2014 goals

[bacpacker]

I know everyone is trying to catch up from the holidays. And most have spent some time looking back at this past years accomplishments. So my question to you is this, What are you goals for 2014? Here are some that are on my list.

Get my ass in shape and do what I can to improve my health.
Continue working on getting out of debt.
Build a new arbor for our grape vines and prune them up like they need to be.
Spread last years chicken coop litter over this years corn patch.
Clean out chicken coop litter and let it rot out for 2015.
Install new HF antenna.
Prune Orchard and berry bushes.
Get garden supplies lined up and ready to go.
Continue setting up a blacksmith shop.

Plenty to get done, but this is at the top of the list.

[helomech]

Continue going to the gym and getting in better shape.
Get debt free, get debt free, my #1 priority.
Work on greenhouse, but with my #1 priority above I doubt I get much done.
Under brush some land, and get some trees cut down around my pond.
Work on my house
Build up more ammo and mags.
and a lot more.

[mitunnelrat]

I never seem to get done what I want to in a year, but my goals so far are to:

Recenter spiritually. I've strayed some; donate blood at least 3x, especially if I can do the double donation of red blood; continue dominating academically and get admitted into the RN Program at years end.

Get at least one leisure vacation in; learn Spanish; beat my addictions (nicotine, caffeine); I need to do put more effort into gaining and maintaining friendships. Get more rest/ sleep.

Incorporate swimming and pencak silat into my exercise routine, force myself to actually run once a week, and do a minimum of a 4 mile hike once a week, working up to monthly road hikes of 16 miles under a full load. Weeks of shorter hike duration I'd like to spend working on bushcraft or scavenging discarded brass at a public shooting area.

Debt elimination continues, but I need to start contributing to my IRA again. I'm not sure how much longer Detroit is going to keep me employed, and I'm pretty much figuring my pension is gone either way.

Visions of a deuce and a KLR 650 still swim in my head, but they're low priority and unlikely to be acquired this year.

I still need to recertify in basic first aid, CPR, and AED. I'd like to get a wilderness first aid course in as well if I can.

HAM. Its overdue.

Then of course there's the garden, firewood needs for 2015, and the back of the property needs to be cleared. I'll be getting my first chainsaw this year for that.

[Vodin]

Better health.
Better finances.
Buy less and provide more.
Make closer relationships within my community.
Increase my knowledge in skills and practice them.
Create/add another flow of income.

[Stormfeather]

Continue working on my physical health and getting healthier. End goal is to lose that final 20 pounds to my target weight.
This year, I'm going to be stepping back from the active reserve military full-time and going into the normal reserve. one weekend a month, 2 weeks a year. This is so I can focus on making some financial gains in the bank account. I got hired at BNSF as a train conductor and I start in January. The upside is that I can realistically make 90k for the year if I bust my ass and work as much overtime as I can, the downside is that it will require my being gone from the family for quite a bit more than I am now. Im taking the mindset like I would if Im on a deployment, focus at the task at hand, and let HH-6 handle the house.
Stop Smoking.
Will see what happens!

[Sniper-T]

get in better shape
finish pond
awesomate gardens
prep for horses

[Fatty]

Focus on my HAM cert.
Invest a few grand into my bov for more capability and longevity (gotta love something that's paid off)
And keep stocking up on the B's

[2die4]

School is in my cross hairs then followed by the rest.

1. Finish my classes up to get my Associate's in Exercise Science.
2. Get my ham cert
3. Find the time to actually go out and camp
4. Cut my debt down by fifty percent.

- - - Updated - - -


one weekend a month, 2 weeks a year Ha! it's more like oh you got drill on Friday, and yeah and this year's Annual training will be 25 days.

[Grumpy Old Man]

Quit smoking!
Lose weight!
LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE!!!
Begin walking and spend more time with the ponies.
Oh, and take Z Rainamus the Wonder Horse's advice: "As you trot on Life's pathways, don't forget to stop and eat the roses".

