“And the only reason for being a bee that I know of is making honey …'’ By his own admission Winnie the Pooh is a Bear of Little Brain but he does know a bit about bees. So you’re thinking about keeping bees You’ve been thinking about it for a [...]
You probably already car share. At its most basic level car sharing is defined as being when two or more people travel together in a car for all or part of a journey. But, of course, taking the car to go shopping with your partner isn’t all we’re talking about [...]
More than one third of people in the world today live in homes made of earth and we’re not just talking about third world countries. Records show that cob houses were being built in England as long ago as the thirteenth century. Very old cob houses built without the use [...]
For most households fuel is one of the major expenses. Whether it’s for heating, lighting, cooking or transportation we all use fuel of some sort or another in our daily life. The increasing cost of the usual fuels, such as gas, electricity, nuclear and oil, combined with the environmental and [...]
Although not trying to live a self-sufficient lifestyle, when Mike took voluntary redundancy, he decided that, as they’d be living on less money, he should look at where the money was going and try and work out if costs could be reduced. Energy, especially electricity, took a large proportion of [...]
Reduce, reuse and recycle. For those seeking to be more self-sufficient and trying to live by this mantra, car boot sales can provide genuine bargains. From almost new household goods to baby clothes, rare vinyl records to garden plants, the buyer who’s willing to search can often find just what [...]
It’s remarkably easy to do-it-yourself when it comes to natural home-made beauty treatments: our great-grannies knew a thing or two about looking after their skin and they didn’t have a fortune to waste on expensively-marketed products. One of the major benefits is that you know exactly what’s going onto your [...]
It is amazing to think that less than one hundred years ago, public libraries as we know them didn’t exist for the majority of people in Britain. The history The idea of a library that would be open to all and would provide free access to books, newspapers and journals [...]
So you’re thinking about keeping pigs. You’re not alone; after poultry, pigs are the most popular livestock for smallholders. And no wonder: they’re great for clearing and fertilising the ground, plus they produce delicious meat. There’s very little of a pig that someone somewhere won’t eat. They’re also intelligent, clean [...]
Alison and Simon have an allotment near their home in a small Devon village. As they're new to allotmenteering we thought they might have some good advice to pass on to potential allotment holders and beginners. We asked them about their first year on the allotment. What Made You Want [...]
“Can I sell vegetables I’ve grown on my allotment?” The answer is yes. Or possibly no. Perhaps the best answer is “it depends.” Whether you are allowed to sell fruit, vegetables or flowers you’ve grown on your allotment depends on a number of factors, including your tenancy agreement, where you’re [...]
An allotment is your own little piece of land to do as you will on – as long as it’s legal! But to get the best from your allotment it may be helpful if you are aware of some allotment/gardening conventions. To take on an allotment is to become part [...]
Potatoes and carrots on your plate an hour after they’ve come out of the soil. A plentiful supply of herbs as you need them. Plump juicy raspberries straight from the cane into your mouth. Sounds good? Today more and more of us are striving towards the dream of feeding our [...]
To understand the history of allotments we have to go a long way back in history. In 1086, according to the Domesday Book, the basic economy of England was agrarian with 90% of the people living in the country and earning their food from the resources of the land. The [...]
Perhaps the first thing to do is to contact your local environmental health pest control officer. Some councils are willing to treat garden infestations; others will only attend if the infestation has spread indoors. However they should be able to give you good advice but will almost certainly say the [...]
When Carys Jones started her own home composting project, the initial incentive was pure laziness. That was six years ago and Carys, the manager of an electrical shop, and husband Mike, a design engineer, had just moved into a new home in Aylesbury, Bucks. While the new home was lovely, [...]
For most of us a fridge in the kitchen is an essential: how else can you keep your food fresh? Or cool your drinking water on hot summer days? But a fridge is one of the biggest electricity-devouring devices in your home, and that's not good for the environment. Per [...]
Basil is high in the Top Ten of the most popular herbs for cooking. Used especially in Italian and tomato dishes, basil adds an extra dimension to the taste of a meal. And growing basil is easy. If you’ve only ever used dried basil for cooking, you’ll be surprised and [...]
Originating from the lands that encircle the sandy shores of the Mediterranean, the herb, rosemary, takes its name from the Latin ros marinus, meaning dew of the sea. You might expect rosemary, coming from a warm climate, to be a tender and difficult herb to grow in the British climate, [...]
