My Self Reliance

I don't like where this is going so I am making changes at My Self Reliance in 2024 that are probably going to hurt my channel. Happy New Year and best wishes to you and your family in 2024! Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/40OgrDO Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7pym84TIpDlbOagIrjDoWU?si=87a26de90e0e41b5 Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2261599/episodes Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/myselfreliance Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/MySelfReliance

Live like you're dying and remember that the thing you're doing right now that brings you happiness may be the last time you do that thing. And that person you wanted to ask out but didn't and didn't get another chance, you might regret that later.

On a 4 day canoe trip on the French River with Joe, Martin and Doug as we hunt waterfowl, catch fish and cook awesome meals over the campfire. Ontario, Canada Starting out from Loon’s Landing in Dry Pine Bay, head east on the North Channel of the French River. This is not part of the French River Provincial Park, but most of the river here is bordered by crown land so camping is allowed without a permit. There are plenty of sections that are actually private though, so consult a good navigational map (Jeff’s Maps) to make sure you are not trespassing. Exercise extreme caution around rapids. Most of them are runnable for experienced whitewater paddlers, but water levels and conditions vary tremendously throughout the season and from one year to the next. For this reason, I recommend circumnavigating 18 Mile Island in a clockwise direction, as the current in the Main Channel can occasionally make upriver travel difficult, particularly in 5-mile Rapids. Spend your first night between Ash Bay and Wolseley Bay in the North Channel and your second night near Cross Island or Parisien Island in the Main Channel to allow enough time to reach your vehicle by mid afternoon on the last day. Total Distance: 70 km

This week at the cabin, I build stairs into the breezeway and log cabin from the new outdoor kitchen and then glue pine boards together to make 12 feet of countertops. I install the first countertop and a double sink beside the wood cookstove and next to the water tote that will provide rainwater to the kitchen. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/myselfreliance

I'm really settling in to the cabin this winter and I am finally able to get some of the important projects done, especially safety issues like building the stairs and railing in the breezeway down to the root cellar. During the cold winter, I eat a lot of protein and fat so I'm constantly cooking bear and venison on the wood stove, which is stored in the solar powered freezer in the basement along with potatoes and carrots in the back portion of the cellar. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/myselfreliance Shawn James YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/shawnjames1 CLOTHING: https://teespring.com/stores/my-self-reliance AMAZON LINKS: https://www.amazon.com/shop/myselfreliance Best of My Self Reliance: https://bit.ly/2OfW7ry 2022 OFF GRID CABIN LIFE: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPnTFccPGm33LnMVlB9J1D0m OFF GRID LIVING: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPkGrISWOKvY_0uMOjJI-Chv COOKING: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPlwY0hqcJOT6bw5z-MpmfKy BUILDING LOG CABIN WITH HAND TOOLS: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPnAe9mk5qKu-RQvRTk6dhpG BUILDING OFF GRID SAUNA: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPm0Hfb7sidZBHx3GVLL7JQB BUSHCRAFT & SURVIVAL: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPk2dpiJb-wfPrpJkodkS7g7 Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MySelfReliance/ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/myselfreliance/ Mailing Address for items sent by regular mail: My Self Reliance/Shawn James 51 King William Street P.O. Box 30017 Huntsville, ON P1H 0B5 Address for items sent by courier: 200 Manitoba St., Unit 3, Suite 415 Bracebridge, ON P1L 2E2

