How to escape from the pressures of society

To get to the point of 'how to escape from the pressures of society': the simple answer is to homestead, or 'live-off-the-land.' My post "How Single Mothers (Homeless, Needy, or Poor) Can Live for Free" highlights the pressures we face, which lead us to this question. 

It is no wonder we want to escape from reality if we have to wake up at 6:30am and prepare to go to a job we hate, to pay off 'things' that we're told we have to have (i.e. vehicles, cable, cell phones, etc.) My post on how single mothers can live for free similarly answers the question 'how can we escape from society (or pressures)?'

First, what I continually advise to people, is to aim to reduce your dependence on transportation. I have never had a driver's license, and I NEVER will. Vehicles are one of the largest contributors directly associated with air pollution. Ideally, you should bike and walk where ever you need to go (even if that means 5-10 miles away from work, the farmer's market, your friend's house, girlfriend's place, or the dentist.) People, your age, were walking and biking in place of transportation, as little as 30 years ago (even right before school!) Without doing so, biking and walking  gives you a sense of peace, confidence, and keeps you young/slim.

Moreover, your food should be coming from your garden. We cannot keep depending on the reliance of vehicles for our convenience of imported food. Or else if we face some sort of collapse of oil (which is predicted to peak in 2015), then we can say good-bye to Florida Oranges being shipped on a truck to Michigan; or California dates transported on a truck to New York. Our dependence on the grocery store is directly related to our dependence on oil (this topic will continue to come up in each of my blog posts.) However, I will continue to buy bananas and mangoes from the store till that day comes because bananas are good for you and cheap.

Once again, find a way to grow your own food -- I have a blog post on how apartment dwellers can grow food (if you don't have garden space to do so) here: Three Ways to Grow Food & Other Plants for Apartment Dwellers (Indoors/Outdoors) . I also have mentioned in my post "How Single Mothers (Homeless, Poor, and Needy) Can live for free" that if you cannot afford the land which you intend to "escape to", ask family or friends -- that own property, preferably more than 3 acres -- if you can build a garden and a small house for you and/or your family. In return, you can give them your extra or leftover food you grew, in exchange for living on their land for free. If you do not have family or friends that can allow you to do this, find a spot in the woods that is less traveled by human/animal, has shade and sun, and is close enough to human contact in an emergency. Screw anyone that tells you you have to own property. I am growing food on my Mom's and grandparents' yard, and building my Earth home in my Grandparents' woods, because I intend to live for free.

***Remind yourself: wild animals eat raw food. You should also aim to eat more raw (especially mono-meals which you will only see in nature.) And keep in mind, nature has both omnivore and herbivores. Lets not get too frustrated at those who eat meat; and instead inform them peacefully the health consequences of eating meat. For more information on mono-meals, go to my blog post here: How to Take the Guess Work of Eating Vegetarian, Vegan, or Raw 


I have mentioned our dependence on driving a vehicle, which leads me to my next tip: Reduce your use of other technologies like cell phones, clothes washer, clothes dryer, dish washer. These things are expensive and drive up an eletric bill. If you want to "escape" from the pressures of our society, you may want to invest in solar panels (to use energy for the sun to power your household appliances), if you want to continue using technology. Once again, these machines are an unsustainable and finite resources (when coal cannot be used to power our luxuries.) However, technology is NOT the issue, it is powering these technologies and being obsessed with the technologies that are symbols of capitalism, greed, laziness, and sloth. Of all technologies, internet access is the best tool for teaching one another how to do things for FREE.

Lastly, change your perspective on self-sustainablility and self-reliance by going to youtube and exploring the number of ways people have "went off-the-grid". If you plan to settle down (and own your own property): build your own house out of recycled materials (i.e. wood, straw, mud, and stone from the woods.) For more information on how to create a home using recycled materials, and innovative ways to construct your home for CHEAP, go here for inspiring videos: Kirstendirksen on youtube. Or check out The 50 Dollar and Up Underground House Book by Mike Oehler for step by step instructions on how to build an underground house. Also, check out The Hand-sculpted House for another approach to free and environmentally-conscience building.


