Hello

[Jason]

Hello,

Just found this site and thought that it matches the situation I'm in right now .. I'm a SITCOM (Single Income, Two Children, Oppressive Mortgage) ans so the closest I can get to the country life and self sufficiency is reading John Seymours book.

But .. I have decided I can do something, so I've just got an allotment, bought a polytunnel for it and broken my first spade trying to dig it over .. I've started shopping at the local farm shop for all meat and veg, and even convinced my better half that in terms of buying cheapo chicken from the supermarket, that price isn't everything.

Oh, and I've also ruined my first batch of homebrew beer (what second stage of fermentation? .. it's as flat as a pancake)

So you can see, I'll be looking on this site for a lot of help and advice ..

J

[Andy Hamilton]

Hello Mate,

Never heard that term Sit com for the single income thang.

Well let me tell you a bit about my situation, I live in a flat in the centre of Bath, my 'smallholding' is two window boxes and a few pots dotted around my tiny flat. Mind you I also have an allotment. I must say that is quite ambitious having a poly tunnel, nice one. I broke my first spade when I first got the allotment as the site is full of clay. I would not reccomend digging after frost, as you will get through more than one spade. So, although we do cover stuff for the country dweller we also cover a lot just for people like you.

Good one for shopping at the local farm shop too, I buy my meat from either the local butchers or market. Both get there produce from local farms, I actually think it tastes much better. Also there is less chance of getting some strange disease from free range chickens.

As for home brew, I have had a few disaters too, my first batch of nettle beer was vile. A few home brew recipes here

http://www.selfsufficientish.com/#homebrew

if you have not seen them before.

Anyway good luck with it all and we hope to be a good source of information, we do update regually and also if you want to make any suggestions on what you want to see on the site then let us know.

Cheers