Self sufficiency

[JoeD 24]

Ok here’s a question that me and this old guy where debating about earlier today.

Is it possible nowadays to be 100% self sufficient and live off what you grow, catch, hunt, rear or find?

I personally think you can but it will be really hard, and you will have to work your socks off to be 100% yet this bloke was so sure know one can do it nowadays, but I would just like to hear other peoples views.

JoeD

[dogs-n-natives 1,182]

To do it 100% it would be a living hell mate,- nothing at all from a shop -ever! Not even toiletries or perks like wine, vinegar, salt, nowt. Generating your own fuel, power etc, its just daft. What about clothing etc, tools, do you make them out of the wool off yuor sheeps backs, walking round looking like some inuit in fecking essex! Dont think so, where do you draw the line? If theres anyone out there that reckons there 100% self sufficient there talking shite, unless there a tramp or live in a shack in the woods or some thing.

 

Being moderatly self sufficient is very possible and achievable, growing/rearing/hunting/gathering the bulk of your food is very possible if you have a bit of land. Also producing extra produce to sell to pay rents/bills is do-able. Setting up and making your own fuel and power can be done, but you have to buy in the hardware dont you! Therefore not 100% self sufficient.

 

I like to produce as much food as I can organically, or from the countryside, for my own consumption, as I belive it is a far healthier way of living. And I hate the supermarkets with a passion. I can produce better quality veg, and eggs and meat, than I could buy in any supermarket.

Finding a happy medium is the way forward, do what you can, but I honestly belive that doing EVERYTHING yourself is a waste of time and wont work. JMO

[Jim Grant 4]

Joe go back and ask what he meant. Was it only for foodstuffs and heating. Or the Whole thing, No Electricity, gas, phones. You would have to own your land and that would have to be a few acres. Take spuds down to the council to pay you Councill Tax.

 

Or is it only after you have spent money on a small Hydro scheme or Wind Turbine and sell the extra generation to the Power Companies.

[JoeD 24]

We where debating about food, heating and electricity but not things like car fuel. I was saying you can have a wind turbine for electricity for your home, and grow the food, hunt, fish, etc. And for heating you can have log burners, water I am not sure about but there probably is a way. And we where not saying that it is neccesary to do this we where just debating if it is was actually possible.

JoeD

[Jim Grant 4]

Joe.

Gottcha, know where you are coming from.

 

I have a private water supply which I share with three other properties. We all have our own septic tanks. So no water/sewage rates.

 

Nobody in the valley has put up a private Wind Turbine yet. Plenty of the big ones going up on the Hills around though. Having them in line of sight doesn't get you free leccie however. Luckily I won't see from home. One of the neighbours next to me has a good running burn (river) and has installed a Scandanavian Domestic Hydro system. The power is spread around the house/cottages and steading. The surplus he sells to the power Co. The Big House here has only recently demolished their old generator house. Went tits up before WWII.

 

I am pretty much self sufficient in veg and meat, only sweet peppers, mushroom and winter cauly purchased this time of year, everything else either in store or a freezer. Veg and Fruit garden in 1/3rd acre. Manage to get enough meat to feed the house and the dogs through shooting and ferreting (not my ferrets however).

 

Heating is done by a big Woodburner which supplies domestic hot water and Hot water for the Radiators.

 

We run three horses on my ground as well, it would be nice to have another five acres off the valley bottom. Did I mention I have a river running through the property, just had to put 1 meter on the floodbank to stop the flooding. Fish in the river, just having the annual run of Salmon and Sea Trout. Not allowed to fish for them. Reserved by the Crown. She's never been up to fish the river. All part of the Rural idyl. This time of the year it is a complete pain in the ass. Not enough Daylight hours to achieve everything.

 

Just knocking together a new Smoker to get some Salmon smoked for Christmas. Ta Maam.

