In our 36 years of rural living the only constant we have found is change. One might consider us “gentlemen farmers” since we enjoyed our endeavors for a time on 40 acres while working full time jobs. Others might consider us “homesteaders” as we abandoned our “easy city life” to raise a family for nearly a decade in a cabin in the woods without plumbing or electricity. We were homeschoolers until our students went off to college and became successful in their chosen endeavors. One thing is for sure, we embraced an alternative lifestyle of doing things the “old-fashioned” way. We wanted to be more self-sufficient, more connected to the land, and we wanted more time as a family. In 1998 we started Mayflower Trading Company to provide others interested in doing more from scratch with the basic equipment to do so.
So, that’s what we’re about – helping you.
- Are you cooking on a wood burning cookstove?
The key to success is regulating the temperature and using the right cookware for the job. Wherever applicable, adding wood as a heat/cooking source can cut down or eliminate gas and/or electric heating cost.
- Are you raising livestock for meat, milk and eggs?
Raising and processing your own animals, gardening and home canning has to be the simplest and most cost effective contributions to survival in economic hard times Nothing beats stainless steel for sanitation whether you are watering, milking or processing.
- Are you gardening for fresh seasonal vegetables or working on a larger production for canning?
There are three main methods of storing food; freezing, dehydrating and canning. Regardless of which method of preservation you use, preparation is the most time consuming. We’ve got what you need to save time with or without electricity.
- Are you supplementing your pantry with dehydrated or freeze-dried products?
We have a wide variety of food items in different sizes to meet your needs. For the homesteader, some crops are essentially impossible to produce yourself, ie. wheat, rice, sugar, salt, spices, bananas, etc. Therefore, stocking up for the winter allows you to acquire these necessities at a bulk price and eliminates trips to town.
- Are you watching current events and forward planning? Are you are thinking that some future circumstance may call for a food storage and now is the time to make an investment?
We offer multiple options for long term food storage that lasts 25+ years. Having used these products for 25+ years, we can customize a package for you based on preferences, allergies and your cooking experience, to be used whenever the occasion arises.
- Have you found that the more you do for yourself, the more you do to yourself?
We did! That’s why we carry a complete selection of first aid and trauma kits.
- Are you considering the possibility of leaving your home for a period of time in order to survive a disaster such as a hurricane, tornado, earthquake or worse?
We are not disaster relief coordinators nor do we have survivalist skills like Rambo or the well trained Navy Seals. But, due to economic endeavors, we do have experience with loading everything you need for a month on a string of mules and riding into the forest to work. We carry camping equipment, food items, water purification, first aid and 72 hour emergency kits that make camping for fun or necessity organized and easier (mostly lighter).
- Are you using an alternative energy source?
The initial investment for an independent power system may seem staggering to some but over the course of years (especially with ever rising rates) the expense is actually lower than buying power from the grid in the long haul. Our expertise is in the micro-hydro area but inverters and batteries are the same regardless of the production source.
Reasons for desiring more self-sufficiency are diverse. For some folks it’s a way to reverse debt, others recognize the prudence in being prepared for emergencies or disasters and some of us just want to escape the rat race for a simpler lifestyle. Whatever life offers up, we believe that our success in muddling through it all has to do with a firm faith in God and family, an overcomer mindset and the confidence that comes with a polished set of skills.
“There’s more than one way to skin a cat.” – I don’t know who said it but I sure heard it a lot as a kid.
Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about self reliant living and we will share options that have worked for us or for others .
