Return to the Old Paths https://returntotheoldpaths.com/ Seek True Freedom by Gaining Wisdom from the Past Wed, 13 Nov 2019 18:45:42 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 Take Your First Steps to Get Back to Basics https://returntotheoldpaths.com/take-your-first-steps-to-get-back-to-basics-2018/ https://returntotheoldpaths.com/take-your-first-steps-to-get-back-to-basics-2018/#respond Thu, 18 Jan 2018 00:35:31 +0000 https://295de0b469.nxcli.io/?p=19563 There are so many distractions in today's world. While it’s one thing to know that changes need to be made, it’s quite another to take the actions needed to make those changes. Here's your ticket to having the resources and motivation to actually take action to change your life

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There are so many distractions in today’s world.  

Of course, I know I’m preaching to the choir when I say that we all need to slow down and take stock of what’s really important. And while it’s one thing to know that changes need to be made, it’s quite another to take the actions needed to make those changes.

For most of us, it’s not really laziness or being unconcerned. More often than not, it’s that we just don’t know where to start. Meaningful, lasting change happens in steps, so how do you know what first steps you should take? 

The Back to Basics Living Bundle

The Back to Basics Living Bundle was created to help you find out which steps you should take first to reduce stress, save money, live healthier, and be prepared for whatever comes your way.

This bundle includes 50+ resources to help you get back to basics and reduce your dependence upon modern grid systems…one step at a time.

That means it will cover how to:

  • Cook from scratch using nourishing, real food
  • Plant and harvest your own vegetables
  • Live a simpler life without stress
  • Create a wholesome, healthy food storage
  • Create and use natural remedies
  • Plus, live a more frugal life, do more things yourself, manage a small homestead, and much, much more!

Here are just ten of the amazing items featured in this bundle…

Here’s a Sneak Peek at These Great Resources

 

Cooking From Scratch

We love soaked, sprouted, and soured recipes today, and it’s easy to understand why. Making sourdough—bread that relies on natural fermentation processes for leavening and flavor—is a wonderful way to make healthy, great-tasting food for your family.

This beautifully presented 45-page eBook will show you how easy it is to create stunning artisan sourdough loaves. From creating your own sourdough starter from scratch, baking amazing loaves, troubleshooting, and even using delicious recipes for other sourdough items, it is all here. There is a page of tips and tricks for getting the perfect loaf, and it explains just how to maintain and preserve your sourdough starter, so you will always have some ready to use.

 

Do It Yourself 

While reducing your dependence on modern systems, you usually focus on the obvious things first, things like growing and preserving food. But it doesn’t stop there! There are hundreds—if not thousands—of unique ways you can reduce your dependence on the system!

For example, have you been wanting to learn how to make soap? Is the hot process method something you have been considering, but have been afraid to try? In Hot Process Soap Making, Heidi shares her best no-fail soap recipe, all the details you’ll need to make fabulous hot process soap, as well as over 21 soap recipe variations. She also includes lists of essential oils, herbs, and other natural additives, so you can customize your own soap with confidence! If you’ve ever wanted to try making hot process soap, this no-nonsense book will get you started with speed and confidence.

Food Storage

Food preservation isn’t easy, especially if you’ve never done it before. Freezing, canning, and dehydrating all have unique needs and considerations, but they yield delicious products and provide strength and resilience for your household.

Well, what if you had something to help you get started?

In Canning For Beginners, you’ll get the low-down on how to can the most common fruits and veggies straight from your garden! (These are recipes that are perfect for the beginner canner AND the more experienced one.)

Frugal Living

Shopping can get very expensive, very fast. It isn’t hard to build up a $100 bill in one shopping spree, especially if you’re looking for things that will fit your homestead.

I have an idea—why not try saving that money by making it yourself?

Rags to Rugs is a 39-page eBook with step-by-step instructions to help you make your own beautiful, handmade rag rugs. It includes color photos to show each step of the process, directions for calculating how big to make your center/base in order to achieve the size rug you desire, and written instructions for creating stitches, increasing size, decreasing size, and finishing an oval rag rug. Plus, it also provides step-by-step instructions on choosing fabric, ripping strips, getting started, and finding time to make your rugs!

Gardening

While gardening is a favorite pastime, many of us still don’t know a thing about growing plants. Even growing a tomato plant seems overwhelming, especially when you research all the money, time, and knowledge requirements for growing food yourself.

If you’re looking to start a garden, but not sure where to begin, this book gives you five of the easiest, any-brown-thumb-can-grow-them vegetables, and tells you what to do to keep them alive and happy in a simple and straight-to-the-point manner. Learn from Gabe’s mistakes, don’t waste time and money on things that don’t work, and grow a great garden without all of the chemicals!

Homesteading

If you ask veteran homesteaders about their first animals, many will mention chickens. And if you start studying these versatile birds, you’ll quickly understand why. They produce meat. They produce eggs. They don’t take a ton of space and labor. Plus, they’re adorable to watch. What’s not to like?

Raising Chickens Naturally: Everything You Need to Know to Start Your Own Backyard Flock is just what it sounds like: It’s everything you need to know to get started! Chickens are many folks’ gateway animal into the wild world of homesteading, and this book will help you get started right away with a solid foundation of knowledge. It’s packed with practical information on beginning a backyard or small farm flock and raising them as naturally as possible.

Natural Parenting

The homeschooling life is a different life, especially if you weren’t homeschooled yourself. Suddenly, normal teaching conventions don’t always apply…and you don’t have a mentor to turn to for answers.

The decisions that need to be made before you can actually start homeschooling can be overwhelming, but Michelle Curren homeschooled her children for fourteen years and also helped many other families get started. Drawing from all of that experience, she wrote this step-by-step guide for you. She wants you to feel like you have someone sitting right there with you, leading you through the steps to set up your homeschool. 9 Easy Steps to Homeschooling will help you trade stress for success.