[ak474u]

More garden beds
Build a full cord wood rack
Rainwater collection system 110 gallons minimum with expandable capacity. (I'd have one already, but we don't have gutters yet)
Learn to can
Cover our pergola (its 12x20, and could be an instant shtf greenhouse with an actual roof instead of lattice)

[Alas Babylon]

Finish my 2013 goals:
Windmill: got the well put in, now need to rebuild the windmill head, build a tower, and install all parts.
Build the second set of 500 gallon rain water tanks, with the bottom of the tanks 8ft above ground level. Already have one set completed.
fix the grape arbors and prune all grapes and fruit trees.
New 2014 goals:
Fence my 6 acre property - moving this up on the list due to new neighbors who do not respect property boundries.
expand the garden again, and grow more for storage food.
try to save enough to buy a 7-8kw solar system (been a goal for the last 4 years)

[Stormfeather]

- - - Updated - - -

Ha! it's more like oh you got drill on Friday, and yeah and this year's Annual training will be 25 days.

We actually have a set schedule for our drills, and as for AT's, we normally set up our AT according to tactical detachments, so we kind of have some flexibility as to when we schedule them!

[Katrina]

Work on getting the closets re organized and cleaned out.
Get rid of extraneous junk, that is IF DH and I can really "let go" of stuff. We both are decedents of pack rats, LOL
Get proper fencing around backyard (have short plastic picket right now) and storage sheds.
Work on acquiring wind and solar generators for the house.

[Taz Baby]

This is how I am starting the new year.


https://scontent-a-atl.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/1493254_10153651920845494_1007616633_n.jpg

[LUNCHBOX]

Working on becoming debt free. Will be paying cash for my house on the 21st. I now have no car payment also.

Secondary plans.....remodel while its cold.

Then.....
Chickens.
Garden.
Greenhouse.
Fruit trees.

I will still have the usual bills...phone, gas, food, etc. But did l say no house/car payment.

[Caveman Survival]

That's awesome @Lunchbox. That's living the dream right there.

For me, aside from the usual (lose weight, quit smoking, etc) I am just continuing on with my main goal of decreasing my consumerism. Last year I was able to decrease my monthly food bills by almost 25%, which in a family of 5 plus 5 pets amounts to quite a bit. My garden and small game hunting, as well as my food preservation has really helped me along with this.

I plan to continue to decrease my reliance on the grid, add to my water collection, lower gas and electricity consumption while at the same time increase my bartering network. There is nothing like paying for neighbour grown veggies with jewelry made from harvested bone and antler.

Of course I plan to continue to add to my survival and homesteading knowledge... You can never know or practice too much.

One thing I would like to accomplish is getting my PAL (possession and acquisition license) to hunt big game, currently I am limited to sling shot, snares, and a crosman air rifle (not exactly big game worthy lol) and it's a lot of work for rabbits, squirrels, and prairie chickens. Big game will further decrease my reliance on the burden of big grocery, thereby dropping my food bills even further.

This is all work towards my land, which at the pace I am going should be well attainable within 5 years...barring any major set backs.

Essentially 2014 will be just like 2013, 2012, 2011 and 2010 but amplified...

[helomech]

That's awesome @Lunchbox. That's living the dream right there.

For me, aside from the usual (lose weight, quit smoking, etc) I am just continuing on with my main goal of decreasing my consumerism. Last year I was able to decrease my monthly food bills by almost 25%, which in a family of 5 plus 5 pets amounts to quite a bit. My garden and small game hunting, as well as my food preservation has really helped me along with this.

I plan to continue to decrease my reliance on the grid, add to my water collection, lower gas and electricity consumption while at the same time increase my bartering network. There is nothing like paying for neighbour grown veggies with jewelry made from harvested bone and antler.

Of course I plan to continue to add to my survival and homesteading knowledge... You can never know or practice too much.

One thing I would like to accomplish is getting my PAL (possession and acquisition license) to hunt big game, currently I am limited to sling shot, snares, and a crosman air rifle (not exactly big game worthy lol) and it's a lot of work for rabbits, squirrels, and prairie chickens. Big game will further decrease my reliance on the burden of big grocery, thereby dropping my food bills even further.

This is all work towards my land, which at the pace I am going should be well attainable within 5 years...barring any major set backs.

