Comments on: Can You Quit Your Job And Sustain Yourself Using A ‘green’ Lifestyle? http://getgreenproducts.org/can-you-quit-your-job-and-sustain-yourself-using-a-green-lifestyle/ Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:08:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: KENNY http://getgreenproducts.org/can-you-quit-your-job-and-sustain-yourself-using-a-green-lifestyle/comment-page-1/#comment-1849 KENNY Sun, 12 Sep 2010 19:03:37 +0000 http://getgreenproducts.org/can-you-quit-your-job-and-sustain-yourself-using-a-green-lifestyle/#comment-1849 <strong><blockquote><a href="http://cheaptabletsonline.com/" rel="nofollow">CheapTabletsOnline.Com. Canadian Health&Care.Best quality drugs.Special Internet Prices.No prescription online pharmacy. High quality drugs. Order drugs online</a>...</strong> Buy:Viagra Super Force.Cialis Super Active+.Cialis Soft Tabs.Viagra.Maxaman.Viagra Super Active+.Soma.Viagra Professional.VPXL.Tramadol.Viagra Soft Tabs.Propecia.Cialis Professional.Levitra.Zithromax.Super Active ED Pack.Cialis....
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]]> By: chilicoo http://getgreenproducts.org/can-you-quit-your-job-and-sustain-yourself-using-a-green-lifestyle/comment-page-1/#comment-65 chilicoo Wed, 09 Dec 2009 21:45:43 +0000 http://getgreenproducts.org/can-you-quit-your-job-and-sustain-yourself-using-a-green-lifestyle/#comment-65 I think it could be possible. First of all though, you would defiantly have to learn permaculture and develop your land with permaculture landscaping (basically...edible gardens w/ low maintainace needs). Once that is established and doing well, you could use the production from it to feed yourself (along w/ your chickens and goat which work very well w/ permaculture). You could make your energy for free in various ways if you have the know how and will (I don't.) There are books published by Mother Earth News that show you how though. Besides that, you would probably need some kind of small income producing activity to pay taxes and buy small things. You could take up a craft or sell eggs at a farmer's market or something. Of course, if you have no income, you would qualify for government assistance and cheap healthcare as well. I think it could be possible. First of all though, you would defiantly have to learn permaculture and develop your land with permaculture landscaping (basically…edible gardens w/ low maintainace needs). Once that is established and doing well, you could use the production from it to feed yourself (along w/ your chickens and goat which work very well w/ permaculture). You could make your energy for free in various ways if you have the know how and will (I don’t.) There are books published by Mother Earth News that show you how though. Besides that, you would probably need some kind of small income producing activity to pay taxes and buy small things. You could take up a craft or sell eggs at a farmer’s market or something. Of course, if you have no income, you would qualify for government assistance and cheap healthcare as well.