Natural Remedies

Do you want to study natural remedies for your family? If so, you’re not alone. Hundreds of people around the country are returning to the old paths by using herbs, essential oils, and more.

Going Herbal carries on the tradition of Marie’s popular cookbook, pulling away the confusion and putting “from scratch” into simple language and easy instructions. Dive into a short history of herbal remedies in North America, learn how to purchase the best-quality herbs and herbal products, or (with Marie standing right by you) discover how easy it is to make teas and personal care items from thirty common and useful herbs. Going Herbal covers 30 common herbs from Aloe Vera to Yarrow.

Preparedness

Things happen, and they often happen when you aren’t prepared. Family emergencies. Natural disasters. Terrorist attacks. They usually happen without warning.

That’s another reason why you should increase your self-sufficiency and become more prepared.

This book was created for individuals that lack emergency training, yet wish to be prepared to properly react to any event when help may not be immediately available. Loaded with protocols for dealing with natural and man-made disasters—terrorism, nuclear, biological, chemical, and medical emergencies, bomb threats, active shooter situations, crime, sheltering in place, emergency food and water, as well as preparing for a disaster. An extensive first-aid chapter has protocols for all the common medical emergencies such as fractures, heart attacks, bites, amputations, and poisonings, but it also covers emergencies such as blast injuries, childbirth, influenza, and much more.

Simple Living

“What is this made of, anyway?”

That’s a question we don’t ask often enough, especially when it comes to our favorite household products. Most of us assume that our household products are safe, but tragically, many of these products include some very toxic ingredients in their formulas.

From the moment you wake up until the time your head hits the pillow, you’re inundated with chemicals from the products that you use. Some of them are benign, but some of them can cause serious problems. This book will show you how easy (and cheap!) it can be to replace some of the worst offenders with simple homemade products, taking a room-by-room approach and using ingredients that you probably already own.

Bonus Materials!

Who says this bundle is restricted to just electronic books and courses? The Back to Basics Living Bundle also includes some great bonus offers!

You could get a FREE Au Chocolat lotion bar + Au Chocolat lip balm! (It retails $13.70; you just pay shipping)!

Or how about Hannah’s Special Tea Blend for $4.95? (It’s normally $16.95, meaning it’s 70% off! You just pay shipping.)

 

Plus, you could get fantastic deals on heirloom seeds from Seeds for Generations and training materials or the film from Beyond Off Grid, because both companies are included in the Self-Reliant School Buyers Club.

If you buy the Back to Basics Living Bundle, you get a 1-Year Buyers Club Membership free!

Phew. That’s a lot.

The value of the resources in the bundle is $500+, but you get everything at a 92% discount!

If you’ve been trying to make these kinds of changes, but keep getting stuck, or end up frustrated because you’ve lost the motivation, the Back to Basics Living Bundle can be your guide.

The easy getting-started guide will take you step-by-step through the bundle and help you decide the best place for you to start. The reality is that you probably won’t use every single resource in the bundle. Hey, you might not even find every one valuable! (After all, we are all in different seasons of life.)

But it only takes one book—one connection—for you to start implementing real change. And, the getting-started guide will help you figure out the resources that are relevant to you right this minute.

This bundle is the easiest and best way to set yourself up for success in 2018.

The Bundle Ends Tuesday, Jan 23

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The Power’s Out: How Do I Cook? https://returntotheoldpaths.com/the-powers-out-how-do-i-cook/ https://returntotheoldpaths.com/the-powers-out-how-do-i-cook/#respond Thu, 14 Sep 2017 16:23:44 +0000 https://295de0b469.nxcli.io/?p=18297 When natural disasters hit and power lines fail, what are your options for cooking and sterilizing without electricity?

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Florida’s Hurricane Irma. The recent solar flare. Mexico’s earthquake. Aside from all impacting North America, what do these natural disasters all have in common? They all can negatively impact electrical power systems, of course!

power lines, storm, work

Image from Pixabay via JoseRamonParis

Our power grid is in a surprisingly perilous situation, as disasters like hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes often reveal. When such disasters hit and power lines fail, replacement parts and work crews often don’t arrive right away, though the power outage may impact thousands more people than those who initially experienced the storm. In such situations, what are your options for cooking and sterilizing without power?

Generators

When a natural disaster occurs or is predicted, most American households would immediately run for a generator. Of course, the major problem with generators is that fuel will run out, sometimes quickly. During a disaster, fuel is often the first thing to disappear, as we saw during preparations for Hurricane Irma. Plus, fuel also produces nasty fumes that people with asthma and other health problems might need to avoid, and exhaust from generators placed in garages and near windows can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning. You don’t want to survive the disaster only to be killed by your generator!

fire, light, energy

Image from Pixabay via suhasrawool

Fire

Traditionally, fires were used for cooking and sterilizing. After all, you can burn many substances—the pioneers traveling west used dung for fuel! However, fire isn’t always safe, especially today. We aren’t used to cooking with fire or dealing with smoke, and we don’t often have the setup available for it either. Preparing with a fire is a good start—something much more dependable. But, could there be an easier, safer way?

sunset, sun, clouds

Image from Pixabay via Myriams-Fotos

Sunshine?

Part of going Beyond Off Grid means taking the best, most resilient parts of technology and using them to insulate yourself from disruptions in the modern grid system. One such modern invention is the SunOven! With a SunOven, you can bake, boil, and steam naturally at temperatures of 360 to 400 degrees…just by using the power of the sun. Using a special system of reflective mirrors, the SunOven can be used for many cooking and sterilizing needs in a disaster scenario. There are many pros that make SunOvens valuable during disasters.

No Power Required

SunOvens require NO power or fuel, other than sunshine.

highway, night, traffic

Image from Pixabay via werner22brigitte

Portable

SunOvens are extremely portable—they fold up and carry like suitcases. If you need to evacuate, you can take it with you!

