What are you selfsufficient in?

[Millymollymandy]

Eggs: 10-24 per day (and no I don't do a Paul Newman, we sell the surplus)

I don't get this bit Stoney, what does Paul Newman do with eggs?

[Milims]

I think he's referring to the film Cool Hand Luke - where Paul Newman has a bet to see how many boiled eggs he can eat!

[Stonehead]

I don't get this bit Stoney, what does Paul Newman do with eggs?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNyl6gXLMLQ

[Millymollymandy]

OH MY GOD I FEEL SICK.

[boboff]

I bet they are bloody good radishes though

They are the food of the Devil if you ask me.

[sleepyowl]

knitting, haircuts, salad, curries, cakes

[Annpan]

Last year we managed 3 months of
carrots, neeps

4 months of
Lettuces, courgettes

6 months of potatoes

9 months of onions

99% of our herbs for the year - basil, oregano, chives, rosemary, mint... adding more now, we are still using up dried herbs that we bought before we had a garden.

This year we have increased varieties and quantities of everything, we planted fruit trees and bushes last year which all need time, and we have a PT now too, so we will get a lot more this year. (we are already into our 3rd month of lettuce this year )

And these are the things I would either never pay for, or seriously question myself before hand.
Haircuts
Cleaning
Childcare (except the occasional grandparent day)
Wood for heating - we are known in the village now to take old logs, firewood and trees, we only bought in 1 tonne last year and that is with NO insulation, so we should do better in the future.
99% of cooking - now, as stress of living here is getting to us more (building work is looming) we are getting carry-outs and eating out much more than last year
Bread
Cakes
fancy biscuits
Eggs
Some toys (recycled, repurposed and homemade toys feature a lot)



In the future (after building work has finished and we have settled for a bit) I'd like to grow chickens for meat and seriously consider renting a bit of land next door for piggies... but I am very happy with the level we are currently at, considering that 2 years ago I didn't know what the leafy bit of a carrot looked like.


Also... I think we should all be proud for every little leaf of basil we grow and every blackberry we forage, think of the energy that some people now use getting these into their house (whether its airmiles or hours worked to pay for it all) and be proud of everything you achieve.

[Rosendula]

Stonehead, I think it would have saved you a lot of time if you told us what you aren't self sufficient in Well done you!

[red]

mutton
lamb
cockerels
eggs
we have pigs fattening, first time this year

wool - our own, and we scour it, and card and spin it then knit and crochet it. made a jumper from homespun this year.

woad - grow our own for dyeing.

vegetables - keep ourselves in veg all year. we still have some of last years and now this years are arriving
radishes, tomatoes lettuces in the salad line
herbs - rosemary, sage, lovage, chives, garlic chives, sorrel, oregano and mint

potatoes we did 6 months last year, and do more each year.

apples and pears
plums, not enough yet but getting there.
soft fruit - we are just beginning with.


jam - more jam than you can wave a bit of toast at.
chutney, and brown sauce
wine - I have 15 gals on the go at teh mo and about 16 bottles ready to drink
cider - homemade cider press, and make our own cider.
beer - I buy kits..
ice-cream - make with our own eggs and fruit (lavendar ice-cream is the DBs)

firewood, either taken from our hedgerows or from pallet/scrap wood deliveries.
rainwater - we store enough to meet the livestock and poultry needs, and water the greenhouses and veg patches.

blackberries
elderflowers
elderberries
hazelnuts
sloes

DIY - do most of the work ourselves.(sometimes you need one of those clever Corgis ...)

education - I home educate our son

I'm sure there is something else..

[Milims]

Wow Red! You are an inspiration and a half! All you guys are giving me ideas of where I want to go next!

[Flo]

You've set me thinking.

I'm self sufficient in knowledge and experience to run a home i.e. to cook, clean, budget, repair clothes, make curtains, decorate (well paint anyway), knit and embroider, make a little music, care and training of small household pets, know a lot of games and good books for the children, encourage the children and grandchildren in learning even if I don't know the answer immediately. In other words, a very useful accessory in any house. No I'm not a great mender of electrical and gas items - when there was a Mr Flo that was his department as he'd been trained in that sort of thing. I've lost the skill in cobbling shoes due to lack of use over many years since leaving home. Not having access to flax or wool I don't see the need to learn to spin.

I'm also self sufficient in knowledge and experience to make a very good and productive fist of running an allotment. No it doesn't provide all the fruit and vegetables but it makes a serious dent in the supplies for two houses. I've also experience to share and trade. The allotment pays for itself now but I'm not in control of the weather so sometimes things don't work according to plan - so one changes the plan.

As I don't save seed I don't consider myself to be self sufficient in lots of ways on the allotment but with cuttings and runners it's amazing just how much doesn't require a visit to any place requiring money.

Self sufficient really requires a family with a variety of skills and a homestead where there is the facility to practice a wide variety of self sufficient productivity. Unfortunately social housing (the new phrase for council housing when provided by a housing association) doesn't allow the fitting of many things that would make me more self sufficient. And social housing providers don't have the money to add solar heating, ground source heating or any other green and sustainable heating system - you are just joined to the national grid. With there only being one of me I don't even qualify for housing with a garden attached.

So - as an antique I just have to go with the flo(w) and do what I can. It would be nice to be self sufficient by providing all my own income but antiques rarely get jobs.

[ajs88]

herbs and salad leaves

its not that much considering we buy everything else, but it makes quite a difference

[ina]

Same here, plus rhubarb - I get all my veg and fruit free (well, in exchange for a few hours work!).

[ajs88]

wow ina thats quite a deal! i wonder if i could find something simular

[ina]

wow ina thats quite a deal! i wonder if i could find something simular

Might be a bit difficult in London - check whether there are any local organic producers who might consider giving a job to a volunteer, in exchange for leftover stuff... To be honest, it costs me quite a bit in fuel to get there, but it also keeps me sane in my unemployment - so well worth it!