 

During the summer you work dawn to dusk to get veg ready for whatever, weeds thrown on the compost, mixed with whatever, given a good mix and then thrown into the three 6x6x6 bins we need to keep the organic garden going. Having thrown it in you have to drag it out again and throw it back in, all part of the magic. Plenty Horse muck to add however. Yoy have to drag in a shit load of hardwood for the burner, green stuff get it split and under cover for next year. Last years green and any dead in the ground from this year can be logged and stacked to be consumed in quantity over the winter. Save the Wood ash for the compost and garden.

 

Would I change my lifestyle, very often you ask yourself that question as the body gets weary and the cold soaks into your old bones. Then somthing you see or the dog manages two or three bolted rabbits, you take a nice couple of ducks from the pond. Something home from the shoot for the game safe. Bit of venison from the same place. Just going out to freeze my nuts off up the hill, behind a dyke, and wait for the couple of geese I need to have for Christmas presents. Rain just started to beat off the window as I type, good going breeze (gales to you southerners).

 

Just have to go out now in the pissing wet and put some hay out for the cuddies. They don't understand this comfort thing. A couple or three logs into the burner and get ready for the hill. Only a ten minute drive. Give the dogs a run on the way up. Less to clear up from the run.

[fr0gman4 0]

Cracking post Jim sounds like a rewarding lifestyle good on you mate!

[Jim Grant 4]

I could have stayed in the city and had my Shooting and Stalking. I was somewhat pissed off with that life style.

 

Dropped the lot. Shooting buddy told me of this place, bought it.

 

It's hard, don't get me wrong. You have to put the hours in 24/7. Do you benifit. only you can tell. Suits some, many others it's not for them.

 

Anybody thinking of this life style think long and hard. It's not a Macho thing. It's a life style.

 

It suit's me, that all I know.

 

 

[fr0gman4 0]

you dead right in what you say there Jim , A very good friend of mine did a similar thing he had a mega well paid job but got sick of the rat race and chucked the lot in and bought a derilict cottage out in the sticks.

 

We all thought he had cracked up at the time but he seemed convinced he was doing the right thing.

 

He just spent all his time just doing it all up mostly on his own and at his own pace and was the the happiest and most laid back I have ever seen a bloke.

 

I always remember he kept saying it was a better quality of lifestyle he had chosen for himself.

[smelly 0]

sound like a nice place you got there . do you sell working hoilday there me wife and 3 kids . if yes how much in the summer

[smelly 0]

sound like a nice place you got there . do you sell working hoilday there me wife and 3 kids . if yes how much in the summer

[biffo 0]

food, heating and electricity self sufficiency is possible with the right initial outlay ( ie land, septic tank, fuel for the fire and a wind turbine or more ideally a hydroelectrical setup)

 

then again nearly anythings possible with the right initial outlay

[blacktabs 3]

No outlay needed as long as your near a wood for fuel and timber and a river for water.

Know quite a few who dont pay rent where they live

Its not that hard living for free if youve a good knowledge of what to eat and catch good preperation of the foods you glean is the main thing preserving is a must you can always trade game for stuff during the winter when theres not much growing if you run short.

Its still legal in this country to glean what the farmer leaves

a lot will let you help yourself when theyve finished harvesting beetroots onions anything its suprising how much veg you can get without the need to grow any.

[biffo 0]

i didnt think of that blacktabs... thanks to the EU alot of veggies get wasted cos theyre not the right size or shape...

also supermarkets throw away alot of stuff thats reached the sell by date but not the use by date, not just food either.

[trappa 517]

I would love to be self sufficient. Im nowhere near but i do try to kill and eat what i shoot/trap and i try to forage a lot of stuff too.

[blacktabs 3]

Many places have started locking their bins nowadays but if you ask at bakerys and warehouses they will give you the stuff thats about to go out of date.

Its amazing how much food is wasted in this country and not just out of date stuff a lots still in date.

Once your left with no income you would soon sort yourself out well most would just a bit of thought is needed to make it easier