Safe

If you’re using a SunOven, you don’t need any fire. You can bake, boil, and cook all kinds of food just with the sun.

bread, farmer's bread, baked goods

Image from Pixabay via Couleur

Versatile

SunOvens are useful for so many things—baking, cooking, boiling, dehydrating, and even sterilizing! They are far more versatile than any portable generator and easier to use than a fire or cookstove.

  • Bake bread
  • Boil water
  • Cook beans
  • Sterilize medical equipment
  • Dehydrate food

Ready to Prepare Yourself for Natural Disasters?

With so many natural disasters occurring around the world recently, Paul Munsen from SunOvens International decided to offer a special Hurricane Irma Package for $164 off, while supplies last. The Beyond Off Grid Hurricane Irma Package includes

  • One All American SunOven
  • Multi-Level Dehydrating & Baking Rack Set
  • Two Easy-Stack Pots
  • One Multi-Fuel Water Pasteurizing Indicator (WAPI)
  • Two Loaf Pans
  • One Cloudy Day Cube Stove 
  • 10 Fuel Disks/Fire Starters
  • One Hanging Turkey Roasting Rack
  • SunOven eCookbook & Emergency Preparedness CD
  • FREE SHIPPING (within the Contiguous US)
  • NO sales tax

Whether you live in a hurricane-prone area or not, the SunOven is a great way to prepare yourself for extended power outages, because it only requires sunshine for fuel.

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Beyond Off Grid Independence Day Sale! https://returntotheoldpaths.com/independence-day-sale/ https://returntotheoldpaths.com/independence-day-sale/#respond Fri, 30 Jun 2017 20:03:38 +0000 https://295de0b469.nxcli.io/?p=17513 If we are to return to a free and independent America, based upon the ideals espoused in the Declaration of Independence, it will require not just political effort, but first and foremost the decision and action by individuals and families to reduce their dependence.

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Happy Independence Day!

 

On July 4th, we celebrate a special day in the history of the world: the day that the American Founding Fathers said unequivocally in the Declaration of Independence that:

 

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

 

This declaration meant certain death for the signers if the War for Independence was unsuccessful. They truly devoted their “lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.”

 

The Declaration was not only a political statement of their common law rights as Englishmen and independence from the crown of England, but also a statement of their determination to lead and sacrifice for their families, churches, communities, states, and nation, and to put faith in God for the success of their vision and mission.

 

This statement of independence from England and reliance upon God was critically balanced, for independence from a tyrannical king based upon purely human effort would fail and result in a new tyranny founded in America, but a reliance upon God put ultimate success in His hands—the Creator and sustainer of human liberty.

 

Today, America has once again become enslaved to a tyrannical government and dependent upon a modern economy that drastically restricts the people’s liberty and independence as families and communities.

 

If we are to return to a free and independent America, based upon the ideals espoused in the Declaration of Independence, it will require not just political effort, but first and foremost the decision and action by individuals and families to reduce their dependence on the modern corporatist economy and governmental system, so that we can rebuild our society and local economies based upon liberty, productive households, and local community interdependence.

 

So, what are you doing to reduce your dependence on the modern systems that entrap you?

 

How are you declaring your independence this July 4th?

 

Independence Day is a perfect day to start or renew your commitment to do the things—even the hard things—that are necessary for us to build a better future for our children and grandchildren.

Learn How to Declare Your Independence!

To help you fulfill your commitment to liberty, we’ve decided to celebrate Independence Day by offering the Beyond Off Grid film to you at a great price! This eye-opening film challenges the modern paradigm, and it’s an easy way for you to learn more about our nation’s problems and the available solutions.

As one viewer put it, the film is “an excellent expose on the modern systems that are suppressing our health, freedom and security.  …a positive message pointing to the solutions that are essential to building a sustainable and resilient future for ourselves and the generations to come.” (Josh Thomas)

Plus, the film will also introduce you to modern-day patriots—men, women, families, and communities who are bravely declaring their own independence in a world of chains. We hope the facts presented in this documentary will shake people from their slumber, proclaim the truth about the action that each of us needs to take today, and assist a new generation of Americans to declare their own independence, no matter the cost.

The Sale Ends Soon!

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You can watch the intro of the Beyond Off Grid film for FREE!

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Beyond Off Grid Memorial Day Sale! https://returntotheoldpaths.com/beyond-off-grid-memorial-day-sale/ Fri, 26 May 2017 19:02:14 +0000 https://295de0b469.nxcli.io/?p=16774 Memorial Day is a great time to look back at history and remember how our nation used to be—how we conducted business, how we handled government and national security, and how we lived in day-to-day life. So in honor of this special weekend, we’re running a Memorial Day Sale at Beyond Off Grid!

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This Memorial Day weekend, Americans around the country pause and remember the sacrifices and memories of our forefathers, both those who died in military service and those who were civilians.

 

This weekend is also a great time to look back at history and remember how our nation used to be—how we conducted business, how we handled government and national security, and how we lived in day-to-day life.

 

Now is the perfect time to learn our history—how we got to today.

 

That’s why we produced the Beyond Off Grid film…

 

…because everyone living in modern America has a problem. 

 

A very, very big problem. 

 

This film explains that our modern way of life isn’t as certain as we think.

 

(Trust me, the facts presented in the documentary will shock many people.) 

 

This is an eye-opening film that challenges the modern paradigm, with the hope of shaking people from their slumber and proclaiming the truth about the action that each of us needs to take today. 

 

The film is an easy way for you to learn more about the historical background of our current situation, and what you can do today to help fix the massive problems haunting us.

 

(It’s also a great way to share these facts with your family and friends.)

 

So in honor of this special weekend, we’re running a Memorial Day Sale at Beyond Off Grid! 

 

From now until Tuesday, May 29th, you can get the film in any format at a discounted price (over 20% off). 

 

If you’d like to watch the trailer for the film, and even get a sneak peek at the film’s introduction, check out the Film Sneak Peek page.

