Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Homestead Blog Hop 67

Homestead Blog Hop will take place every Wednesday featuring real food recipes, natural health remedies, DIY, crafts, Gardening Tips, and more...

Welcome to the Homestead Blog Hop!

We had our first snow of the year, if you want to call it that. I know that farther north there were some major problems, but we didn't have any of those. I haven't been feeling well the past couple of days. I am sure it will pass, but while it is going on it stinks.

I have been seeing robins in the yard. They are one of the first signs of spring. Robins are migratory, so when they get back spring isn't far behind. I know there are places where they stay year round, but that isn't here. 

I hope you enjoy the hop. 

Now on to the hop... Homestead Blog Hop will take place every Wednesday and is for all things homesteading: real food recipes, farm animals, crafts, DIY, how-to's, gardening, anything from-scratch, natural home/health, self-sufficiency, self-reliance, natural remedies, essential oils, & more! Basically anything related to homesteading.

Meet and Follow Your Hosts!

Homestead Blog Hop Hosts - come link up your homesteading posts every Wednesday
Kelly - Simple Life Mom (Facebook/Pinterest/Twitter/G+) Katey - Mama Kautz (Facebook/Pinterest/Twitter) Jennifer - Homesteading on Grace (Facebook/Pinterest/G+) Amanda - Idlewild Alaska (Facebook/Pinterest) Gregg - The Rural Economist (Facebook/Pinterest/Twitter/G+/Instagram) Bonnie - The Not So Modern Housewife (Facebook/Pinterest/Twitter/G+)

Featured Posts from the Last Homestead Blog Hop

Each week we will choose three posts to feature. Each post will be shared on all social media platforms by all of the hosts! Here are the features from Last Week's Hop:   DIY Raised Garden Beds for Under $30 - Featured on the Homestead Blog Hop
1. DIY Super Easy Raised Garden Bed for under $30 from The Cape Coop 
Canning Recipe: Homemade Apple Cider - Featured on the Homestead Blog Hop
2. Canning Recipe: Homemade Apple Cider from Taylor Made Homestead 
All About Grass Fed Beef - Featured on the Homestead Blog Hop
3. All About Grass Fed Beef from The Rustic Elk
Congrats! Feel free to grab the featured on button for your post.
Just right click and 'save image as...'
Homestead Blog Hop every Wednesday featuring real food recipes, natural health remedies, DIY, crafts, Gardening Tips, and more...
Guidelines for this Get-Together:
  1. Click on the “Add your Link” Button below and add a great image of your project or recipe. Make sure you link to the page of your family friendly post – not the main page of your blog!
  2. Try to visit at least a few other blogs at the party. Be sure to leave a comment to let them know you stopped by!
  3. Please link back to this post somehow (a text link is ok). This is one thing we look for when choosing who to feature. We will share on multiple social media if you are featured!
Let the Party Begin!

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Predicting Weather with Nature




 

Join the listener appreciation contest and share. This is an audio version of a previously release blog post. You can read the original post HERE.  

I am sure this is not a complete list. If  you know of some that I have left out, let me know. If you have a suggestion on a subject that you would like to have covered on the podcast or a question you would like to have answered, please do not hesitate to send us a message.

Monday, January 25, 2016

Choosing a Simple Life in a Complex World



You can listen and subscribe on iTunes

Like so many of my posts, this one started as a conversation. My wife found out about a lady that makes homemade soaps not far from where we live. After a bit of a nap, I got cleaned up and was ready to go visit this wonderful lady. After we looked at the map, I realized that I had noticed the store before, but we had never stopped.

When we arrived the store was unlocked, but no one was in the store. There was a nice little note that stated that if Suzy wasn't available just leave the money in a jar in the fridge and not to worry because she had done this for 10 years. We looked around for a while and Suzy did make it to the store. I am very glad she did. She had about 5 or 6 varieties of soap on sale and said that her selection was always changing. The small store was a mixture of older books, Amish cheeses and jellies, farm fresh eggs, home grown herbs, and of course her homemade soaps. Proudly displayed on the stores counter were copies of her book Simple Times at Old Field Farm which is a compilation of her articles that she had written for the Co-op magazine.

This lady and I are a generation apart and even though we came from different base ideologies, we came to the same end result. Suzy is a self proclaimed former hippy and I was raised backwoods conservative, but we both value freedom and a desire to not be dependent on the systems of support. Both of us have a desire to carve out our own piece of the world without the intrusion of governmental or corporate entities. 

I really enjoyed talk with Suzy. She is much further along the path of self sufficiency than I. I was encouraged just by being able to talk with her at length. Suzy had managed to do something that many of us aspire to and many more never realize how fulfilling a life can be. She owns her own business which provides for herself. She heats with wood that is harvested on her property.

What Did We Talk About?


 The Back To The Land Movement

More and more people are trying to live a more simple and sustainable life. Suzy has seen a couple of these movements and has seen a couple of them wain. We both believe that the current movement is more sustainable than the movements in the past. One of the reasons for this is people are trying to be more sustainable right where they are. In back to the land movements of the past people have tried to move out of the cities or high population areas. While there is some of this occurring now, it is not the principle driver. People are looking at the land they have and are trying to improve their sustainability exactly where they are. Urban and suburban homesteads are popping up everywhere. People all over are learning the old skills. Knitting, soap making, gardening, keeping chickens, are growing at a rate that I have never seen and these are occurring in areas that most would think unlikely.


