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Retreat Owner Profile: Mr. & Mrs. Enfield in Canada
Background - I am a 40-year old male, my Missus is a year younger and we have
three children. The children are active in school, church and 4H.
The eldest
is a known "good worker" in the neighborhood and during summer vacation
is in high demand for haying, etc. Middle child is interested in chickens and
sewing. The youngest is an all round good helper and loves to go to the woods.
I have always been interested in farming and in non-electric tools and equipment.
My off-farm job keeps me busy 50 hours per week. Missus does not work outside
of the home.
I can build or fix most anything. I got those skills from my father although
he is better and faster at it that I am. I have never had a high income so we "use
it up, wear it out, make do or do without".
Present home - We own a 40-acre farm in Maritime Canada, 19 miles from the nearest
town. We live half a mile off a paved road and the house cannot be seen from
the pavement. The nearest store is 17 miles away and we are not on a road to
anywhere. The likelihood of people crowding through here escaping the city, which
is 110 miles away, is nil.
The house is a 130-year-old storey and half. We have a large barn, wood shed,
workshop and a couple of smaller outbuildings. There are about 8 acres of woodlot,
10 acres of hayfield, a couple acres of blueberries and the rest is (now) fenced
for pasture. There was no fencing on the place when we moved in and I put up
woven wire as we can afford it. We have a small flock of sheep, a few laying
hens and a rooster. If we had to, we could live on lamb, eggs and the odd cockerel.
We also have a beef cow, a calf, an ancient draft horse and in the summer we
raise meat birds and the odd pig. I am working toward improving our pasture and
hayfields so that we lessen our dependence on purchased grain and hay. Raising
Highland cattle, Tamworth pigs and Royal Palm turkeys may be in our future.
Property tax - $400 per year.
Debt – After my "war on debt" 14 months ago we are down to
a small mortgage and that’s it. We did have six credit cards with a total
balance of $3,000 and were always behind with the power and telephone bills.
We were
paying out $100 per month just in interest. The cards were paid off and
four were cancelled, the power was brought up-to-date and is now on a 12-month
budget
plan. With no debt and no interest to pay, life is soooo much better.
Investments – Through payroll deduction, I have put a bit aside in Registered
Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs)
for the last 17 years. Two months ago we had $80,000 in RRSPs but since
the [equities] crash(es), we are down to $50,000. I have always felt that the
farm
is
my
retirement security so I am not too worried.
Right now any income from the farm is rolled back into the farm in the form of
hay, seed, fencing, etc.
Shop - The workshop houses all of my tools (hand and power) as well as a blacksmith
forge with a hand-cranking blower and a hand operated drill press. I heat the
building with a wood stove. I like my circular saw, reciprocating saw and electric
drill but I can easily fall back on my handsaws and brace & bit. Supplies
that I need to stock up on include files, hacksaw blades, welding rods and
coal for the forge.
Water – We have a gravity feed water system for the house so there is
water regardless of the power grid situation. There is a year-round river at
the base
of our property and several intermittent brooks. There is also an unused well
by the house and a well for the barn. We use an electric jet pump and tank
for the barn but I have purchased a hand cistern pump for on top of this well.
Lastly
there is a small spring fed well where the old milk house used to be about
70 years ago.
Heat - We have always had an oil furnace, oil-fired water heater and oil tank
and an airtight wood stove. When oil reached it’s high last summer I
decided to make a change. I replaced the oil-fired water heater with an electric
one
and bought eight cords of hardwood. I also installed a mini-split heat pump
in the end of the house farthest from the wood stove. So far this winter we
have
not used the oil furnace at all.
We had removed a wood-fired kitchen range a few years ago due to insurance and
the space it took up but I am strongly leaning on re-installing it. I may even
install a range boiler so we can have hot water.
Firearms – I have a British Lee-Enfield .303 and about 20 rounds and
a .22 with about 200 rounds. I need to stock up on .303 [British rifle] ammo,
a gun cleaning kit
and I should get a sling and scope. I may also get a shotgun and some bird
shot.
Security – Just the dog, motion lights and the fact that the house is on
an open knoll away from the road. We have good neighbors and we all watch out
for the other’s property. The main drawback is distance – each neighbor
(north, east and south) is a little over half a mile away. Near the paved road
we have had thefts of anything laid down in sight of the road – ladders,
fence post maul, gas-powered water pump for a garden, and even chickens. Houses
that are left empty have had break-ins and some have been burned down.