Ultimately, if you want to be debt-free, bill-free, pressure-free, and want to live a more independent/healthy lifestyle, aim to live by nature's law (i.e. model after the animals and plants.) Try your best. Don't let anyone tell you you're doing something "crazy" or "unpractical." Do what you want, and show people you can do otherwise. 

How to Take the Guess Work Out of Eating Vegetarian, Vegan, or Raw Food

When you're interested in changing your diet, you immediately look for recipes online or buy cookbooks -- not really looking for information on how to make the transition easier, or how to be healthy.

But, what if cooking is NOT your thing? What if you cannot prepare a meal for yourself because you're not good at it? What if you don't have time to prepare a meal? And what if you're just fed up with looking for recipes that end up costing you a butt-load, and they take so much time to make? Or what if you just don't know what to make to eat, because you're too tired?

The easiest, cheapest, and cleansing method, for taking the worry and guess work out of preparing a meal, is: eat mono meals. "Mono meals" is a phrase used to describe eating ONE vegetable or fruit (usually in large quantities to get your calories) at one meal. For example, for breakfast: 1 watermelon; for lunch: 5 apples; and for dinner: 9 bananas -- strive for 2500 (women) & 3000 (men) calories a day on fruit!

Eating this simply will actually save you money, easy clean-up (no dishes to wash), reverse digestion issues, clean your colon, and reverse/cure/treat diseases.

For more information or inspiration in eating mono meals, go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtxFC4LHnKo&feature=relmfu

Three Ways to Grow Food & Other Plants for Apartment Dwellers (Indoors/Outdoors)

3. Terrariums: Terrariums are not typically used to grow food, however they are gorgeous for growing tropical plants in your kitchen, bathroom, and living room to create a peaceful and natureous atmosphere in your home. Tropical plants love three things: heat, shade, and dark, moist soil.

The "art" of terrarium making is choosing the type of glass container. You could use an old, glass coffee pot, aquariums, mason jars, glass salad bowls, and glass viles. The pictures in this section will give you an idea of how to create innovative, recycled, and unique crafts for edibles or decorative plants.

Below are instructions on how you can make your own terrariums (from the Gardener's Eden):

Source: How to Reuse Your Plastic Bottles for Crafts 

Step One: Purchase pea gravel or find some small stones from nature (which is important for drainage.) Secondly, purchase sphagnum moss or find some moss from nature to hold in the soil and retain moisture (optional); and for native plants, purchase peat moss (if desired.) Lastly, purchase quality (organic), dry potting soil. Take this project to the next level by collecting materials from the park, woods, or stream for stones, bark, and twigs. Select and buy small plants from a local greenhouse/florist or through online resources. For food sources: grow strawberries, herbs, and aloe vera in terrariums.

Step Two: Fill the bottom of the glass container with about an inch or small layer of pea gravel.

Step Three: Add a layer of sphagnum moss (sometimes called sheet moss.)

Step Four: Add potting soil, and peat moss (if you are planting acid-loving natives like ferns and moss). Make a mound so the plant will be visible from all sides.

Step Five: Add materials you found -- just get creative with the structure; and moisten the jar thoroughly with a water-filled spray bottle. Let the contents settle for a few minutes.

Step Six: add your plant(s). Mist your terrarium thoroughly after planting and cover with the glass lid (if your jar or glass container came with one.) Check your plants over the next few days and water with your mister if they seem dry.

2. Vertical Gardening: This method for growing food and other plants is ideal, if you a fireplace or community gardening space in your neighborhood. Even if you have a little amount of space, you can make it work! Here are some photos that may inspire you to do the same:

Source: Emily Saurus (Flikr)

Source: Eden Makers Blog

Source: Sprig Love Mulch: Vertical Gardens

You can construct your own vertical tower or stand with old an old wood or metal ladder, book shelf, baby cribs, metal spring matress (to create trellises for cucumbers and squashes); or use pallets that are thrown out behind grocery stores. Another idea: you can purchase a Topsy Turvy planter for strawberries and tomatoes at Big Lots or Dollar Generals for dirt cheap! Topsy Turvys can be used outside or inside the house (perfect for renters.) The last photo, above, shows that someone used an old, cloth shoe wrack. 