Essentially 2014 will be just like 2013, 2012, 2011 and 2010 but amplified...

Where do you live? I am guessing Europe?

[Caveman Survival]

Where do you live? I am guessing Europe?

Nope... Winnipeg, Manitoba.... Right in the center of Canada

[helomech]

Nope... Winnipeg, Manitoba.... Right in the center of Canada

Wow, I thought yall had more access to guns than that.

[Caveman Survival]

Wow, I thought yall had more access to guns than that.

Oh we do... Rifles and shot guns are no prob to get, but you do need your PAL to do it... Which is fine with me, I jut haven't gotten it yet.

To be honest I'm not a huge fan of guns... Never really interested me, which is why I never got my PAL before now. But I have grown to enjoy hunting and self sufficiency, so it's the next logical step in my own personal growth I guess.

[LUNCHBOX]

Oh we do... Rifles and shot guns are no prob to get, but you do need your PAL to do it... Which is fine with me, I jut haven't gotten it yet.

To be honest I'm not a huge fan of guns... Never really interested me, which is why I never got my PAL before now. But I have grown to enjoy hunting and self sufficiency, so it's the next logical step in my own personal growth I guess.

Not being a huge fan of guns is ok to an extent. I feel you will need to become more familiar with them considering your future plans. Also, its good to see you have a plan in motion.

[Kodiak]

Goal #1 is to lose 50 pounds by dieting and getting active.
Reduce our debt by using cash instead of plastic.
Expand the garden.
Build a new chicken coop.

[bacpacker]

Well it's 6 month's into the year. How is progress going for everyone?

For the most part I am on pace with my goals. I didn't get my grape arbor in this spring due to having to take out so many dead trees. Big gain from that, I have a lot more room for more fruit, trees, berries, etc. Plus where it's at, I'm gonna start my forest garden. Should increase food production quite a bit. I also am going to start a drip irrigation setup for my berries and orchard.

The biggest goal accomplishment is a big improvement in my health. Just went to the doc this week and got the best report I've had in several years. Most of this is a result of watching what I'm stuffing in my pie hole and getting a lot more exercise. Just gotta stay with it.

[eagle326]

On the way to being debt free and getting my Sweet-thang down south for health reasons. Oh and maybe getting B.P. help on that grape arbor. ;)

[Sniper-T]

get in better shape
finish pond
awesomate gardens
prep for horses

Lost 30 pounds so far, continuing doing what I am doing...
Haven't done much of anything on the pond yet
gardens are continuing to come along nicely, as pictured in the raised garden thread.
The wife and I decided that we need to hold off getting horses, as neither of us is really home enough, nor do we have the time that they deserve.

[Sniper-T]

...
One thing I would like to accomplish is getting my PAL (possession and acquisition license) to hunt big game...Essentially 2014 will be just like 2013, 2012, 2011 and 2010 but amplified...

I have a friend that teaches regular Pal courses, and have a PDF of the course material if you are interested Caveman, You can also just study the information and challenge the exam too.

[Caveman Survival]

I have a friend that teaches regular Pal courses, and have a PDF of the course material if you are interested Caveman, You can also just study the information and challenge the exam too.

Thanks bud, but I'm good. I did the course back in March and submitted all my paperwork to the Feds already... But typical of bureaucracy they are dragging their feet and now I'm playing the waiting game. They took my money but I can't get any answers on the status or where it is in the process. Pain in the ass!

[Caveman Survival]

Right on bacpacker and sniper-t on the health front. It's amazing how simple lifestyle changes can make such a big improvement. I slipped a little in my healthy living this past month due to adjusting to a completely foreign work schedule for me, but I'm getting back at it now again

[Sniper-T]

Thanks bud, but I'm good. I did the course back in March and submitted all my paperwork to the Feds already... But typical of bureaucracy they are dragging their feet and now I'm playing the waiting game. They took my money but I can't get any answers on the status or where it is in the process. Pain in the ass!

Have you called Mirimachi? Typically, they are great to deal with and can tell you the exact details about your application. it is usually a 4-6 week turnaround, so if it has been since March, then you should get them on the horn and find out what is what!
I can pm you the phone number if you want.