I have been off YouTube and off grid for the past few weeks exploring Canada with my wife, daughters and Cali, our Golden Retriever - three weeks of camping, hiking, hunting, fishing, filming and photographing wild scenes and wild life. My wife, Cali and I drive 13,000 kilometres from Ontario across Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon Territory and Alaska. We're joined by our daughters Erin and Emily for a week in Kananaskis, Banff and Jasper before we part ways and the three of us head north on the Alaska highway through the northern Rockies and back down the Stewart Cassiar Highway east of the coastal mountains, camping in remote areas and fire evacuation zones. Along the way, we film log cabins, wild fires, grizzly and black bears, woodland caribou, elk, deer, bighorn sheep, fox, birds, mountains, rivers, clear blue lakes, glaciers, autumn colors and waterfalls. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/myselfreliance Shawn James YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/shawnjames1 CLOTHING: https://teespring.com/stores/my-self-reliance AMAZON LINKS: https://www.amazon.com/shop/myselfreliance Best of My Self Reliance: https://bit.ly/2OfW7ry 2022 OFF GRID CABIN LIFE: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPnTFccPGm33LnMVlB9J1D0m OFF GRID LIVING: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPkGrISWOKvY_0uMOjJI-Chv COOKING: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPlwY0hqcJOT6bw5z-MpmfKy BUILDING LOG CABIN WITH HAND TOOLS: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPnAe9mk5qKu-RQvRTk6dhpG BUILDING OFF GRID SAUNA: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPm0Hfb7sidZBHx3GVLL7JQB BUSHCRAFT & SURVIVAL: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPk2dpiJb-wfPrpJkodkS7g7 Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MySelfReliance/ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/myselfreliance/ Mailing Address for items sent by regular mail: My Self Reliance/Shawn James 51 King William Street P.O. Box 30017 Huntsville, ON P1H 0B5 Address for items sent by courier: 200 Manitoba St., Unit 3, Suite 415 Bracebridge, ON P1L 2E2

I finish milling timbers from trees I cut down around the cabin and continue building the timber frame structure of the outdoor kitchen. The frames are heavy so I use the ATV anchored to the cabin logs and a maple tree to winch the walls into place. The forest kitchen is over 11 feet high so it's challenging to get the walls up and roof boards installed alone, but I have a system in place now so it's just another day or two to finish the frame and then I can start finishing the walls and order metal for the roof. Moose and beaver are very active around the cabin right now - calf moose and baby birds and other wildlife are regular visitors. On a hot day, my daughter Emily and I go for a short paddle in the canoe to catch a couple of small northern pike for dinner.

Sealing the interior walls of the cabin is just one of many things I'm not good but it doesn't stop me from building my homestead. Don't let your inadequacies stop you from tackling a project, or a life, that you really want. Thanks for Watching! My other YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MySelfReliance/featured For exclusive content, Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/myselfreliance

I install an old Elmira wood cookstove in my newly built outdoor kitchen.

A busy spring in the forest garden as I continue to establish perennial fruits and vegetables and plant annual vegetables in raised beds and in loose rows around the 1/2 clearings in the forest. Cali and I take a 1/2 day break to fish on a nearby lake to escape the heat and bugs around the cabin. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/myselfreliance Shawn James YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/shawnjames1 CLOTHING: https://teespring.com/stores/my-self-reliance AMAZON LINKS: https://www.amazon.com/shop/myselfreliance Best of My Self Reliance: https://bit.ly/2OfW7ry 2022 OFF GRID CABIN LIFE: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPnTFccPGm33LnMVlB9J1D0m OFF GRID LIVING: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPkGrISWOKvY_0uMOjJI-Chv COOKING: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPlwY0hqcJOT6bw5z-MpmfKy BUILDING LOG CABIN WITH HAND TOOLS: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPnAe9mk5qKu-RQvRTk6dhpG BUILDING OFF GRID SAUNA: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPm0Hfb7sidZBHx3GVLL7JQB BUSHCRAFT & SURVIVAL: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPk2dpiJb-wfPrpJkodkS7g7 Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MySelfReliance/ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/myselfreliance/ Mailing Address for items sent by regular mail: My Self Reliance/Shawn James 51 King William Street P.O. Box 30017 Huntsville, ON P1H 0B5 Address for items sent by courier: 200 Manitoba St., Unit 3, Suite 415 Bracebridge, ON P1L 2E2

This is how I dress for the cold temperatures we got this week in southern Canada and northern US. The weather quickly changed back to warmer than normal today, so dressing for swings in temperature and variable precipitation is important for comfort and safety. Thanks for Watching!

A 3 minute snapshot of what happens on this channel.

