Hi, anyone in Marche, Italy?

[Foolsonthehill]

Hi ishers
We are a 40something couple moving out to Le Marche Italy from the High Peak in Derbyshire in April. Hoping to make our place there more self sufficient, put in solar systems, raised beds and grow much of our food.
Would love to hear from anyone else trying to do similar things in rural central Italy. Delighted to find this site, bit daunted by the enormity of what we're about to do, upping sticks and moving lock stock and cat to Italy, yikes, looking forward to learning from you guys.

The fools..

[Millymollymandy]

Hi and welcome, and good luck with your new venture!

[Milims]

Hi there and welcome

[JillStephens7]

Hello

[indy]

Hi and welcome to Ish..looking forward to hearing all about it

[MuddyWitch]

Welcome to ISH

MW

[spider8]

Hi and hope all goes well for the move

[Foolsonthehill]

Aw, thanks guys, nice to be so warmly welcomed.
Cheers
The fools x

[coinsky]

Hello

I am new here too. I am moving to Abruzzo hopefully at the end of March (waiting for my cabin to be built). I will be moving alone (with my dogs) and doing a similar thing to you, hoping to downscale a lot and grow most of my own food. Where abouts in Marche are you? I will be near a little village called Montebello Di Bertona, 3000ft up a mountain! haha

Fiona

[Foolsonthehill]

Hi Fiona, great to hear from you, had a wee gander at your blog, loving your dogs, really gorgeous boys (Mr Fool has a bit of a weakness for German sheps). Have you encountered the local Maremma dogs yet? Like Pyrenean mountain dogs, huge and very protective temperaments, tend to round up any body/thing in sight. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maremma_Sheepdog
Your land looks very similar to the land and scenery round us though we are at c480m so a little lower than you - perhaps you are the fool on the mountain rather than hill tee. Have you ever tried to work any of your land yet - ours is very clayey and we're finding it a bit of a 'total bitch' (quote Mr F)..researching all kinds of permaculture and soil development stuff currently.
We are between Sarnano and Amandola - about 40km from the coast. We bought our place about 5 years ago when I moved from London to Derbyshire to marry Mr F and sold my London home, have used it as a holiday home but have decided to change our focus and try to make our lives increasingly off grid if we can.
Look forward to mutual support/advice/moans/groans and laughter re our Italian adventures. Good luck with the build of your place, hope you have good people looking after you, what are you going to do for power - are you going to be able to install PVs for a few lights and internet connection at least?

Lets keep chatting - where are you currently in Uk? we're just east of manchester in the hills..

Mrs F xx

[old tree man]

hello

[coinsky]

Hi Mrs F,

I haven't tried to do anything on my land yet as I have only visited it a few times during the purchasing process. Haven't moved out there, although my planning permission is now through and the cabin should (famous last words) only take 30days to build. I am not holding my breath on that one though!

My soil is also very clayey, although according to the neighbours, it's very fertile. They were born on the property and have always grown their own food and are very keen to help me and share all their tips (and seeds).

For the time being, I am going to have regular electricity, although I might look at trying to come off the grid later on if I can.

I am down on the south coast in England (currently living in my parents summerhouse in their garden and have been for 6 months now!) My little cabin will seem like a mansion by the time I move!