Five Things To Do When Going Galt

Guest Post by Hardscrabble Farmer

We decided to chuck it just as the 2008 market meltdown was in full swing. We had seen enough signs to know that whatever direction our society was headed, we wanted to get off. Some of the signs were big ones that few people missed; 9/11, Waco, TBTF. Others were more subtle; the PC movement, the tattoo thing, the sudden appearance of huge numbers of morbidly obese people everywhere, an increasing number of people with their heads fixed in abject submission to an electronic device, and an overall decline in civility even in places we had known all our lives. If this was the initial trajectory then we weren’t planning on being anywhere near the re-entry and splashdown.

Not that we hadn’t fallen for it ourselves with the constant consumption of resources, the enslavement to granite counter-tops and cable TV, the ever widening gap between what we thought we wanted and what brought us peace. We tried to mitigate our sense of unease by going to church and doing good deeds for others, but this only highlighted the failure to live up to our own potential in all things. When you do something bad or careless or wasteful or selfish you can’t undo it by being nice to a stranger or roasting a turkey for the folks at the nursing home once a year, it only makes it worse because you know you’re trying to hedge your bet. At some point, if you have any sense of honor and decency you have to make a decision to throw in with the rest of the world and go along for the ride, or strike out on your own path and see if maybe there isn’t a better way.

Looking back over the past six years it’s clear that we didn’t really have the first clue about going off grid. We’d watched a lot of youtube videos, read the core curriculum of the alternative lifestyle school and even developed a few essential skills for our new life, but we still had our heads firmly fixed in a time and place that we were leaving behind. If we had to do it all over again there would have been a lot of things we would have changed and a few we would have done better. I am often asked about what motivated us, how we have adjusted, if it was worth it, but rarely how we did it. This is a short course on the five most important considerations of actually saying goodbye to the popular culture of the US and finding a sanctuary wherever you go.

1) Find the right place. This was one that we nailed more by pure luck than by intention. We had looked around the country, visited numerous properties, considered as many possibilities as we could in the two years we spent getting ready to head out including staying put. We made several lists with things that were important to us and things that we wanted to avoid wherever we settled. Primary consideration was given to the necessities of life; water, energy sources, arable land, a distance from urban areas, but proximity to emergency service like hospitals and fire services.

We also wanted seasons to play a part in our life- something we considered extremely important but which others may not. Once we had narrowed it down to that we were able to focus on places that had an aesthetic appeal; mountains, lakes, proximity to a coastline. The final decision was a stroke of pure luck. We had made our final decision on a Sunday and the next morning I sat down at my desk and googled two words that yielded, as the first hit, the property we were to buy one month later. Looking back now it seems as if we were destined to live here, but we had based our choice on specific criteria and stuck with it when it came time pull the switch. A place where you feel at home is one of the most important decisions anyone can ever make. Choose wisely.

2) Do it yourself. Big mistake on my part at the outset. We had saved enough to purchase the property and to stay afloat for several years until we developed both the skills and the markets for our surplus. The basic idea was self sufficiency as much as that is possible in today’s world but when we arrived here we immediately began to recreate the patterns we had left behind by finding specialists to do what we should have done on our own. We hire someone to clear a pasture, we found a new mechanic, we hired a guy to paint the house, etc. Not that there aren’t some things that require a person with experience, like a good dentist, but for the most part we were capable of doing nearly everything we needed to do.

We had become so used to the idea that one hires out work to specialists that we missed numerous opportunities to learn new skills and perfect old ones. Once we started to handle things without help we discovered that we were not only preserving precious capital, but building self confidence, developing abilities that seemed difficult but were in fact quite simple and because it was for ourselves doing a far better job in most cases. The idea of fixing a broken timing bar on the tractor- a piece of equipment I’d never owned before- seemed impossible until I took the time to do it and once done gave me the confidence to work on increasingly more difficult tasks with success.

3) Live in the moment. This was the one that jumped out at me more than any other. Most of my life had been lived either planning for the future and making plans for a life I wasn’t living, or looking back on the past and either regretting missed opportunities or dwelling on past successes. When every day requires an effort, the repetition of chores, labor outdoors in every weather, endless corrections and fixes of present problems there remains very little time to live in any time but the present.

