"Self-sufficiency is OPTIONALITY"
Powerful summary of good wisdom there.
Powerful summary of good wisdom there.
Example: gardening.
Cue the Adam Smith zealots crying "efficiency!"
And the knee-jerk reaction against the word "subsistence", which everyone treats as meaning "impoverished"
Cue the Adam Smith zealots crying "efficiency!"
And the knee-jerk reaction against the word "subsistence", which everyone treats as meaning "impoverished"
But "subsistence farming" (which is what home gardens are) only means that you're growing for your own use, instead of for market sale
Now, growing all of your own food is a tremendously difficult and time-consuming activity.
Even growing all of your own fresh produce is tough.
For most of us in the modern economy, the opportunity cost of doing so is prohibitive.
Even growing all of your own fresh produce is tough.
For most of us in the modern economy, the opportunity cost of doing so is prohibitive.
But @normonics is right - we've gone so far into the extreme of specialized labor and hyper-interconnected economics, that we're blinded to the fragility of it all.
Until it smacks us upside the head in some personal disaster. Or general disaster like the year 2020. Oops.
Until it smacks us upside the head in some personal disaster. Or general disaster like the year 2020. Oops.
But, you don't have to play "rugged individualist" and produce ALL your own food before getting benefit from growing your own.
You have the OPTIONALITY to selectively remove yourself from the market in areas where you can get some better return in some measure of value by DIY
You have the OPTIONALITY to selectively remove yourself from the market in areas where you can get some better return in some measure of value by DIY
Ex. 1: Tomatoes
Yes, grocery stores normally have them.
They taste like plastic.
Homegrown tomatoes are in an entirely different realm of taste and nutrition.
"Only two things that money can't buy
That's true love and home-grown tomatoes"
Yes, grocery stores normally have them.
They taste like plastic.
Homegrown tomatoes are in an entirely different realm of taste and nutrition.
"Only two things that money can't buy
That's true love and home-grown tomatoes"
Ex. 2: Fresh herbs
Fresh herbs are delicious and nutritious.
Those little plastic clamshells with a few sprigs of rosemary or basil or oregano are *stupid* expensive
Most herbs are easy to grow. Some are even perennials.
ROI for the home kitchen is phenomenal
Fresh herbs are delicious and nutritious.
Those little plastic clamshells with a few sprigs of rosemary or basil or oregano are *stupid* expensive
Most herbs are easy to grow. Some are even perennials.
ROI for the home kitchen is phenomenal
Ex. 3: Raspberries
Raspberries are also delicious, nutritious, and stupid expensive in those little plastic cases at the grocery.
Give them the right environment, and raspberries act like an invasive species.
A sweet, delicious invasive.
Raspberries are also delicious, nutritious, and stupid expensive in those little plastic cases at the grocery.
Give them the right environment, and raspberries act like an invasive species.
A sweet, delicious invasive.
Ex. 4: Meat
This gets into system disruption issues
No, I'm not raising meat on my 0.15 acre suburban lot
(Although I could if determined enough and permitted to by local authorities)
This gets into system disruption issues
No, I'm not raising meat on my 0.15 acre suburban lot
(Although I could if determined enough and permitted to by local authorities)
But there are OPTIONS to supply meat outside the normal system.
4.a. - Hunting. Lots of families put extra meat in the freezer every year during hunting season.
For economically fragile families, a deer's worth of venison is a difference that can make a difference
4.a. - Hunting. Lots of families put extra meat in the freezer every year during hunting season.
For economically fragile families, a deer's worth of venison is a difference that can make a difference
4.b. - Local farmers.
Lots of farmers are willing to sell direct to the public.
Ask around.
Having a half of beef or pork in the freezer is good insurance against the next time the shelves go bare in the grocery store.
Lots of farmers are willing to sell direct to the public.
Ask around.
Having a half of beef or pork in the freezer is good insurance against the next time the shelves go bare in the grocery store.
Once you're in the mindset, you can find examples that work for you.
Optionality is flexibility
Flexibility is resilient
Resilience is valuable during chaos
That value matters more than fundamentalist interpretations of Smith and Ricardo
(end🧵)
Optionality is flexibility
Flexibility is resilient
Resilience is valuable during chaos
That value matters more than fundamentalist interpretations of Smith and Ricardo
(end🧵)