Give the Film as a Gift!

Take Action & Get Our Top Training Course for 50% off!

 

While the film largely addresses the “why”, our online courses help train people in the “how”— how grow and preserve food, how to raise animals, how to use herbs, and how select the perfect homesteading property and build your self-reliance effectively.  In short, it helps people just like you return to the old paths.

So, to make this holiday weekend even better, we’re also offering the Beyond Off Grid Summit Online Course to you for 50% off!  That’s 45+ hours of training sessions for half the normal cost.

Check out the Summit Online Course sale now.

 

But Don’t Wait! This is one of the best offers on the Summit Online Course since we released it, and it ends very soon!

This Offer Ends at Midnight PT, Tuesday, May 29th

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War Room Landing Page https://returntotheoldpaths.com/war-room-landing-page/ Fri, 12 May 2017 19:28:49 +0000 https://295de0b469.nxcli.io/?p=16331 The post War Room Landing Page appeared first on Return to the Old Paths.

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Thanks for listening to the interview!

Learn More with our Free email series discussing the film, including special video clips
Yes, Count Me In!Not Right Now

Welcome, listener!

Thanks for listening to my interview on War Room!

I hope you are better informed and equipped…

Please join our growing audience of tens of thousands of email subscribers, so you can get announcements of new free online training that we produce, helpful content that we publish, and updates on our documentary film and media project.

If you have any questions about my interview or anything else that I might be able to help you with, please use our contact form to send us a note and we’ll get right back to you!

All the best to you on your Return to the Old Paths,

Jason Matyas
Executive Producer

Jason Matyas, Co-Founder and Executive Producer of Beyond Off Grid

The Beyond Off Grid Film

It's Coming... Monday, December 26th at 8:00pm ET

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We live in tumultuous times.  You probably recognize that there is a growing darkness in America and the west, with unsustainable cultural, political, and economic trends in process that will yield disaster unless addressed at a fundamental level.

But what are these trends at work? And how can you, as a family or individual, take action to build a better future?

The Beyond Off Grid documentary film will address these important issues and questions, and will provide you with solutions that you can implement for positive change.

Want to Watch it Now?

Stay Up to Date on the Latest with Beyond Off Grid

The film is available now and we have a lot of exciting news and events coming your way.

Don’t Miss Any of the Action!

Sign up for email updates now, so you won’t miss out on any news, giveaways, and more!

Want a Sneak Peek of the Film Now?

You can watch the intro of the Beyond Off Grid film for FREE!

Buy Your Online Access Pass or DVD Now

Ready to Return to the Old Paths?

Summit Online Course

Learn the essential skills you need to build your self-reliance and Return to the Old Paths that your ancestors thrived with.

Our Beyond Off Grid Summit Online Course provides 33+ in-depth training sessions (over 45 hours of training), plus a ton of bonus material:

  • 33+ detailed lesson outlines for each session (you can use these for easy reference)
  • 33+ sets of presentation slides for all the training sessions
  • 33+ MP3 audio files of the training sessions

Plus, our course members get 9 ebooks, guides, checklists, and other resources to aid their journey!

See all the Training and Resources in the Beyond Off Grid Summit Online Course

Summit Event Video Course

Ready for something more?

Beyond Off Grid has been doing online training for years, but unlike a lot of summits, we hosted a REAL live Summit event at a unique permaculture farm that’s implementing this teaching in the mountains of Virginia, and actually building and installing the off-grid and old-path technology that we’re advocating.

We professionally video recorded all 25 Live Event sessions, and they’ve been edited into a top-notch training product unlike anything else available.

Take a peek at what it looks like…

Our Beyond Off Grid Summit Event Video Course was professionally filmed at our one-of-a-kind live training event and includes 25 video training sessions from experienced homesteaders teaching at a unique permaculture homestead and farm.

The course includes:

  • 25 HD video recorded training sessions, including hightech glide cam and drone aerial videography
  • 25 detailed lesson outlines for each session (you can use these for easy reference)
  • 25 MP3 audio files of the training sessions

The Beyond Off Grid Summit Event Video Course will help you supercharge your journey to self-reliance and sustainable living.

Be sure to watch the inspirational intro video and the free training session video clips.

Learn more about the Beyond Off Grid Event Video Course

Grow More Food Online Course

Growing More Food is Key to Reducing Your Dependence!

Learning how to produce your own food is an important part of Returning to the Old Paths.

Our Beyond Off Grid Grow More Food Course provides live and online video training, including:

  • 17+ hours of expert training
  • 12 detailed session outlines for each session, for quick reference
  • 12 MP3 audio files of all the training sessions

Plus, it all comes from veteran growers—this is the wisdom you need to start or continue a successful growing journey.

See what’s included in the Grow More Food Course

Use Heirloom Seeds from a Trusted Family Business...

Get heirloom seeds for your garden from a small family business that wants to share their love of seeds and gardening as a family with you!

Take advantage of a special 15% off discount! Use code at checkout to claim your savings.

Shop Heirloom Seeds Now

Save time and effort planning your garden this year.

Use the Garden Planning Calculator to calculate all your planting dates!

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Herrick Kimball on the Beyond Off Grid Film https://returntotheoldpaths.com/herrick-kimball-beyond-off-grid-film/ https://returntotheoldpaths.com/herrick-kimball-beyond-off-grid-film/#respond Wed, 29 Mar 2017 17:43:18 +0000 https://295de0b469.nxcli.io/?p=15730 Several years ago, Herrick Kimball of The Deliberate Agrarian was kind to support Beyond Off Grid. Today, Herrick blogs at Upland, where he recently posted his thoughts about the new Beyond Off Grid documentary film. Here’s a bit of what of he had to say…

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Several years ago, Herrick Kimball of The Deliberate Agrarian was kind to support Beyond Off Grid. Today, Herrick blogs at Upland, where he recently posted his thoughts about the new Beyond Off Grid documentary film.