Daydreams are quickly supplanted by focused thoughts, past problems become immaterial when dealing with life and death issues in the here and now and the future is constantly being altered by the actions of today. Just as putting your full physical, mental and spiritual efforts into a single task fulfills the human life, so too does the very act of being here now. Each dropping leaf, each bawl of a newborn calf, every rock and branch become part of the substance and texture of your life in an intimate and personal way that are impossible to understand when these things are viewed as backdrops to a life lived out of synch with Nature.

4) Embrace the new economy of subsistence living. We live in a time when people believe that wealth is summed up in a number, where having a job or earning a degree or building a retirement account are some sort of talisman against the vagaries of the future. People work the majority of their waking hours so they can spend the few that they have to themselves being “entertained”, or take drugs to alter their perceptions and ease their anxieties without ever questioning why they are anxious or what they need to be distracted from.

They choose careers in fields that neither interest or excite them, or compel them to sit sedentary for long periods of time so that their bodies and metabolisms change them into doughy, ill, poorly rested souls out of synch with the seasons or even the hours of the day. What we earn in money is offset by what we lose in health and quality of life. What would a person suffering from insomnia give for a truly good nights rest not brought on by chemicals or alcohol? Or what would someone do to feel physically fit when their lifestyle has rendered them obese from ill use? That entire economies are built on weight loss gimmicks and pharmaceutical adulterants to treat these issues should answer the obvious.

By accepting a life with lower income but an immeasurably improved standard of living we offset our need for dollars and replace it with stronger bodies, restful sleep, fulfilling labor, satisfied rest, authentic hunger, and happier days. before we chose to do this I spent the majority of my waking hours doing something I didn’t like, surrounded by people unrelated to me, in an artificial environment, spending countless funds to offset my own dissatisfaction while my body deteriorated and my mind dwelled on unhealthy thoughts. Now I spend my days and nights with the ones I love, producing things that have value for people who appreciate the effort. My body is healthy, my thoughts are positive, the land we live on is productive, we do for ourselves and for others, and we eat and sleep better than we have at any time in our lives. There is a wealth in this life that cannot be quantified in dollars and cents and it is the result of our decision to stop focusing on earnings and to invest in our well being.

5) Do unto others. Going Galt doesn’t mean going it alone. No one can do everything by themselves no matter how much they may want to. You can’t get everything you need to get done before you die. Taking those things into consideration there is a lot to be said for offering your time and your efforts to people who need it. Working for others without a financial angle has become an alien concept in the current era, but for most of human history it was the framework upon which civilization was built. I am not talking about pure altruism, but rather community building.

In much the same way someone contributes to a 401K, providing your labor, using your skills and tools to aid others who do not have them or require them due to their current condition builds up an account that may or may not be drawn on at some time in the future and perhaps in some way that you cannot imagine. I have described in past essays the way our community treated us after we lost our barn in a fire and that was after three years of living here. Had we been recluses or behaved in a way that isolated us from others I don’t think the experience would have been the same.

By being open, by helping people who needed a hand, by simply practicing the act of being good neighbors we had built ourselves a comfortable social account without intent. As much as I resent the current preoccupation of the body politic demanding that everyone be provided for by taking it from those who have something to take without their consent, I look forward to doing for those whom I know on a face to face basis when my help could come in handy.

There are some things we still miss about our life before we chose to ‘Go Galt’ but they pale in comparison to the things we love about the life we live now. We have come closer to living according to the advice of Romans 12:2

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

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Bonz Eye
Bonz Eye

Good article with valuable advice. The life sheep perceive as “the good life” is hollow. I know, I live it everyday.

mrk030
mrk030

Amazing as always. I can only imagine what our entire country or world would be like if everyone was “on the same page.” Even just 10% on the same page. But we know that will never happen (pleasantly and by choice at least).