For more ideas on how to recycle materials for vertical gardening, go here to scroll through photos: Pinterest "Vertical Gardening" or go here for using trellises at Pinterest "Trellis Gardening"

1. Container Gardening: The most common and most creative method of gardening, for apartment dwellers or renters, is using containers (because their cheap, and you can literally find containers for free on the side of the road.) Also, they don't have to be containers -- you can grow food in old boots, old stumps, or bottles. When it comes to gardening in containers, the options are endless, because there are varieties of plants that can thrive indoors or in a small space. Consequently, you need to be concerned about: what plants need more growing space (how big does the container need to be), what plants can grow in the shade (like parsley, garlic/chives, spearmint); and what plants need to grow in the sun (windowsill.) Actually, you can grow tropical fruit indoors, if you wanted to!

 

Source: Trash to Treasure

The first thing you should do is: choose plants you KNOW you will have time and resources to manage. The most popular plants to grow (for renters) are herbs, tomatoes, and peppers. But if you aren't a tomato or pepper eater, what's the point in growing those things? If you're favorite plants to eat are broccoli, strawberries, and kale -- then those are the plants you need to be growing. Choose 3-5 vegetabes and 4-5 herbs to grow.

If you cannot decide or you would like more of a variety and options, I would recommend buying the "Emergency Food Survival Seed Non-gmo Non-hybrid Variety Pack" on Amazon, which includes a large variety of organic, quality, vegetable, fruit, and herb seeds for VERY cheap. I bought this survival kit a few months ago, and I'll be using these seeds this summer to grow food. As of now, I have broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cilantro, peas, carrots, peppers, tomatoes, beets, and onions started indoors from the survival pack -- and they're doing great so far!



Source: Trash to Treasure

Source: Trash to Treasure

If you want EXPERT advise and tutorials (with videos) on how to create your own container garden, go here to check out CanarsieBK's youtube channel, which is full of information on this topic. He has lived in an apartment for years in New York; and he does videos on how to grow food with messages that are short, sweet, and to the point. Another expert gardener, whose messages are longer and in more detail, is John from Growingyourgreens on youtube -- he will give you MORE examples of vertical and container gardening, as well as how to make raised beds (if you have a yard); and John will give better tips on how to grow the best quality food.

Information on Terrariums from: The Gardener's Eden

Watch the video below by John Koehler discussing examples of Container Gardening, vertical gardening, and ways in which you grow food to conserve space:

 

How To Eat Healthy, Vegetarian, Vegan, or Raw for DIRT CHEAP!

Being vegan, vegetarian, and raw is only expensive if you are buying the products marketed towards people who are replacing meat with fake meat. If you cut out the pre-packaged meatless burgers, pre-made veg meals, soymilk, and gluten-free or organic health products...what's left for the veg to eat: DUH! FRUITS AND VEGETABLES! If you ONLY buy fresh (or frozen) fruit and vegetables, you will save hundreds of dollars a week!

If you go to the grocery store, stick to the fruits and veggies that are on sale or in season. If that isn't cheap enough for you, buy bananas in bulk. You can literally live off of bananas, just like I have seen people live off of ramen or bread (but the difference is: bananas have nutritional value...ramen and bread do not.)

 

Photo by Scrumptious Photography  

Bananas cost approximately $2.50 for 6 medium-sized bananas. So lets assume you eat 5 bananas for each meal (equating to 500 calories without the fat). For five days on bananas would cost you a measly: $30 for 75 bananas. Not only would that save you money, it takes out the guess work about "what should I eat tonight?"; you don't have any dishes to wash; and above all, you're getting all your nutrients (high in potassium, vitamin C, B vitamins, protein, carbs, and calories if eating large quantities).

If you cannot eat that simply, and just cannot do without other foods, here is a list of fruits and veggies that are at their cheapest month-by-month (from "Frugal Living" on About.com):

January broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, grapefruit, kale, leeks, lemons, oranges, parsnips, rutabagas, tangelos, tangerines, turnips

February broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, grapefruit, kale, leeks, lemons, oranges, parsnips, rutabagas, tangelos, turnips

March artichokes, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, parsnips, pineapples, radishes, rutabagas, turnips

April artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, pineapples, radishes, rhubarb, spring peas

May apricots, artichokes, asparagus, cherries, lettuce, mangoes, okra, pineapples, radishes, rhubarb, spring peas, strawberries, swiss chard, zucchini