Here’s a bit of what of he had to say…

“Those of you who have read my blog writings for a few years may remember back in September of 2013 when I had a Deliberate Agrarian book-sale fundraiser to support a new video documentary project called Beyond Off Grid. I had hoped to raise a couple hundred dollars, but ended up selling 87 books and raised $435 for the project…

 

“…Well, a lot of time has gone by since then and, frankly, I kind of lost hope that the documentary video would ever get made. But it did get made, finally, and I was delighted to receive a few copies of the just-published DVD in the mail today.”

You can read his entire post here.

Herrick provides lots of thought leadership, and we recommend that you become a subscriber of his blog while you’re there.

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How Do You Live? This Will Help You Break Free https://returntotheoldpaths.com/how-do-you-live-this-will-help-you-break-free/ https://returntotheoldpaths.com/how-do-you-live-this-will-help-you-break-free/#respond Wed, 15 Mar 2017 20:46:48 +0000 https://295de0b469.nxcli.io/?p=15813 How do you live? Most of us really don’t think about it much. We don’t think about those things because we take them for granted. Life has been this way for so long that we just don’t think twice about it. This is life, or so we think...

In reality, each major modern grid system faces threats, threats that continue growing with each passing year.

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How do you live?

Most of us really don’t think about it much.

Aside from a few exceptions, most of us live without thinking much about daily life.

We buy food, clothing, and other essentials at stores.

We get water from the tap.

We accept unconstitutional regulation.

We work for dollars and put those dollars in the bank.

We don’t think much about those things, because we take them for granted. Life has been this way for so long that we just don’t think twice about it. This is life, or so we think.

In reality, each major modern grid system faces threats, threats that continue growing with each passing year.

As I once heard someone put it, each system becomes an inverted triangle—it becomes more and more unstable each time we lean more on it.

“…day by day, it’s miraculous that the system continues to hold on, with this many weaknesses and frailties that is [has].” –Michael Bunker

Our modern lifestyle seems secure, but we’re actually facing the inevitable…a collapse that must happen if things continue traveling the direction they are headed.

Thankfully, people are thinking about these issues today, largely because these issues have been thrust into the public eye.

Unparalleled debt and spending beyond our means.

Unsustainable farming practices and a food system that’s making us chronically ill.

Decaying infrastructure and loss of critical skills in our workforce.

Issues like these are becoming more mainstream issues–things people are discussing more than ever before.

But we still have a ways to go.

And the Beyond Off Grid film (something special about that in a moment) seeks to wake people up and expose the dangers lurking right in front of us.

In other words, it shouts a warning cry…before it’s too late.

“…when I saw the completed film, the completed film was much more radical than I even hoped it would be, because it is a kind of an indictment of modernity, of the modern lifestyle, and it’s a call to return to a more sensible way of life.”   —Franklin Sanders

In the film, we show the historical background of our current situation, where we’re headed in the future, and the simple solutions available that will solve the problems we face.

For you, the film serves two purposes:

  1. First, it helps solidify your understanding and convictions about modern life.
  2. Second, it helps you educate loved ones about the problems and—more importantly—the solutions.

Check out what people have been saying about the film…

“One of the best films I’ve seen for ages!  A really lovely, intelligent, inspiring film.” –Michelangelo B.

“This is a challenging film that speaks to the spiritual and cultural crisis that is upon us in late Modernity. The issues brought up in this film are an invitation to a deeper exploration of what it means to live freely and abundantly. We all must come to terms with the questions presented here – sooner or later.” –Jason F.

“this thought-provoking film shows us exactly how we got into this unsustainable, toxic, consumer driven mess we call modern society. It then gives us profound evidence of what might happen if we don’t change our ways, based on what’s happened with other societies in history that thought they were invincible.”  –Jennifer Osuch (Self Reliant School)

“I feel stressing the importance of America’s roots & living humbly with emphasis on God & family is key. The film portrayed this beautifully…there are many suggestions for skills & practical applications, which make this film’s content very valuable if one will just take it seriously. Thank you. Well done!” –Sharon Kinney

“Awesome documentary! Really puts everything in perspective and connects the dots clearly. We’ll being sharing this with Family and Friends.” –Robert K.

So, what about you?

Do you want to learn what is wrong with modern life and how to fix it? And, do you want to help others do the same?

Well, I have something special just for you…

Beyond Off Grid Film!

First, we’re offering a 2-DVD pack of the film.

(This is the perfect way to pick up a hardcopy for yourself and a loved one, or to give to a family member and a friend.)

Grab your 2-DVD pack today.

Rather have an online access pass in addition to the DVD, instead of purchasing a second DVD? No problem.

You can also take advantage of the DVD + Online Film Access Pass.

Grab your DVD + Online Access now.

Whatever format you get, this film is a weapon in your hands—a weapon that will help you fight the battle for truth and awareness now and in the months and years to come.

You can watch the intro of the Beyond Off Grid film for FREE!

You can get a taste of what the film covers and how it opens viewers’ eyes to the truth.

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Franklin Sanders on Trump and Economics https://returntotheoldpaths.com/franklin-sanders-trump-economics/ https://returntotheoldpaths.com/franklin-sanders-trump-economics/#respond Fri, 03 Mar 2017 19:01:32 +0000 https://295de0b469.nxcli.io/?p=15640 “Trump spoke to Congress last night and among the blizzard of fluff & promises was spending $1 trillion for infrastructure. One's mind searches from pillar to post, seeking a picture of this…Give the man credit for unmitigated gall: he is pushing Blarney to regions of outer space where no politician hath yet set a toe.”

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Our friend and economic commentator Franklin Sanders, who was interviewed for the Beyond Off Grid documentary and has been a guest on several of our webinars, sent out this analysis to his email subscribers this week.