It’s sad when most can no longer understand the value of self-sufficiency in a world of instant gratification and an “easy” life. All built like a house of cards…

bb

The only problem about going full galt is knowing when to do it.The central banks may keep this system going for another 20 years before we have the real crash. It could crash tomorrow . Nobody knows for sure and that’s the problem. I don’t know if I could do it or if I would even want to at my age.(53)Would probably be a good idea for younger men with young families.

I watched the show the …Alaskan Bush People.. on discovery channel last night.They are what I consider full galt.Watch the show a few times and then ask yourself if you could live your life like they do.It would be very difficult at best.

Stucky

bb

I’ve watched a couple episodes of Alaskan Bush People. You’re right, I could NEVER survive like that.

I could also never do what Hardscrabble Farmer does. Nope … no need to even “try” it to see … I know my limitations. Can’t. Do. It.

The Alaskan Bush People and Hardscrabble Farmer … they ain’t like MOST people.

Rise Up
Rise Up

That Alaskan Bush People TV show is just that–all “show”. Another fake “reality” series:

“The 5 acres of so-called Alaskan wilderness where, as the show claims, the “recently discovered” family shunned modern society to eke out a simple existence deep in the Bush turned out to be right next door to someone who liked his slice of Alaska without the whir of chopper blades.

“The property, abandoned after filming ended in late 2012, sits in a subdivision less than 10 miles south of Copper Center, easily accessible from a dirt road just off the highway. There’s a pizza place about a half-mile away. The surroundings are wild enough — the production crew even hired someone to carry a shotgun for bear protection, numerous locals say — but the area is by no means wilderness.

“And yes, the Browns had company living right next door: Jason Hoke, a 46-year-old regional economic development director originally from Albany, N.Y., but an Alaskan since 1996.

“Hoke said he grew increasingly frustrated during the show’s production by vehicles speeding up the dirt road, the shouting from next door and the constant buzz of chainsaws.”

http://www.adn.com/article/20140531/digging-reality-behind-alaskan-bush-people-claims-gunfire

Gayle
Gayle

Thanks Hardscrabble

I appreciated your views on Living in the Moment. You presented the perfect antidote: have something worth staying focused on and keeping you busy as day to day life unfolds. As I get older, the past gets longer and longer, the future gets shorter, so reminiscing is more of a problem than dreaming of what lies ahead. The Whys? and What Ifs? and other mysteries can consume my melancholic self if I’m not careful.

For the great majority, relative Galtistic life is a necessity. We can at least have Galtic minds, even if we can’t go live on a beautiful ranch in New Hampshire. I keep saving water.

whitewolf

Sounds a lot like a future for me in Bedford Va. Hope to meet you someday. Currently a sheep with dreams of getting there.

Stucky

Rise Up

DAMN YOU!!!!

Anyway …. the episode I saw was about a middle-aged single woman … lived in some kind of trailer … just a few miles from the Arctic circle. Showed her trying to kill a moose … didn’t look like there was another human soul or structure within 50 miles. Maybe that was fake too … oh, well.

Rise Up
Rise Up

Sorry you fell for it, Stucky. There’s more about the Brown’s from this blog site below–apparently they are up on felony fraud charges.

http://www.channelguidemagblog.com/index.php/2014/06/03/happened-to-discovery-channel-alaskan-bush-people/


Risco says:
January 3, 2015 at 1:56 am

Alaska has special rules for “subsistence” families that allow them to take a certain amount of fish and wildlife for food without permits
Reply

Talkeetnachris says:
January 3, 2015 at 11:39 pm

Yes they do, but you have to be a resident to qualify for this . You have to live in Alaska for a whole year to get a hunting, fishing and trapping license. The same holds true for a PFD. The 4 Browns that were charged are goi g to a jury trial starting in March of 2015. The season that just started was filmed last summer, but I’d bet it is the last season for the Browns. With Billy charged with stealing over $13,000 for the state felony charges have been filed against him along with mom and two others. We see these cases a the time where people steal from the stste and with the severity of this I would be real surprised if there is no jail time . For fish and game violations the state routinely takes any items used in the talk of the fish and game. This includes vehicle from ATVs, car/trucks, airplanes guns and fishing g equipment. Heck if it was filmed they might even ask for the cameras. Time will tell, but they have had some serious charges brought against them. You rip people off, you pay the price.
Reply

Llpoh

I am really glad that things have gone well for HSF. But he is not addressing the fact that most everyone will not have funds to buy themselves a nice property and have several years living expenses. So how do they manage the transition? Good property to allow self-sufficiency does not come cheap.