There Are People Who Want to Stop You


Suzy told a story about how a man approached her at the local farmers co-op and told her a story about how his daughter had horrible allergies and that he was looking for someone to sell them raw goats milk because he had heard that this would be good for his daughter. She told him that she was sorry, but she wasn't set up to sell milk to anyone and that even if she wanted to her nannies were dry at the time. It turns out that the man was trying to set her up and he was the owner of a large goat dairy in the southern part of the state. This man proved that there are people who will do anything to hurt people that they see as a threat in any way.  This is deplorable.

Corporations are Never Satisfied

I love my state, but it does have its problems. One of these problems is just how many of our politicians are owned by corporate interests. One of the big corporations actually tried to make it illegal to sell homemade soaps. I am glad that there was no way that this could happen, at least for now. This still just goes to illustrate how much power and greed have influenced the business and political world. Corporations just cannot stand the thought that there are people who are forging a world in spite of  and outside of them.

Use the System When You Can, But Don't Betray Your Principles


This is one where she really made me rethink my stance on several opportunities. This lady writes for the co-op magazine regularly. She gets paid for writing and admits that she is often "in trouble" with the co-op for her writings, but they are popular enough that they keep on paying her. Her writings and world view are in stark contrast to the views of the co-op as a whole. The Farmer's Coop is the largest sellers of agricultural chemicals and gmo seeds in the state, yet this genteel woman stands in stark contrast to the public stance of the system. She has a lot of respect from me in that. 

Every Step Toward Self Sustainability is Worth Wild


 Whenever you talk to someone who is truly interested in self sustainability they will always ask if you are living a sustainable life. The honest answer for almost everyone is (or at least should be) "I am working toward it". Very few in the sustainability community would dare say if you aren't completely sustainable you aren't doing enough. We all know that it is a journey or pathway. Every step takes us closer to freedom and liberty. 

When you happen to meet a person that is living a life closer to what you are wanting, take the time to listen. Show respect, they have been on the path longer than you have and will normally be more than willing to share the lessons they have learned. It is almost always worth the time and effort.

Consider entering the listener appreciation contest

Bringing Rural Back 


Subscribe to our mailing list

* indicates required


You can like The Rural Economist on Facebook follow on The Rural Economist on Gplus. We now have a YouTube channel and we cover all sorts of things. Hop on over and check them out, oh and don't forget to subscribe. I have just joined Instagram if you would like you can follow us HERE. We will be sharing several things over the next year, I hope to see you there. 

Check out The Rural Economist on Pinterest

Affiliate Link Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive compensation for links, endorsements, testimonials, or recommendations for any products mentioned on this blog. If you see something you are interested in, check them out. Thanks for your consideration.





Friday, January 22, 2016

Automotive Preparedness





In this episode we talk about not only the gear that could be extremely helpful not only in an emergency situation, but also in everyday life. You can listen and subscribe on iTunes and Stitcher. If you enjoy the podcast consider leaving a rating. 

Join the listener appreciation contest. I hope you enjoy the show.

Bringing Rural Back

Thursday, January 21, 2016

Planning the Spring Garden






In this episode we talk about planning the spring garden. It is important to plant the things that you family will actually eat and will grow well in you area. 


We discuss the difference between heirloom, hybrid, and gmo seeds. There is a big difference, but a lot of people still get them mixed up.

We talk about container, raised bed, and in ground gardening. I think you will get a lot out of this episode.

Please enter the listener appreciation contest

Bringing Rural Back

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Victory Garden of the Past, Freedom Garden of Today







In this episode we talk about the victory gardens during World Wars I & II and how the systems have gone away from encouraging personal responsibility. Not a lot of notes, but I think you will enjoy.

I have taken to calling my garden a freedom garden. 

Please enter the listener appreciation contest. Listen and subscribe on   iTunes     and/or     Stitcher

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Why We Do What We Do






This morning after my wife left for her job and I got up. I knew I wanted to write and record something today. I went through my spreadsheet of all of the topics that I have come up with in the past that I really want to cover and none of them really jumped out at me for today.

When that happens, I think about conversations that I have had with friends and family and think if they may be something that you would find interesting. As I was cooking my breakfast and drinking my morning coffee, I remembered a conversation with a guy at work. I was telling him about the podcast and blog. The first question he asked me was "do you make any money doing it?" I told him a little. He looked straight at me and asked "Why do you do it?" That gave me pause. For most of the bloggers and podcasters out there each post represents hours of research, writing and production. Far more than most realize. Why do we do what we do?

The World is Messed Up

 Consumerism


Our consumer based society tries to tell us that buying things will make us happy. If you don't have the money to buy the things that will make you happy, no problem use credit. No need to save, that is so backwards anyway.

