We love hearing from you, so here is your chance. Introduce yourself and tell us what makes you selfsufficient 'ish'. Go on don't be shy, we welcome one and all. You can also tell us how you heard about us if you like.
Although currently living near Reading, I'll soon be moving to Spain, where I'll be learning about how to become self-sufficient(ish) from the status of complete newbie. We'll be living on 5000m2 (about 1 1/4 acres) of what was farmland. The soil seems to be excellent (although I'm no expert ) and I really look forward to your advice on the where, what, why and how of growing as much of our own food as possible.
I'm so glad to have stumbled upon this site and can only apologise in advance for the million or so stupid questions I'll be asking over the coming months / years.
Hello and welcome. I used to live in Wokingham and now live in a bog in Ireland, I must have taken a wrong turn, but we are sort of self sufficient in veg and alpaca fluff
niknik wrote:Welcome
I am in Spain!
Whereabouts will you be?
And expect loads of comments from locals, as to it being the wrong time to plant whatever it is, or its not the right moon, or similar!
I'm going to be near a place called San Pascual in Valencia region (Dolores and Almoradi, just south of Alicante, are the nearest towns). Where are you?
So, Spanish farmers / gardners are the same as everywhere else, then? There's a million ways to do something wrong and only one way to do it right...theirs!
diggernotdreamer wrote:Hello and welcome. I used to live in Wokingham and now live in a bog in Ireland, I must have taken a wrong turn, but we are sort of self sufficient in veg and alpaca fluff
A stone's throw from us (Wokingham that is, not the bog in Ireland). We are in Lower Earley just now. I'm just starting to sort out the removals to Spain, which is proving to be more painful than I'd hoped.
I´m further South in Andalucia, in Almeria province, in the Almanzora Valley.
No idea about Valencia way, but in Andalucia, they did have quite substantial grants available for farming . to set up/improve, etc...
esp if going organic. That can be for machinery , or irrigation pipes, or anything really. so worth looking into once you are here.
Best way to work out what the locals are planting is to go to the local markets and see what the plant/ seedling merchants are offering!
If the locals are buying them, then , the plants are suitable for the location/time of year!
We are in Portugal (moved from Woking and really miss the True Food Co-op at Lower Earley!) and recently used a company to move our stuff down for 1/4th of the price quoted by the UK company who have been storing it for us. Very straightforward and the guys who unloaded at the house were brilliant - the only 'issue' was that our stuff arrived two days earlier than expected! I don't work for them, just a happy customer. Don't worry about the website name - they do removals to Spain too.
niknik wrote:I´m further South in Andalucia, in Almeria province, in the Almanzora Valley.
No idea about Valencia way, but in Andalucia, they did have quite substantial grants available for farming . to set up/improve, etc...
esp if going organic. That can be for machinery , or irrigation pipes, or anything really. so worth looking into once you are here.
Best way to work out what the locals are planting is to go to the local markets and see what the plant/ seedling merchants are offering!
If the locals are buying them, then , the plants are suitable for the location/time of year!
We are in Portugal (moved from Woking and really miss the True Food Co-op at Lower Earley!) and recently used a company to move our stuff down for 1/4th of the price quoted by the UK company who have been storing it for us. Very straightforward and the guys who unloaded at the house were brilliant - the only 'issue' was that our stuff arrived two days earlier than expected! I don't work for them, just a happy customer. Don't worry about the website name - they do removals to Spain too.
Hello and welcome. We moved out to Bulgaria last May. We only have half an acre but that is plenty for chooks and veg. And we have lots of outhouses if we decide to keep animals (sheep and goats go out with the village shepherd every day)
Growing veg the Bulgarian way is a totally new ball game, but we are learning.
tosca wrote:Hello and welcome. We moved out to Bulgaria last May. We only have half an acre but that is plenty for chooks and veg. And we have lots of outhouses if we decide to keep animals (sheep and goats go out with the village shepherd every day)
Growing veg the Bulgarian way is a totally new ball game, but we are learning.
I'm looking forward to the learning...doing something new and unfamiliar is scary; but a good scary!
Hi there! I garden in Spain too! I'm based in Las Alpujarras in the Granada region. You may be interested in a seed bank I've just started especially as you are aiming to be self-sufficient! Go on facebook and search for SEED-Semillas Español En Depósito. I also have a gardening group called Huerta Alpujarra. Good luck in your exciting new life, there's nothing like gardening in Spain!
) and I really look forward to your advice on the where, what, why and how of growing as much of our own food as possible.
