etc for the fun of it and for the satisfaction it gives me when I bring food into the house. As I type this I can smell beetroot being boiled on the stove and my wife will either pickle it or serve it as a hot vegetable. I have quite a lot of storage tank water capacity so in tough times we are OK, but I am not doing it to be off-grid (although some of that appeals to me).

 

[Brassier]

I do not yet have a garden in place so can't answer it based on personal experience yet but I like the idea of being prepared with food stocks on hand and gardens set up in case something in the world goes completely sideways. I do hope though that it stays more of a hobby than actually specifically necessary though.

 

[Marika]

The moment I realised that we hadn’t bought tomatoes from the store in 3 seasons was the moment that I fell in love with self-sufficiency. And it has driven me to see what else I can be self-sufficient in, like a challenge - but a really fun one!
So it’s definitely not something that I feel like I HAVE to do, more like something that inspires me to be even better at it.
We are by no means off grid, we don’t have solar, our rainwater tanks aren’t even set up to pump. I just find peace and, contentment and pride that I can contribute in the best way possible to our diets and wellbeing.

 

[Vicky]

I always call myself a semi-prepper, because I am not "hard core" about the whole thing. I was thinking about it today, as I was transplanting a wild rose and thinking that a "real" prepper would not be wasting time on flowers. I realized that I practice self-sufficiency because I really have fun doing it, not because I feel like it will save my life some day. I am on a couple of sites where I think people are way too wrapped up in stressing about TEOWAWKI to enjoy their homestead and the practice of figuring out how to do things that take advantage of the free resources all around us (wild edibles, rain water, etc). I was almost surprised, when the shut downs hit, to realize that I was just fine, because I have ample supplies of what I need around me, and some spare to give to friends and family. I hadn't been planning for it, it just happened organically because I like to have such systems in place. Today, I am working out how to finally set up a rainwater catchment system for this winter, not because I am worried that my well will run dry (I am actually thinking about having a new and better well put in, since this old dog was put in about 50 years ago and pumps an incredible 2-3 gallons per minute. [And no, I did not forget a zero in there.]) but because I like to experiment and want to see how much rain I can catch and use in my garden next summer. No stress, no worries, no sense of urgency, just having fun with the process. I am not sure if my attitude makes me less genuine as a prepper, or more genuine, but either way, I think it keeps my blood pressure down.

I think it's funny that the term 'prepper' is used so much these days, mostly because - as you put it - the 'hard core' preppers getting quite a bit of exposure. To me, it's a lifestyle choice, it's one that our great great grandparents lived back when there were fewer choices to be had Self sufficiency is also a newer term which just describes our forefathers practices, ones which we got disconnected from during the Industrial revolution and perhaps are now just rediscovering? Living within your means is one way of looking at it, becoming less dependant on store bought supplies and learning how to come up with different methods (again mostly from years past) that we find acceptable to our skillset/mindset and willingness to adopt is very satisfying and fulfilling isn't it? Forums like this, filled with people all doing (to some degree) the same thing are a great educational tool and a place to share experiences. I think you attitude makes you a well rounded/adjusted 'prepper' spector, and I really enjoy hearing from you and what you are doing

 

[Shellhomed]

We do it for sooo many reasons...we have a large family and one income, so growing our food is cheaper; its the most healthy option; we live a long way from a supermarket, and even further from a good one; we like to be prepared incase we find ourselves without much income, or the system breaks down in some way....and we LOVE the ĺifestyle.

If you dont plant roses and other flowers how are you going to pollinate your vegies...and besides, roses are a great source for skincare and vinegars.

 

[Clara]

I enjoy it. I only use about 15sqm of my garden space for growing food and am mostly self-sufficient. I still buy dairy, eggs, chicken and flour. But grow all the fresh food. It's the fist time in my life I've been able to eat organic, who could afford it if you were buying? I don't even use organic pesticides I just live with the odd hole in my green leaves. Who cares it all tastes good. I don't have a problem with pests for the most part anyway. I toss flower seed directly into my vege beds once the vegetables are established so they grow inbetween and make the vege garden pretty. This year I'm growing alyssum and flax in the vege patch. My beets are in the middle of the alyssum and a few lettuces too. I also dug up the middle bit of lawn in the driveway and am planting a cottage garden mix there. It should be fun.

