So you have land, and a roof over your head, and now what ?

Well, the basic principle behind a lifestyle that is independent of society is this: Try to live in such a way that if you need to spend $5 on food every day, make sure that your produce 4 dollars worth of food yourself. The same counts for electricity, water, heating.

Here are some ideas to work with concerning energy and water: As far as electricity is concerned, use your muscles instead of electricity to cut wood, draw water from the well or river, cut the grass around your house or prepare your field and garden for sowing seeds and planting bulbs, and similar activities that people are so used to using electric tools for.

Look into solar energy if you need a steady source of electricity, and see if your budget can be stretched to buy a small solar panel that will meet your needs. There are other ways to produce electricity, so examine your property and see what can be done. If there is a stream flowing along the edge of it, you might be able to produce energy from there too. But the overall principle must be: Make sure that you are independent of electricity as much as possible.

To ensure a steady water supply, dig a well, build or buy a pump, and make sure that it operates with muscle power and not electricity. Building an outhouse is certainly a step to save water from being wasted, or if you insist on having a flush toilet, make sure it uses rainwater or water that has been used before instead of precious drinking water. Rain barrels certainly are a must, even if it doesn't rain much where you live.

Heating can come from a wood-burning stove or fireplace, with the former being more convenient for cooking, although cooking over a fireplace has been the way people cooked for centuries, so why not try it if a wood-burning stove is beyond your budget for the time being. Make sure that you have something to burn, that is, wood, basically, or turf, if you are living in a more muddy area, or whatever your land provides. Be creative and careful with your supplies, and make sure that you do not use up what your land has to offer.

So much for energy - these are only a few suggestions. The internet is full of good advice, as is your local library, so wise up, and if you wish, move on to lesson #4, which deals with gardening and food production.