Don’t take the title of this lesson the wrong way. I’m sure your Grandma is a sweet lady. Aren’t they all! But the essential skills traditionally passed from generation to generation have begun to disappear in this country since the Great Depression. I don’t think it’s our fault but rather the diminished value placed on …Read More about 7 Sustainable practices your Grandma never taught you
Foundation Lessons
Lost Inheritance: How we are running the risk of losing some craft skills forever
When was the last time you made something? I’m not talking about buying a kit and following the instructions. When was the last time you looked at a raw material like wood, metal, clay, paper, leather, or cloth and shaped it into something useful? Hell, I’m not even asking if you can forge metal, tan …Read More about Lost Inheritance: How we are running the risk of losing some craft skills forever
The Knowledge Vault for Modern Steaders
One of the cornerstones in the Modern Steader experience is the value of group learning. Dave and I have shared a good portion of our journey so far together and the result is an accelerated learning curve. As the saying goes, there’s no need to reinvent the wheel. So with that in mind, and to …Read More about The Knowledge Vault for Modern Steaders
Pursuing a Different Kind of Knowledge
It’s been a year since Dave and I started framing what would become Modern Steader. We set out not to create a curriculum for others to follow but rather to dive down a series of rabbit holes for our own selfish benefit. The daily exchanges would go something like this: Dave: Hey man, do you …Read More about Pursuing a Different Kind of Knowledge
Drawing the line between Want and Need
By now you have hopefully downloaded and read our free eBook “Consumer Rehab”. If you haven’t read it yet, take a few minutes now and read it. Consumer Rehab will give us a foundation for a conversation about Drawing the Line Between Want and Need. Over the years I had become lazy about my spending. …Read More about Drawing the line between Want and Need
Learning Self-Reliance: 3 ways to change your world view
Everyone wants to provide for their own needs and the needs of their families. But all of us, without exception, would like to live comfortable and rewarding lives not just squeak by in a bare bones existence. The image that is conjured up when most people hear “self reliance” is one of that off-the-grid backwoodsman …Read More about Learning Self-Reliance: 3 ways to change your world view
25 evaluation benchmarks for establishing your Self-Reliance Baseline
Self reliance is a pursuit more than it is a destination or achievement. Most folks will pursue a higher degree of self sufficiency without ever becoming truly self reliant. The truth is, there are things we will need or consume that we can’t provide for ourselves. Not every climate is suitable for growing bananas. You …Read More about 25 evaluation benchmarks for establishing your Self-Reliance Baseline
Why Connected Self-Reliance?
I have this fantasy. I see my wife and I in a small custom home on a sloping, south-facing hillside somewhere outside of Reno, Nevada. There is a detached garage with a workshop and small office upstairs for my business. Surrounding the house is a large covered patio space and terraced gardens of seasonal edibles …Read More about Why Connected Self-Reliance?
The physical and mental challenges of the modern steader lifestyle and why it’s all worth it
We’ve all heard it, “What doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger.” It’s really just a dramatic way of saying that overcoming hardships, challenges and adversity allow us to grow and improve as a person. Similar to the fitness adage “No pain, no gain” encouraging us to push beyond our normal comfort threshold if we want to better …Read More about The physical and mental challenges of the modern steader lifestyle and why it’s all worth it
Becoming Comfortable with being Uncomfortable
Most people avoid discomfort. I’m not talking about pain or injury, although we’ll avoid that too, but most people will work really hard to dodge a minor annoyance, inconvenience or slight unpleasantness. We’ve all seen it, the person who drives in circles around the Walmart parking lot for 37 minutes so they can grab a …Read More about Becoming Comfortable with being Uncomfortable