It all started like this…

[matt_w]

…I’ve always been interested in doing things for myself and avoiding wasting anything along the way.

There have been two very influential families in my life. The Eagles, when I was a young lad they lived in the old mill house in Coleshill, kept goats, ducks and various other things, as well as having a wood fired cooker and pot belly stove. That started my interest in not only rock music but living a more rural self-sufficientish lifestyle. Then there are the Hearnes, my good friend Jim’s parents have a small holding in Sussex. Jim taught me mechanics helping me to build a kit car (more like he built it and I helped!) Whilst there I often enjoyed home laid eggs scrabbled on toast in-between sessions of kit car building and stripping old industrial machines to recycle their component metals. My parents should get a mention also for giving me an inquisitive and scientific upbringing.

I’ve since, perhaps I am ashamed to say, become much more interested in being as self sufficient as we can through looking to save money, although some of our best choices of been for other reasons (the wood burner).

I’ve recently passed my chainsaw and tree felling exams, and our house is wood heated (water heating by gas but is switched off most of the time). We have to drive but I’m presently getting 65mpg when I do. We make our own cider (60 gallons this year), wine, jam, cosmetics and some cleaning products as well as food made from ‘ingredients’ not jars with as much as possible coming from our small urban garden.

Us, is Veronica (my wife), and me Matthew, we are expecting our first child on 1st April 2010.

So in a nutshell that is me, I’m very pleased to meet all of you!

[Lardyvegan]

Hiya Matt, nice to 'meet' you!

I'm a noob here too :)

[snapdragon]

Welcome in

[Green Aura]

Hi Matt, welcome to Ish

I hope you're not going to drink all that cider single-handed

[spitfire]

hello from california and welcome to ish

[growingthings]

hellooo

[Milims]

HI there and welcome! You sound like a very interesting pair (that's you Matthew and your wife Veronica ) I'd be most interrested to find out how you make your cosmetics.

[jim]

Another Hampshire Hog! There's quite a few of us here now, may the tribe increase!

Love and Peace
Jim

[red]

welcome

[Millymollymandy]

Hi and welcome!

[matt_w]

Hi Matt, welcome to Ish

I hope you're not going to drink all that cider single-handed

sometimes I need two hands to hold the glass ;-). seriously tho, I'll have a good go at drinking it, a lot is given away to friends and family. You cannot visit our place without being filled with all sorts of tasty things!

Cosmetics : Veronica learnt how to make moisturisers from her father (an industrial chemist / school teacher). She has gone far beyond the basic stuff these days, there are often emulsifications of things being made in our kitchen. She has read many books and websites and also has a very creative mind for these things.

Thanks for making me welcome.

[MuddyWitch]

Welcome to ISH

Never appologise for avoiding spending money, using your money wisely is a sign of the enlightened.

MW

[grahamhobbs]

60 gallons seems quite modest for yourself and the occasional session with friends.
My friend in France produces 1500 bottles of wine a year for his own consumption, shared with a few friends, but then being french he would drink 2 bottles every lunchtime and the rest in the evening...
Hope you enjoy this forum and look forward to hearing more of your experiences.

[matt_w]

60 gallons seems quite modest for yourself and the occasional session with friends.

thanks I reckoned at 1 gallon per week for myself (pint a day average allowing for an extra one at the weekend), 45.5 gallons a year, whatever was left over for presents and friends.

Unfortunately the guys n girls at work don't quite get this way of life and seem to think that making cider / growing veggies / etc / takes 5 minutes, and don't seem to reciprocate any time

[matt_w]

Doesn't it just make you mad - we have the same thing all the time, friends that just cannot be bothered to make or grow their own and generally don't 'get' the self sufficientish way of life expect to freely partake of the goodies and go home with a boot full of veg! I'm trying to harden my heart

I'm kind of used to it now... here goes a bit of a large tangent. I work in IT. Most people expect free home IT support of me, yet when it comes to say asking the family mechanic if he could weld some patches to my car, it's likely I'll be presented with a (discounted) bill.

OK so I made up about the mechanic bit, as I can weld myself and built my own car. but you get the idea. Becuase a PC is something so common that the majority of houses in the developed world have one, their worth is perceived quite low, so fixing one well it must be simple. Of course I so much look forward to continuing work when I get home.

I think it is similar with the home grown, because they are common everyday items, especially if they have a low price, then people only see that £1.00 tag.

I personally feel that (especially the south of UK) has become more selfish and self centred over the last few years, it's the crazy materialistic cycle we seem to be going through.

I try to listen to my mother though, she would happily give these things away knowing she will never get anything in return, her though is that if the other person dervied some pleasure from the act then it is a good thing. Thinking like this does bring happiness to the giver as well. The best feeling for me is when I give somone cider who has never tried it, they turn their noses up and often dont want to try, the normal first reaction when they do though is "ooo it tastes like apple juice".... well what did you expect? some commercial watered down hint of apple falvoured rubbish?

....however my neighbour that keeps 'borrowing' stainless steel nuts and bolts must realise one day I cannot afford to pay for his old car habbit!

/rant over (sorry)!
Matthew