SSF beginnings

[Hillbilly]

Putting together a video montage for my father the other week and I came across some very old (circa 1979) pictures of well, my family when we were almost 100% SSF. We had just over 3 acres of mixed land - some woodland, some pasture, some scrub - pigs, goats, sheep, dogs, cats, ducks, chooks, geese - you name it. We did washing by stamping on the clothes in a bath and then mangeled in a erm..mangle - mum made all our own food, we grew all our own veggies and fruit, raised and killed our own animals and (the only money coming in was the child benefit - not a lot in the 70's!) - I have them to thank for an excellent if tough upbringing and really, for inspiring me to do what I am (we are) doing today for our kids.



me, brother and dad with the old tractor



Dad doing up the cottage



Fencing with my grandad.

Ah excellent days. Sometimes I wish I could go back. Especially when I've been drinking wine... Never look back Jo, only forward.

[Shirley]

FAB photos.. and obviously wonderful memories!!

I don't quite agree with your closing comments... Nothing wrong with looking back to make the future forward.

[Millymollymandy]

Lovely photos and the best kind of childhood I reckon!

[ina]

Thanks for sharing that with us! Enviable...
I remember the best holidays I had as a child was staying with a family in the middle of a nearby forest - only about 2 miles away from home. He worked for the forestry commission (well, the German equivalent), and she worked part time for my parents. They had no running water, no electricity, pigs, hens, a calf, geese, cats, dogs... Everything a child could dream of! I still remember seeing a hen laying an egg for the first time - the poor hen didn't get much peace that day

[albert onglebod]

Ooh you lucky thing HB !
Lovely pics too!

[Wombat]

Nice, Jo, really nice!

Thanks for sharing!

Nev