With cold weather finally here, I prioritize harvesting the vegetable gardens, building shelves and installing lights and a fan in the root cellar under the cabin to store the vegetables and other food. On the wood stove, I light the first indoor fire of the season and cook my wife a beef stew. 00:00 - Intro 00:06 - Insulating and boarding the cellar ceiling 01:17 - Lighting the first indoor fire of the season 04:40 - Cooking dinner for my wife 09:02 - Harvesting squash from the garden 09:54 - Drone footage of the cabin and forest 12:01 - Installing a fan in the cellar 12:30 - Building cedar shelves for storing vegetables in the cellar 19:18 - Harvesting and talking about potatoes in the forest garden 29:00 - Storing vegetables in the completed root cellar Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/myselfreliance Shawn James YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/shawnjames1 CLOTHING: https://teespring.com/stores/my-self-reliance AMAZON LINKS: https://www.amazon.com/shop/myselfreliance Best of My Self Reliance: https://bit.ly/2OfW7ry 2022 OFF GRID CABIN LIFE: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPnTFccPGm33LnMVlB9J1D0m OFF GRID LIVING: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPkGrISWOKvY_0uMOjJI-Chv COOKING: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPlwY0hqcJOT6bw5z-MpmfKy BUILDING LOG CABIN WITH HAND TOOLS: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPnAe9mk5qKu-RQvRTk6dhpG BUILDING OFF GRID SAUNA: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPm0Hfb7sidZBHx3GVLL7JQB BUSHCRAFT & SURVIVAL: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPk2dpiJb-wfPrpJkodkS7g7 Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MySelfReliance/ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/myselfreliance/ Mailing Address for items sent by regular mail: My Self Reliance/Shawn James 51 King William Street P.O. Box 30017 Huntsville, ON P1H 0B5 Address for items sent by courier: 200 Manitoba St., Unit 3, Suite 415 Bracebridge, ON P1L 2E2

I'm using a 35 HP tractor to help me manage my forest and build my homestead.

The last winter activity is finished... time to start the outdoor kitchen. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/myselfreliance Shawn James YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/shawnjames1 CLOTHING: https://teespring.com/stores/my-self-reliance AMAZON LINKS: https://www.amazon.com/shop/myselfreliance Best of My Self Reliance: https://bit.ly/2OfW7ry 2022 OFF GRID CABIN LIFE: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPnTFccPGm33LnMVlB9J1D0m OFF GRID LIVING: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPkGrISWOKvY_0uMOjJI-Chv COOKING: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPlwY0hqcJOT6bw5z-MpmfKy BUILDING LOG CABIN WITH HAND TOOLS: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPnAe9mk5qKu-RQvRTk6dhpG BUILDING OFF GRID SAUNA: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPm0Hfb7sidZBHx3GVLL7JQB BUSHCRAFT & SURVIVAL: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPk2dpiJb-wfPrpJkodkS7g7 Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MySelfReliance/ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/myselfreliance/ Mailing Address for items sent by regular mail: My Self Reliance/Shawn James 51 King William Street P.O. Box 30017 Huntsville, ON P1H 0B5 Address for items sent by courier: 200 Manitoba St., Unit 3, Suite 415 Bracebridge, ON P1L 2E2

With spring hunting seasons quickly approaching, I'm practicing my shooting daily and preparing my equipment - tuning my new Saratoga longbow, making wood arrows and setting up targets.. Thanks for Watching! My other YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MySelfReliance/featured For exclusive content, Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/myselfreliance CLOTHING: https://teespring.com/stores/my-self-... AMAZON LINKS: https://www.amazon.com/shop/myselfrel... Best of My Self Reliance: https://bit.ly/2OfW7ry 2022 OFF GRID CABIN LIFE: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-... OFF GRID LIVING: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... COOKING: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... BUILDING LOG CABIN WITH HAND TOOLS: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-... BUILDING OFF GRID SAUNA: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... BUSHCRAFT & SURVIVAL: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...

