Novice in MI

[jenavievem]

Hello,

I am a young mother in my mid-20s from southeast Michigan. I have worked in kitchens and food services mostly. My most recent job was in a bakery kitchen. However, for the past few months I've been staying home with my 3.5 year old. So I do not really have much relevant training or a related job. I'm pretty much a novice in everything but very interested. I supposed I could be considered an intermediate forager I know how to identify a handful of plants but I don't actually harvest much as I'm still learning and haven't had a chance for many classes or anyone or place to ask questions.
We do not have much of a preparedness plan and I want to learn various things to create one. My bf has a bag with many tools to help in the event of a disaster or emergancy, we have fire starter, water filters, some knives, and a lot of other things.
I am interested in many many things relevant here. I'm interested in learning more about wilderness survival skills, primitive skills, foraging. I've been camping many times over my life and love time outdoors in nature but only have been modern tent camping. I'm interested in more wilderness, backcountry camping, hiking, backpacking, etc. I love the water; swimming, canoeing, etc. My daughter loves the beach and we try to spend lots of time outside. I'm very interested in homesteading, gardening, permaculture. We have new property and have a small garden already and I'm learning more to grow it more naturally. I'd like to learn to can, dry, and store foods we grow. I like the idea of rewilding as much as possible, returning to a more natural way of life.

[Rick]

Welcome home. It sounds like you have a great start and a can do attitude. Check out you county extension office. Most of the information will come from MSU so there will be a wealth of really good information available to you. If the office is close by you can stop in and just tell them what you are interested in. They will have tons of pamphlets and brochures as well as your county's Master Garderner program. Check out your county soil and water conservation office as well. Another often overlooked resource for rain barrels and ideas for pollinator gardens, rain gardens, etc. Some counties are better equipped than others so your mileage may vary.

Otherwise, the search feature on here is reasonably good. There are threads on just about everything so you can do a search on anything you are interested in and probably find threads on it. Beyond that...just ask!

[crashdive123]

Hello and welcome. Lots of good info here. If you can't find it, feel free to ask.

[kyratshooter]

Welcome,

One thing you probably are not a novice at due to working in all those kitchens.

Food prep and cooking are a huge part of the tricks and skills of outdoor life. Almost everything you learned in the kitchen can be transferred to the campfire.

A bag full of tools is nice to have but even nicer is the ability to clean and cook a mess of fish over a low bed of coals.

[hunter63]

Hunter63 Saying Hey and Welcome .........From Wisconsin.

[Bishop]

Your in a good state to practice way dam up in the up has a lot of good camping and fishing good area to hunt also I go up in October to bow hunt just out side Kalamazoo for two weeks ever year.

[Graf]

Welcome from Fenton, MI

[Antonyraison]

Welcome and enjoy. Feel free to ask anything.

[Rick]

Careful, Antony. We've had some really strange questions in the past. Just sayin'....

[Antonyraison]

It's all good Rick. I have strange answers

[kyratshooter]

I like the idea of rewilding as much as possible, returning to a more natural way of life.

I like that concept too, but when I tried it the city sent a man around to threaten me with a fine if I did not mow the yard!

Have you checked out our homesteading and gardening sections? Excellent material in the archives there.

[hunter63]

Originally Posted by jenavievem View Post

I like the idea of rewilding as much as possible, returning to a more natural way of life.

Interesting statement....LOL...

I was out of town for 2 weeks, came home to a flooded basement.....
Spent 3 days 2 night in the hospital....

Today, trying to catch up with all the "rewilding" that happens all by it self......
Doggie do do first, mowing the blowing then weed whacking.....the nap.

You don't have to do rewilding....it happens.

[kyratshooter]

One post, no questions.

I suppose she is back to lurking and reading the archives.

[hunter63]

Ya know...maybe not say anything. when they do a introduction?

[kyratshooter]

Yea, I feel the same.

We have nearly 18,000 members and only 10-12 active in general and only 5-6 active daily.

At this moment we have 150 guests viewing and 5 members viewing.

Pitiful statistics and not reflective of the forum content and the active members. We are one of the best forums on our topic the internet can provide.

People have the attention span of a gnat. They join the forum, then see something shiny on the shelf and never return

[Antonyraison]

A lot the people that view forums that aren't registered will be search bots. Some registered users can be troll accounts or also spam bots. Some people just enjoy to read.. But yeah I do feel this is the best forum and a wealth of knowledgeable people here.. But you kind of need to ask yourself like what really occupies some people's head.. Like they more interested in random things like what Beyonce is wearing and what makes figet spinners spin longer..

[Rick]

Wait...What is Beyonce wearing?

[DSJohnson]

WELL I like it here personally so there! When I get everything just right I am going to go live under a tree on the side of Mt. Hood or maybe Mt. Shasta. I am going to use all the knowledge I have soaked up from you guys to be successful in that effort too. Just as soon as I get everything right/ready.........

[DSJohnson]

Dang it...Y'all all got me sidetracked and diverted from sayin' welcome to the new girl. Hello and Welcome Jena. I hope you enjoy your time here. Glad you found the path. Would you say you are more interested in learning about camping or about being prepared "in case" there was a storm that left you without power for 3 or 4 days? You can find lots of info about both topics I was just kind'a curious.
Again Welcome
Dave
South Central Oklahoma

[1stimestar]

Welcome from Alaska. Hope you post more.