]]> By: worldtho http://getgreenproducts.org/can-you-quit-your-job-and-sustain-yourself-using-a-green-lifestyle/comment-page-1/#comment-64 worldtho Wed, 09 Dec 2009 21:19:41 +0000 http://getgreenproducts.org/can-you-quit-your-job-and-sustain-yourself-using-a-green-lifestyle/#comment-64 Sorry no not in the UK. You do not have enough land to be self sufficient in fuel and food. Jealous of your well water though. I assume you have a cesspit too so no water bills. In the UK the problem is Council Tax, you can not reduce it. Other monthly bills you can drastically reduce or get rid of. Don't watch TV, get rid of it save on the license, who needs a land phone (keep the line rental only for internet connection) don't use it. Email, msn or text on a mobile. Much much cheaper. Fuel, grow your own timber. Use less, convert to woodburning stoves. Insulate and stop drafts, install door closures on the rooms you heat. Use solar energy, place lamps around your building so there is enough light to wander round at night. Use candle lanterns at night. Set an amount for shopping, the rest grow. Keep this amount really low. It is a challenge to keep within your artificial budget and you tend to eat much more healthily. Invite friends over rather than going out all the time. Reuse, repair and recycle everything but things are still going to wear out. Be really green and buy from second hand shops or car boot sales. Limit your consumption of everything. Trying to sell goods/produce that you make yourself is usually very difficult to make a living from. The very nature of selling means that there is a lot of output lost in the process. So for example if you wanted to sell home grown pumpkins, there is the price of the insurance (you are not allowed to sell on any market in UK without Public Liability Insurance), stall fees, transport costs, presentation costs, bags, point of sales stuff ect. You have to have a proper production of something to make this profitable. In the meantime you have all the extra wear and tear on your assets and stock damage from transportation and careless customers. You are usually better staying at home and using your own produce so there are no wasted outputs. Keep your day job and enjoy your 2 acres. You might not be totally sustainable but you will have a rewarding, green, low cost lifestyle. You will live in a rich environment with all the joys of enriched nature, wildlife and fauna. Enjoy Sorry no not in the UK. You do not have enough land to be self sufficient in fuel and food. Jealous of your well water though. I assume you have a cesspit too so no water bills.
In the UK the problem is Council Tax, you can not reduce it. Other monthly bills you can drastically reduce or get rid of. Don’t watch TV, get rid of it save on the license, who needs a land phone (keep the line rental only for internet connection) don’t use it. Email, msn or text on a mobile. Much much cheaper. Fuel, grow your own timber. Use less, convert to woodburning stoves. Insulate and stop drafts, install door closures on the rooms you heat. Use solar energy, place lamps around your building so there is enough light to wander round at night. Use candle lanterns at night.
Set an amount for shopping, the rest grow. Keep this amount really low. It is a challenge to keep within your artificial budget and you tend to eat much more healthily. Invite friends over rather than going out all the time.
Reuse, repair and recycle everything but things are still going to wear out. Be really green and buy from second hand shops or car boot sales. Limit your consumption of everything.
Trying to sell goods/produce that you make yourself is usually very difficult to make a living from. The very nature of selling means that there is a lot of output lost in the process. So for example if you wanted to sell home grown pumpkins, there is the price of the insurance (you are not allowed to sell on any market in UK without Public Liability Insurance), stall fees, transport costs, presentation costs, bags, point of sales stuff ect. You have to have a proper production of something to make this profitable. In the meantime you have all the extra wear and tear on your assets and stock damage from transportation and careless customers. You are usually better staying at home and using your own produce so there are no wasted outputs.
Keep your day job and enjoy your 2 acres. You might not be totally sustainable but you will have a rewarding, green, low cost lifestyle. You will live in a rich environment with all the joys of enriched nature, wildlife and fauna. Enjoy

]]> By: Bohemian http://getgreenproducts.org/can-you-quit-your-job-and-sustain-yourself-using-a-green-lifestyle/comment-page-1/#comment-63 Bohemian Wed, 09 Dec 2009 21:08:05 +0000 http://getgreenproducts.org/can-you-quit-your-job-and-sustain-yourself-using-a-green-lifestyle/#comment-63 I just saw pages and pages of answers to your question. Your question was hypothetical. With your criteria the answer would be ...no. If I had to fend for myself and my family under dire circumstances I would never consider "green". We need to eat. and so do our neighbors. We would do what it takes. I just saw pages and pages of answers to your question. Your question was hypothetical. With your criteria the answer would be …no. If I had to fend for myself and my family under dire circumstances I would never consider “green”. We need to eat. and so do our neighbors. We would do what it takes.

]]> By: Madalena P http://getgreenproducts.org/can-you-quit-your-job-and-sustain-yourself-using-a-green-lifestyle/comment-page-1/#comment-62 Madalena P Wed, 09 Dec 2009 20:46:16 +0000 http://getgreenproducts.org/can-you-quit-your-job-and-sustain-yourself-using-a-green-lifestyle/#comment-62 You might need more money for food, unless you want to eat eggs and drink goat milk for a couple months. You would be living like the Amish almost, but you would have electricity. Probably you would have to collect eggs from your chickens and milk your goats and sell the eggs/milk for more money. Once you have enough money you could buy some solar panels or a wind turbine. If you are living buy yourself, just one of those should be enough power. But you may want to buy both if you had enough money, just in case it's cloudy or there's no wind. And if you had enough extra energy, you could sell that for money to. You might need more money for food, unless you want to eat eggs and drink goat milk for a couple months.
You would be living like the Amish almost, but you would have electricity.
Probably you would have to collect eggs from your chickens and milk your goats and sell the eggs/milk for more money. Once you have enough money you could buy some solar panels or a wind turbine. If you are living buy yourself, just one of those should be enough power. But you may want to buy both if you had enough money, just in case it’s cloudy or there’s no wind.
And if you had enough extra energy, you could sell that for money to.