“Trump spoke to Congress last night and among the blizzard of fluff & promises was spending $1 trillion for infrastructure. One’s mind searches from pillar to post, seeking a picture of this. Will he build bike paths along the Interstates? Quadri-sex bathroom stops? He offered no details on his oft-promised & richly ballyhooed tax reform or on trade, either

 

Give the man credit for unmitigated gall: he is pushing Blarney to regions of outer space where no politician hath yet set a toe.

 

Yea, and the Blarney stood him in good stead on Wall Street, where the Dow today beat 21,000 — only twenty-four days after it had crossed 20,000.

 

That ring a bell in y’all’s noggins? A market increasing at an increasing rate is a market gone hyperbolic and soon to cough, sputter, & collapse, having exhausted all its Blarney-fuel. Sometimes success is its own punishment.

 

And Trump called for financing the infrastructure boondoggle by ‘public & private capital,’ a.k.a., ‘public-private partnership.’ Technically — now all you Trumpites out there don’t get mad at me, this is merely the technical definition — a public-private partnership is ‘fascism,’ but it’s nothing new. It’s already the American way where the banks rule Washington & Washington rules us.

 

Yea, Buddy! We know how successful them public-private partnerships are! Think on the public-private mortgage creation motors, Fannie Mae & Freddie Mack. Both belly-upped in 2008, but not before they had glutted the mortgage market with zillions in soggy, sorry, worthless mortgages. Been under federal government receivership ever since.

 

Or what about another public-private partnership success, the Federal Reserve System? Now in fact it ain’t federal, and it hath no reserve, and there ain’t even much system about it. But like putting lipstick on a sow, they gussied it up in 1913 with a Board of Governors that the president appoints. The bank itself and the regional banks are privately owned by — the banks. Now there’s a set-up immune to conflict of interest, by golly!
Anyhow, since 1913 the Fed and its banking cartel have been lapping, sucking, and slurping the blood out of the American economy wholesale. Another public-private partnership success!

 

So far Trump has done nothing but wave the same old failed nostrums at the economy. Nothing new proposed, and certainly no measure that would go to the heart of economic & political problems, like restoring gold & silver money, abolishing the Federal Reserve, prosecuting criminal Big Banks & their officers, or restoring the rule of law generally. Mercy, he isn’t even talking about stopping the ‘perpetual war for perpetual peace’ keystone of the US economy, but is proposing MORE ‘defense’ spending.

 

Folks, I ain’t no more’n a nat’ral born durn fool from Tennessee, and when somebody, even some big somebody, walks down the street buck naked claiming he has on dazzling clothes only the virtuous can see, I ain’t got a speck more sense than to blurt out, ‘He’s stark, staring, buck naked!’ STOCKS: Y’all don’t’ get bent ut of shape. I was exepcting one more stock leg up.”

Subscribing to Franklin Sanders’ Moneychanger newsletter is a great way to get educated about the rapidly changing economy and financial markets, and about real money – gold and silver – and how to make wise financial investment decisions in the current climate of confusion.

Franklin Sanders’ quote (c) 2017 The Moneychanger, reprinted by permission.  You may sign up for the Moneychanger’s free commentary on the gold and silver markets — and a lot of other things — at www.the-moneychanger.com.

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What It Takes to Start as an Entrepreneur https://returntotheoldpaths.com/what-it-takes-to-start-as-an-entrepreneur/ https://returntotheoldpaths.com/what-it-takes-to-start-as-an-entrepreneur/#respond Mon, 06 Feb 2017 18:37:48 +0000 https://295de0b469.nxcli.io/?p=14968 Has the hectic pace of the 9 to 5 and working in a corporate job become a drudgery? Do you desire to pursue your dreams and fully develop your God-given potential through a life of entrepreneurship? If so, welcome!

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Has the hectic pace of the 9 to 5 and working in a corporate job become a drudgery?

Do you desire to pursue your dreams and fully develop your God-given potential through a life of entrepreneurship?

If so, welcome!

With entrepreneurship in today’s modern world, people like you can diversify their income streams, produce instead of consume, and ultimately reduce their dependence upon the modern economy—an economy that isn’t getting better, despite what government numbers say.

Today, I’m going to help you start your own journey to entrepreneurship. Specifically, I’m going to cover two major areas:

  1. How to Acquire Business Skills
  2. How to Evaluate Opportunities

How to Acquire Business Skills

As an entrepreneur, you need business skills—lots of them. Thanks to the internet and other resources, however, obtaining these important, practical skills isn’t hard. (Note that some of these opportunities may be more appropriate for you than others, depending on your personality, situation constraints, and investment availability.)

read, learn, school

Image from Pixabay via Wokandapix

Opportunities for Study  

Formal Courses/Academics

When many people think of learning, they think of more formal, academic paths. While formal opportunities do have their place, they aren’t always the most effective or efficient way for you to gain skills, unless you’re someone who learns best in a highly-structured environment.

Formal course/academic skill acquisition opportunities include

  • Colleges
  • MBA Programs
  • Venture Academy (the MBA-like training available from Wade Myers)

Informal Courses/Self-Study Opportunities 

A favorite of many entrepreneurs, informal courses and study opportunities also abound.

  • Books
  • Massive Online Courses (MOOCs)
  • Free/paid online courses (for example, CreativeLive and Jeff Walker’s Product Launch Formula)
  • Webinars
  • eBooks
  • White papers
  • Video training
  • Blog posts
  • Email subscriptions
men, employees, suit

Image from Pixabay via 089photoshootings

Opportunities for Working  

Work Experience

Studying is great, but you also need practical experience, the most important educational opportunity available.

Generally, work experience comes in five different forms:

  1. Job Experience
  2. Industry Experience
  3. Role Experience
  4. Technical Experience
  5. Marketing/Writing Experience

Job experience is practical experience gained from your current job. (Some jobs are more practical than others.)

Industry experience is very important if you want to venture into a particular industry. If you don’t understand the industry, you may not understand the problems and solutions of the industry.