The World is Disconnected

We as a society don't know each other any more. I tried an experiment recently (I'll be honest I am a little sad it was an experiment). I waved at every person I met when I was driving down the street. You know the drivers wave, two fingers up on the steering wheel every time I past. In the more densely populated areas less than 10 percent acknowledged the friendly gesture and no it was not at highway speeds. The farther I got out of town the higher the percentage of people who waved back.

You really don't have to know someone well to be connected, you just have to show kindness and consideration.

We Want to Change the World

That may sound arrogant, but it is true. We really do want to make the world a better place. How do we do that? Every time someone plants a garden for the first time or reads a food label. Their individual world just got a little better. If they plant something and have a bumper crop, they are going to give some of those vegetables away. That helps them and it helps the person to whom they give the veggies. It doesn't matter if they just give them to someone at work or someone across the street. Both lives are made better. If I can show you how to make a worm bin or harvest a plant that grows wild in your yard and it increases your knowledge even a little. I have made an impact on the world. If you share something you have learned, you have as well.

What We Do Matters

 It is really easy to get to the point where you feel like what we do doesn't matter. There are tons of us in jobs where we feel like we are on a giant hamster wheel. Never really going anywhere, but always moving. Most bloggers and podcasters don't do it for profit. Now, I am not saying that making money doing what you enjoy isn't nice or isn't even a goal, but for most of us we don't look at a topic and decide whether or not that topic will make us money. Heck if most of us did that there wouldn't be near as much to read out there.


 We Put Ourselves Out There

When I sit down to work up an outline or write a post. I am wanting to share with you. I want you to understand what I think, how I feel, what I am going through, and how I am dealing with life.If you read very many of my posts or listen to the podcast or watch the YouTube channel, you will after a short period of time begin to know who I am. This is a level of sharing that is difficult, but rewarding. I want you to know that if I can do these things you can to.

Well I have rambled on long enough, but I did want to share a little of what helps me do what I do. I hope you enjoyed it. I didn't cover everything here that is in the podcast.

Thanks

Be sure and enter the listener appreciation contest

Bringing Rural Back


Subscribe to our mailing list

* indicates required


You can like The Rural Economist on Facebook follow on The Rural Economist on Gplus. We now have a YouTube channel and we cover all sorts of things. Hop on over and check them out, oh and don't forget to subscribe. I have just joined Instagram if you would like you can follow us HERE. We will be sharing several things over the next year, I hope to see you there. 

Check out The Rural Economist on Pinterest

Affiliate Link Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive compensation for links, endorsements, testimonials, or recommendations for any products mentioned on this blog. If you see something you are interested in, check them out. Thanks for your consideration.





Friday, January 15, 2016

Front Porch Friday #16


Front Porch Friday Blog Hop


I want to thank those that linked up last week. I hope when this post goes live that I will be in the deer stand. I am running out of time to take more game and I really want to put 2 more deer in the freezer. If I do this, I will have almost our entire years worth of meat taken care of with only a few exceptions. So, wish me luck.

Gregg's Pick from last week is Frugal Ideas for Any Homestead by Rabbit Ridge Farm. We can all do more to save our hard earned money.


Oh, this post on Building a Bigger, Better Chicken Coop by Summer Acres is so timely. We only have 6 girls, but with the snow we have had since before Christmas they must be going nuts. They won't leave it because of the snow either.
  • Please share your posts that are homesteading, prepping, homemaking, or frugal living in nature.
  • Please be family friendly, although Zombies are ok.
  • Please visit the blog that linked before you. Share the love.
  • Older posts are okay, but please only share on the Hop once.
  • If you would like to be featured I ask that you have linked back to this post
  • By linking up here you are giving permission to share your post, if featured.
 
Mama Kautz




Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Homestead Blog Hop #65

 Homestead Blog Hop will take place every Wednesday featuring real food recipes, natural health remedies, DIY, crafts, Gardening Tips, and more...

 

Welcome to the Homestead Blog Hop!  

We have finally started seeing some cold temperatures. I know that there are many that just hate cold weather, I am not one of those. I realize that we need the seasons for everything to work right. Lots of fruit trees need the cold weather to be able to produce well. Even though I enjoy winter I am already planning on the spring garden. 
If you are a writer and you link up in the hop. If you don't link back to the hop in some way we cannot feature your post. There were so many great posts this past week, but several didn't link back to the hop.

Now on to the hop... Homestead Blog Hop will take place every Wednesday and is for all things homesteading: real food recipes, farm animals, crafts, DIY, how-to's, gardening, anything from-scratch, natural home/health, self- sufficiency, self-reliance, natural remedies, essential oils, & more! Basically anything related to homesteading.

Meet and Follow Your Hosts!

