Specialization, how much is too much?

One topic that isn’t hit on very much is the level of specialization you should be working towards. Not just in a tactical sense, but in all things. With this big push towards homesteading and self-reliance that we are seeing, it should be stressed that while you should specialize in a few things, you should be trying to learn as much as possible about as many relevant things as possible.

Specialization is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, while you should have a few topics that you are very well versed in, there are also some basic skills that everyone knows how to do. I’m not saying you should master all of these skills, but you should be basically familiar with them.

Vehicle maintenance. You should be basically familiar with the vehicles you have and how to do regular maintenance and most minor repairs on them. I’m not saying you need to know how to completely tear down the motor and rebuild it, but you should know how to do more than just simply change the oil (you are doing your own oil changes, right?). Haynes manuals are a GREAT resource and I would recommend getting one for all of your vehicles. I am guilty of going to youtube to do a lot of the repairs on my vehicles, but what happens when we don’t have access to that?

Basic carpentry. You don’t need to be a master carpenter capable of making his own hand tools, but you should be able to build things you’ll need. Not only will it sometimes be cheaper (thank you coof for the rising lumber prices) but you will have a sense of completion afterward. Lord knows I am not the best carpenter, but every time I make something, I gradually get better at it. You’d be surprised at the number of things you can build with a few 2x4s and some screws.

Agriculture. Are you growing a food garden yet? Even a few plants will knock down your monthly grocery costs. But more than that, you’ll have full control of what goes into the plants. Agriculture is definitely an in-depth subject (a lot more in-depth than digging a hole in the ground, planting seeds, and watering them) but you aren’t trying to plant several acres of land for a profit. You should be concerned with just trying to supplement your diet to start, slowly working to grow what you eat. And the only way you are going to learn what works for the specific plot of land you are on is by trying to grow stuff on it.

This is barely scratching the surface of some of the skills you should be learning. I am barely even an amateur in these tasks. My carpentry definitely is crude, but it is functional. Besides, you are always bad at something you are trying for the first time, don’t let fear of failure prevent you from going outside of your comfort zone and trying something new. What new skills are you working on learning?