Safety in a Failing Economy

[Sachita]

Originally Posted by SoNotHer

There's a great book entitled, Everything I Want to Do is Illegal. The HOAs have, in their infinite wisdom, made everything from hanging up clothes on a line to growing vegetables in your front yard a crime. This must and will change.

I appreciate you've got limited choices, Drew. I've had no car and taken two hour and half bus rides to work. I've slept on an old mattress on a floor with one sheet. I've gotten down to two cans of food in the cupboard, and I've had no place to live.

Obviously, when I was bouncing between a friend's couch and a vacant house and a friend's basement, I wasn't thinking about living off the grid or participating in a CSA. But the moment I had a rental contract and a place to stay, I was planting.

These times reinforced for me the idea of frugality and the value of "repurposing" of things. But I first learned to save and reuse from my mother who survived the Great Depression at least in part because she and the aunts she lived with were eating from their garden.

I could not live in a HOA environment, however the times I considered creating some type of community out here I wondered how we'd approach this without so many rules. In order for people to live together collectively you must have some kind of guide. For instant I may not favor having a bunch of old cars close to my place or a lot of noise.

But I do think they take it too far when they deny someone's right to garden food. If a community like this doesnt suit your needs then find one that does.

FYI- I have a bunch of cheap shop light fixtures and those plant and aquarium bulbs. I have been successful growing all kinds of greens, bok choy, lettuce, etc in my basement. I might try growing tomatoes with them this year and hand pollinate the flowers. (its easy btw). It all depends if I get help soon or not. I need full time live in help. In fact I'm building my micro community.

Back on topic- you can get free 5 gallon buckets which make excellent grow containers. Let us get you hooked. If you have a small amount of money for some kind of lighting, I will personally ship you the seeds. Try one small edible plant and expand from there.