Thanks for Watching! Ever dreamed of trading your daily grind for a life on the road? Imagine swapping your morning commute for a breathtaking sunrise over the Grand Canyon, or your cubicle for a secluded beach. This week, we're joined by Kellie and Cody, a couple who've done just that. They've taken the leap into a nomadic lifestyle, transforming a truck camper into their cozy mobile home. https://www.youtube.com/@UCRDJcwYEWmDPSmYd3lsBtvg https://www.instagram.com/codyandkellie/ Kellie and Cody generously share the highs and lows of their journey with us, from the awe-inspiring wildlife encounters to the challenges of finding safe places to stay. We also dig into the profound shift in mindset required when transitioning to a minimalist, travel-focused lifestyle. We learn how they've distanced themselves from materialistic impulses and redefined their understanding of success. But it's not all about the philosophical — we also dive into the practicalities of staying fit on the road, the trials of having a dog along for the ride, and the financial realities of nomadic living. In this episode, we also open up about our own plans to hit the road with our dog in our truck camper, and how these conversations have inspired us. There's plenty of light-hearted chat too, as we swap travel tales and plans with our guests. So, whether you're flirting with the idea of a nomadic lifestyle, curious about RV living, or just love a good travel yarn, this episode is a treasure trove of insights and stories. Come join us for an inspiring journey into the world of nomadic living! My other YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MySelfReliance/featured For exclusive content, Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/myselfreliance CLOTHING: https://teespring.com/stores/my-self-... AMAZON LINKS: https://www.amazon.com/shop/myselfrel... Best of My Self Reliance: https://bit.ly/2OfW7ry 2022 OFF GRID CABIN LIFE: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-... OFF GRID LIVING: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... COOKING: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... BUILDING LOG CABIN WITH HAND TOOLS: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-... BUILDING OFF GRID SAUNA: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... BUSHCRAFT & SURVIVAL: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MySelfReliance/ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/myselfrelia...

Society is breaking down and self reliance is more important now than it has been for the last 80 years. If you are concerned about your future, there are many paths to self reliance, where you become more resilient every day and can stop living in fear. This is my path. Thanks for Watching! My other YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MySelfReliance/featured For exclusive content, Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/myselfreliance

Living in a Canadian province with over 250,000 lakes and rivers makes fish the most important and plentiful source of calories from the wild for me. A few days spent exploring and learning new lakes and rivers yields several trout and burbot and after releasing a few small fish and eating a couple lakeside, I take 7,000 calories back to the cabin to prepare into fish stock, fish soup, fried fish and smoked trout, enough calories to fuel me for 2 days of hardworking in the winter. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/myselfreliance Shawn James YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/shawnjames1 CLOTHING: https://teespring.com/stores/my-self-reliance AMAZON LINKS: https://www.amazon.com/shop/myselfreliance Best of My Self Reliance: https://bit.ly/2OfW7ry 2022 OFF GRID CABIN LIFE: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPnTFccPGm33LnMVlB9J1D0m OFF GRID LIVING: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPkGrISWOKvY_0uMOjJI-Chv COOKING: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPlwY0hqcJOT6bw5z-MpmfKy BUILDING LOG CABIN WITH HAND TOOLS: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPnAe9mk5qKu-RQvRTk6dhpG BUILDING OFF GRID SAUNA: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPm0Hfb7sidZBHx3GVLL7JQB BUSHCRAFT & SURVIVAL: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPk2dpiJb-wfPrpJkodkS7g7 Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MySelfReliance/ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/myselfreliance/ Mailing Address for items sent by regular mail: My Self Reliance/Shawn James 51 King William Street P.O. Box 30017 Huntsville, ON P1H 0B5 Address for items sent by courier: 200 Manitoba St., Unit 3, Suite 415 Bracebridge, ON P1L 2E2

