For some time now, I've been thinking about moving to a tropical location where I can grow fruit and be pretty much self sufficient. I want to do this partly for my own health, and partly for spreading this way of living to others. I'm planning to buy a piece of land large enough to sustain myself and hopefully to plant new fruit trees to let others join in the future. Later I also want to expand as much as possible so that more people can join. I will probably need to be able to sell some of the fruit that I have on the property to be able to purchase new land, and pay for the Internet connection that I plan to have.
I should also probably describe more clearly what my goals with this are. About two years ago I decided that I wanted to spend my life bettering the planet, (or saving the world if you like). And this seems to be the best way for me to do it. First of all I will be able to help poor people by offering them to live on my land and gain access to an abundance of fruit (completely for free). And not just poor people: through a youtube channel I could inspire anyone to also live this way. And Secondly it would improve my health, which gives me more energy and a greater ability to do what I'm doing.
I've planned to do some research this summer and if it all seems feasible I plan to go in a year or two. So I have a some questions to those of you who have experience with this. And any other people's input is also appreciated. Maybe this post can help others who are thinking about the same too.
I noticed this will be (and is already...) a quite long post so feel free to skim through and answer the questions you're interested in.
First, here's a list of what I think I will need:
- Internet connection. Planning to have a youtube channel to use for showing my example and encourage other to live this way.
- I need to move somewhere where there is already a lot of fruit bearing trees so that I can start right away.
- There needs to be good soil quality. (Alternatively I guess I can buy some natural fertilizier to improve it? But that sound expensive since it's going to be a lot of land)
- A house. Planning to build my own house. As simple and small as possible. Only need it for solar panels and cover from the rain so it doesn't damage my laptop. And perhaps need it for cover for myself.
- Solar panels and all the kind of electricity stuff so I can plug in my laptop.
- Available drinking water. (Collect rain water?)
The questions that I've been thinking about so far:
- I'm curious about which seeds you can plant directly from a fruit you've eaten and which fruits that you need to buy a young tree from a nursery or those little seed bags or something. Because some type of fruit from fruit trees that you grow from a seed won't be of the same quality as the fruit you took the seed from, right? Does anyone know about this?
- I've lived in Sweden my whole life and I'm white-skinned. Will it be hard for me to live in a tropical climate because of the hot temperatue and strong sunlight? Will I get sunburned?
- What can I estimate the monetary cost of everything to be? What did it cost for you (if you've done this)? Is there something I've missed in my "what I need"-list?
- What about safety regarding diseases and dangerous critters like snakes and mosquitos? Is there something I have to think about regarding that? I've never been in a tropical country so I don't know what it's like.
- Suggestions on locations to move to? I was think about somewhere in Africa, because I feel strongly about helping the poor. I know there are poor people in other places as well, but Africa seems like the poorest place. Others places are of course South America, USA an Hawaii. What would you suggest in terms of cost to buy land, soil quality, etc.?
- Could anyone who have been living this way share the experience of how it has affected your health? Because the main reason I want to do this is that I believe it can dramatically improve my health because I can eat tree ripened organically grown fruit as opposed to conventional, too early picked fruit which I'm eating now. My instincs tell me that tree ripened is muuuuuch better than not tree ripened, although much of the fruit I've eaten tastes really sweet (could there be any difference in nutrition though, even if it's sweet?). What do you say, do you think my health will improve dramatically?
- Anyone else who has the same vision as me? Would you like to join me?
- Any other thoughts or tips?
Replies
Awesome mate, this is the real remedy to the destructive life offered by the System. We really have to scrutinize all the aspects of our lifestyle and determine all the areas where we are causing harm to the Earth or to our fellow Man. Taking full responsibility for our lives is the way out of the mess we have all caused, and this begins with meeting our basic needs: food, water, shelter and community.
We are on the same page, and here are some of my thoughts on this discussion. I've been pondering it for some time, preparing myself, gathering a nest-egg, communicating with many others, and scouting areas around the globe. Time to act is upon us!
People are waking up to this all over the place and realizing that it isn't as easy as one would think. We have awoken to a compromised state in which we find ourselves hopelessly dependent on psychotic ruling elites for our basic needs, competing with each other for the money i.e., bio-survival tokens (thanks R.Wilson), which forces us to commit all kinds of harm and selfish acts. This compromised situation is a tricky one, and what it means is we need to use parts of the System to get out of it. Essentially, we need to completely withdraw from the System and this takes careful preparation.
So yes, money....save as much of it as you possibly can without compromising your health too much. If you can, try to do so in a way that doesn't cause too much harm, but that is for you decide.
This is for sure going to be a team effort and this will pose the most challenges. Rehabing soil, building healthy sustainable homes, permaculture, etc is all out there and available. What will be difficult is overcoming our addictions to the System and its fruits of pleasure, recreation and entertainment, and overcoming the brainwashing we have been subjected to. Ego, greed, mine mine mine.....ideas of ownership.
