Self-Sustainable Life

In just the past week and a half I have heard the language "global food crisis" uttered more than a few times. I know that part of this may be an attempt to get us worrying about food prices thus encouraging us to spend more since supply might become more and more limited. I find it interesting that our government provokes us with fear in order to get us to spend more money, in this case on food. I'm reminded of an ancient Hopi prophecy that speaks to our current circumstances in America and around the world. It comes from the book The Hopi Survival Kit by Thomas E. Mails:

Industrialized nations will become careless in getting more the resources out of the earth. Believing all these things will last forever, soon natural resources will be depleted. Fuel shortages will occur; industrial machinery will come to a standstill. The machinery used for planting, harvesting and transport will become useless. Supermarket shelves will become empty of farm produce. The farmers and those who grow their own food will not sell their produce. Money will become worthless. The white man with all his intelligence and technology will not be able to repair the damage. We will see extraordinary events in Nature and Earth, including humans.

This has also got me thinking more about living a self-sustainable life. My wife and I are interested in having a small organic farm at some point in the near future. By small organic farm, I mean having a few chickens and goats as well as a diverse garden for our use. If we could produce even 50% of our food then I think that would be a great goal to work towards.

I wonder how many other folks are thinking the same way as we are. Keep in mind we have been thinking about this for years not just as a reaction to the "global food crisis" though it certainly speeds up the possibility of that happening.

I actually have this vision of me spending my days working in the garden, on the farm and in my workshop building projects for my family as well as others. I believe that I am at a point in my life where I long for simplicity and sustainability.