A guy I work with is embracing modern homesteading in an urban apartment and is really making progress. He has fresh garden produce from a patio version squarefoot garden,a mushroom bin in a closet, 3 rabbits in cages inside kept like pet hamsters and a decent sized vermicompost bin. All in a 700 sq ft apartment. His apartment is on ground level, surrounded by typical city folk on both sides and top so he "buddy systems" off their heat and cool so his electric bill is under $30 each month. He is buying bulk and canning and dehydrating from his 5 square garden . he told me after his divorce he was looking for ways to keep bills down when I started bring my Countryside to work with me. Two years later he has a great way to budget himself and he has gotten far enough ahead that he can pay his rent 6 month in advance with 6 months more in the bank. He said now he's perfectly happy with his current setup as he is secure for a year and has a pool and free water and cable t.v. and can build his savings to someday buy a country acre, but really isn't in a hurry. His next purchase is going to be a cheap PC to come to these sites. I guess some folks learn to do it within the sidewalks instead of beyond them.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), May 30, 2001

Answers

Sounds like the guy in the latest CS issue, doesn't it!

I didn't understand this sentence though: "His apartment is on ground level, surrounded by typical city folk on both sides and top so he "buddy systems" off their heat and cool so his electric bill is under $30 each month." How does that work? Is it that he takes advantage of the surrounding apartments heating/cooling keeping the whole building more or less warm or cool, or is it something else?

-- Joy F [in So. Wisconsin] (CatFlunky@excite.com), May 30, 2001.

Thats how to lower costs. Most apt dwellers will keep their places excessivilly warm in winter and cool in summer. If your in between a couple ceiling fans can keep your hole in the wall "cave comfortable". I told him about how I got by in an apartment like that with a cieling fan and a kerosene heater I snuck in. Used less than 3 gallons a week to keep the cave at 65 to 70 (I was lucky, I was surrounded by mid 20s girls from Fl and So. Cal so they kept their places at nearly 80 in winter). In '91 I always ran an electric bill in the $18 to $22 range.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), May 31, 2001.

You and your buddy are real inspirations!! It CAN be done anywhere!! Thanks for the post, Jay - you brightened an already pretty great day!

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), May 31, 2001.

Nearly 80 in the winter!!!!! Holy Cow!!! We don't hardly get 80F *outside* in the *summer* here. No wonder we have a problem providing power to everyone! Sheesh! Maybe those women need more body fat....but that's another topic, isn't it?! Turn it down to 70 AT THE LEAST FOLKS!

-- sheepish (WA) (the_original_sheepish@hotmail.com), May 31, 2001.

oops! By that I meant *70 or LESS* at the least folks! But you already knew that, didn't you? In other words, 65 would be even better!

-- sheepish (WA) (the_original_sheepish@hotmail.com), May 31, 2001.

Those girls had "Daddys' money" coming in. I was just greatful for thin walls :>)

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), June 01, 2001.

Reminds me of a saying my mom has on a shirt, Bloom were your planted.

-- kathy h (ckhart55@earthlink.net), June 01, 2001.