This forum

[Greenbeast]

I am often looked upon as a crazy person.

It's good reading the various parts of this forum, i then realise i'm not the only one trying to live right.

with a lack of people around me the same way, it can be a lonely pursuit

[Annpan]

This forum changed my life, I have said it before. We would never be here, growing our own, having chickens and baking bread... if it hadn't been for Ish.

Three cheers for ish

[lazyspice]

I live in a town and everyone I know thinks I'm a bit weird! They can't understand why we have such an old TV, recycle and reuse as much as we can and why I won't buy new clothes at every opportunity, preferring to make do and get some use out of what I already have! And why on earth would we want to grow veggies we can buy in the supermarket?!

Ish reminds me that I'm not the only one choosing to tread a slightly less conventional path than what most people consider "normal"

[jim]

Dear Greenbeast,

We might be in our own little asylum here, but we're mostly harmless nutters. "There's only one way of life and that's .... " as the Levellers sang,

Love and Peace
Jim

[Greenbeast]

i'd love just one friend who was on my level for project ideas and enthusiasm

But at least i do know i can come here and be amongst my own kind.

[borischarlton]

Greenblast,

I know exactly how you feel, I have come round to this a very different way from many on here I suspect, however the end results are the same. I too feel very lonely in the fact that I look at how people are living and it just makes me shake my head, really depressed. The town where my business is located, at times, makes me ashamed. I walk to the post office and bank most days and the town is busy, with couples, every day, mostly with 2-3-4 kids in tow. They spend their time shouting at there completely out of control, disrespectful sprogs while shoving as many cakes/pies/chips in their potty mouths as possible, the language they use towards their children makes me physically shudder.
I work six days a week and this allows my wife to only have to work part time, enabling her to be with our boy more. We have some chickens and three lambs that we are fattening for the freezer. We are growing our own veg and I have started really enjoying smoking fish and meat, making cheese and beer. In our home town (a small market town in Wilts) we have made some friends with similar interests and have even been doing some bartering. As such I believe that we are very, very lucky. Sorry its a bit of a rant but I really don't want to part of the type of society that I have described and one way or another we are all going to be paying for it.
It has been forums like this that have shown us that we are not weird for wanting local good food and my dream has now changed from a new Porsche 911 turbo to a modest house with a couple of acres miles from anyone, just us, our dogs and animals.

Rob

[Martina]

Same Here. I don't always post but I come here almost daily. The creative ideas, tips and general chat are both a source of interest and inspiration. I have come to truly value this board in away I did not think possible--I am usually wary of the internet due to concerns of privacy and what not.
I understand the isolation some of you mentioned too. As you may know I live in a condo building/complex and I am pretty sure I am the only attempting to grow any thing. Most of my neighbours have nothing on their balcony (not even chairs ) and only a few have bought flowers for decoration. I know some of that may be down to the economy but I honestly thought more would try to do what I am doing for the same reason.
As of yet, no one in my family has taken up the cause of growing some of their own food. They are interested in what I am doing though, but they just don't have the time. Oh well, I will just keep plowing my own way and coming here for inspiration.

Take care,
Martina

[Thomzo]

My friends politely call me eccentric, to everyone else I'm just plain mad. Fortunately, my mother and my neighbours support what I do and loads of people love my eggs and praise my cooking (my friends are so polite). It really exasperates me though when people say "I'd love to grow my own... but I don't have the time," and then spend all weekend shopping.

Still, this recession seems to be making people think twice.

Zoe

[Colin]

I far as i`m concerned, the eccentrics/mad scientist types are the ones who make the biggest difference. I`m probably labelled eccentric by eccentrics

[old tree man]

I'm proud to be a part of this assylum

[ina]

I'm proud to be a part of this assylum

Me too!

Greenbeast, if you put your location in your profile, Ishers who live in your area might be able to contact you via pm, and you might actually find somebody likeminded to meet up with in person! That's how it worked for me - otherwise I still wouldn't know anybody in this area who I'd not met through work.

[Greenbeast]

good idea

[Big Al]

I am often looked upon as a crazy person.

It's good reading the various parts of this forum, i then realise i'm not the only one trying to live right.

with a lack of people around me the same way, it can be a lonely pursuit

My name is Big Al ... and i'm a greenie....

[grahamhobbs]

On the face of it I'm fairly straight, always worked, I'm a builder in London, when I was younger I was always out drinking, clubbing, etc but come Sunday afternoon I'd be up the allotment or out scrumping blackberries or apples to put in kilner jars. I've always baked my own bread and collected wood for the fire (never lived in a flat with central heating - although I've installed hundreds).
With the exception of my missus, for the last 40 years in London, I was on my own doing my own thing, rarely meeting anyone that could understand it, suddenly I discover Ish and there is loads of people with similar interests that I can turn to everyday. It is by far the best forum I've found.

[prison break fan]

I know exactly what you mean. I feel the same. I know people sympathise with my daughter because her mother is a bit odd! But who cares! pbf.