A Community’s Collective Knowledge

For the past few years, I have slowly been re-learning skills that were pervasive just a generation or two ago, but had almost entirely disappeared with the arrival of cheap oil. These skills are generally related to homesteading, a lifestyle of simple self-sufficiency. They include anything from growing your own food to making hard cider to raising chickens. The latest ones I am looking into are brewing kombucha, designing permaculture systems, and organic farming/gardening.

I am not the only one learning these homesteading skills...the general public seems to be showing a renewed interest as well. This has been credited to the unstable gas prices/peak oil, the economic recession, the “green” movement, a rejection of the industrial food system, etc. Information resources are exploding. Most of this information is available in books and on websites, but until recently, there have been few local resources available to teach these valuable skills.

As the idea of a Sustainable Alpharetta continues to grow, we should start gathering, nurturing, and sharing this knowledge. Personally, I have an overwhelming desire to learn new things (know a little bit about everything and a lot about many) and can be an effective teacher to an eager audience. One area I need help is getting the word out in the community…I can only do so much standing on my e-soapbox. Please share this website with your family, friends, church, organization, etc. and provide me with feedback on what else I can do for you and Alpharetta.

Here is an excellent resource that I have just started reading: The Backyard Homestead