Role experience can also be helpful. For example, if you drive a truck, you might have some experience handling operational logistics, though you don’t have experience participating in an online business team.

Technical experience is very important if you’re looking into a technical industry, like the computer industry.

Marketing and writing experience might seem a little strange, but these skills are extremely important. Any small business owner or solopreneur must do marketing and copywriting—there’s just no way around it. You must be able to communicate and present your idea, and marketing and writing experience helps you do it.

office, meeting, business partners

Image from Pixabay via Unsplash

Apprenticeships/Mentorships 

This is another great way for you to gain skills, though the basic idea comes in several different packages.

Formal apprenticeships tend to be very encompassing and include working a full-time job, plus doing outside study assignments.

Informal/remote apprenticeships/internships are simply helping someone with a project.

Formal internships are the summer college student internship model.

Informal/remote internships are less formal, like Beyond Off Grid’s own intern program.

Angel investors typically invest money, but they also bring their background and advice.

Informal mentor relationships are started by finding an older, wiser businessperson who can discuss business concepts and ideas with you and advise and council you.

Formal peer groups gather regularly to talk about businesses, hold each other accountable, etc.

concept, man, papers

Image from Pixabay via Pexels

How to Get Started 

 

Launch something! 

  • Research and plan your venture
  • Act (launch it)
  • Measure your results
  • Finally, adjust and move forward. (Sometimes, adjusting means canceling the entire project because it just won’t work.)

How to Evaluate Opportunities

So, you have an idea. How do you evaluate that potential opportunity?

Step #1: Research the Market

An entrepreneur is constantly thinking of new business ideas. While you may think of a new solution, you don’t necessarily want to pursue all solutions as business ventures. Macro- and micro-level research is the only way you’ll know whether your market will understand (and purchase) your solution.

Step #2: Define Your Ideal Customer & Develop/Test Product Ideas

These tests can take months, and you don’t necessarily have that time. To be wise with your time, set constraints like time and deadlines on this process. If you need help with this step, check out Running Lean by Ash Maurya. (Ash is an entrepreneur that has been heavily involved in the lean startup movement.)

His book is so practical—he talks you through the process.

  • Researching the market
  • How do you define your customer?
  • How do you define the problem and solution?
  • How do you determine if your solution fits the problem and whether the market wants your solution?

Ash has come up with a tool called the “Lean Canvas”—a simple way of mapping out a business model and covering everything on a single piece of paper. This process and method is the best thing I’ve seen on this topic, and I highly recommend his book.

Summary

 

In this post, I’ve covered many ways that a new entrepreneur can acquire skills…but this is only the beginning!

Learn More in this Exclusive Webinar Training

Learn from my journey to entrepreneurship in a special webinar training session on this topic.  You will learn:

  • How to determine what kinds of businesses to focus on
  • How to develop your business skills
  • How to evaluate business opportunities
  • Different models for home-based businesses
  • How you can involve your children in your business
  • The top lessons from my personal experience

Sign up for the Journey to Entrepreneurship webinar

Presenter Jason Matyas is a husband, father of seven, lifelong gardener, Air Force veteran, and visionary entrepreneur with a wide-ranging background. He is a marketing strategist and business consultant, and has been Founder or Co-Founder of six startups.  He is the Co-Founder and Executive Producer of Beyond Off Grid, a documentary film and media project designed to inspire and equip people to live a life less dependent upon the modern economy.

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How to Grow More Food with Less https://returntotheoldpaths.com/how-to-grow-more-food-with-less/ https://returntotheoldpaths.com/how-to-grow-more-food-with-less/#respond Sat, 04 Feb 2017 17:40:51 +0000 https://295de0b469.nxcli.io/?p=14656 What if you could grow more with less? In this post, we’ll cover three ways that you can grow more food with less. We'll talk about growing food with less technology and fewer inputs, and how to make your growing efforts into a beautiful, edible landscape.

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If you’re not careful and use effective methods, growing food can quickly seem like a parasite on your wallet and schedule—before you know it, you’ve spent hundreds of dollars on tools, seeds, fertilizers, and costly mistakes.

But, what if you could grow more with less?

In this post we’ll cover three ways that you can grow more food with less. We’ll talk about growing food with less technology and fewer inputs, and how to make your growing efforts into a beautiful, edible landscape.

tree trunk, forest floor, trunk

Image from Pixabay via Picography

Grow More Food with Low-Tech Methods

 

Let me tell you a story, a story about the founder of Foundations for Farming.

 

This man grew up in Africa and grew tobacco for 20 years. Around 1980, he became a Christian and felt convicted against growing tobacco; he promised God that he would never grow tobacco again. Instead, he started growing food.

 

And then, his area had two severe droughts, and the bank told him they wouldn’t support him if grew food.

 

He lost everything.

 

And so, he got a job working for a widow on a 1,000 hectares (ha – a little over 2,000ac) farm that was growing food. This farm was losing money, losing soil, and their costs kept rising.

 

In desperation, this man turned to the Lord for wisdom. He tried to observe the way God’s creation worked, and he noticed two principles from nature:

 

  1. Minimal tillage (no deep plowing)
  2. Maximum soil coverage (mulch)

 

The man tried applying these basic principles on just 2ha, and they worked!

 

Later, stimulated storm trial experiments showed the difference between these two types of growing. On a plowed field without mulch, 90% of the rain ran off and 28 tons of topsoil eroded off (that’s about a semi-truck full). On a non-plowed field with a mulch cover, only 6% of the rain ran off, there was 94% rain infiltration, and only one ton of topsoil washed away!

 

In addition, he later learned that microorganisms in the soil feed on decaying organic matter and the sugars excreted from the plants’ roots because of photosynthesis. Aerobic organisms are on the surface of the soil—they need oxygen. Anaerobic organisms are lower in the soil—they don’t need oxygen. These microorganisms provide fertility for the plant. When this man plowed the soil upside down, he turned the entire system over on itself. No wonder he was having drought problems!