Prepare to have your perspective on preparedness reshaped as we sit down with Nate from Canadian Prepper, a voice of reason and guidance in the world of survivalism and self-reliance. Amid the chaos of a global pandemic, Nate's insights on the surge in demand for trustworthy information over basic survival skills and gear reviews underscore the complexities that content creators face, especially when navigating the realms of censorship and demonetization. His dedication to providing authentic analysis is a beacon for those seeking to understand and adapt to the uncertainty of our times. Venturing further into the heart of readiness, our chat traverses the landscape of the Bugout Roll, Nate's invention catering to the organized prepper. Yet, it's not just about the gear; it's about the evolution from simple emergency bags to the grand vision of a self-sustainable homestead, a testament to the depth of the prepping community's journey. We confront the post-pandemic proliferation of exploitative companies, the stigma of prepping, and the indispensable role of community in forging a bulwark against burgeoning global threats like climate change and cyber warfare. Rounding out our discussion, we tackle the societal vulnerabilities laid bare by the pandemic, emphasizing the necessity of preparedness for personal freedoms and societal resilience. Nate's perspective on the preparedness of the wealthy versus the resourcefulness of indigenous communities offers a profound take on global instability and technological advancements. Our exploration doesn't just inform—it empowers you to take ownership of your preparedness in a world where personal responsibility is the cornerstone of collective security. Join us for this profound episode that will leave you contemplating the role of preparedness in an unpredictable future. Canadian Prepper Links YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@CanadianPrepper Website canadianpreparedness.com Facebook facebook.com/Canadianpreparedness Instagram instagram.com/canadian_prepper/?hl=en TikTok Support the show My Self Reliance YouTube Channel- https://youtube.com/@MySelfReliance?si=d4js0zGc5ogYvDtO Shawn James Youtube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5L_M7BF5iait4FzEbwKCAg Merchandise - https://teespring.com/stores/my-self-reliance

When Dan and Candice's paths crossed at a yoga studio market, little did they know that their shared love for the earth would sprout into Live Edge, a beacon of sustainability in the world of woodworking. Their story, a tapestry of environmental stewardship and artistic craftsmanship, unfolds as they recount the growth of their business, from repurposing fallen trees into stunning furniture to strengthening the fabric of their community through local markets. Join us and be inspired by a couple who've turned their backs on city chaos for the tranquillity of rural life, proving that with passion and resilience, you can not only build a beautiful life but also make a positive impact on the planet. Our conversation swerves from the warm glow of woodworking to the colder, more introspective side of life — embracing discomfort and the transformative nature of practices like cold plunging. The duo shares candid moments of failure and the rocky road to success, encouraging us to appreciate the sweetness of triumph against the backdrop of struggle. They also open up about their non-traditional approach to education and parenting, inviting us to question the status quo and consider the richness of experience over the conventional paths we've come to accept. Peering into the future, Dan and Candice give us a glimpse of their Off-Grid Oasis, a dream in the making, where sustainable living isn't just an ideal but a tangible, year-round journey. With plans for a deck that doubles as a music space to the year-round growth of their gardens, the couple shares their vision for a life that's as close to nature's heartbeat as one can get. So pull up a chair and let the serenity of their story wash over you, as we explore the wild, wonderful world of Live Edge in this episode. Live Edge Forest Links Website - https://www.liveedgeforest.com/ Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/live_edge_forest/ Support the show My Self Reliance YouTube Channel- https://youtube.com/@MySelfReliance?si=d4js0zGc5ogYvDtO Shawn James Youtube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5L_M7BF5iait4FzEbwKCAg Merchandise - https://teespring.com/stores/my-self-reliance

#cameragear #photography #wildlife Join Mark Raycroft and Shawn James at the log cabin as we discuss what's in our camera bags for our upcoming trip to Alaska to film salmon, brown bears, Dall sheep, moose and log cabins.

So many times I see people who have purchased a new tool or broadhead comment on the sharpness of that edge right out of the box. To me, it's irrelevant because you'll need to sharpen it after the first time you use it and forever thereafter, so learning how to sharpen tools yourself is far more important than how the manufacturer did it. Thanks for Watching!

I can't imagine a dog with a better life than our Golden Retriever, Cali! Thanks for Watching! My other YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MySelfReliance/featured For exclusive content, Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/myselfreliance CLOTHING: https://teespring.com/stores/my-self-... AMAZON LINKS: https://www.amazon.com/shop/myselfrel... Best of My Self Reliance: https://bit.ly/2OfW7ry 2022 OFF GRID CABIN LIFE: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-... OFF GRID LIVING: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... COOKING: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... BUILDING LOG CABIN WITH HAND TOOLS: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-... BUILDING OFF GRID SAUNA: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... BUSHCRAFT & SURVIVAL: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...