How Self-sufficient are you?

[Annpan]

Just for fun...

I was just thinking where I was on my journey to being self-sufficient so I put together a list to give me some guidance. I reckon it just covers food and drink though... it would be to complicated to add energy, etc to it.



1. Reduce, reuse, recycle
2. Forage
3. Grow your own herbs
4. Grow your own veg.
5. Grow your own fruit
6. Have Chickens for eggs
7. Have Goat or Cow for milk and cheese
8. Have bees for honey
9. Hunt or Fish
10. Slaughter and dress your own livestock

I am at #4 but I haven't harvested anything yet (I don't think my over-grown Rhubarb patch counts as its more like foraging.) I hope to be at #6 next summer.

Where are you on the list? and where do you plan to end up in 1 years time?

[Milims]

We are up to number 5 - we are sitting down to our own potatoes for tea along with bean sprouts in the salad, and this morning I had strawberries and raspberries in my breakfast smoothie - but are working towards 6 and 8. We've started going to local bee keeping soc and are learning about bees hands on. We are also looking into the possibility of chickens - but have to draw the line at a goat - no matter how much I would like one I don't think the neighbours would be too happy!! Although I did buy Chris a fishing rod for his birthday I think number 9 could be out too - his health isn't up to it just now - maybe I should take it up!! Not sure I could cope with number 10 - although Chris would like to go rabbiting

[Silver Ether]

3 and 1/2 cus we grow some veg

Have been 5 in the past and did 10 a loooooooog time ago ...

How does swapping for friends frit and veg and buying local grown?

[Millie]

5. 6 and 8 are next, 6 hopefully very soon

[Thomzo]

Hi. Well I'm at six but I don't really do much of four due to time constraints. I don't forage either as I live in the centre of town.

Zoe

[Cornelian]

Well, I don't actually fit anywhere on there - I don't keep my own livestock, but I barter my preserves, fruit and veg for eggs and meat, so I'm not too sure where that puts me. LOL (Why bother with your livestock if you can come to an arrangement with someone else who grows meat but not enough veg, and doesn't make their own preserves?).

I'm also in the midst of negotiations with a local research station that grows heritage fruit to swap some of their fruit for some of my preserves. :)

[red]

I'm up to 5 - but my parents do 6 and 8 and give me the surplus (cos they love me!) and and i have done 9 and 10 before

[Clara]

7, with the occasional bit of 10. Mr Clara would like bees, but no opportunity for hunting or fishing here.

This is interesting, good idea.

[Meredith]

I've managed all but number 7, I don't have a goat but it's on my wish list. I can't honestly lay claim to 8 either, I only took delivery of my bees last week but I am hopeful for a little bit of honey this Aurumn.

In a years time I hope I will have harvested honey and made my own beeswax candles and if I manage to negotiate a nearby field, I may have a goat.

Meredith

[mybarnconversion]

1. Reduce, reuse, recycle
2. Forage
3. Grow your own herbs

Some of ....

4. Grow your own veg.
5. Grow your own fruit

Hopefully ....

6. Have Chickens for eggs

And I would love to do the livestock thing, but I'm not able to give it the time that it needs ...

[Annpan]

I find this very interesting, It is nice that we have a good mix of people on here. We have yet to have someone at either 1 or 10 but it is reassureing to know that most people like me are still moving up the scale.

Milims - I was so jealous reading your post, Hopefully by autumn we can do that... once (I don't have much planted this year.)

Cornelian - that sound ideal, I often worry about having the extra worry of keeping livestock (I'd love home grown bacon and xmas ham)

Red - even more ideal, freebies, My parents just bring me continuous pestering and headaches (I'd much prefer honey and eggs)

Clara - I'd love bees but my sister is dangerously allergic to bee stings so too dangerous... till we get more land. Do you need a licence to hunt and fish where you are?
Actually I don't even know if you need a licence here?... oh dear, I don't think I'll ever reach number 9

Thomzo - I used to forage in the park when I was in Glasgow, mind you it was a big country park (pollok)



When I started posting on this forum I thought that everyone else was shearing their own sheep and rearing their own beef So I hope newbies find this and realise that most of us are just dreaming still

[Masco&Bongo]

1. Reduce, reuse, recycle Yes
2. Forage Not really, although we go picking blackberries
3. Grow your own herbs Yes - some, not all
4. Grow your own veg. Yes, most of our veg
5. Grow your own fruit Yes - some (apples, plums, grapes, rhubarb, strawbs, raspberries)
6. Have Chickens for eggs Yes
7. Have Goat or Cow for milk and cheese No, no room!
8. Have bees for honey No, don't eat honey
9. Hunt or Fish No, but we get a lot of game/hunt meat from friends who do
10. Slaughter and dress your own livestock No, not sure I could do this

[Wombat]

We're up to number 8 but jumped No7!

Nev

[Millymollymandy]

Nev, I know you've fitted an awful lot in your urban/suburban back yard, but that might be pushing it a bit!

I'm at no. 6 and also have ducks for eggs too but have no desire to go any further! If I had land I'd have a horse, though not for milking!

[glenniedragon]

1. Reduce, reuse, recycle Yes
2. Forage kind of, blackberries, elderberries, elderflowers that kind of thing, I dont have the faith in my fungus identification to risk mrooms
3. Grow your own herbs Yes, good variety some scumbag keeps stealing my chives from the lottie though
4. Grow your own veg. Yes, most of our veg
5. Grow your own fruit Yes - some (Damsons, rhubarb, strawbs, raspberries bl'currants)
6. Have Chickens for eggs Yes
7. Have Goat or Cow for milk and cheese I wish
8. Have bees for honey Yep marked my queen on Saturday, She's HUGE
9. Hunt or Fish No, but have recieved stuff from mates who do-Rabbit is good for Roman recipies
10. Slaughter and dress your own livestock No, not yet but intend on giving it a go soon, our own Xmas dinner this year is being planned
Kind thoughts
Deb