 

Well, God says that if we’re faithful with little, He’ll add to it.

 

And, this man in Africa started small by planting corn into wheat straw on 2ha. Over the next several years, they expanded this growing method to more hectares and in just five years, they had the entire farm under this technique. Yields increased immediately and stabilized, while costs decreased.

 

The Four Simple Keys to Food Production

 

  1. Minimal soil disturbance
  2. Maximum soil coverage
  3. Crop rotation
  4. High management (on time, high standards, minimal waste, and joy)

 

Basic Crop Rotation

Crop rotation can seem confusing to many people.  Watch Noah Sanders talk about the basics of crop rotation concepts and methods in this clip from “Planting Methods”.

little girl, berries, summer

Image from Pixabay via sesila

Grow More Food with Permaculture

What is permaculture?

There are many different definitions and ideas floating around today, ranging from some gardening ideas to some who base their entire life around permaculture principles! But what is permaculture, really?

Permaculture is a design science first pioneered in the 1970s in response to reports about the unsustainable modern culture, including the way agriculture—particularly industrial agriculture—was headed. (The actual term “permaculture” was coined by Australians Bill Mollison and David Holmgren.) This design science helps us form a permanent type of agriculture, a sustainable system that makes use of surpluses and actually leads toward abundance.

As Josh Deel puts it, permaculture is having a function diversity that is sustainable and creates surpluses with available energy like sunshine and gravity. This includes using techniques like food forests or keyline design.

Keyline Design

Keyline design is a way to manage water flow on your property using simple techniques like creating swales and berms on hillsides or slopes and ripping slots in the land, so you can capture and fully utilize water. When you do that, you are extending an edge effect, where you’re spreading nutrients farther around the land, instead of losing them all. By this capture, you can create abundance and perennialize your landscapes.

In addition, permaculture designers often mention “Zonal Placement”. Let’s dive a bit deeper into this topic.

Zonal Placement

Permaculture is all about observation, planning, and efficiency, and Zonal Placement is a system that places elements in relation to the amount of energy or usage that will go into them.

Zonal Placement uses five “zones”.

Zone 1

Zone 1 starts at your backdoor. This is where you keep very intensive activities like your kitchen garden or high-quality orchard trees that require regular tending.

Zone 2

Zones are about frequency, so Zone 2 is for things that you need to check daily, but not as frequently as Zone 1. Zone 2 would include things like greenhouses or maybe even beehives.

Zones 3-4

These zones are for broader acreage grazing systems or other elements that don’t need regular tending.

The principle behind Zonal Placement is making elements you use daily much closer to you. Don’t just think in circles—landscapes don’t work in circles! Remember, the numbers are irrelevant—they’re only for planning purposes. Just try to make elements that you use daily much closer to you.

blueberries, blueberry bush, blueberry

Image from Pixabay via tonyleeglenn

Grow More Food with Edible Landscaping

Edible landscaping is an exciting, beautiful way to sneak fruits, veggies, and other edibles into your yard and garden, even with constraints like small spaces or homeowner’s associations.

Choose Shrubs & Trees Carefully

When you’re planning an edible landscape, be careful when using shrubs and trees. These are the largest plants and will take up the most space, meaning some growing areas will only have room for a few.

For example, choose edibles that also have ornamental qualities. Instead of planting just any shade tree, plant an apple tree. Or, choose plant varieties that are edible and pretty. Elderberry shrubs grow very well where Angela England lives, but their native elderberry doesn’t look as nice as other varieties of elderberries. (In contrast, other elderberries have beautiful burgundy foliage and edible qualities. There are also lime-colored varieties with lace-like leaves.)

Growing Vertically

Have a tiny space? No problem! Vertical growing might just extend your growing abilities.

Watch this clip from Angela England’s “Stealth Gardening” about Vertical Growing.

 

Having Fun with Foliage

When we’re planning garden spaces, we usually focus on the flowers. Even long-blooming plants, however, only bloom for a few weeks.

Instead, focus on plants that also have pretty foliage. You can find foliage of many variations…

  • Different colors
  • Different shapes
  • Different sizes

Contrast the bold, broad leaves you might see on one plant with the lacy, fern-like foliage of the dill plant. Planted together, this contrast will create an interesting garden, even when plants aren’t blooming.

Growing Edibles Everywhere!

Planting edibles isn’t restricted to garden plots. Instead, try planting edibles everywhere!

  • Around the house (including the ugly side yard or by the driveway)
  • In containers to maximize deck space
  • Or, switch out plants for successive plantings

Need another example? Let’s say you live in Zone 6 in a place surrounded by trees. Your growing areas only receive four to five hours of sun per day. How can you grow edibles in that situation, even if you can’t cut the trees? Don’t worry…there are plenty of options!

First, plant things in containers, so you can seasonally move them to follow the sun.

Second, plant crops like these:

  • Mints
  • Bee balms
  • Nasturtiums
  • Blueberries
  • Elderberries
  • Cornelian cherry dogwoods
  • Violets
  • Violas

In this situation, look for plants that are naturally understory plants; woodland plants will tolerate shade.

Need another example? Let’s say you live in Florida and would like to plant things that do best with neglect.

Try these plants:

  • Lavender
  • Basil (planting it will save you lots of money)
  • Thyme (this groundcover tolerates light foot traffic)
  • Rosemary (use throughout the year)
  • Tough perennials
  • Echinacea
  • Citrus (possibly)

Conclusion

In today’s post, we’ve discussed growing more food using low-tech methods, permaculture, and edible landscaping. And, over the last few days, we’ve examined several topics that will help you grow more food yourself.

So, what are you waiting for?

Put that produce to good use. Create your own ferments!

This free CHEAT SHEET helps you "create-your-own" simple, and safe-to-eat, and delicious fermented salsas, chutneys, pickles, or krauts!

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