The Everything Guide to Living Off the Grid (45 page)
Read The Everything Guide to Living Off the Grid Online
Authors: Terri Reid
Remember, you can accomplish whatever you set out to do. It’s within your reach—you just need to take the first step.
APPENDIX A
Recommended Reading
Although this book has touched on many different ideas to help you move off the grid, there are a number of sources that can offer you much more detail in specific areas of interest. Here are some books you should have in your library, magazines you should subscribe to or get from your library, and a list of websites to help you as you make your move off-grid.
Books
Bingham, Rita.
Passport to Survival: 12 Steps to Self-Sufficient Living
. Edmond, OK, Natural Meals Publishing, 1999.
Bubel, Mike, and Nancy Bubel.
Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits & Vegetables.
North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing, 1991.
Emery, Carla.
The Encyclopedia of Country Living
. Seattle: Sasquatch Books, 2008.
Gehring, Abigail.
Back to Basics: A Complete Guide to Traditional Skills.
New York: Skyhorse Publishing, 2008.
Mabey, Richard.
The New Age Herbalist
. London: Gaia Books Ltd,. 1988.
Raymond, Dick.
Garden Way’s Joy of Gardening
. Charlotte, VT: Garden Way, 1982.
Rogers, Marc.
Saving Seeds: The Gardener’s Guide to Growing and Storing Vegetable and Flower Seeds.
North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing, 1990.
Sammataro, Diana, and Alphonse Avitabile.
The Beekeeper’s Handbook
. Ithaca, NY: Comstock Publishing Associates, Cornell University Press, 1998.
Stevens, James Talmage.
Making the Best of Basics: Family Preparedness Handbook
. Salt Lake City: Peton Corp., 1997.
Magazines
Backwoods Home
—
www.backwoodshome.com
MaryJane’s Farm: The Everyday Organic Lifestyle Magazine
—
www.maryjanesfarm.org
Hobby Farms
—
www.hobbyfarms.com
Websites
Timebomb2000—
www.timebomb2000.com
The Survival Mom—
http://thesurvivalmom.com
Provident Living—
www.providentliving.org
Off Grid Survival—
http://offgridsurvival.com
The Frugal Squirrel—
www.frugalsquirrels.com
The Gentle Survivalist—
http://site.infowest.com/business/g/gentle/siteindex.html
Prepared Society—
www.preparedsociety.com/forum
APPENDIX B
Government Resources
The Home Safety Council
www.homesafetycouncil.org/index.asp
Center for International Disaster Information
Ready.gov
State of Washington Emergency Preparedness
www.doh.wa.gov/phepr/factsheets.htm
FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency)
The CDC Emergency Preparedness and Response
Natural Resources Research Information Pages
www4.ncsu.edu/~leung/agusa.html
Index
Addictions, 273–74
Adzuki beans, 176
Alluvial fans, 37
Animal manure, 66
Animals.
See
Hunting; Processing meat; Raising livestock
Antifreeze poisoning precaution, 221
Appliances, helpful, 181–82
Aromatherapy herbs, 195
Artesian aquifers, 35
Asian beetles, 230–31
Asparagus, harvesting, 69
Avalanches, 37
Bank financing, 38
Barley, 173
Barn cats, 220–22
Barns, 119
Bartering, 26–28
Basil, 191, 229, 265
Bats, 226
Battery arrays/banks, 54
Beans (snap), harvesting, 70
Beans and legumes, 176–79, 183, 229, 265
Bears, 225–26
Beekeeping, 105–13
common problems, 111–12
diseases, pests and, 112
equipment, 107–8
gathering honey, 112
installing packaged bees, 109–10
legal requirements, 113
managing hives, 110–11
purchasing bees, 108–9
queen cages, 109
seasonal duties, 110–11
site requirements, 106–7
stings and, 111
swarming control, 111
virtues of honey and, 184–85
Beets, 70, 95
Berry bushes and wild berries, 79–83
Biomass options, 58–59
Bird predators, 225
Black beans, 177
Blackberries, 80–81, 83
Black-eyed peas, 177
Blueberries, 81–82
Body care, herbs for, 193–94
Borage, 229
Bottled water, 2
Bottom boards, 107
Botulism toxin, 86, 117
Bowhunting, 135–37
Bramble berries, 80–81
Broccoli, 102
Broccoli, harvesting, 70
Brussels sprouts, harvesting, 70
Budget.
See also
Debt; Income
cost of off-grid living and, 24–25
creating, 15–17
priorities and goals to live within, 18–20
sticking to, 18
Building shelters, 41–42
Bulgur, 171
Burdock root, 194
Butchering animals.
See
Processing meat
Cabbage, 94, 95, 229
Cabbage, harvesting, 70
Caliber of firearms, 133
Camp stoves, 242
Candles, 250, 257
Canine distemper, 226–27
Canning food.
See
Preserving food
Caraway, 189, 229
Carrots, 70, 94, 95, 229
Castrating animals, 120
Catnip, 194
Cats, 220–22
Cattail pollen, 196–97
Cattle, raising, 126–27
Cauliflower, harvesting, 70
Cellular phones, 5–6, 239
Chamomile, 194, 229
Charcoal fuel, 243–44
Chard.
See
Swiss chard
Charge controllers, 54
Chickens, raising, 121–22.
See also
Poultry, processing
Chickpeas, 177
Chives, 191, 229
“Civilization,” access to, 6.
