Now your focus shifts to Month 11: Reaching Full Self-sufficiency. By now, you have built a solid foundation for surviving emergencies, but the goal is no longer just survival; it is thriving without reliance on external systems.
Please note, this is general information. It is for information, education, and entertainment only. Whether it is gardening, farming, animal care, survival, emergency, self-sufficient lifestyle, DIY projects, or herbal preparations this is for info-sharing only. It is not meant to replace urgent medical care. As we have said, we are not doctors, vets, or professionals of any kind. This info is not meant for medical diagnosis or as treatment advice. We do not guarantee any results that we have gotten for any of the projects that we share with you. We share info that has worked for us. For more info, please see the Out Standing in the Field disclaimer page.
Please note, this talk may contain affiliate links. If you use one of these links and make a purchase through it, we will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
This month is about creating an independent lifestyle where you can produce your own food, water, energy, and security. As you progress through this month, the systems you have been building will come together to provide you with the ultimate sense of preparedness and self-reliance.
We have put together an Off-Grid Living Essentials Checklist to help you on your journey to self-sufficiency. This is a general checklist and tips that you may need to tweak to fit your exact needs. Keep in mind that every situation will be different, so the needs may be a bit different as well. Feel free to download the PDF, print out, and use these pages for yourself.
This is a three-page Off-Grid Living Essentials Checklist.
With multiple water sources, sustainable food production, a fortified shelter, and reliable communication and transportation systems, you are stepping into a world where external disruptions have minimal impact on your life.
To start off Month 11: Reaching Full Self-sufficiency, as always, we will start with expanding to multiple water supplies.
Water: Becoming Fully Self-Reliant on Water with Multiple Sources
By now, you have built a solid water system, but true self-sufficiency means having multiple reliable water sources. Relying on a single source is a vulnerability, so ensure you have at least two or three different ways to access clean water.
This could be a combination of wells, rainwater harvesting systems, and natural bodies of water like lakes or streams. With multiple sources in place, you can withstand droughts, well malfunctions, or other issues that might compromise one water supply.
For complete independence, integrate solar-powered pumps into your well system and gravity-fed filtration systems for rainwater. This ensures you can access water even if the grid is down or fuel supplies are cut off.
Also, store water treatment supplies in bulk to handle any contamination issues that may arise, and regularly check all systems to ensure they are functioning correctly.
Do not rely on a single source. A diversified water supply is your best insurance for long-term self-sufficiency. This way, if one water supply goes bad or dries up, you still have a couple left to use.
You will need to think about how to produce more food with more sustainable results for Month 11: Reaching Full Self-sufficiency.
Food: Growing or Producing 90% of Your Food Through Gardens, Livestock, etc.
Achieving near-complete self-sufficiency in food means producing 90% or more of your food through a combination of gardening, livestock, and other sustainable methods. By now, your garden should be producing a variety of crops to sustain you year-round.
Expand your growing operations to include perennial crops like fruit trees, berry bushes, and nut trees, which can provide a steady supply of food with less labor. Add livestock such as chickens for eggs, goats for milk, or rabbits for meat to diversify your protein sources.
Consider raising quail. You may not know it, but one little quail egg has the same amount of protein and nutrition as two chicken eggs. Quail are smaller birds, so they require less space to live in and take less food and water to live on. You know what they say about small packages. Quail are a good, sustainable resource for a homestead, survival prepping, and a self-sufficient lifestyle. There is, however, one drawback to quail: they are very high-strung birds. They become upset and “crazy” easily. Quail have been known to shoot off and hit a wall with such force that they actually break their own necks. If you are thinking about raising quail, be sure to do your research on the best methods for housing and minimal handling.
Make sure to integrate crop rotation and composting into your gardening routine to maintain soil fertility and maximize yields. Additionally, focus on preserving food through canning, dehydrating, and freezing to store excess harvests for future use.
This will ensure you have a steady supply of food even during off-seasons or if your garden experiences setbacks. Avoid depending on store-bought food or supplemental rations. Growing or producing the vast majority of your own food ensures long-term sustainability.
Again, as with all these monthly themes, in Month 11: Reaching Full Self-sufficiency, expanding your medical supplies and tools will be essential.
First Aid: Creating a Fully Stocked Home Medical Center
Self-sufficiency includes being able to handle medical emergencies without outside help. By this point, you should work on creating a fully stocked home medical center, complete with everything you might need to manage both minor injuries and more serious medical issues.
This includes not only first aid supplies but also medications, medical tools, and reference materials for treating various conditions. Your home medical center should have basic diagnostic tools like thermometers, blood pressure monitors, and oxygen sensors, as well as more advanced items like suture kits, IV fluids, and burn treatment supplies.
Make sure you have a stock of over-the-counter medications and, if possible, extra supplies of any prescription medications your family may need. Keep everything organized and easily accessible so you can respond quickly in an emergency.
Avoid relying on local pharmacies or hospitals during a crisis. A fully stocked home medical center ensures you’re prepared for any health issue that might arise.
A well-set-up home apothecary is also a critical addition to your medical supplies. If you do not already have the knowledge and skills to make and use plant medicine, consider starting or having at least one person in your group start learning. There may come a time when there is no access to mainstream medical supplies, and you will need to be able to rely on natural medicine.
Remember to add medical supplies, both mainstream and natural, for your pets and animals. When mainstream medical supplies run out, you may still be able to get animal meds for a while, but eventually these will run out also. You will need to be able to treat your pets and farm animals in the same way you do your family. Be sure to stock up for this and learn natural, plant medicine that can be used for animals while you are learning about people’s meds.
Month 11: Reaching Full Self-sufficiency will see an increase in off-system power and sustainability for your shelter, or by now, multiple shelters.
