Selfsufficientish.com

Thanks MKG - yep, you can betcha I won't be dragging my ass around at sparrow fart o'clock without some decent alcohol in my hand. But having never mulled anything before, I appreciate the tip. As will my liver. It is kind of de-motivating being on the other side of the world and hearing about every...

As in singing to ones crops, trees and animals in order to promote a bountiful harvest? It is the winter solstice coming up here very soon, and the kids want to wassail our animals, gardens and crops. But my knowledge ends at what they tell me on Victorian Farmer. Anyone have more knowledge? What to...

We are pretty isolated here, not many homeschooling families nearby (we live rurally) and even fewer that we click with in terms of philosophy. In fact, none within an hours drive. It must be great to have such a close support network. Would your two be interested in becoming pen-pals with my two of...

Are there any other home educating parents on here who want to chat? Feeling a little bit isolated in this area at the moment. There are plenty of home educating people out there, but not so many I am finding who are also trying to deal with all the animals, gardens, etc... at the same time. Love it...

Just wanted to say that I love bean seeds. They are impossible to confuse while the seeds are drying, as they are all different colours and shapes. Sigh. They make me go all mushy. Unlike the damn pea seeds who all look the bloody same when the kids mix them up.........

Oh yes. The satisfied feeling just never goes away. Successful seed saving also has the same effect on me. I will protect my seeding plants just like I protect my own young.

Why is it that all the resident animals here never do what they are supposed to? I have seen our frogs with earwigs practically crawling over their feet, not even looking at them. Maybe someone just forgot to tell them. I'll get right onto that.

Earwig control measures required here. They are so plentiful, even the chooks and ducks are sick of eating them! How does one train their frogs to eat earwigs then? Reverse psychology?

Mulberries and carob pods! People actually crossed the street away from the 'ferals' (me and my three kids) playing in the carob and filling up bags full. Apparantly people just don't get nearly as excited as me (happy dances and hyperventilation) about scrounging free produce. Or more to the point,...

I am working on new skills this year. Each week I plan to learn a new skill, or at least to start the learning of. This year so far I have started kefir, am learning basic crochet, and am making my own apple cider vinegar (from the kids cast off apples and peelings). Not major things, but all skills...

I love the theory, and in fact have been collecting lots of recipes over the years for all the grizzley bits. But, when push comes to shove, nope. Not a hope. I am too indoctrinated in the 'yummy' versus 'yucky' societal thinking about our animal parts, and quite frankly am not willing to step outsi...

Ohhh, rag rugs! My latest obsessive hobby. I had the colours all picked out and cut up to make a winter themed one, then winter came and went and between three homeschooled kids and the farm it just didn't quite get made. Now it is Spring and I have to tweak some of the colours to make a Springy one...

Glad you are getting balance in your life sleepyowl, sounds like being connected to the seasonal rhythms is really helping your health. The trigger for me was keeping bees, as I started to look carefully for what is flowering and when which I had never really noticed before. In the last 12 months I ...

I have never practised 'EC' as such, but all of my three young'uns have kicked around without nappies on during the day since wee babes. The eldest girl toilet trained herself (day and night together) at around 15 months, literally without any prompting from me, and the second (boy) started crawling...

Well said Oldfella. I love feeling connected, whether with the process of growing, preparation, animals, whatever. However hippy it sounds, I love knowing that the only hands and energies that have touched many products in my home and body were loving ones. I love the look on others faces when my 2 ...