Homestead Blog Hop Hosts - come link up your ho
mesteading posts every
Wednesday 
Kelly - Simple Life Mom</ a> (Facebook/Pinterest/ Twitter/G+) Katey - Mama Kautz (Facebook/Pinterest/Twitter) Jennifer - Homesteading on Grace (Facebook/Pinterest/G+) Amanda - Idlewild Alaska< /a> (Facebook/ Pinterest ) Gregg - The Rural Economist (Facebook/Pinterest/Twitter/G+/Instagram) Bonnie - The Not So Mod ern Housewife (Facebook/Pinterest /Twitter/G+)

Featured Posts from the Last Homestead Blog Hop

Each week we will choose three posts to feature. Each post will be shared on all social media platforms by all of the hosts! Here are the features from Last Week's Hop:

Ordering Your Spring Seeds - Featured on the Homestead Blog Hop
1. Ordering Your Spring Seeds from Oak Hill Homestead
FINALLY - A Soft, Delicious Sandwich Bread - Featured on the Homestead Blog Hop
2. FINALLY - A Soft, Delicious Sandwich Bread from Taylor Made Ranch
Helpful Herbs: Anise - Featured on the Homestead Blog Hop
3. Helpful Herbs: Anise from Day's Ferry Organics
Congrats! Feel free to grab the featured on button for your post.
Just right click and 'save image as...'
Homestead Blog Hop every Wednesday featuring real food recipes, natural health remedies, DIY, crafts, Gardening Tips, and more...
Guidelines for this Get-Together:
  1. Click on the “Add your Link” Button below and add a great image of your project or recipe. Make sure you link to the page of your family friendly post – not the main page of your blog!
  2. Try to visit at least a few other blogs at the party. Be sure to leave a comment to let them know you stopped by!
  3. Please link back to this post somehow (a text link is ok). This is one thing we look for when choosing who to feature. We will share on multiple social media if you are featured!
Let the Party Begin!

Monday, January 11, 2016

Selecting Your First Firearm




Firearms are a hot button topic right now. I know they have been for some time, but our current political environment has made it more so that I have ever seen. Acts of violence have convinced some that all firearms are evil and others that they are absolutely necessary. I will be honest, I am very pro 2nd Amendment. I have owned firearms for most of my life and I have never shot, let alone killed anyone. Our current president is in favor of some type of gun control, we honestly don't know what type he wishes he could achieve, but we know for now he has limits on what he is able to do. One thing is certain. Every time our president talks about advancing gun control, gun sales soar. President Obama is arguably the greatest gun salesman in history, whether he knows it or not.

A lot of the gun sales that occur after our president talks about gun control are existing gun owners that are purchasing something that is on their wishlist because they fear they will not be able to get that particular firearm in the future. At least some of these purchases are made by first time gun owners. That is good. You can't support confiscation of something that you own, these people now have a vested interest in keeping this right. (The president hasn't said anything about confiscation, but that is where it will eventually head if the current climate persists.) There are a lot of people asking questions about firearms right now. I am going to try to answer many of these questions.

Aren't Firearms Dangerous?


Firearms are a tool, nothing more and nothing less, but yes they are dangerous. A firearm has the ability to kill anyone at whom it is pointed. By the same token a chainsaw, blow torch, or nail gun are all dangerous. A chainsaw exceeds the possible damage to human flesh. The danger zone of a chainsaw includes the length of the chainsaw and the length of the person's arms that is holding it. This danger zone is increased even when using the saw correctly. Cutting down a tree increases the danger zone to the length of the tree.


Image result for chainsaw injuries


A high quality nail gun with the safety mechanisms disabled can fire nails between 50 and 100 yards at speeds in excess of 90 miles per hour. Now the likelihood of that nail point puncturing someone at any distance is highly unlikely, but I just wanted to make a point.
 

Experience and Respect Mitigates Dangers


I know that there are people on both sides of this subject that are upset with me right now. I have heard gun owners say that firearms aren't dangerous, the person that uses them determines whether or not a firearm is dangerous. Kinda. There are people that will use any tool for evil. If I said that a firearm isn't dangerous at all I would be lying. I am not going to do that. But we can own and operate firearms in a safe manner just like we can a chainsaw or nail gun. I would suggest you do all of this before you purchase a firearm.



Find Someone to Help You Learn

Professional training is a huge plus, but it is not the only option. I myself have introduced several people to firearms and have watched several others do the same. If you can find someone who has been a long time gun owner, talk to them first. Not only would I want to talk to them first, I would want to watch them shoot and clean their firearms. If they aren't proficient and accurate find someone else. When they shoot and handle the weapon be aware of where the barrel is pointing at all times. There is a term called muzzling. Muzzling is any time the barrel of the firearm is pointed at or near someone, even when the person is just moving the firearm around. If the "experienced" gun owner ever does this don't use them to teach you, in fact don't go to the range with them again. it is that serious. A good person to learn from will make sure that you know the rules that should be followed for safe handling of a firearm. There are lots of conscientious gun owners out there and most are willing to help you learn, you may just have to look and ask a lot of questions.

A Firearms Instructor

There are multiple accrediting organizations for a firearms instructor, the most widely known would be the National Rifle Association (NRA). Many gun ranges will have access to instructors as well. Even though there is training involved with becoming a certified firearms instructor, not all instructors are created equal. Some instructors are better with women, some are better with children, and let's just be honest, some just aren't very good with anyone. Normally the instructors that aren't very good don't last long, but there are exceptions. Ask an instructor all of the same questions you would ask to "old timer" down the street, watch them shoot, an instructor should have just as high a safety standard as the most safety conscience enthusiast. You will want someone to guide you through your learning and either of these options are fine if you find the right person.