Shelter: Fortifying Your Home to Be Self-Sustaining
Your home should now be completely self-sustaining, providing not only shelter but also energy, heat, and other essentials without needing external utilities. Install solar panels to generate electricity, and invest in battery storage systems to ensure power availability during the night or cloudy days.
Add solar-powered water heaters or wood stoves to heat your home in colder months without relying on gas or electricity from the grid. It is best to have more than one way to heat your home. In case one fails, you will still have another way to keep warm while repairing or replacing the failed one.
Ensure your home is insulated and weatherproofed to minimize energy loss and keep your living conditions stable. There are all kinds of Eco-friendly ways to do this, but you will need to do your research to determine what is best for your home and your area. And what resources are available in your area, or what you can make for yourself to achieve this?
If you live in a colder climate, stockpile firewood and set up alternative heat sources like rocket stoves or pellet stoves to heat your home sustainably. For cooling in hot climates, consider passive cooling techniques such as shading, ventilation systems, and natural insulation to reduce your reliance on power-hungry air conditioning.
Avoid dependence on external utilities. A self-sustaining home ensures your comfort and safety no matter the conditions outside.
We have put together a couple of checklist and tips pages to help you on with this planning. There is a Renewable Energy Options to Power Your Home page, a Basic Solar Gear Checklist, and a Basics of a Home Solar Power System tips page. These are general checklists and tips pages that you may need to tweak to fit your exact needs. Keep in mind every situation will be different so the needs may be a bit different as well. Feel free to download the PDF, print out, and use these pages for yourself.
This is a five-page Renewable Energy Options to Power Your Home tips.
This is a three-page Basic Solar Gear Checklist.
This is a five-page Basics of a Home Solar Power System tips.
Of course, as with each month in this series, you want to upgrade your defenses.
Month 11: Reaching Full Self-sufficiency: Defense: Setting Up Full Perimeter Defense and Learning Tactical Skills
With a self-sustaining lifestyle, you will need to ensure that your property remains secure. Set up a full perimeter defense that protects every entry point to your property. This might include fences, barricades, motion detectors, and cameras to monitor your land 24/7. Remember to have non-power alternatives in case the power is compromised.
Install automated alarms that notify you of any breaches, and consider adding tactical lighting that can be triggered to flood specific areas with light during a security breach. These can all be set up with solar power and battery backups.
In addition to physical defenses, focus on learning tactical skills.
This includes basic firearms training, self-defense techniques, and tactical movement. Training with your family or group ensures that everyone knows how to respond in a coordinated way if your home is threatened.
Set up regular drills to practice different scenarios, ensuring that everyone is prepared to act quickly and decisively. Avoid focusing on passive defenses alone. A combination of physical security and tactical skills ensures that you can actively protect your property if needed.
We have put together a Home Security Checklist to help you on this journey. This is a general checklist and tips that you may need to tweak to fit your exact needs. Keep in mind every situation will be different so the needs may be a bit different as well. Feel free to download the PDF, print out, and use these pages for yourself.
This is a three-page Home Security Checklist.
Month 11: Reaching Full Self-sufficiency will also increase your long-range communications abilities.
Communication: Mastering Long-Range Communication Tools and Emergency Networks
In this phase, your goal is to master long-range communication tools and integrate into emergency networks that provide vital information during a crisis. Continue honing your skills with HAM radios, satellite phones, and solar-powered communication systems.
Practice regularly to ensure you and your group can communicate across long distances and stay connected with other survival groups or emergency responders. Expand your communication network by joining local and national HAM radio networks or emergency alert systems.
These networks can provide valuable information during a crisis, including updates on weather, security threats, and government actions. Knowing how to receive and relay information accurately ensures that your group stays informed and can make strategic decisions in real time.
Avoid relying on informal or unstructured communication. Just taking anyone’s word for anything is not a good communication method. Make these connections before you need them. Be sure the people you are talking to are reliable, and make sure to do this before an emergency occurs. Trying to work with scraps of info that may or may not be accurate in a crisis is a good way to make bad decisions. Mastering formal emergency networks ensures that you always have access to critical information during a crisis.
Lastly, in Month 11, Reaching Full Self-sufficiency is securing alternate transport that will allow you to move without relying on regular fuel transports.
Transportation: Maintaining Alternative Means of Travel
In a fully self-sufficient lifestyle, you will need alternative, non-fuel-based transportation for longer-term sustainability. This could include horses for rural travel or manual vehicles like bicycles, carts, or hand-pulled wagons for local trips.
Maintaining these forms of transportation ensures that you have reliable travel options even if fuel becomes scarce or vehicles break down. Invest in the necessary tools and equipment to maintain these alternative vehicles. Having a broken-down bike or cart will do you no good. You must keep your transport in good shape as you would any other tool.
For bicycles, this means spare tires, chains, and repair kits. For horses, ensure you have feed, veterinary supplies, and tack gear. Train yourself and your family to be comfortable using these methods of travel so that you are not dependent on fuel or complex vehicle repairs to get around.
Do not rely solely on motorized vehicles. Fuel could run out, the machines could break down, and it could become impossible to get replacement parts. Maintaining alternative transportation methods ensures you stay mobile no matter what challenges arise.
As you reach Month 11: Reaching Full Self-sufficiency, you are entering the final stages of achieving true self-sufficiency. By securing your water, food, shelter, and defense systems, and mastering critical skills like medical care and communication, you are positioning yourself for a lifestyle that is independent of external disruptions. These final preparations will solidify your long-term resilience and ability to thrive in any scenario.
If you are interested in other talks similar to this, please check out the ones below.
Learning to Heed Warning Signs
Choosing Fall Spices for Taste and Medical Properties
Thank you for visiting, and please come again for another edition of Out Standing in the Field.
Very interesting and practical
Thank you, we do try to make our talks useful and interesting.