]]> By: ms.chach http://getgreenproducts.org/can-you-quit-your-job-and-sustain-yourself-using-a-green-lifestyle/comment-page-1/#comment-61 ms.chach Wed, 09 Dec 2009 20:38:54 +0000 http://getgreenproducts.org/can-you-quit-your-job-and-sustain-yourself-using-a-green-lifestyle/#comment-61 Hello Roxie, I'm going to tell you truthfully, that no, you cannot do it. However it would help greatly if you own your home outright, and have no mortgage. I'm married. My husband works on the wind turbines and brings in the real income for our farm. We live in a 6 bedroom 3600 sq ft home (his father built in the 1970's). We live 100% consumer debt free. That means we do not have a single credit card bill, car payment, or any other kind of payment, other than normal monthly bills, like phone, and computer. We have 45 acres total. We are looking at buying a LOT more land, hopefully at least a section (one mile, by one mile) of land. We should have our home paid off 15-20 years early. We live very frugal, but not cheap. Basically to us that means we buy quality items, like tools which are going to last a long time, investing the money where it really does well, but shop for "disposable" items like jeans at thrift stores, and garage sales. We have 75 meat goats, a 20 hole rabbitry, 9 horses, some chickens, 5 working farm dogs, and two cats. I am a stay at home wife. I buy in bulk, and we have over a years supply of food stored. I never buy something, unless it's on sale. White flour, I buy by the 50pound sack for $5. Oatmeal, by the 50 pound sack for $6-9. Tuna usually .25 cents a can, and never more than .33 cents a can, ect. Our food bill is signifigantly lower than the average family, because of what we raise, the way we buy, and what we store and rotate. I have cornered the main market on meat goat sales in my little part of Idaho, with some hard work. Rabbits were added for us, and to help feed our working dogs. I also learned my customers sometimes enjoy rabbit, so sell a few that way. I have sold 10 meat goats this month, at $75 each. The money from their sales covers the cost of the hay, and minerals for the goats and horses, but leaves nothing extra for us. We will be building our own straw bale house, totally off grid. It will have radiant heat floors, heated with a Centeral Boiler (that is a brand name). We will also have electric and solar. We grow rape seed (canola) and use the oil from that to make biofuels. The biofuels run our trucks and tractors used on our farm. The squeezings are fed to the goats. Despite all we do, the farm still does not supply enough money for my husband to quit his job. It does however help to support us, by providing a lot of the meat we eat. Does your goat supply milk, cheese, butter, and yogurt for you, or is it just a pet? Any fruit trees on your property? What kind of edible plantings do you have? Do you shop at your local farmers market? What kind of items are selling well there? Could you compete if you sold items at your farmers market? Do you have a long growing season, or a short one? Do you garden? Does your family support you with your dreams and goals? Are you collecting and READING books on your goals and dreams? Can you fix your auto, if it breaks? Start slowly, build up your skills and confidence every year. Take classes which will help your knowledge base. Yes it can be done...but it all takes time. You really need to be able to have a way of bringing in an income. Can you legally sell raw goat milk in your state? What will you do with the boy kids, if you are breeding your doe? Chickens rarely make you money, they usually cost you money to supply yourself with your own farm fresh eggs. Are any of your hens ending up as dinner? What will your neighbors think, if you bring in more animals? Some neighbors complain even about large gardens. In all honestly, I would not be able to do a lot of the things we acomplish on our farm, without my husband. He brings tremendous physical strength, and mechanical knowledge. Set attainable goals for yourself, and start switching your life over slowly, all the while learning as much as you possibly can. ~Garnet Homesteading/Farming over 20 years Hello Roxie,
