Lifestyle Changes--Becoming Producers Instead of Consumers

We need to take new pictures.  This is over a year ago!

My family already lives a life that is much different from the typical American family.  How are we different?

1.  We have seven children with a 24 year age span.  (Just in case you are a new reader and think I miscounted:  There are 6 of my children in the above picture, but we have one married daughter with three children of her own!)
2.  We homeschool. (23 years now)
3.  We don't watch tv.  We do watch movies, though.  Much too often I am afraid....another change that needs to be made.
4.  The kids don't have electronic gizmos and games to entertain them.  They play.  They read.  They       work.  They write.  They draw.  They practice their instruments.  They build things.


Even with all these things that make us different we are continuing to learn new things daily that encourage us to be even more radical in our lifestyle.  We are trying to become producers instead of consumers.  We are trying to become more self-suffcient.   Some changes that we have incorporated over the years include the following:

1.  Using cloth napkins instead of paper.  I buy napkins on clearance for about 50 cents each, but would love to make some using the boxes of fabric that are stored in the attic.
2.  Rarely purchase baking mixes or boxed cereal.
3.  Made jars and jars of homemade fruit preserves so we are  not buying any from the store.
4.  Make a maple flavored sugar syrup for pancakes, etc instead of buying syrup.
5.  Making our own soap.
6.  Making laundry detergent using our homemade soap.
7.  Grinding grains to make homemade bread products.
8.  Line drying some of our clothes.

9.  Making homemade cleaners instead of using toxic cleaners.
10.  Learned to make yogurt and applesauce in the crockpot.
11.  Learned to purchase and cook using bulk foods.
12.  Making body scrubs and ointments.
13.  Make tons of granola to replace boxed cereal.
14.  Raise as many vegetables and herbs as we can.

Ready for planting with more boxes to build.

15.  Preserve as many of those vegetables and herbs as we can.

There are several other changes that we are trying to incorporate:  larger garden, bigger food storage, learning how to dehydrate and use a pressure canner for more food storage, learn about and make herbal remedies, and raising our own meat and eggs--chickens, cow and pigs.

Love this picture of chickens on a family farm in Iowa that Jordan took 2 years ago.

So are you making lifestyle changes these days?  Is the current economic situation forcing you to make changes?