Selecting a Type of Firearm

All right so you have asked around and you have found someone you are comfortable with and are confident will be able to teach you how to safely handle and use a firearm. Great. Now we move into the selection of type of firearm.  Firearms come in three primary types: pistols, rifles, and shotguns. Each have their strengths and weaknesses. There are some commonalities among the types of firearms. Each type has recoil (kick) and report (bang or sound), both of these are impacted by caliber or gauge. At this point we are still not going to talk about specific calibers or gauges.

Pistols

Pistols are fun to shoot. Yep, I said it, but for many first timers they are intimidating. Pistols are also the most common personal protection firearm for many reasons. They are small and concealable. Their small size make them easier to maneuver. . There are two primary types of pistols, revolvers and semi automatics.

Revolvers are generally considered safer. They have more substantial recoil than a similar caliber in a semi auto. I explain why in the podcast. It would take a bit to write it out here. Revolvers are also generally limited to a six shots and take a lot longer to reload than a semi automatic.

Semi automatics are more likely to fail than revolvers. I know there are some that will argue this point, but when you look at all makes and models this is true. It is easier to use a lot more ammo with a semi auto. If a semi auto fails it is much more likely not to shoot then it is to shoot by mistake.

I like them both, but for personal protection I lean more to the semi automatics.

 

Rifles 


We are going to break down rifles into two categories. Yes, I know that is over simplifying things, but this is for the person who is just considering purchasing a firearm.The two categories I am going to break this down into is rim fire and center fire.

Rim fire rifles The most common rim fire rifles are .17 and .22 and .22 magnum. .22 comes in short and long rifles. .17 if fairly uncommon, but a very nice varmint round. .22 are very common and as a result it has gotten difficult to get ammunition. The price of .22 long rifle ammunition has increased considerably in the past few years as well. There have been several other calibers of rim fire firearms in the past, but they are increasingly rare. Rim fire rifles do well for squirrel, rabbit, and other small critters. These rounds are not suggested for personal protection or the taking of larger game. The .22 magnum is a more powerful than the .22 long rifle, but is fairly uncommon.

Center fire rifles are really anything larger than the ones listed above and have a large range. A person looking to select a center fire rifle should take into consideration the intended use. The ones I like best are 30-06, 30-30, and .308. These calibers are all related, but have different characteristics. Any of these rounds are suitable for taking most anything on the American continent. I wouldn't want to hunt elephant with them, but since elephant hunting is only allowed in very few places, I am not really concerned about being able to take that large of an animal. Center fire rifles can also be an effective form of personal protection, but you must consider the penetration of the round (how likely the round is to go through what you are shooting at). You are also not going to haul around a center fire rifle with you as personal protection in any town. If you do, you will not be very popular in most places.


Shotguns

Shotguns are really the workhorse of the firearms world. They can literally be used to hunt anything from squirrel to deer and everything in between. They can be fairly intimidating and do have a substantial report and recoil. They are in my opinion the easiest of the selection to learn to be proficient at shooting.

The reason the shotgun is so versatile is because of the shell. Shotguns don't have bullets in the literal sense of the word. A shell is a casing that holds a primer, powder, a wadding, and the shot. Unless you are shooting a slug, every time you shoot a shotgun, multiple projectiles are fired all at the same time. When you look at a shell there is a number on it. The higher the number on the shell the smaller the individual projectile is, but smaller "lead" means there are a lot more of them in the same sized shell.

Image result for 12 gauge slug
A 12 gauge slug is a single, large projectile. 


A #8 shot has a bunch of really small pellets.
This gives a shotgun flexibility the others just don't have.

What is the intended use of the firearm?

This is really the question that will determine which type of firearm is best. There are places where pistols are illegal, I don't like it, I don't agree with it, but that is the case. There are also places where certain rifles are illegal, there are even places where all firearms are illegal period. You will have to learn the laws for your local area.

Some firearms excel at one thing and not another. Rim fire is great for small game and general varmint control, but that is about it. I really wouldn't want to have to depend on a rim fire in a personal protection situation. Granted any firearm is better than not having one at all.

Pistols are preferred for personal defense, but they aren't very good for hunting. I know that there are people who have and do hunt with a pistol. I have done it myself. I have a very old .22 revolver that is very accurate and I can take squirrels with it, my grandfather actually hunted feral hogs with a pistol. They just aren't the best option for hunting.

Center fire rifles are great for hunting larger game. They are an effective home defense weapon, but with a center fire rifle you have to be certain of not only what you are shooting at, but also what is behind the target. Every time I have ever shot a deer with a center fire rifle, the bullet has passed all the way through the animal. In a hunting situation this is what you want. But think about it if the projectile will pass all the way through a deer, it will also pass all the way through an intruder. You must be careful.

Shotguns are really good for most anything. They have the ability to be adapted to whatever situation you may face, due to the ability to choose different ammunition. They can be used for home defense, hunting large and small game. The only area where a shotgun falls short is personal defense when on the go. You really can't walk through a major city with a shotgun strapped across your chest or back.

