Selfsufficientish Courses what do you want?

[Andy Hamilton]

We have been debating having Selfsufficientish Courses. At first they would be run by Dave and myself here in Bristol UK, perhaps if successful we could travel and take them elsewhere.

So what would YOU like to learn. Foraging courses always seem to be popular for example.
What sort of price would you be prepared to pay? We would like to make it quite fair and not charge over the odds as some courses do, what seems fair for a days course? I think we would have to do concessions for people with low income (not just OAP's and Dole but genuine low income too).

We have thought about mixing and matching the courses, perhaps having me offer say home brewing in the morning whilst Dave offers Jam making. Then having a forage in the afternoon.

Very much on the drawing board this, not even got a venue really!

So to summarize - What would you like to learn and how much would you pay?

[prison break fan]

Sounds a brilliant idea. My daughter and I would definitely sign up. We would like the home brewing and foraging, and maybe outdoor crafts, willow weaving or some such. To do similar things with adult education here in West Sussex (quite an expensive part of the world, hence our interest in self suffiency!) the cost is £40 for a day course. Which would seem about right. Of course I'm an oap!!! pbf

[citizentwiglet]

I think this is a great idea.
Something that would really interest me (other than homebrew, jam and foraging, of course) would be something along the lines of 'Mend and Make Do'...i.e. showing numpties like me how to mend more than a broken zip / do basic alterations to clothes etc etc.

[old tree man]

what a great idea, i also would like basket weaving (can anyone do that) i would also like to make energy saving equipment.
Russ

[gigglybug]

I would also be interested in spinning and dyeing wool, weaving,and making soap.

I could probably stretch to £30 for a day.

[Annpan]

I'd love to do basket weaving and DIY energy saving is a great idea too.

I also think there might be room for sewing machine skills, crochet and knitting.

[lsm1066]

Sounds fantastic to me. All the courses already mentioned would be really useful and I'd definitely want to do them. How about a "reduce, re-use, recycle" course as well? I'm sure even the experts here could use a shove in the right direction once in a while.

Had you thought about doing consultancy as well? There seem to be companies popping up all over which offer a consultancy service to people setting up smallholdings. How about consultancy for people who don't necessarily have 10 acres to do want to be more self-sufficient and aren't sure where to start after getting one here?

Lynne

[Steve M]

I'd definately be up for anything on foraging/wildfoods etc.
Also the reduce reuse recycle idea is really good. Anything to do with making an allotment work for you all year round etc would be good too.

[linzibean]

Definately spinning - would be a handy skill to have seeing as we're surrounded by sheep here! To go with that, natural dyeing and weaving.

I would also be interested in wild foods, especially mushrooms as I wouldn't dare go pick any until I had had a proper introduction!

Cost wise, I'm not sure, I've become a bit of a cArdi since moving to Aber ;) But other people seem to be suggesting to £40 mark, which sounds reasnoble to me.

[room101]

Allotment/foraging sounds good....

[betsytimmins]

A fantastic idea, one that I'd definately take up. Currently Im stuck on "the making beer wine and cider" chapter so it'd be good to explore what can be found in regional hedgerows.
I'm very happy to learn anything new and so far, all the ideas sound useful. As for the cost, from what you say you'll be fair so I'll watch this space!

[Andy Hamilton]

Ok taking some shape now thanks folks.

These ideas sound good too I think I could quite happily have classes in -

Foraging - Herb identification, mushroom identification and all other wild foods
Allotments - getting started with an allotment, introducing wildlife
Basic Organic growing
Home Brewing
Reduce Reuse Recycle

I have found a potential plot of land and have emailed Bristol council. It would be good to get the council to subsidise it a little to keep costs down and so to offer it at a price that many can afford. I think £40 for low income or unwaged sounds good and a figure I might be able to charge for the allotment/growing courses. Foraging could be done almost anywhere and could even travel for that. Home brewing and reduce reuse recycle I would have to find a hall or room and add that cost on I would think.

The other ideas are good but nothing there that I would feel proficient enough to teach anyone at this moment in time. So next questions would be would be would you be willing to travel or should I/we?

Classes sizes what size is too small or too big? I am thinking that 10-15 would be manageable.

[room101]

Happy to travel, class size sounds good as well....

[mrsflibble]

I could afford £40, forraging and mushroom identification would be the thing I'd be interested in.

[Clara]

How about a course in low-tech alternative energy solutions, I was primarily thinking about Nev's solar oven but I'm sure there's loads of other stuff (haybox cookery etc). Though I can see the logistical nightmare this could be become trying to arrange the salvaging of sufficient materials for everyone to make stuff, perhaps it could be a demonstration, possibly as part of a day? I don't know if "how to build a bread oven" has been done to death yet, but I can see a theme building here.

The fees you are suggesting sound very cheap compared to other similar courses I have seen advertised, though I think this is a VERY GOOD IDEA as it opens it up to a different audience, at the moment spending over £100 on a foraging course is hardly an "investment" in selfsufficiency, more like the hobby of the bored and rich.