Looks like a grad student blew th R&R austerity research out of the water

[Wasillaguy]

Originally Posted by wgrr

I will give it a read when I have more time. I scanned through it and it reinforces my desire to move into the Ozark woods, clear a plot, start a garden, and raise some livestock. I did it years ago. No electricity, no phone, no running water, and we built the cabin ourselves. Ever hear of the Foxfire books. We did everything by hand. no power tools were used. Don't know that I could work an adze for hours on end like I did 30 years ago so any log cabin built will be a kit.

It is really rough living independent from our modern infrastructure so, I will have electricity, I will pick a spot with good cell reception. I will dig (drill) a well and have satellite TV. If I loose any of it; so what. I will have rabbits, chickens, hogs, and a few beeves. I have slaughtered, dressed, and cut up all of these animals before. I don't like it but, I will do it to feed the family.

My stepfather taught me a lot about being an Ozark hillbilly. I forgot the mule. He will be used to plough the garden and dig up the potatoes when the time comes.

This kind of living is as close as you will get to austerity in this day and age. Just like in the old days trips to town are still important for coffee and other staples you can't grow for yourselves.

When my girlfriend and I (now my wife) decided to live on the land thirty years ago it was the best years of our lives. Try it. I highly recommend it.

Those Foxfire books were referenced often in my childhood home. You don't have to be a backwoods settler to get a lot of good info from them, on just about any DIY basic living task.

[Bigerik]

Originally Posted by wgrr

I will give it a read when I have more time. I scanned through it and it reinforces my desire to move into the Ozark woods, clear a plot, start a garden, and raise some livestock. I did it years ago. No electricity, no phone, no running water, and we built the cabin ourselves. Ever hear of the Foxfire books. We did everything by hand. no power tools were used. Don't know that I could work an adze for hours on end like I did 30 years ago so any log cabin built will be a kit.

It is really rough living independent from our modern infrastructure so, I will have electricity, I will pick a spot with good cell reception. I will dig (drill) a well and have satellite TV. If I loose any of it; so what. I will have rabbits, chickens, hogs, and a few beeves. I have slaughtered, dressed, and cut up all of these animals before. I don't like it but, I will do it to feed the family.

My stepfather taught me a lot about being an Ozark hillbilly. I forgot the mule. He will be used to plough the garden and dig up the potatoes when the time comes.

This kind of living is as close as you will get to austerity in this day and age. Just like in the old days trips to town are still important for coffee and other staples you can't grow for yourselves.

When my girlfriend and I (now my wife) decided to live on the land thirty years ago it was the best years of our lives. Try it. I highly recommend it.

Very impressive!

[wgrr]

Originally Posted by Bigerik

Very impressive!

Thank you. I am not a native Arkansan but I have learned things from the old timers here. One was my stepfather who's father was a "country vet" and his mother who was the best Southern cook and she sure could cure ham and bacon. She died at the age of 99 in the same house she was born in. My stepfather taught me how to plow with a mule and how to slaughter and dress larger domestic animals He also taught me how to field dress deer to cut up later. Smaller animals like chickens and rabbits were simply a matter of watching my grandmother do the deed.

Willy our next farm neighbor in Goshen, AR taught me how to build log cabins. He was originally from the next county over and was actually still building log cabins in 1977. Not the fancy ones just the real deal. We did use chain saws but most of the work was done by hand. I helped him every chance I got.

I am required to stay in the AT&T area I service. Fortunately that encompasses thousands of acres of prime Ozark woodland most in the Boston Mountains and the foothills. We were looking for property before Janet's mother fell ill two months ago. She is doing much better and Janet may return home soon. (fingers crossed) The weekly 300 mile weekend drives are beginning to get to me. I have to do it in my 1993 Toyota extended cab 4WD pickup. Not much fun. I am looking for a nice 300D Mercedes it is one of the few cars that can stand up to Ozark dirt roads and is a damned nice ride on the Interstate.

[bobabode]

Slipstick Libby country there, Wgrr.

[bobabode]

Just watched Herndon on The Colbert Report. I'm really surprised that this story hasn't gotten much traction so far. Two world renown economists, who's work has been widely used by the conservative pundits and their lackeys (Paul Ryan being one of them) to argue for austerity in times of slower economic growth, have been proven to be at worst, bald faced liars who cooked the books At best? They are friggin' morons who can't navigate an Excel spreadsheet.

I don't know what is more tragic? The fact that we have leaders in congress who swallowed this mendacious line of bullcrap or the fact that the President has to negotiate with these same so called leaders.

How hard is it for people to see that without people working, there is no consumption? Without consumption, there is no need for products. Anyone want to guess where that will lead?

[ebacon]

They are not morons. They are cunning.

[ebacon]

Originally Posted by wgrr

I have been wanting to read this book for awhile. I just ordered it.

I started this book this afternoon. It's fascinating. All the political words are in there -- profit, god, corporations, subsidies, education, community, communism, economics, etc. etc.

I have no idea where this book is going, but I must recommend it to anyone that's interested in how politicians split hairs behind the scenes. It's certainly an easier and more practical read than "The Closing of the American Mind".

http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Agrari...+agrarian+mind