Author Topic: learning new skills  (Read 519 times)

Brosia

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learning new skills
« on: November 13, 2008, 04:48:57 PM »
I've been spending the past few days at Homesteading web sites (it's been really quiet at work, gotta put my  time to some use!).

 I've been researching gardening and composting, making a 55 gallon drum into a stove, raising chickens and small livestock, bee keeping, growing small citrus trees, solar power, canning,preserving,dehydrating, guns and hunting, skinning and slaughtering, herbal medicines, teas from trees, water collection and storage, basic first aid, fishing.....

I have a ton of new "old" skills to learn. 

Publius

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Re: learning new skills
« Reply #1 on: November 13, 2008, 04:57:57 PM »
I would love the luxury of living with, learning and helping the Amish for year. The amount of knowledge would be great. This is a pipe dream of course :greet009:

Dame

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Re: learning new skills
« Reply #2 on: November 13, 2008, 06:12:40 PM »
Why is it a pipe dream? 
You do not like the life style?
Your family situation is that someone else would not see it as a positive experience?
You asked them and they said no?...
The above are retorical based on your statements, not really anyones business but your own unless you feel like it.
« Last Edit: November 13, 2008, 06:17:32 PM by Dame »

Atash Hagmahani

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Re: learning new skills
« Reply #3 on: November 13, 2008, 07:44:03 PM »
Good show. Just remember, to keep from getting overloaded and overwhelmed, that you really can't do everything. Division of labor has necessarily existed at any level above hunting and gathering!

Unfortunately in the USA we have a mythology of pioneers who were ruggedly individualistic and self-sufficient.

It never happened. Anyone with an appreciation for REAL history (what was life REALLY like?), knows that most pioneers were credit junkies just like their now massively-indebted descendants.

Farmers, for example, typically borrowed money, planted a crop, bought goods (mostly imported, by the way, even then, it's just that they came from Europe not Asia) from the local store on credit or making payments (it was more informal then, but they had consumer credit then as now), and then would pay back their loans from proceeds from the crop. Average people were poor due to their own lack of financial sophistication; the rich were the bankers and merchants.

Ironically, the farmers were ruined if either their crop failed, or if on the other hand there was a bumper-crop and prices plunged! Commodity markets were invented to smooth out the cycles, but the government had to come in with its commodity price support programs, which were a catastrophe.

Concentrate on those skills that will put the food on the table, and maybe one craft or skill to trade (see the "what is money" post in Money).
We're running out of petroleum. Are you ready?

Learn about food self-sufficiency and food security at New World Seeds & Tubers.

Ryder

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Re: learning new skills
« Reply #4 on: November 13, 2008, 10:28:03 PM »
Even hunter gatherers had division of labor. When the native Americans harvested a buffalo one crew worked the hides and another crew worked up the meat and everybody prospered. Observing or reading about someone else doing something only goes part way. To actualy learn something I need to do it. If this is planting a big garden...great. But you can also plant a pot of cherry tomatoes on the front porch and eat food you have grown. Some of my best memories are of doing and learning things that I will always know.
Gotta learn how to knit socks and mittens if you want to survive in montana.

Dame

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Re: learning new skills
« Reply #5 on: November 15, 2008, 12:22:32 AM »
Having the skills, acquired over many decades from many generous and gifted teachers, often informally and free of charge is one of the things in my life for which I am grateful.  Having the time and energy to actually use more than a few during any period of time is not something I have ever been able to manage. 

Just for laughs, I am good at concrete work, I weigh 107 lbs.  I avoid it like the plague and bite my tongue whenever I hire someone else to do it.  Then I secretly redo the finish float after they leave with the tools I keep hidden.

Ryder

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Re: learning new skills
« Reply #6 on: November 15, 2008, 02:04:38 PM »
Dame you would be a good member in a tribe. You have skills and don't eat to much or take up too much room :laughing002:
Gotta learn how to knit socks and mittens if you want to survive in montana.

Dame

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Re: learning new skills
« Reply #7 on: November 15, 2008, 04:58:40 PM »
About my tribe, the skinny old women run on about 3600 calories per day.  About the same intake as a standard front line combat soldier.  This is why I am so interested in food.

Publius

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Re: learning new skills
« Reply #8 on: November 15, 2008, 06:01:26 PM »
Dame, let me throw you about 40 lbs. That's 140,000 calories at 3500 a pound  :laughing002: I wish I was running around. I was out in the desert for four weeks and I went from 240 to 225 and I ate like a damn horse too. Running around in 40 lbs of armor then you add a helmet weapon and water and ammo load, I probably tipped the scales at 320 lbs or more. I got hurt and slowly but surely back to 240.

 

anything