Back to Basics

    Bottom Line

    Living off the grid and returning to the rural living lifestyle is not hard to do, but it will take effort on your part. Returning back to basics is an endeavor best accomplished with a network of lifelines, such as neighbors or family nearby, who also are returning to the simpler lifestyle.
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    Must Know

    • Cow chips are an easy way to heat your home.

      Just remember that they also burn quickly and leave behind a lot of ash. One steer can provide your family with enough beef for an entire year, and keeping a cow on hand will provide plenty of milk. Keep in mind that milk must be pasteurized before it is fit for human

      By: Life123 Editors

    • Outgrown clothing is still useful.

    • Use vinegar in the laundry rinse.

    Trap Door

    • Don't mix rainbow trout and brown trout in the same pond.

      Brown trout require colder water and are more aggressive than rainbow trout.

      By: Life123 Editors

    • Don't harvest fish until they have begun to reproduce.

    • Brown trout, sunfish and bluegills are not good pond fish.

    Experts Say

    • Brandy VanDeWalle, UNL Extension Educator in Fillmore County

      Before you can accurately compare heating with corn to other heating fuels you have to look at a number of factors. Not only is price of the fuel important, but also the heating efficiency of the heating system and the energy content of a unit of each fuel. In conclusion, corn-burning stoves can be a great heating alternative, but there are many factors that must be considered prior to purchasing.

      University of Nebraska, Lincoln

    • Dr. Larry W. Olson-Extension Animal Scientist

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