What Should I Do?

For many of my neighbors and friends, as well as myself, the “economic downturn” has crunched budgets that were tight to begin with. There are empty storefronts. Lots of people are unemployed or under-employed. Many people have more time on their hands than they have money.  Taxes and fuel prices are rising, while wages stagnate.  It's hard for many families to make ends meet.  It's not just my community; it's happening all over the U.S. and in other areas of the world.

With the long-term value of the dollar uncertain and many people’s incomes shrinking relative to the cost of goods and services, alternative currency systems are being proposed in some areas. Some are even currently viable in certain communities. In Brattleboro, Vermont, where I live, there is still no alternative currency in use, although I am aware that certain community members have met over the years to see about getting one going.

Instead, just two years ago, the Time Trade (also known as “time banking”) came to our town, and although it is not a currency per se, it has been very successful in enabling people get for “free” what they would previously have paid for in cash. It has also fostered community among members, many of whom share concerns about the general health of our community and the erosion of social connection in recent years.

The basic premise of time banking, put forth by Edgar Cahn over twenty years ago, is simple: One hour of one person’s time is worth one hour of any other person’s time. Period. No matter what we do with that time, an hour is an hour. » Read more

As any experienced gardener will tell you, having a greenhouse can be an invaluable tool in the food-growing toolbox.  Having a greenhouse at one's disposal opens up many different growing possibilities and can be a huge season extender in areas where the number of good growing days is limited.  Greenhouses make it easier to get new seedlings started and help to protect plants from spring and fall frosts.  They are a wonderful addition to any resilient garden space. But they can be expensive to put in, and there are many things to consider before getting one set up. Check out the WSID articles on Selecting a Greenhouse and Winter Gardening to get a better idea of the styles and options available.

We put a lot of thought and planning into the design and construction of our DIY greenhouse.  With cost being one of the number-one constraints for this project, we did a lot of web surfing and idea gathering. Our research gave us inspiration for materials, styles, and what the end result should be.  We found projects that people had built for under $50.  At that price, we could build three or four and still be under budget.  But we didn't think they would last more that one season or that we would find our greenhouse plastic in the next county after a spring storm.  Then there were far fancier and much more well-built ones, but our experiences with major construction and the added cost kept us from these higher-end designs.  So we used what we had on hand... » Read more

Growing fodder for animal feed is starting to catch on, and many homesteading families and small farm operations are exploring the possibilities of what this type of feed can do for the health of their animals and cost of feeding them.  If you haven’t yet read the first two articles on growing fodder and building a simple DIY fodder system, you can find them here: http://www.peakprosperity.com/blog/growing-sprouted-fodder/72618 and here: http://www.peakprosperity.com/wsidblog/80359/diy-home-fodder-system.

It has been a few months since I wrote the DIY fodder system article for Peak Prosperity.  It turns out that a lot of people are interested in growing their own fodder, as this article has been extremely popular.  With the combination of all of the valuable feedback (thank you!) and a few more months of experience, we have some additional thoughts to share. » Read more

For most people, planning for emergencies is similar to planning for a camping trip or any other outdoor adventure where the normal conveniences of home are not available. The biggest difference is determining whether to plan for being away from home or in your own residence – or perhaps both. The equipment to include in your emergency kit or camping supplies list will be very comparable. Differences and variations will generally depend upon the severity and length of time you anticipate for your emergency scenario. Long term emergencies and outdoor explorations will require, in addition to this list, more extensive planning and provisioning. Your skill level and knowledge set for survival techniques and resourcefulness will also play a big role in determining your needs. » Read more