Self-sufficient in Italy...

contadino · Tue Mar 27, 2007 10:22 am

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the forum. My wife and I gave up our day jobs to become self-sufficient in southern Italy. We have an olive grove of about 180 trees, a vinyard in an embryonic stage, and several vegetable gardens. Chooks and two dumb dogs are the current extent of our livestock, but we're gradually taking on more animals (bees, rabbits, goats, and worms this year, and maybe next spring a couple of piglets.)

We're off-grid for gas, water and sewerage, and our dependence on electricity is diminishing (thanks to solar hot water, and PV lighting and irrigation systems.)

We make all our own bread in a wood-fired oven each week, and the wife makes our cheese, jams, and all manner of pickles. I make booze - which is a new world to me, but one that's very satisfying.

We have a long list of projects in the pipeline, ranging from cast cement furniture, to a home-made wind turbine, so I'm hoping that when (rather than if) I get stuck, you people will be able to help.

Salute,

Jeremy.

Cassiepod · Tue Mar 27, 2007 10:24 am

Welcome on board! I'm new too, but have found within about a week a fountain of help.

Best of luck in the self sufficiency!

Wombat · Post: # 52234Post **Wombat** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 11:15 am

Bongiorno Jeremy!

Sounds like a nice setup you have there mate! Look forward to hearing more details.

Nev

Kiwi · Post: # 52236Post **Kiwi** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 11:26 am

Hi Jeremy,
I'm new here too, the people are great and the info is vast....

Your setup sounds really good...

red · Post: # 52278Post **red** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 9:10 pm

welcome

Andy Hamilton · Tue Mar 27, 2007 10:04 pm

home made turbine sounds very interesting. Did you get a blueprint from somewhere or are you making your own design following basic principles?

Welcome to the forum.

Millymollymandy · Wed Mar 28, 2007 6:20 am

Hi and welcome to the forum!

Sounds like we'll be picking your brains!

cat · Post: # 52317Post **cat** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 7:09 am

Hi Jeremy!
I'm near Bologna, but all my husband's family are in the Matera area!
It's nice to see someone else from Italy joining up

I was feeling a bit lonely out here on my own

Bonniegirl · Wed Mar 28, 2007 8:06 am

You need never be lonely again!

Bonjourno!

Or

Watcha! 'Ow are yer?

contadino · Post: # 52328Post **contadino** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 9:30 am

Thank-you everyone for your warm welcome.

Andy, the wind turbine depends on many things (whether we can get net metering, planning permission, demand, etc..) so I could be aiming for anywhere between a 300w or a 2kw turbine. I follow progress and plans from otherpower.com, but am also tempted to buy a kit such as the one from Futurenergy.com. Unfortunately, it's project number 13 at the moment, but we have a good site here and it would be criminal not to use it. My plans started from this DIY turbine design:

http://www.instructables.com/id/E0T6AVT ... 5?ALLSTEPS

Cat, I hear Matera is beautiful. We plan to take a day off in the Summer and visit. Unfortunately I've never seen any of the films that were made there so don't really know what to expect. We're between Ostuni and Ceglie Messapico. So, being in Bologna, you keep pigs??

cat · Post: # 52360Post **cat** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 11:33 am

No, no pigs! I eat fish but haven't eaten meat for 20 years (although I cook it for the rest of the family).
We're in the fruit growing area and our village is known for the asparagus production: We're supposed to be moving house soon: Here the garden is so small I can't grow anything except in pots! I barter English lessons with fruit and vegetables though, so I have a lot of good fresh produce anyway.
Matera is beautiful. Try to go the the "Bella vista" (The other side of the gorge)to see the Sassi from there that way you get a wonderful panoramic view of the "sasso caveoso" (cave houses) as well.

contadino · Post: # 52402Post **contadino** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 3:55 pm

Oooh, I bet you struggle in the local osterie, don't you? Everyone down here tells me it's pork, pork, and more pork on the menu up there. Although that could be like people from New Jersey thinking that everyone from Florida has a pet alligator.

I was a veggie right up until we got to Italy. Now I'm quite happy to kill and eat a chicken.

cat · Post: # 52409Post **cat** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 4:37 pm

Not all pork at all. Bologna is known as "La Grassa" (The fat city) because the Bolognesi like to eat well. There are some vegetarian and healthfood restaurants, and a great variety of dishes of all types, so I get by very well! My OH and his brothers all have/ have had restaurants and with the coast 40 minutes away we get a lot of good fish too! (We're actually between Bologna and Ferrara)

Millymollymandy · Fri Mar 30, 2007 5:08 am

Who is Contadina - your wife? Hello to her too if that is the case!

contadina · Post: # 52596Post **contadina** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 7:06 am

Good morning all,

Yes I am Jeremy's wife and I'm loving our new life here in Italy.

Apologies for just popping in without saying hello - I had a very busy baking day yesterday (can't wait to see what our neighbours make of hot cross buns) . As you can probably gather the Italian enthusiasm for food has been inspiring us both in the kitchen and garden. I've really got into baking, storing stuff under oil, pasta and cheese-making. I'll certainly be posting some local recipes as and when the ingredients are in season.

Oh and Cat, Jeremy didn't mention that I'm vegetarian and that all our Italian friends and neighbours seem to have made it a mission to get me eat meat. It's all good natured though and even local osterias go to great lengths to ensure that I never get left out.

Ciao ciao for now,

Glly