I’m going to tell you truthfully, that no, you cannot do it. However it would help greatly if you own your home outright, and have no mortgage.
I’m married. My husband works on the wind turbines and brings in the real income for our farm. We live in a 6 bedroom 3600 sq ft home (his father built in the 1970’s). We live 100% consumer debt free. That means we do not have a single credit card bill, car payment, or any other kind of payment, other than normal monthly bills, like phone, and computer. We have 45 acres total. We are looking at buying a LOT more land, hopefully at least a section (one mile, by one mile) of land.
We should have our home paid off 15-20 years early. We live very frugal, but not cheap. Basically to us that means we buy quality items, like tools which are going to last a long time, investing the money where it really does well, but shop for “disposable” items like jeans at thrift stores, and garage sales.
We have 75 meat goats, a 20 hole rabbitry, 9 horses, some chickens, 5 working farm dogs, and two cats.
I am a stay at home wife. I buy in bulk, and we have over a years supply of food stored. I never buy something, unless it’s on sale. White flour, I buy by the 50pound sack for $5. Oatmeal, by the 50 pound sack for $6-9. Tuna usually .25 cents a can, and never more than .33 cents a can, ect.
Our food bill is signifigantly lower than the average family, because of what we raise, the way we buy, and what we store and rotate.
I have cornered the main market on meat goat sales in my little part of Idaho, with some hard work. Rabbits were added for us, and to help feed our working dogs. I also learned my customers sometimes enjoy rabbit, so sell a few that way.
I have sold 10 meat goats this month, at $75 each. The money from their sales covers the cost of the hay, and minerals for the goats and horses, but leaves nothing extra for us.
We will be building our own straw bale house, totally off grid. It will have radiant heat floors, heated with a Centeral Boiler (that is a brand name). We will also have electric and solar.
We grow rape seed (canola) and use the oil from that to make biofuels. The biofuels run our trucks and tractors used on our farm. The squeezings are fed to the goats.
Despite all we do, the farm still does not supply enough money for my husband to quit his job. It does however help to support us, by providing a lot of the meat we eat.
Does your goat supply milk, cheese, butter, and yogurt for you, or is it just a pet? Any fruit trees on your property? What kind of edible plantings do you have? Do you shop at your local farmers market? What kind of items are selling well there? Could you compete if you sold items at your farmers market?
Do you have a long growing season, or a short one?
Do you garden?
Does your family support you with your dreams and goals?
Are you collecting and READING books on your goals and dreams?
Can you fix your auto, if it breaks?
Start slowly, build up your skills and confidence every year. Take classes which will help your knowledge base. Yes it can be done…but it all takes time. You really need to be able to have a way of bringing in an income. Can you legally sell raw goat milk in your state? What will you do with the boy kids, if you are breeding your doe?
Chickens rarely make you money, they usually cost you money to supply yourself with your own farm fresh eggs. Are any of your hens ending up as dinner?
What will your neighbors think, if you bring in more animals? Some neighbors complain even about large gardens.
In all honestly, I would not be able to do a lot of the things we acomplish on our farm, without my husband. He brings tremendous physical strength, and mechanical knowledge.
Set attainable goals for yourself, and start switching your life over slowly, all the while learning as much as you possibly can.
~Garnet
Homesteading/Farming over 20 years