It is my recommendation that if at all possible a person should own a pistol, rim fire rifle, center fire rifle and a shotgun. This is what most would call a complete compliment (others would call it an arsenal, but they are being dramatic). You can see that if you only have the ability to own one firearm that there are several things to consider in choosing which would be right for you. But, if you were only able to own one and you needed it to fill as many jobs as possible, the clear winner for me would be a shotgun.

Shotguns come in a range of gauges. 410 is the smallest. I really don't suggest this gauge for an adult. It is the gauge on which I start young people, but the ammunition is a lot more expensive that its larger cousins. For adults I suggest either a 20 or 12 gauge. I like the 12. For me it is the most versatile. I favor Remington shotguns and I like either the 870 pump shotgun or the 1100 semi automatic. The pump can be purchased for right around $300, if you are willing to watch the pawn shops, you may be able to find one in nice condition even cheaper. I found  a 1100 on www.gunbroker.com for $550 but they retail for right around $1000.

No matter what firearm you choose, remember to find a mentor or get training. Firearms are indeed dangerous when not handled properly. You will find that a lot of people that enjoy firearms really enjoy teaching people about them as well. I know I do.

Bringing Rural Back

Subscribe to our mailing list

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You can like The Rural Economist on Facebook follow on The Rural Economist on Gplus. We now have a YouTube channel and we cover all sorts of things. Hop on over and check them out, oh and don't forget to subscribe. I have just joined Instagram if you would like you can follow us HERE. We will be sharing several things over the next year, I hope to see you there. 

Check out The Rural Economist on Pinterest

Affiliate Link Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive compensation for links, endorsements, testimonials, or recommendations for any products mentioned on this blog. If you see something you are interested in, check them out. Thanks for your consideration.





Friday, January 8, 2016

Front Porch Friday #15


Front Porch Friday Blog Hop

It is always a challenge to get back into the swing of things after the holidays and the New Year has passed. I myself have found a lot of my schedule has gone out the window and am working hard on getting everything back on track. That is actually my biggest challenge when it comes to my yearly goals. I set dates that I want things done by and I find myself having to rearrange things to be able to get everything done. I am sure that everyone will be back in the game soon. 

This week I chose Oak Hill Homestead's post about what is going on around her farm. It's always fun to see how other people do things.

  • Please share your posts that are homesteading, prepping, homemaking, or frugal living in nature.
  • Please be family friendly, although Zombies are ok.
  • Please visit the blog that linked before you. Share the love.
  • Older posts are okay, but please only share on the Hop once.
  • If you would like to be featured I ask that you have linked back to this post
  • By linking up here you are giving permission to share your post, if featured.
 
Mama Kautz




Thursday, January 7, 2016

When It's Time to Get a Newer Vehicle


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I hate car shopping. I know the rules and the swordplay if you will. Heck, I even tried to be a car salesman for a short period of time, I stunk at it but I tried. Just too honest I guess. But there does come a time when you just have to bite the bullet and go shopping. That time finally came for me. I had been driving a '96 Caravan that I paid cash for. It has done well for me, but it was on it's last legs and finally had to retire. It had been lovingly named the terrorist van by my children. (At least I think it was a loving nickname.) I would have been fine driving it another 10 years, but the final straw came when the sliding door fell off- no I am not kidding. So we had to start the adventure of finding me another means of travel. The prospects of this literally made me sick to my stomach. I realized that this process could help someone else, so here goes.


When I purchase a vehicle I keep them till they die. This has been the case for most of my adult life. My first vehicle as an adult was an 88 Ford Ranger. When it died, and I really do mean died. It had 221,000 miles on it, and it caught fire going down the road. That was a long time ago. I am not one of the people that trades cars every couple of years and I don't suggest you do this either.

Dealer vs Private Seller

 

If you are needing a newer vehicle, one of the first questions you will need to answer is are you going to answer is are you going to go with a private seller or a dealer? Both options have benefits and challenges.

Private Seller

 

When dealing with a private seller the transaction will be a lot more personal. Many times you can get a better deal for the vehicle. You will be able to talk to the owner and get a feel for how maintenance was performed.  You will have to be a fairly good judge of character, there are as many private sellers that will try to take advantage of you as there are bad car salespeople. It is best to have cash on hand when dealing with a private seller, but there is a way to finance a car you have purchased from an individual. You will have to go to your bank, credit union, or finance company (the highest interest rate and should be avoided if at all possible) and obtain a loan prior to purchase. We will talk more about pre-approval a little later.

Cash is king here. Many times you will be able to negotiate a better price if you have the ability to pay in cash instead of having to give them a check. Just keep this in mind. 

Dealer

 

Working with a dealer has benefits and drawbacks as well. When working with a dealer it is important to have a salesperson that you feel comfortable with. In the past I have walked out of a dealership because I didn't like the salesperson. I have also just flat out asked for someone different. It is critically important to know your budget. You must realize that a sales person is paid by commission. There are many out there that will do everything they can to get you to purchase as high a priced vehicle as possible.

