by MrBean » Wed 19 Nov 2008, 00:18:21
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ki11ercane', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MrBean', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ReverseEngineer', '
')When the work could be done by the thermodynamic energy of Oil, it was true briefly that people could live comfortably working only a fraction fo the time of their existence. In the years before Big Oil came to Rule the World, you either worked all the time, you got slaves to do the work for you, or you died. Hopefully we return to atime when people worked for themselves and their communtiy, as opposed to working to make a few people rich. Only time will tell how that one plays itself out. The days when you could not work though and depend on the thermodynamic energy of oil to do the work for you are OVER.
Reverse Engineer
When we get natural farming going and everybody becomes a gardener, few hours a day of healthy manual labour to stay fit and fed. Nature in form of photosynthesis will take care of all that is really important, few windmills to power some nice luxuries if someone wants to bother.
Too bad it takes up to an acre of food to feed a family of four. A few hours a day for an acre? You'll be up at 6 and done before supper at 5 every day. And it's not just "tending the garden." It's sowing, weeding, fence repairs, animal defence, cultivation, canning, etc. And you will not be able to feed your family exclusively on veges. Don't forget the chicken coop for chicken and eggs, cow for milk (you can't kill it or there goes the milk), piggies, and then the garden. You'll have to tend to them too, and at the same time figure out how to make some sort of money and keep everything else running.
A lot of people do not realize the toil it will take to feed yourselves "off the land" and there simply is not enough land to go around for everyone. I know that a lot of the talking heads like to say "just dig up the yard and you're ok." Too bad that is a load of crap.
If you don't have the land to live off and the ability to defend it, you'll have to figure out barter and commerce with others that can help, or a combination of both.