 

[Sunflowers]

I really love gardening and always have. The fact that I can currently grow enough green vegetables for my own consumption, e.g lettuce, celtuce, leaf celery, curley leaf parsley, silverbeet, bush beans (cherokee wax), chives, and marjoram (its autumn here) is as big a buzz now as it was forty years ago when I was a gormless greenie with saanen goats trying to like goats milk. LOL. The magic never went away for me. I FEEL self sufficient.

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

I garden out of enjoyment. I started just before Covid-19 hit, and thankfully had a small headstart. This also helped me be more creative when there were food-shortages as it helped me adjust more easily. On top of that, I gained this passion when I realised granddad-in-law, with whom we live, used to work with council in the gardens and had a passion towards it as well. I figured it'd be a fun hobby for granddad to pick up once more in his old age, and since he's bought himself a couple decorative plants. And he likes to have a look at my garden when it's producing. The one plant he will tend to are passionfruit. We have used to have a couple around the property, though only one still lived until now (actually one of the newer self-seeded ones). And I've bought him a replacement one for near the patio as well, which is a specie we haven't tried before. Whilst none of us really eat it, he enjoys gifting them to his friends and it makes him happy, so I don't mind tending to them for him - and replacing them as needed

So yes, I garden for enjoyment. For mental peace. For happiness. And it came with the bonus of growing great produce we enjoy to eat.

 

[KIGardening]

The self-sufficient mentality was born a bit out of necessity as I experienced a setback in life, which meant I had to save as much dollars as possible. This was way before Covid-19 was a thing! From there I started more and more to develop a preppers mind set. No, I'm not one of those doomsday preppers. If that happens humanity is lost anyway. However, looking at the lessons from the last years and the current world status of various topics it can't hurt to be prepared as much as you can. Learn from the mistakes you make before the pressure is there not to make mistakes, especially beginners mistakes as you cannot affords it.

These days it has become more of an enjoyable lifestyle for me as it teaches you also to learn new skills, think differently, be less dependent on others and have a gratitude for how much time things take to grow/build/repair and quality of what you consume.

 

[Bushboy]

We just decided that we wanted a more self sustainable lifestyle, high inflationary periods like now where supermarkets are rorting it and putting up prices far above inflation. That really cemented my resolve to become more self sufficient in food. Plus the world seems to be going nuts, interruption to the food supply chain is a real possibility in my opinion, we saw a small taste of it during covid where basically we had to queue up like cold war Russians to buy food. That worried me a bit and the government being able to control literally everything you do is a worry also. Growing your own food is the best freedom you can have imo, govt has no control over you growing legal plants in your yard. But yeh, im not a doomsday prepper but I think its extremely pertinent to have some basic skills to make you independent.

 

[Bushboy]

I think we really need to encourage self sufficiency in society, a lot of kids growing up with mental health issues these days. People who farm or garden and are in contact with the outdoors are typically more mentally healthy than those who dont or arent. There is a satisfaction and a feeling of accomplishment in growing something to feed yourself and your family.

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

I feel like gardening can give one a sense of peace, responsibility and routine. It's also very calming to spend time in your garden and enjoying the fruits of your labour - something not often found anymore.

I still firmly stand with my opinion in April. Lots has happened, and my garden had been put on a backburner, but I always had something to turn to if I had some spare time. Having some plants that don't require much care between the higher maintenance ones has really helped me enjoy the garden, even when a lot died because I didn't have the time. My orchids are blooming, me lemonade tree is flowering and fruiting once more. Granddad's maidenhair and fern have been trimmed and are growing healthily again... It's great. It makes me happy to see the plants thrive, even with just bare minimum care.

 

[Grandmother Goose]

My daughter turned me into a grandma, and I decided seeing as I don't get any choice in the matter, I may as well emulate my grandmother, so little cottage house with a food forest for me it was to be... I'm still working on the food forest part, but I'm getting there slowly. Besides, you know how food always somehow tastes better when someone else cooks it for you, well I find that food also always seems to taste better when you grow it yourself. That's a good enough reason for me.