A dealership will have a wide variety of options and they can assist you in obtaining financing.  I prefer not to use the dealerships financing options. It just seems to take longer and adds stress to an already stressful situation, though I will admit that sometimes the dealership will be able to get you a better interest rate than some of the other options. Plus if something goes wrong with the new vehicle there is some place we can go back to and be assured that any work needed will be able to be done. Depending on whether or not the vehicle has any warranty, we may or may not have to pay for any repairs.


Financing and Your Budget

 


Dave Ramsey, the major of" Get out of debt" guru says that you should never use financing to get a car. While I agree with Dave on most things this is one where I deviate. If done correctly financing is a viable option for many. Why do I say that? An automobile is what I consider a durable good. If taken care of, a vehicle should be able to last at least 20 years. The Old Van did just that and it went through the ringer before I had it. It is true that I could be in an accident tomorrow and the vehicle be destroyed, but if you use that logic your house isn't a durable good either because it could be destroyed by fire or storm. Most of us must have transportation. Unless you live in an urban area, public transportation is just not an option. So how do I shop smart for a vehicle?

Get Pre-Approved Financing


Most would agree that the financing part of the buying process is one of the most stressful parts. By doing this before you ever look at a single vehicle you have not only taken some of the stress away, you have greatly increased your bargaining power with the dealership or individual.

There are several institutions that will issue auto loans and most will give you a pre-approval letter. This will tell you your maximum price and any requirements by the loaning institution. Common requirements are how old the vehicle can be and the maximum number of miles a car can have to be considered. For example a pre-approval letter may state that a vehicle cannot be more than 10 years old and must have less than 120,000 miles. Oh and you have a budget between say $6,000 and $20,000.
Pre-approval means you can get that much money. It doesn't mean you HAVE to spend that much. This gives you options and you don't have to sit in that little room while the salesperson has to go ''talk to their manager".  This pre-approved loan will still have to be tied or linked to the vehicle you choose, but it still streamlines the process.

How much you borrow of course is a major determining factor in what your payment will be. Less debt is always better. We want to be working toward not having any debt at all, but transportation is a necessity especially for folks that live in rural areas. You will also have to take into consideration the insurance that the vehicle will require. Even if you buy a $4000 vehicle, if you have financed that vehicle you will have to obtain full coverage for that vehicle, at least till its paid off. 

Want vs NEED !

This one is the one that gets most of us in trouble. My wife and I have been talking about how we really need a truck for the past couple of years. I have treated the old van as much like a truck as I could. Bags of mulch, bales of straw, compost, short pieces of lumber,  you name it. If it would fit, it has been hauled in the old van. There are limitations and things we really need a truck for.
Now, I want a super duper maxi crew cab, 4 wheel drive with heated leather seats, 40 ton wench, heavy duty towing package, and a Get Back Jack hat rack. But I really don't need most of those things. What are the things I actually need? A standard cab, 2 wheel drive standard tow package, and really that's about all. Though the "Get Back Jack Hat Rack" would be nice.
Making an honest list of needs will help you stay grounded. Who knows? You may be able to get a couple of your wants too. (If you have plenty of money, get what you want. This is really for the people that are trying to live as frugally as possible.) What is the difference between needs and wants? In the case of a new truck anywhere from 10 to 30 thousand dollars. Just out of curiosity I did look at one of the new super duper trucks. At $63000 plus, no thank you. That is almost as much as we paid for our house.

My Needs

Dependable
Truck
Decent fuel economy
Affordable
Air conditioning
You can see my actual needs are very few. My wants however can get out of hand.

My Wants

 

Crew cab
4 Wheel Drive
V 8
Towing package
Bluetooth
CD player
MP3 compatible
Oh and don't forget that hat rack
Well you get the idea. Every want adds to the total price. So I have to balance my needs, wants, and budget. This doesn't have to be that difficult. Needs are needs and just like we talked about selecting a homestead, your needs should be considered deal breakers. If the vehicle doesn't have those things just walk away.

In the south air conditioning is a must have, especially if you are paying good money for a new or new to you vehicle. In other places air conditioning may be a want or even a would be nice to have.



Start Shopping

 We are just now to the point where we can start shopping in earnest. We can look around before this point, but doing too much may have us set our sights on a vehicle that is too pricey. Resources to help us find the right vehicle are many. Auto Trader, Craigslist, newspapers, and dealer's websites are all available outlets of information.

New vs Used


Is there ever a time when buying a brand new car is a good idea financially? My answer is no and most financial advisers agree with me. I have only seen one situation where it looked like a new vehicle was a better deal than a used one. The dealer was having one of those 0% interest for 60 months things. In that instance the payment for the new vehicle was a little cheaper than the payment for the used, but the term was for a year longer, so even then there were offsetting facts.

A new car loses anywhere from 20% and up of its value the minute you drive it off the lot. It is a much better idea to purchase used and let someone else absorb the loss. You spend less, get a good vehicle, and can pay off the debt quicker. Debt is not your friend.

The Search


So, with financing approved and knowing the type of vehicle I wanted and needed, we were on a mission to find the right vehicle. I already stated that just because you are approved for a certain amount doesn't mean that you have to spend that much. We decided that we would like to spend as close to half of the amount we were approved for as possible. What you borrow, you have to pay back. The lower the loan the less you have to pay, simple as that. 