Tarragon is one of the fine herbs so beloved of French chefs. Its flavour is unique, reminiscent as it is of aniseed, with a hint of vanilla and pepper. On its own or with chives, parsley and chervil, it's a favourite in the kitchen and an essential ingredient in Bearnaise [...]
In these times of energy efficiency and each of us having responsibility for our own carbon footprint it is important to do all we can to make changes that allow us to conserve or reuse those natural resources that are at our disposal. One such natural resource that is often [...]
Parsley is one of the most common herbs around and is both colourful and flavoursome and can add depth of character and extra taste to your cooking. Types of Parsley There are several varieties of Parsley that can be grown and these are often to be found in seed catalogues [...]
It is foreseen that a significant percentage of power (optimists say as much as 40%!) will be generated in the home by 2050, using energy generators, principally comprising of wind turbines, solar heating panels and photovoltaic cells (solar electricity generators). If you have running water hydroelectric energy can be the [...]
Being self-sufficient will mean you will have to change the way you do business. You will no longer have money in your wallet, ready to swap for consumable items, such as rice, fuel and other food items. Instead, you will have to use your imagination and set up good relations [...]
It’s hard to imagine life without a fridge, yet people easily manage without one all over the world. Our society is used to modern comforts such as a fridge, but with a little imagination you will soon realise that a fridge is not necessary for modern living, and you will [...]
In today’s society it’s difficult to live entirely without electricity. We use electricity to power our lights, cookers, fridges, televisions, hairdryers, and heat our homes. Many things we use electricity for are not essential – for example you may have to do without the hair straighteners when you go self-sufficient, [...]
Baking bread is easy. When you bake your own bread you can guarantee exactly what goes into it and have a fresh, organic loaf at a snip of the price you would pay in the supermarket. What’s more, the smell of baking bread is irresistible. Using a Bread Maker There [...]
If you want to be truly self sufficient, then you should make your own pasta. Pasta is easy to make, tastes delicious when eaten fresh (much better than dried, tinned and even shop-bought fresh pasta), and is made with three simple ingredients: eggs, water and flour. Making your own pasta [...]
Making your own spirits is a complicated process, but very cheap and even more rewarding. You can make your own ethanol, and dilute it with water and add all manner of ingredients to create a unique flavour. To make your own spirits, you will need: Fermenter, or bucket Thermometer Yeast [...]
Grey water is the waste water that flows into drains from our sinks, showers and baths. The water usually contains residues from soap and detergents, therefore it is not dirty, just not as clean as water that comes out of the tap, and it is not fit for drinking. However, [...]
Biodegradable pots are a good alternative to peat pots and plastic pots. Biodegradable pots naturally rot down in the soil when the plants are transplanted. Peat pots also rot down in the soil, however peat is an unsustainable resource and you should avoid buying it in order to protect Ireland’s [...]
Brewing your own beer is relatively easy and a fun way of utilising the natural products available to you. You needn’t make beer from barley and hops, you can make beer from a variety of plants such as nettles or seaweed, which give the drink a different and unusual taste. [...]
One of the best things about living in the country is that it’s much easier to go out and forage for your own food than it is living in the city. As well as nuts, fresh greens and mushrooms, you can also try your hand at shooting and fishing. If [...]
There are many different types of nuts to be gathered and eaten from the hedgerows. These include chestnuts, walnuts and hazelnuts. Nuts are extremely good for you, often containing many vitamins and essential oils. Nuts are usually ready to harvest around September and October. When out gathering nuts, you should [...]
The most common natural remedies are used for simple ailments, such as coughs, colds and headaches. If you have anything more serious or are in any doubt as to what your symptoms are, you should always consult a medical professional. When you are ill, it’s important to keep your vitamin [...]
Chickens are not hard to care for – just make sure they have plenty of room to scratch around in, a steady supply of food and a comfortable place to roost and lay eggs. They are friendly and sociable creatures; each having their own personalities, and you can even buy [...]
Keeping a goat is a good way of providing your household with fresh milk, yoghurt and cheese, and it will take up less space than keeping a cow. If you keep you goat shelter near your vegetable patch, you can create a three-bed compost system and use the manure to [...]
Being self-sufficient doesn’t mean you won’t need to get around. If you move to the country you will need to travel to the city from time to time to shop for amenities you can’t grow. Also, if you decide to sell your excess produce at market, or raise livestock, your [...]