Fruit/garden – Perennial trees and plants interest me as a source of
food that will be dependable no matter what our economic or health situation.
We have
several apple trees and rose bushes on the property. We are bringing back the
blueberry field and the rhubarb plants. I have planted strawberries, raspberries
and chives.
The children and I plant a fairly large vegetable garden every year. This year,
after the cow and the sheep were done with it, there wasn’t much left
for us. This spring we fence the garden.
This fall, for the first time ever, I purchased next year’s garden seed.
This way, no matter what happens, we won’t have to worry about finding
seed in the spring.
To extend our growing season, we plan on build a greenhouse onto the south side
of one of the sheds in the not-too-distant future.
Food storage – We have three freezers full of chicken, turkey, beef and
pork. Our generator is to protect the contents of these freezers. I have a
lot of salt on hand so if we had a prolonged grid down situation I could salt
down
the beef and pork. We have also started stocking up on Mason jars and lids,
and bottling accessories. The remains of our garden produce go into our cellar.
After my first week of reading SurvivalBlog last summer, I went to the local
grocery wholesaler and bought 200 lbs of dried goods. I made the mistake of telling
the guys at work so now instead of being the nut with farm; I am the survivalist
nut with the farm. I now keep all preps to myself.
I have laid in a stock of flour, yeast, sugar, salt, rolled oats, white pea-beans,
baking powder, baking soda, molasses, peanut butter, honey, raisins, nuts,
canned goods, canola and olive oil, spices, pepper, pasta & sauce, rice, dried onion,
powdered milk, cream of wheat, pancake mix, hot chocolate, tea, coffee, juice
powder, and hard candy. We manage to put an item or two in our deep larder every
week. I have been keeping my eye out for a grain mill as we can easily put in
1⁄4 - 1⁄2 acre of wheat.
Health – We keep our prescriptions filled or re-filled. My oldest child
and I have just completed a first-aid course.
We’ve begun to stock up on: toothpaste, tooth brushes, dish soap, bar soap,
Dettol disinfectant, Buckley’s Mixture cold medicine (tastes awful but
it works), Raleigh’s Medicated Ointment, multi vitamins, vitamin C, aspirin,
female items, Band-Aids & tape, toilet paper, peroxide, deodorant, lip
balm, nail trimmers, and razors. I have just purchased a large first-aid kit
for the
house and a small one for the car. I will eventually add a minor surgery kit,
which would be handy if just used for veterinary emergencies.
Vet – I have a large plastic toolbox for our growing supply of veterinary
items. I keep a supply of needles, syringes, worm treatment, penicillin, castration
bands, iodine, foot treatment, etc. I don’t shear my own sheep but this
year I picked up Oster electric shears on eBay for a great price. I did try out
the shears on our longhaired dog. He healed up nicely and didn’t hold
a grudge.
Fishing – I have a large supply of hand line gear, a small supply of
trout rods, and a small gill net and net knitting needles. We have a small
fiberglass
dory with two sets of oars.
Vehicles – We have a late 1990s mid-size car and a mid-2000s mini-van.
Both are in good shape.
Communication – Other than the usual telephone, we have two walkie-talkies
and a hand crank radio [receiver]. We live out beyond cellular service. I plan
to
get
a
short wave radio. Several hours into a power outage, our phone goes dead due
to small
fuel capacity for the Phone Company’s generator down the road. I would
like to have some way to communicate with my parents (three hours away) and my
siblings (one and three hours away) but we would all have to have Ham radios
and
I know that
won’t happen.
TEOTWAWKI – farming
- I have been assembling a collection of a few small tractors and 3-point hitch
equipment. My main concern is that when gas becomes
scarce and too expensive to purchase I will have no way to harvest hay for winter
fodder. I have a small horse-drawn mower that I plan to restore. That way if
worse comes to worst, I could at least mow hay and put it in the barn loose.
In such a time, horses would be at a premium but I know how to hew an ox head-yoke
so a horned steer or two and we’re back in business.
Long term goals – "harden" the house with better doors, dig
a trout pond, build a greenhouse, increase firewood and hay stores, increase
gasoline
storage for the generator and chain saw, install a small safe, and buy more
ammunition.
In conclusion, in a TEOTWAWKI grid up situation we will not have to change
our lifestyle at all. In a prolonged grid down situation, we’ll be eating a
lot of salt beef and beans in the winter and fresh veggies and chicken in the
summer. - "Mr. Enfield" in the Maritimes
