self suffiency, what turned your head??

[romany123]

The Road to self-sufficiency came to me early on in my life. I went on a survival course with the army, and ended up becoming an instructor. This world of ours is a fascinating place, but unfortunately we tend to abuse our resources.
I remember with great delight, constructing a hay box with my children many years ago, and cooking a rabbit stew in it.
I also love hunting for fungi, my favourite being the parasol. Coated in batter and deep fried is a joy.
Our newest discovery is sapphire. We are fortunate enough to have a mooring buoy, in salt marshes. We were out sailing our dinghy one day, exploring the salt marsh backwaters, and came across a clump of it. Wonderful stuff, I believe they pay a fortune for it in London.

[old tree man]

Having worked in the woods for most of my life we used to barter with the gamkeepers for meat and then forage for wild garlic, mushrooms and herbs to mix with them for our tea and supper,there is nothing like open cooking your supper, trout wrapped in damp newspaper and cooked in the embers of the fire or tatties crisped in the embers with wild garlic, barbequed phesant and rabbit after a hard days felling,
what i'm really trying to say is that it became habit to be self sufficient
working in the middlle of nowhere, and now that i have retired doing it at home became second nature, i cant stand the thought of spending money when i know that i can grow it or recycle something better than you can buy in the shops.

Russ

[red]

think I just grew up with it - my grandparents always grew their own fruit and veg, one grandfather was seriously into homemade wine, (and had a still....cough .. i mean, a device for making essential oils), we had chickens in a town garden when I was a child - and thats's way before it became the fashion
as we were always broke, being frugal led to a lot of SSishness, and 'free energy' appealed to us via that route.
we always picked elderflowers to make elderflower champagne, went out as a family blackberrying... picked mushrooms from the field etc

its just natural.

[baldowrie]

sapphire

did you mean samphire?

You either love it or hate it

[romany123]

Yup, you are quite right Baldowri
I must slow down my (two) typing fingers. I tend to get carried away. Thanks for pointing it out.

Old tree man
Your post brings back wonderful memories of my times out in the wild. You sound like a typical Yorkshire Man… lol I should know I was born in Keighley…. :-) when I tell people that they usually say things like “Never mindâ€

[Welsh Girls Allotment]

I was brought up with self sufficientish parents, chickens, rabbits bred for eating, always grew their own veg, made homebrew, my mother made most of my clothes knitted or sewn, when I first left home I was glad to leave it behind and be able to buy things but after the birth opf my daughter and with more time on my hands - I have turned into my mother

[Annpan]

When I was really young my 5 siblings and I used to be sent out to pick dandylion heads, elderflowers and brambles for my Dad to make into wine, he also had a go at brewing beer - but he died when I was 4, so I wasn't taught anything by him, but I think it is in the blood.

I grew up in urban Glasgow and I went to a private school, my guidance teacher was most unimpressed when - at 13 - I said I wanted to be a farmer

But I now think that this is more of the life I had in mind... I like working for myself, and I work hard. I like seeing the fruits of your labour at the end of the day - whether that is an apple pie, a roaring fire, a knitted jumper or a livingroom wall

As red says, it is just more natural.

[hamster]

I wrote screeds and screeds of pretentious drivel about this, but got so embarrassed re-reading it that I deleted it all!!!

The short answer is that I've more or less grown up with it, like many of you (except for the making clothes - my maternal lineage has drastically failed me on that point ), and grew up in an agricultural community (although my family weren't farmers) so where food comes from has always been a part of daily life. At the end of the day, I think it makes me fitter, better nourished, happier, more independent and more secure in the face of climate change/peak oil. I know I sound like my grandparents, but I think a bit of hard work and frugality are 'good for the soul', and running around like a crazy thing doing a job I hate to prop up the consumer economy so I can then buy lots of stuff to make myself feel better for doing the job I hate is distinctly bad for the soul!

I can't think of a particular event that 'turned my head' so to speak, as a lot of the ideas have always been part of my life, but I think that living in Africa really opened my eyes as to how happy it is possible to be on very little and how much the Western lifestyle is wrecking the planet (and disadvantaging other people). It was when I got back home that I really started on the SSish path. I'm still more 'ish' than 'self-sufficient', but I'm getting there....

[mrsflibble]

I stumbled upon this site after finding an interesting mushroom.
it kinda snowballed from there.

[kiwirach]

I've had a thing about growing my own vege ever since i was little....i spent many happy days exploring my grandfathers vege garden back in NZ, and that memory has never left me. I've yet to have my own patch of ground to grow things on, but over the years have grown the odd thing in the corner of rented/borrowed gardens!.
whats really kick started me now however is turning 40 last november and realising that unless i do something differently half my life could be over!. i then watch a tv program by Sarah Beeny on the ingredients in your toiletries and cleaning products and what finally got me was the fact that one of the ingredients in baby shampoo is also an ingredient in antifreeze!.

since then, i have been making steps to get rid of all chemicals from my life, and once i finish what i have i am replacing it with natural, and ultimately homemade products. I have extended this to food and no longer rely on premade food....i was never a fan of microwave meals anyway, but i'm also doing away with premade sauces etc...basically, i have to make what i eat....meals, cakes, soups, etc. its going to take a while to make this change...i cant afford to chuck everything out and restock so as something finishs its not replaced.
I am surposed to be sharing my friends backgarden this yr to grow vege, but the more i think about it, the more i think my own space would be better...no having to see if its ok to go round etc!. so i spoke to the council yesterday and have found out there are allotments avaliable in my area, but theres no list this week...call back next week!.
i'm really excited about the plans ahead for me, and thrilled to have found this forum as well.
sorry!, bit of a ramble!

[baldowrie]

it's ok romany, I was sitting there wondering what sapphire was that was all...I get curious on new things and words

I am the worlds worst for dodgy fingers

I was brought up on the edge of the large town Mrs Fibble lives in, except opposite me was a working diary farm (until it became a golf course). My summers were spent scrumping apples, with the farmers knowledge and permision. He had no children so having children having fun in his orchard tickled him and his jolly wife. Mum and I also used to walk the lanes, before the main roads were built, most days. So basically my home was country until it changed. Grandad still 'dug for victory', then mum joined in. So second nature to do the same really, and NOW I have the chance to!

Told you I was an 'old bird' old tree man!

[mrsflibble]

my house is incidentally quite near the golf course..... and if you remember it being built Balowdrie i can begin to guess your age lol!

[baldowrie]

thanks!

Actually just to add pm me your road, I may remember it and can tell you something about it form the 'old days'

[mrsflibble]

I wont tell anyone.
SHE'S 21. NO OLDER. 21. NOTHING TO SEE HERE MOVE ALONG PLEASE.

[baldowrie]

hey there is one on here that will argue that point....also makes a point of reminding me I am older than them when I see them!