If there was a power outage in your neighborhood for the length of a day, how much of your household appliances and gadgets would be useless?
After a few good outages the past few years, I’ve grown to dislike the electrically powered appliances and tools we own. These include both small and large items such as, a sewing machine, a hot water heater, a grain grinder, an oven, a washer and dryer etc. It’s not that I don’t appreciate electricity. I don’t doubt how wonderful the invention of electrical current is. However, I think that independent solar/wind/water generated power is the ideal situation.
But we do not live in an ideal world. Many are unable to attain independent homemade power because of cost and lack of knowledge and resources. But because of the days in which we live, I believe it is foolish to rely on our local power plants. One small step at a time we should move closer to owning and using non-electric tools and appliances around the house. I also must make mention that I do not just want to make do with the products we find at Wal-Mart. It is essential that we find items that will last a lifetime.
My own list of ideas include:
- Learn to enjoy sewing by hand, become very proficient at stitching fast and very well. I’ve heard stories that our great-grandmothers sewed beautiful small perfect stitches that created durable clothing, quilts and crafts.
- Invest in a well made iron grain grinder .
- Use a clothesline during warmer months, and a indoor drying racks throughout the year.
- Use dry land farming irrigation techniques for garden instead of relying on well water being pumped.
- Make lots of homemade candles and invest in an Aladdin lamp or other non-electric lighting
- Learn to work with leather, investing in a few essential leather tools.
- Eventually invest in all the expensive items such as, a wood burning stove for heating and cooking, non-carpeted floors dismissing the need for a vacuum, a hand-pump for the water well and a gas fridge and a well designed root cellar.
More thoughts to come. Please share anything you have found or thought of.
Some of my favorite things are not electric. My spinning wheel is major one!
Others include: good knives; the ability to tell stories rather than rely on TV or movies for entertainment; board games; books(!); natural light (that is, sunshine — though we get too little in winter and our townhouse layout allows too little to enter our house anyway); musical instruments (I really must get the clarinet out again one of these days!).
Treadle sewing machines can still be found — some of the speed of the electric machine, but with more of a workout for your legs!
On the other hand, I’m grateful for our furnace and its electronic thermostat, and I very much enjoy our Japanese hot-tea-water urn.
Thanks for the beautiful ad, I really appreciate it. It’s been fun browsing your blog and I look forward to reading more when I can.
Oh, these are wonderful ideas Enid!!
Thank you for reminding me of what we have already that requires no electricity. And i see you are a fellow tea drinker!
My little one loves made up stories and I look forward to learning to play an instrument with her when she is older.
And thank you for the mention of the Treadle Sewing machines, I wonder how hard it is to have maintenance on them? I’m certain they were made much stronger than many machines today.
I’m enjoying your site as well. You are so crafty.
I really enjoy my visits to antlife! Thank you for sharing and blessings on the new little one you carry!
Oh Thank you Andi, that means allot coming from you, a fellow follower of the Most High! I enjoyed seeing your own blog for the first time this evening. It is such a blessing to find like-minded women. May I ask where you are located?
I’d like to link to your site, if you don’t mind.
Blessings
Betz
I do know this was a very interesting post thanks for writing it!
Your website is definitely full of amazing information and facts and also is really extremely enjoyable to read through.Properly completed:)
Great read! Thanks!