Self Sufficiency

March 02, 2022

Self Sufficiency

Creating self sufficiency these days is becoming more important than ever. Inflation, unstable economies, and changing work environments are putting pressure on all of us but especially lower and middle class families. What can you do?

I find it empowering to focus on exactly that, finding ways to navigate these challenging times by reviving solutions from the past. What did our elders and ancestors do that we can modify for our benefit?

I doing so we may find strength we didn't know we had. We may find satisfaction and even some peace of mind knowing we are not at the mercy of a tyrannical system.

One part of your strategy to put a hedge between your family and food scarcity is by keeping chickens.

No, it doesn't make your cost of eggs cheaper, but if there are no eggs at the store ( yes, that has happened recently to me) you get eggs from your chickens at least most of the year. That just gives me peace of mind.

It is easy to keep a small flock in your backyard. Check your local animal codes for your area to see how many you can have and specific location for your coup.

I have a flock of 4 ladies that supply me with up to 4 eggs on avg. a day in the peak of their laying time between April though October. I often share the excess with family members and neighbors. If you live outside city limits you can have more chickens and make a business in selling eggs.

Learning to preserve the excess to use in the non laying time is something I endeavor to learn.

My boyfriend and I learned a lot building their coup ourselves. Our chickens have their own quirky personalities and are a source of amusement as well as eggs and feathers for decorating items I make and fertilizer for the garden. They also keep the bug population down in the backyard where they forage.

Our backyard chicken project has given us new skills and a step closer to self sufficiency. To level up on cost efficiency I am starting to grow their food in the garden in order to be less reliant on the feed store bringing the cost of eggs to less than store prices and healthier too.