There are many reasons folks may not be able to follow his system. For instance, looming health issues in the family may mean an outside job must be maintained. Admin’s situation where his employment heavily funds his kid’s education is another – very hard to walk away from that situation.

My personal situation is different again. My doomstead is nearing completion. I have the wherewithal to build a complete, turnkey facility. We will be totally self-sufficient in water, energy, and food – if need be. Anything I can envision needing I am organizing now – water, energy, barns, fencing, access, etc. But most folks will not be able to do what I am doing.

Much of HSF’s advice is sound, and useful to an extent. But I think that the reality of personal circumstances should be accounted for. Most people need to work, and will need to pay a mortgage on the property, and will need to maintain health insurance.

So they advice needs to be tempered in light of this reality. Perhaps this is just quibbling.

For instance, I would advise finding the best possible property within reach of appropriate employment. That one partner works the land and the other keeps a standard job.

I might change subsistence living to living frugally. That is what everyone who is not financially set should do. Lord knows I did it for years. Doing it yourself is part of living frugally.

Living in the moment is good advice. As is not going things alone.

I think folks can transition themselves partially. Full transition may well be beyond what folks can handle for financial and family reasons. I think that is fine, though. It will be change for the better.

Each person, if they believe in the need, can develop their own path. The key is to get started, I think.

ddc
ddc

Anyone who’s seen the movie ‘Mad Max’ knows what happens to the farmer.

Ghost

Nick and I are knee deep in doing it ourselves with this little piece of heaven we purchased in 2009. We had the log home on layaway for 3 years, so that when it was paid for and delivered, it was all ours.

I truly believe that finding this piece of land was part luck and part blessing. Two creeks, one spring fed pond and a well that was drilled so long ago it was not on anyone’s map (and still isn’t, since we had a new well drilled for our home and trenched a line to the hunting cabin we live in now while “finishing” the log home. We opted to keep the old well tucked away in the woods for the just in case…

We are not as far along in our education as HSF, but we are here and we are truly living. Finally.

When we talked to realtors about land here, we told them the most important feature was the NOPIS feature. No. Other. People. In. Sight. We don’t mind the family being across the road from us their kids are very well mannered and we plan to hire both of them to help with chores and watch our dogs and chickens when we go to visit family overnight. Nor do we mind the cattle rancher on the other side of our “shared” creek, since we have already contracted for a grass fed beef next fall. We look forward to visiting with them and doing business, when the time is right. But, unless we drive off our land, we don’t have to see them. We have left the suburbs…

Finally.

NOPIS.

TPC
TPC

“We also wanted seasons to play a part in our life”

Yup.

Westcoaster
Westcoaster

HSF you constantly amaze me with your hard work and excellent communication skills. Two things I’d like to bring to your attention: Are you familiar with the magazine “Country”? If not, I definitely recommend looking into it both as a subscriber and potential contributor. My dear Sister buys us an annual subscription (I think it’s only $10) and I think she does it not only ’cause I enjoy it but it also keeps me “connected” to the rural lifestyle. BTW she’s 78, lives in a mobile home on 20 some odd acres with lots of mature trees; she chops firewood with her adult son to supplement her SS.
Second thing, since you mention being “in the moment” as one of the attributes of your new lifestyle, you might want to explore “Be Here Now” by former Harvard prof Richard Alpert aka Ram Daas. Thanks for sharing your experiences with us.

starfcker
starfcker

Llpoh, you’re right about a lot of this, but HSF does hit one nail on the head for an average person, learn to do stuff. I’ve been on the five year plan for a while, your thoughts about being within reach of employment is key. I don’t need a job, but I like resteraunts

starfcker
starfcker

Restaurants and services. I studied my options in florida and the best case I could find was martin county. Stuart is a decent size town, 30 minutes to palm beach airport, and a 65 minute commute off rush hour to my business. Census data shows only 6-700 gangsta aged AA’s (15-30) in the entire county, with very low projected increase in the next 30 years. Off the coast, the county is all rural, but having one of the wealthiest strips in the nation, jupiter island, means local politics are dominated by NIMBY types, in this case, a great thing.

