Hello from a self-sufficientish Michigander

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.
KateSheridan
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Hello from a self-sufficientish Michigander

Post: # 15661Post KateSheridan »

Been lurking off and on a while and just tried out your paper-pots -- no, I couldn't figure out the tuck-in, even with the photo, so sorry! But I tied the paper round with a string and the rest went smoothly. I have a little microsite on Garden & Hearth magazine (Simple, Sustainable Rural Living)
and wanted you to know I'll be posting that pot and will surely credit you and link your site!
So excited to be sixth or seventh from the USA to map myself! funny we're all from the north, isn't it?
And please forgive my ignorance, but what's an allotment? Do you offer residents free land to garden? Would that be similar to our community gardens? Very interesting.
We're not enjoying Spring yet, although I've put peas and lettuce in, and planning to do potatoes in barrels this year.
kate :cat:

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glenniedragon
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Post: # 15673Post glenniedragon »

Welcome!

Now allotments, I think they date back to WWII. Being an island we were encouraged to grow as much food ourselves as possible, food that we didn't provide ourselves was rationed-long queues at the shop an having a ration book that was completed by the shopkeeper. I think allotments were then created to increase productive land........and they've never gone! I even think there's a bit of legislation about councils having to provide allotments if there's a demand. They are not free, but in many cases the charge is nominal (mine is £6/$10 a year) plots on my allotment vary from 5mx25m to 10mx25m which is enough for me.

Hope that helps
Kind thoughts
Deb

ina
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Post: # 15679Post ina »

Hi Kate, and welcome to the site!
Does the Garden and Hearth magazine have a website, too? Always interesting to read something from another country...
Ina
I'm a size 10, really; I wear a 20 for comfort. (Gina Yashere)

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Shelle
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Post: # 15692Post Shelle »

Hiya Kate :hello2:

I believe this is your site ...
http://www.gardenandhearth.com/RuralLiving.htm
just popping off now to have a look ... see you around.
I am happy to have a space to grow once again :)

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hedgewizard
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Post: # 15696Post hedgewizard »

'Lo Kate!

Andy, this would be an absolutely FINE opportunity for you to make a 30-second movie on how to make those paper pots! If we could see how that fold works...

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Millymollymandy
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Post: # 15699Post Millymollymandy »

Hi Kate and welcome. It's great to have some more members from North America. Michigan is pretty cold in winter isn't it? (haven't got an atlas to hand but I think it's up near the lakes). Do you have loads of snow?

KateSheridan
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Post: # 15714Post KateSheridan »

glenniedragon wrote: I even think there's a bit of legislation about councils having to provide allotments if there's a demand. They are not free, but in many cases the charge is nominal (mine is £6/$10 a year) plots on my allotment vary from 5mx25m to 10mx25m which is enough for me.
Hi Deb, thanks so much. That is such a good idea. And can you also live there or change the land, etc.? We really ought to do something like that over here as we used to generations ago! We have so much excess in some areas and so much want.
kate ;-)

KateSheridan
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Post: # 15716Post KateSheridan »

ina wrote:Hi Kate, and welcome to the site!
Does the Garden and Hearth magazine have a website, too? Always interesting to read something from another country...
Yes, Hi, Ina! Thanks! Good to be here, so much to learn (like what on earth a sea beat/beet is!)
The web site at G & H is www.gardenandhearth.com, and there are many microsites. Mine is www.gardenandhearth.com/RuralLiving.htm

Do come by! We have a new message forum, similar to this in set-up, but really just a handful of us posting there as of now.
kate ;-)

KateSheridan
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Post: # 15717Post KateSheridan »

Shelle wrote:Hiya Kate :hello2:

I believe this is your site ...
http://www.gardenandhearth.com/RuralLiving.htm
just popping off now to have a look ... see you around.
That's right! Wow, you are fast!!
Hello! Glad to be here!
kate ;-)

KateSheridan
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Post: # 15718Post KateSheridan »

Millymollymandy wrote:Hi Kate and welcome. It's great to have some more members from North America. Michigan is pretty cold in winter isn't it? (haven't got an atlas to hand but I think it's up near the lakes). Do you have loads of snow?
Hi and yes! Averages about 80-110 inches a year. One gets used to it quickly and just has to plan for it (especially if you're heating with wood and that type of thing.) I live in southern Michigan but near the shoreline of the gigantic Lake Michigan, so we get what's known as lake-effect snow whenever the arctic wind blows down out of Canada and picks up the warmer lake water. It dumps that water as snow as soon as it hits the land and the lake-effect area here gets walloped. Not so much last year and this, though. This year was astoundingly snow-deprived and that is worrying. The snow is a terrific insulator, and sometimes I can trudge out to my garden and pick sages and brussel sprouts right out of the snow deep into December. But not this year!
kate ;-)

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glenniedragon
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Allotments

Post: # 15719Post glenniedragon »

Hello again,
I'm afraid you can't live on your allotment, and some have restrictions on the types of, er, ah, um erections you put up (eg polytunnels) but mine are quite laid back about all. They even let you keep livestock up there at the moment- there are some prize-winning Arucanas on a nearby plot.
I also had a look at the Deputy Priministers Website and legislation dates back to 1908 so allotments predate WWII (to my surprise).
Another historical date of note-
"1845 General Enclosure Act.
Enclosure Commissioners empowered to authorise enclosures
only on condition that land was set aside for allotment use for fear of peasant revolt .
Provided the first confirmation of the basic concept of the present
allotment movement."
found on
http://www.kitchengardens.dial.pipex.com/history.htm

I'll stop there, but I'd never thought of where or why allotments are there in great detail before....quite fascinating we were given allotments to stop us 'peasants' revolting mmmmm

kind thoughts
Deb

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hedgewitch
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Post: # 15724Post hedgewitch »

Hello kate and welcome to the forum :flower:
My Blog
My Website

Plant Seeds and sing songs.

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Andy Hamilton
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Post: # 15732Post Andy Hamilton »

The 6th on the map so the americans are coming :wink:

Allotments atcually date back to longer ago than that, they were introduced I think at some time in the 18th century (Might be wrong there). They were first introduced to aid the industrial revolution, many of the workers were getting drunk and missing work or being less productive so they were introduced as a distraction to get people out of the pub and lead a healthier lifestyle. Not for their own well being but to aid the economy.

they are suposed to be the right size to grow enough crops on to feed a family of 4.

As for the newspaper pots, it does seem to be one of the most popular pages so I had already decided to film myself making them. So have a look on selfsufficientish.tv in about a week or so.
First we sow the seeds, nature grows the seeds then we eat the seeds. Neil Pye
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The Other Andy Hamilton - Drinks & Foraging

Libby
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Post: # 15753Post Libby »

Hiya Kate :flower:
I want to wake up in the morning and see green!

woolcraft
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Post: # 15824Post woolcraft »

Hiya Kate. Welcome and looking forward to hearing more from you and seeing your pot displayed on the net. Sue

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