I ALWAYS do the Peasantry challenge when I play (You start with nothing, no items, animals, or skills in dwarves)
Usually since I also love embarking near towers, I can get invaded before the first caravan arrives. On the off chance the towers are like: This guy is chill enough being right next to our tower, I will trade off the hundreds of crafts I made my plantation of wood craftsman create (also with the fast regrowing trees, I'm not sure who to be afraid of, 1000s of logs or goblins) then trade off for leather, a pick and some plump helmets.
At this very point, I get the first stone, I immediately start making hundreds of charcoal and furnaces.
Right after that, I train wrestlers at the least, while the others trade from wood craftsmen plantation to a glass furnace plantation.
If no-one knows why I love my glass; Serrated Disks.
You know, the trap piece that counts as one weapon that does 3 strikes at once? Also how weapon traps can fit 10 of those?
Also for the fact that wood and sand are pretty much infinite, you can save your precious stones if you so desire. So many disks, vials, etc...
Long story short: You can substitute so many things with something so simple. Also I have scared off about 10 sieges so far with a bridge of hundreds of Green Glass Serrated Disks.
(Glass can be used for almost everything stone can, but the fact you need stone to get it otherwise, it just matters on if you love traps more or metal... metal is preferred by all.)
Love the disks, Love the sand, love the spike pits you can make underneath a death bridge in case they try to dodge.
Don't get me started on how many times I sit and wait for sieges because I want an enemy soldier to grow some balls and try to cross the death pit without getting afraid and never touching the fort.