]]> By: newsgirl http://getgreenproducts.org/can-you-quit-your-job-and-sustain-yourself-using-a-green-lifestyle/comment-page-1/#comment-60 newsgirl Wed, 09 Dec 2009 20:30:25 +0000 http://getgreenproducts.org/can-you-quit-your-job-and-sustain-yourself-using-a-green-lifestyle/#comment-60 I think it's possible, but it's necessary that we explore what nature has to offer more intensively first. I think it’s possible, but it’s necessary that we explore what nature has to offer more intensively first.

]]> By: PlanetBe http://getgreenproducts.org/can-you-quit-your-job-and-sustain-yourself-using-a-green-lifestyle/comment-page-1/#comment-59 PlanetBe Wed, 09 Dec 2009 19:46:48 +0000 http://getgreenproducts.org/can-you-quit-your-job-and-sustain-yourself-using-a-green-lifestyle/#comment-59 well what would you do about taxes?? medical care toiletries..etc well what would you do about taxes?? medical care toiletries..etc

]]> By: Brandi C http://getgreenproducts.org/can-you-quit-your-job-and-sustain-yourself-using-a-green-lifestyle/comment-page-1/#comment-58 Brandi C Wed, 09 Dec 2009 19:46:37 +0000 http://getgreenproducts.org/can-you-quit-your-job-and-sustain-yourself-using-a-green-lifestyle/#comment-58 I think anyone could make the transition to independence with the resources you mentioned. I suggest you keep your job until your farm income will meet your needs. I think this could be done fairly easily in most place. The plan would be to grow your own food and enough to sell. I can't think of anywhere that people would not want to buy fresh, safe food. 1) Start on the road to independence by installing a large garden. Plant upscale veggies and fruit to sell at the Farmers Market. Feed the leftovers to the animals. 2) learn how to make cheese from goat's milk. Use the goat to clear out the brush. Find neighbors that want to have brush cleared too because 2 acres isn't really enough land to sustain even 1 goat if you want to grow anything else. 3) Let your chicken flock expand until you have 20 or so. Pick multi-use breeds of chickens. You will be able to sell fresh eggs, chicks, feathers, and eventually eat the chickens. 4) Depending on your house's orientation, you might add a simple plastic green-house along one side to capture heat for the house and lengthen your growing season. You might add rabbit hutches to the greenhouse-grow angora rabbits and sell the fur, plus the rabbits will help heat the greenhouse in the winter. 5) Plant fruit trees on the north side of you land. Trees take time to grow but the investment really pays off. 6) Have your well tested. If the water is good enough, you may be able to bottle it for sale. 7) Use what you have learned to help others go green-here in Seattle a man charges $1500 to help people install a garden in the city. Sound crazy but he had 10 clients his first year and more have signed up for next spring. Good luck to you! I think anyone could make the transition to independence with the resources you mentioned. I suggest you keep your job until your farm income will meet your needs. I think this could be done fairly easily in most place. The plan would be to grow your own food and enough to sell. I can’t think of anywhere that people would not want to buy fresh, safe food.
1) Start on the road to independence by installing a large garden. Plant upscale veggies and fruit to sell at the Farmers Market. Feed the leftovers to the animals.
2) learn how to make cheese from goat’s milk. Use the goat to clear out the brush. Find neighbors that want to have brush cleared too because 2 acres isn’t really enough land to sustain even 1 goat if you want to grow anything else.
3) Let your chicken flock expand until you have 20 or so. Pick multi-use breeds of chickens. You will be able to sell fresh eggs, chicks, feathers, and eventually eat the chickens.
4) Depending on your house’s orientation, you might add a simple plastic green-house along one side to capture heat for the house and lengthen your growing season. You might add rabbit hutches to the greenhouse-grow angora rabbits and sell the fur, plus the rabbits will help heat the greenhouse in the winter.
5) Plant fruit trees on the north side of you land. Trees take time to grow but the investment really pays off.
6) Have your well tested. If the water is good enough, you may be able to bottle it for sale.
7) Use what you have learned to help others go green-here in Seattle a man charges $1500 to help people install a garden in the city. Sound crazy but he had 10 clients his first year and more have signed up for next spring.
Good luck to you!

]]> By: thor http://getgreenproducts.org/can-you-quit-your-job-and-sustain-yourself-using-a-green-lifestyle/comment-page-1/#comment-57 thor Wed, 09 Dec 2009 19:23:08 +0000 http://getgreenproducts.org/can-you-quit-your-job-and-sustain-yourself-using-a-green-lifestyle/#comment-57 Thats enough land for a family. Depending on your location you could obtain energy from Solar, Water, Waste or Wind. All are unique and all have potential. Its a pay back issue to most but if cost isn't an issue I would pursue Solar, then Wind then waste. Water is the most location dependent for obvious reasons. Your livestock would need to get larger. Plans for losses due to health or weather is a must or you will lose your food production capability. Thats enough land for a family. Depending on your location you could obtain energy from Solar, Water, Waste or Wind. All are unique and all have potential. Its a pay back issue to most but if cost isn’t an issue I would pursue Solar, then Wind then waste. Water is the most location dependent for obvious reasons. Your livestock would need to get larger. Plans for losses due to health or weather is a must or you will lose your food production capability.

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