The guys over at loveforlife.com.au have written a very well thought out set of ideas for such an endeavour. Here's the link: http://loveforlife.com.au/content/08/10/23/ten-steps-kindom-arthur-...
Personally, I don't think a bunch of people living in one home will last too long, which is why the Kindom idea is so perfect. We come together at first to plant the food forest, build the homes, work through our trauma and garbage thoughts and then move out to individual homesteads that are all connected to each other. We support one another, especially if we decide to end our associating and contracts with the commercial-legal side of things.
Your questions:
1. I know Papayas can be grown easily from seed as can melons. Banana seedlings are easy to get, actually once we're down there, the seedlings will be so easy to get. They are everywhere.
2. Cover up, be smart about it. Personally, I am looking for a spot with a little bit of elevation. From my experience and research, 700m to 1200m would be perfect. I have experienced and am not the fondest of super oppressive heat that the lower elevations come packaged with. A higher elevation provides relief from this and from insects. I'm also fine with taking on the project of rehabilitating farm or pasture land that isn't necessarily the choicest. This will be cheaper and is the more responsible move. We can't all just move into pristine places and forsake the harm we have all done.
3. Money. As much as possible of course, that's what I'm trying to do. No way I can do it on my own and no way would I want to. That being said, for the success we all dream of, money isn't necessarily the most valuable thing a person can bring to the table. Money is a thing of privilege and no where near as valuable as knowledge, skills and a pure and open heart.
a) Money to travel to area of choice.
b) Money to scout area.
c) Money for purchase (if that is what happens).
d) Money to develop i.e., plant the shit out of the place.
e) Money to sustain oneself for 1-2 years while fruit grows.
f) Money to put aside and not spend in case of emergency.
So an individual coming with the right attitude and 10,000 (50G would be even better! Heheh) can meet up with 5-10 or more people also with some cash and blam, things can start rolling. Again, personality conflicts will be the biggest challenge so it will be so important to work on oneself to rid one of the destructive habits we all carry. Discussion and clear ideas will be a must. A place like this full of the right intention will draw others of the same tribal ilk. Just got to get the ball rolling.
4) The critters are there, that's for sure. Boots and tuck in your pants when in long grass. Watch where you put your hand. Netting. Again, elevation rather than thick ass jungle would be my preference.
5) I've narrowed my personal search to C and South America, between C.Rica and Ecuador.
Talk to you later!
Hey! Thanks for your detailed and interesting answer!
Yeah, indeed we need to move away from the current system... My hope is that more and more people will become self sufficient untill we're ready to build a new system. The last few years I've been active in a movement called The Zeitgeist Movement, which is spreading awareness about the flaws of the system and what we can do instead. The idea is to introduce a so called Resource Based Economic (RBE) model, which is basically about utilising the fantastic technologial capabilities we have, and at the same time caring for Earth's resources. Automation will free man from work, and produce an abundance of food and other necessary resources. I see my own journey as something to do for myself and others in the present, as well as a transition step to a RBE. Another interesting thing with a RBE is that no money is needed because everyone will have access to everything they need. So therefore I think establishing a tropical community with an abundance of fruit trees can serve as an example that no money or trade is needed, as everybody will have free access to more food than they need.
Thanks for the link! I will check that out.
And thanks for you input on my questions! Interesting with the seeds, good to know! And I didn't think about the lower air pressure at higher elevation :P
Yeah money is probably the most basic and important aspect here. I have roughly 10,000 now so I probably need to work up some more. Would be great to be like 5-10 people as you said, but yeah, it can be hard to get along :P
Thanks again. Would love to hear how you progress with this yourself. Have you planned approximately when you will go?
I have the same vision and am currently working on an heirloom organic farm in the midwest. I plan to rid myself of student loan debt first before buying the land in a tropical region to live off of, grow, and help those I can nourish themselves with the best, most fresh food, while living 100% sustainable :) Would love to join forces if the timing works out $-wise
Good to hear! Yeah, we need to prepare ourselves financially. I probably need to work for a year before I can go, which means in two years since I've one year left of studies. We shall speak again when the time is right :)
Your idea sounds totally crazy! :D But i still encourage you to follow it!
I haven't been to the tropes (I've spent my almost 19 years of life in Germany) either but I'll go to Uganda in August for six weeks. I'll check that area out for you ;)
Maybe it would be a good idea to go to travel to areas you could imagine living first. I mean before you move there. Then you'll see for yourself how your skin reacts to the sun (I will definitely pack sunscreen for my first trip! xD) and what foods the locals grow.
That's cool! Yeah, be sure to report on that!
Yeah I know. Problem is that I feel bad about making air trips back and forth, because of emissions. It feels like everyone just flies like crazy without even thinking about the environment. Would be better if I only fly once :P But it's a tradeoff of course. We'll see how much info I can get from others experiences