Montefrio

Twenty years ago at age 48 I made the decision to live much as does HSF, but it took ten more years until I was actually able to do so to the extent that I do. I had parental responsibilities to discharge, an aged parent to care for, the need to amass capital. When my tasks were complete, I found my property, though I had to go to a Third World country top do so.

The philosophy driving me is Zen, pure and simple. I first encountered it 52 years ago and now after many years of practice live a very serene life. Frugal is the right word to describe it: nothing is wasted, little frivolity indulged. I put out a small bag of garbage fortnightly, gas the car up about once a month, have no heat or a/c (mildish climate), spend maybe six hundred a month tops on “living expenses”. Surplus goes to travel, though even that has become less frequent, given that I’m content with life just as it is.

overthecliff

I think that HSF is a happy man because of the things he values not the things he does. He has his head in the right place and is right with the world. The things he won’t do are the important things.

Dude
Dude

HSF, it’s nice to see a scriptural reference. That’s a first for you, I think. I’ve looked. I just never imagined someone with your insight doesn’t get it from faith.

LL is also correct, and yet, faith is available to all. Read Luke 12:13 – 34. Peace.

Dude
Dude

Speaking of the cost of college education…

yahsure
yahsure

The amount of people able to afford the land and get prepared is very small in comparison to the population. Many will be amazed at the amount of regulations, Building permits and such that exist even in the middle of nowhere. Of course, there’s always taxes.
Everyone needs to just get prepared the best they can for the shit storm that is coming.

Anonymous
Anonymous

I carry a knife for work. A rare thing these days ( Mechanical contractor ). My dad started me down the self sufficiency path when I was about 6 years old. Thanks to me old man, the world needs me, I don’t need the world.

Daniel

When going Galt there is another thing to consider which has been seriously absent
and needs to be included.
The need to understand the Gods Pattern for His Church and Families.
No, I’m not saying yet another denominational church is to be established.
None of that nonsense.

When you have time please consider view my website which started as a letter
to my Family which turned into a website. Money has no value there. No books
to purchase, no man to follow, no trips to Alaska….etc.

After arriving at the HOME PAGE then read:
ABOUT
GODS FAMILY
GODS CHURCH
REBUILD-RESTORE-RENEW

https://www.knowingforyourself.com

Truth is a lonely warrior, the battle not for the faint of heart or those lacking spiritual discernment.
That said “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing but the honor of kings and each of us is to search out a matter.” Proverbs 25:2 KJV

Best to all and your families in Christ.
Daniel

Stucky

I like your website.

Right there on the home page you espouse “KNOWING FOR YOURSELF” … that we don’t need “mans [SIC] churches” … that we should see, hear, and read for ourselves.

A very nice concept. But, how does this work in reality?

For example, in the “PASTORS-MINISTERS” section you list “FUNDAMENTALS OF CHRISTIANITY”. Your second item states; — “Jesus was born of a virgin. Matthew 1:18; Luke 1:26–35”

OK …now what if MY seeing, hearing, reading, and studying lead ME to conclude that “virgin” is mistranslated and actually means “young woman” … which is exactly what more than a few scholars believe? What then?

Well, I know what then. You give the answer; — “If you “cannot affirm” the above Fundamentals of Christianity you need to seriously exam your standing before God and repent, or resign from your position.”

So, while you don’t want to be like other churches … you pretty much are. It’s like this; “Go ahead and read for yourself. BUT, you need to understand things as I do … or, else you’re outta here!” lol

I don’t mean to be harsh … I do like your website … but, I just calls ’em like I sees ’em.

tony

Every day I look for the opportunity to get out of the place I live in now so I can live with my family like the writer of this post is doing. It’s not impossible, but it can be difficult when your resources are limited.

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