June apricots, blueberries, cantaloupe, cherries, corn, kiwi, lettuce, mangoes, peaches, strawberries, swiss chard, watermelon, zucchini

July apricots, blackberries, blueberries, cantaloupe, corn, cucumbers, green beans, kiwi, kohlrabi, lettuce, mangoes, okra, peaches, peppers plums, raspberries, strawberries, summer squash, swiss chard, tomatoes, watermelon, zucchini

August acorn squash, apples, apricots, blueberries, butternut squash, cantaloupe, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, figs, green beans, kiwi, kohlrabi, lettuce, mangoes, okra, peaches, peppers plums, raspberries, strawberries, summer squash, swiss chard, tomatoes, watermelon, winter squash, zucchini

November beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, cranberries, leeks, mushrooms, oranges, parsnips, pears, persimmons, pomegranates, pumpkins, rutabagas, spinach, sweet potatoes, tangerines, turnips, winter squash

December broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, grapefruit, kale, leeks, mushrooms, oranges, papayas, parsnips, pears, pomegranates, rutabagas, sweet potatoes, tangelos, tangerines, turnips

WHAT ABOUT ORGANIC FOOD? Eating organic IS very important because we want to avoid eating pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, and other chemicals! As if we don't already breathe in polluted air, and inhale toxic fumes from other sources ENOUGH, we have to PAY FOR FOOD THAT CONTAINS CHEMICALS??? But because we live in a ass-backwards world, we must PAY MORE for organic (aside from growing organic food.) So if you're not growing organic food, you're next option is to choose what foods you need to buy organic, and what foods aren't particularly "necessary" to purchase organic. Here is a list of the foods you need to purchase organic:

Nectarines
Berries (strawberries, cherries, raspberries)
Celery
Pears
Peaches
apples
GRAPES
SPINACH
Potatoes
Peppers

Usually, fruits without thick outer skins have less trace of pesticides, so you can purchase these foods non-organic if you have to:


Bananas
Oranges
Avocados
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Peas
HOPE THIS HELPED!

Don't Be Fooled By the Supplements & Superfoods!

In the last year of my raw vegan research, I've noticed health gurus are always selling a product. One of the  world's leading authorities on nutrition, David Wolfe, is known to promote superfoods, but not FRUIT! Why is he a health expert, if he is only selling a product and not the food? It's because there's no money in telling people: "EAT BANANAS!" or "EAT MANGOES!"

Actually, I was very fascinated by the maca, lucuma powder, cacao, and spirulina that I saw online. And I was fascinated because I thought I needed these superfoods, because the authorities were raving about how much better they feel on supplements. Luckily, I NEVER bought any of those products, because I realized some of the people in the raw food world was just as blinded by marketing schemes as someone saying you need to restrict your calories or your carbs to lose weight. If you need more vitamin C, eat a meal of oranges for breakfast, then for lunch have a meal of bananas...your vitamin C levels will go up tremendously (and that's cheaper than buying camu camu.)

Above all, I am not dogging superfoods or supplements -- it's mostly the health leaders that are telling you, you need to buy them for reasons that are unclear. In some circumstances, people need a supplement because of their past health issues. If you have a vitamin deficiency like B12, get the supplement! Keep in mind, there is not a heal all or cure for your deficiency.

Pressing on, if you don't have a medical deficiency, don't worry about the superfoods, colonics, and special "health" products that you think you need. You DO NOT need anything special to lose weight, get extra vitamins and minerals, and feel/look better. In fact, everything you need to succeed is cheap, simple, and the most effective method: eat high calorie, high carb, high sugar, low fat meals. Do not restrict your calories and carbs, or else you'll turn to the foods that are clogging you. In other words, cut out the FAT: oil, meat, eggs, and dairy.

What the media does not tell you is: you can eat as much fruit and veggies as you want (up to 3000 calories a day or more) and NOT get fat. What's also great about fruits and veggies, is that if you eat enough calories from fruits and veggies, then you're also getting more than enough of essential vitamins!

For more information on this topic to eat as much as you want, and NOT get fat, go to durianriders on youtube or freelee (or here) on youtube.

Photo by "Thai Food" on About.com