Be aware that some financing options will only allow you to shop with certain dealers. The search began. Thankfully, most dealers keep their websites up to date on their used inventory. I cannot tell you how many sites we looked at, most didn't have any in the price range I was willing to pay. I found five or six sites that had vehicles that were under consideration. Then started the process of evaluation process based on the information that was provided on the website. Make, model, features, mileage,  and  Carfax. A Carfax is handy because you can see any accidents that the vehicle had been in and to some degree the maintenance that the vehicle received. It will not show maintenance provided by the owner or local mechanic.

We settled on a dealership that had 3 possible vehicles. All three were trucks, two were standard cab and one was extended. I called the dealership and spoke with a man named Don. I like Don, I told him which vehicles I was looking at and set a time to go talk to him. We arrived at the dealership and Don showed us the vehicles. One of the ones we were considering was already sold.

Don was courteous and not pushy in the least. He answered all the questions we had. It was a nice transaction.

In Review


  • Get Pre-Approval if at all possible
  • List wants and needs. Be honest with yourself, the "hat rack" is not a need no matter how much I want it.
  • Be realistic about price, don't try to spend every dollar you have qualified for
  • Shop as many locations as possible before you ever leave home
  • If a salesperson is too pushy ask for another or simply go somewhere else
  • Pick your vehicle and don't look back
  • Pay it off as quickly as possible
  • Own it for a very long time.
This will help you live a more frugal and sustainable life.
Bringing Rural Back

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Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Homestead Blog Hop #64

 Homestead Blog Hop will take place every Wednesday featuring real food recipes, natural health remedies, DIY, crafts, Gardening Tips, and more...

Welcome to the Homestead Blog Hop!

So far this year has been a major challenge, but we have accepted the challenge and will rise to the occasion. A new year is always exciting. We have the ability to fashion the new year into something that we can look back on and be proud. Look for lots of exciting things in 2016.

If you listen to the podcast be sure and join the listener appreciation event. This is going to be really cool.  We have also added a Business Directory to the blog. If you have an online business consider adding the directory to your marketing budget. Select advertisers will be mentioned on the podcast.

Now on to the hop... Homestead Blog Hop will take place every Wednesday and is for all things homesteading: real food recipes, farm animals, crafts, DIY, how-to's, gardening, anything from-scratch, natural home/health, self- sufficiency, self-reliance, natural remedies, essential oils, & more! Basically anything related to homesteading.

Meet and Follow Your Hosts!

Homestead Blog Hop Hosts - come link up your ho
mesteading posts every
Wednesday 
Kelly - Simple Life Mom (Facebook/Pinterest/ Twitter/G+) Katey - Mama Kautz (Facebook/Pinterest/Twitter) Jennifer - Homesteading on Grace (Facebook/Pinterest/G+) Amanda - Idlewild Alaska</ a> (Facebook/ Pinterest ) Gregg - The Rur al Economist (Facebook/Pinterest/Twitter/G+/Instagram) Bonnie - The Not So Mod ern Housewife (Facebook/Pinterest /Twitter/G+)

Featured Posts from the Last Homestead Blog Hop

Each week we will choose three posts to feature. Each post will be shared on all social media platforms by all of the hosts! Here are the features from Last Week's Hop:

1. Try Asparagus Beans This Year from Making Our Sustainable Life
2. Helpful Herbs: Mustard from Day's Ferry Organics
3. Is Senna Tea an Effective Herbal Laxative Drink? from Organic 4 Greenlivings
Congrats! Feel free to grab the featured on button for your post.
Just right click and 'save image as.. .'
Guidelines for this Get-Together:
  1. Click on the Add your Link Button below and add a great image of your project or recipe. Make sure you link to the page of your family friendly post – not the main page of your blog!
  2. Try to visit at least a few other blogs at the party. Be sure to leave a comment to let them know you stopped by!
  3. Please link back
to this post somehow (a text link is ok). This is one thing we look for when choosing who to feature. We will share on multiple social media if you are featured! Let the Party Begin!

Friday, January 1, 2016

Front Porch Friday #14

Front Porch Friday Blog Hop


Last week the hop went live on Christmas day, as a result we only had one post shared. I really didn't thing about that. I wasn't online either and if I don't do my daily online chores, I very rarely get back to the things that have passed. I also promised that I would include two features this week. 
Feature from week before last. Pallet Fence by Morning Chores. I have looked into doing this and am still considering it, I have found the pallets I want to use, but can only get maybe two a month (I am pretty picky, my wife wants it cute) and they aren't free. 
The featured post from last week was What to do with Your Christmas Ham Bone by Oak Hill Homestead. We always save our ham bone and use it in a big old pot of beans.
  • Please share your posts that are homesteading, prepping, homemaking, or frugal living in nature.
  • Please be family friendly, although Zombies are ok.
  • Please visit the blog that linked before you. Share the love.
  • Older posts are okay, but please only share on the Hop once.
  • If you would like to be featured I ask that you have linked back to this post
  • By linking up here you are giving permission to share your post, if featured.
 
Mama Kautz