See als
o Community building
Cold frames, 64–65
Comfrey, 194
Community building, 48–49, 258
Community-supported agriculture (CSAs) operations, 267–68
Companion planting, 228–29
Composting, 68–69
Container gardening, 259–65
Cooking supplies, 180–81
Coriander, 229
Corn
harvesting, 70
heating with, 55
for pantry, 173
planting, 63
popcorn, 173
Cow Power (biomass), 58–59
Cows
butchering, 165–67
raising, 126–27
Coyotes, 224–25
Crafts sales, 29–31
Credit score, 14
Cucumbers, 70, 265
Debt, 11–21
avoiding, off-grid living and, 20–21
budget to eliminate.
See
Budget
car purchases and, 15
credit score and, 14
disadvantages of, 12
good vs. bad, 14–15
importance of eliminating, 11
interest pros and cons, 13–14
statistics, 12
what it is, 12
Dehorning animals, 120
Diatomaceous earth, 227
Diet, 271–73
Dill, 90, 91, 191, 196, 229
Distemper, 226–27
Document storage, 251
Dogs, 214–15.
See also
Canine distemper
Drying food, 89–90
Ducks, raising, 123.
See also
Poultry, processing
Eagles, 225
Earthquake faults, 36
Eggplant, 70, 80–81, 261
Eggs, 121–22, 123
Elderberries, 82–83
Emergency preparedness, 235–51
cooking methods and supplies, 241–44
food and supplements, 244–45
heat, 240–41
light sources, 248–51
maintaining your strength, 245
medicines, 247–48
personal documents and money, 239, 251
pet toolkit, 239
72-hour kits, 236–39
survival essentials, 182–86
water, 245–47
Energy, reducing use, 8.
See also
Power supplies
Exercising, 9–10, 270–71
Extension System, 28
Family needs, 43–50
about: overview of, 43
community, 48–49, 258
health insurance, 47–48
legal advice, 49–50
schooling and support, 45–46
socialization issues, 44
support groups and assistance, 46–47
Farmer’s markets, 28–29, 266–67
Fats, 185–86
FeLV/FIV testing, 221
Fences, 119
Fennel, 229
Finances.
See also
Budget; Debt; Income
cost of off-grid living and, 24–25
emergency kits, 239
paying for property (financing options), 37–39
raising livestock and, 117–18
reasons for off-grid living, 3
Firearms, 132–35
Fireplaces, 55
Fishing, 137–39
Flashlights, 248–50
Floodplains, 36
Flour, 171
Flying pests, 230–33.
See also
Bird predators
Food
CSAs for, 267–68
diet and, 271–73
emergency cooking, 241–44
emergency supplies, 244–45
growing, 254.
See also
Gardens; Herbs; Orchards; Raising livestock
local/organic, 28–29, 265–70
processing animals.
See
Poultry, processing; Processing meat
seeds for.
See
Seeds
self-sufficiency and, 9
72-hour kits, 236–37
storing.
See
Pantry items; Preserving food; Root cellars
supplements, 245
Freezing food, 91–92
Front quarter, 155–56
Fruit.
See
Orchards
Furnace with backup, 241
Game, hunting.
See
Hunting; Hunting procedures; Processing meat
Gardens, 61–72, 228–29, 264.
See also
Seeds
about: overview of, 61
arranging plants, 62
climate zones and, 63
companion planting, 228–29
composting, 68–69
container, 259–65
getting started, 9
greenhouses and cold frames for, 63–65
green manure for, 66
harvesting (vegetable-specific guidelines), 69–72
harvesting for root cellar, 94–95
irrigation and graywater systems, 205–7, 262–63
local food and, 28–29, 265–70
locating, 62
marketing produce from, 28–29, 266–67
microclimates and, 35
organic produce, 29
planning, 62–63
planting, 67–68, 263–64
preparing land, 65–66
raised bed, 62
shared, 9
soil pH and nutrients, 65, 263
storing food from.
See
Preserving food; Root cellars
what to plant, 63
when to plant, 63
Garlic, 70, 196, 228, 229
Gauge of firearms, 134
Geese, raising, 123.
See also
Poultry, processing
Geographical perks, 35–36
Geographical warning signs, 36–37
Geothermal power, 52–53
Gluten, 171–72
Goals
creating off-grid plan, 275–78
guidelines for, 19–20, 275–76
long-term, 20
short-term, 19
Goats, raising, 126
Grains, 170–76.
See also specific grains
Grapes, 80
Graywater systems, 206–7, 256
Great Northern beans, 177
Greenhouses, 63–64
Green manure, 66
Growing food, 254.
See also
Gardens; Herbs; Orchards; Raising livestock
Guns (firearms), 132–35
Hair care, herbs for, 194
Hawks, 225
Health care, 5
Health insurance, 47–48
Heating.
See
Power supplies
Herbs, 187–97
about: overview of, 187
beauty and home care uses, 193–95
benefits of, 188–89
common, for culinary uses, 191–92
compresses and poultices, 192–93
food uses, 189–92
growing, garden for, 188–89
harvesting, 190
health uses, 192–93
historical perspective, 188
infusions and decoctions, 192
insect control, 228–29, 264
medicinal uses, 195–96
tinctures, 193
wild, 196–97
Hides, tanning, 166
Hindquarter, 154–55
Hives.
See
Beekeeping
Homeschooling, 45–46
Honey, 184–85.
See also
Beekeeping
Hoof trimming, 120
Housing
building your own, 41–42
temporary options, 39–41
Hunting, 129–49.
See also
Hunting procedures; Processing meat
alligators, 141
bowhunting, 135–37
considerations for, 129
education programs, 130–32
equipment, 132–40
firearms for, 132–35
fishing and, 137–39
game care kit, 147
general knowledge requirements, 131
involvement, 132
knowing your quarry (markings, sounds, movement, behavior), 130
licenses, 140–41
minimizing wild flavor of meat, 149
preparing for, 130–32
responsibility, 131
“rule of first blood,” 137
safety skills, 131
snares and traps for, 139–40
