Self-Reliance Challenge – Intro & Info
So, here we go! May 1, time to start the self-reliance challenge. I haven’t written in an intro since I first started the blog. I’m Robin. I’m married to Steve and we’re parents to two grown women, Kristin and Taylor.
We’re empty nesters now so the amount of work that goes into feeding my family is a lot smaller than when we started homesteading in 1990. I’m a writer, baker and Chef Robin on Big Wild Radio. My segment on the show is on The Fire, recipes from scratch. I’m 50something years old, love the outdoors, gardening, hunting, fishing, photography, riding backwoods roads, wild harvesting and cooking. Steve works off the homestead. My family had a garden and we picked mushrooms and berries. Steve’s family is on the coast, and he grew up lobstering and digging clams.
We live on 45 acres of forest in the middle of nowhere, rural Maine. We’ve raised chickens, ducks, turkeys, goats, horses, cattle (milk and meat), pigs and meat rabbits. We’re down to chickens and ducks for eggs and meat, and occasionally turkeys we keep for about four months. I grow most of our vegetables in a 1,000 square foot high tunnel. We have a small orchard with pear, plum, hazelnut (<–not yet producing), and apple and cherry trees. In addition to the few apple trees we planted we have approximately 40 wild trees we tend for wildlife and personal use.
I’ve been away from the blog other than recipes from the show while I write a book. Lisa’s invitation to the self reliance challenge was the incentive to get busy here.
My Self-Reliance Challenge for the week
This week I need to make a change in my laundry routine, bake bread, compare firewood prices, and do some gardening.
Follow along as we share posts to help you:
- Save money and energy
- Raise animals for meat, eggs, and dairy
- Grow fresh food in your own garden and orchard
- Cook healthy meals from scratch
- Hunt and fish to provide for your table
- Create your own bath and body products
- Preserve the bounty of your homestead
- Forage for wild edibles and medicinal plants
- Provide a healthy life for your family and pets
- Take on DIY and home craft projects
- Prepare for emergencies
- Live an abundantly simple life!
We would love to have you join the challenge and share your own steps to self sufficiency . Leave a comment with your self reliance methods, tips, goals, and dreams! Be sure to visit the other bloggers and read about their self reliance journey this month!
AnnMarie – 15 Acre Homestead
Nancy – Nancy On The Homefront
Kathi – Oak Hill Homestead
Robin – A Life in the Wild
Candy – Candy’s Farm House Pantry
Farmgal – Just another Day on the Farm
Ashley – Practical Self Reliance
ShawnaLee – Homegrown Self Reliance
Frank – My Green Terra
Lisa Lynn – The Self Sufficient HomeAcre
Lisa Lynn
I need to bake bread too! I’m looking forward to reading about your self reliance projects, Robin. 🙂
Robin
I’m glad you invited me! Thank you! I’ll be baking bread on Friday and will have lots of pics and the recipe.
Kathi
Hi Robin, This is the first time I’ve visited your blog. I’m looking forward to reading about your progress as we go through the challenge.
We lived on the Maine coast in the early 90’s, so I’m loving your photos.
Robin
Thanks for visiting! I’ll be over to see you soon. I do love Maine. I’ll be out and about today and will take some scenery photos to share with you.
Frank - MyGreenTerra
Hi Robin, Greetings from South Africa! Sounds like you have a great property for homesteading! I don’t know too much about Maine, so I look forward to reading about your progress on the challenge!
Robin
How exciting to have you here from South Africa. I’ve always, always dreamed of going there. I can’t wait to learn more from your blog. It’s loading in the background right now so I’ll see you there in just a sec.
Lisa Lynn
Thanks for joining the challenge, Robin! I’m looking forward to reading about your goals. 🙂
Dawn Rae
I’m Dawn. I’m 50something with two grown boys, two DILs, and three gorgeous grandbabies. I’m living just outside of Baltimore but I own four acres and a hunting cabin in West Virginia. I am working to move to my land as soon as possible. Unfortunately, that’s not very soon. Meanwhile, I live vicariously through homesteader’s blogs and go camping on my land as much as possible. Self-sufficient living will be easier to do when I live up there. For now, I’m trying to live as frugally as possible, keep my sanity living on the edge of a city, and doing as much as I can to get close to debt-free so I can move. I do blog a little bit about The Shack… but not as much as I would like as my job is consuming. Thank you Robin for the list of other homesteaders. I look forward to visiting their sites.
Maria Zannini
I joined Lisa’s Challenge at the last minute, but I’m glad I’m here.
We’ve been self reliant since the 80s, always adding a little more to our repertoire of skills and methods. It’s so nice to meet other like-minded people.
Nancy
Looking forward to following along with the challenge. Nice to find your blog!
Ann Marie
Hello Robin!
This is my first time on your blog! I am glad you are part of the challenge also! Living on so much property must be so peaceful and serene! Looking forward to your posts throughout the challenge!
Val
Hi, I am looking forward to reading your post over the next month, glad you joined the challenge.
I am currently in Ontario and have visited your lovely state now a time or two, truly beautiful country you live in.