Making candles is easy and cheap. When you make your own candles you can guarantee what goes into them and avoid any harmful chemicals. You can also mould them into interesting shapes, using old tin cans or homemade moulds. Getting Started You Will Need: An old saucepan or double boiler [...]
Making soap is easy and you can save money by not having to buy soap. Soap is made by reacting an acid (for example sunflower and olive oils) with an alkali (for example sodium hydroxide). It is very important to use accurate measurements and follow the recipe exactly. If you [...]
Tofu is a high protein food that is packed with minerals and vitamins. It is made from soy milk, which comes from soy beans. Soy beans are a versatile source of protein that can be eaten on their own as edamame, or turned into milk and tofu, and even cheese, [...]
Making your own wine needn’t mean sacrificing taste and quality for cheap thrills. These days there are many amateur wine makers creating delicious wines comparable to those available to buy in the shops. However, homemade wines normally have a higher alcohol content than commercially available wines. Take care to ensure [...]
Many types of mushrooms grow wild across most parts of the UK, from the north of Scotland right down to Cornwall. There is a huge variety of edible mushrooms to choose from, and the New Forest in Hampshire has one of the biggest ranges of mushrooms in the UK. When [...]
Being self-sufficient is a fantastic lifestyle choice, as you can grow most of your fruit and vegetables, forage for wild greens, mushrooms and fruit, and even keep your own chickens and other livestock. However, there are some things, which you can’t grow without a heated greenhouse (which is expensive to [...]
An organic lifestyle is an increasingly important option for those with an ethical conscience. By growing your food organically, and buying organic food and products (such as shampoo and conditioner) you will help reduce the impact you have on the environment, improve animal welfare and preserve precious ecosystems as a [...]
Growing your own fruit and vegetables is a fun and rewarding hobby. Not only does it open up a whole new world of fresh, seasonal vegetables, but it makes you more in tune with nature and helps you to lead a healthier lifestyle. Environmental Benefits Growing your own fruit and [...]
By living a self-sufficient lifestyle, you will require less money in order to survive. You will grow most of your own food, make many of your cleaning products (both household and cosmetic); you may even generate your own electricity. However, there will be times when you need money: these range [...]
To ascertain how much money you will need to live on, you first need to work out how much you spend now. Obviously you will not be spending money on food bills, but you should take into account other outgoings such as council tax, utility bills and money for emergencies, [...]
Keeping a cow is a big responsibility that shouldn’t be entered into lightly. Before you buy your cow, consider borrowing one for a week to see if you can fit the care and maintenance of the cow into your daily routine. There are many benefits to keeping your own cow. [...]
These days, few people clean their homes without using a multitude of different chemical concoctions, bought from the supermarket. These chemical cleaners are not only expensive, but they are unnecessary, especially for the cash-strapped self-sufficient family. Natural products make excellent cleaning solutions, at a fraction of the price. What’s more, [...]
Tomatoes come in many different colours, shapes and sizes, including large beef steak types, oblong plum varieties, small cherry types and even purple, yellow, orange and sometimes striped types. What’s more, there are varieties that can be grown as standard cordons, some as bush plants and others in hanging baskets. [...]
Squash plants are closely related to cucumbers, courgettes and marrows, and are a member of the same family, curcubit. Squash plants come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and include butternut squash, spaghetti squash, and pumpkins. Squashes generally have a rich, orange flesh, but their outer skins can range [...]
In today’s fast-paced world we tend to rely on medicines to provide us with immediate relief from colds, headaches and other illnesses. However it is not always necessary to turn to the medicine cabinet as soon as we get a headache or the first symptoms of a cold. Synthetic medicines [...]
Cotton grows is the most common textile fibre grown in the world. When grown non-organically, cotton growing uses an enormous amount of water and chemicals to produce a decent crop. By growing your own cotton, you will help reduce the impact industrial cotton growing has on the environment, and set [...]
Wild greens are generally more flavoursome and nutritious than greens raised commercially. This is because they are not pushed to produce yields beyond their means and have evolved naturally, so they have a greater variety of nutrients and flavour as a result. You are also more likely to eat your [...]
Foraging for berries is a fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon and it can yield some delicious and nutritious results. Humans have eaten wild fruit for centuries; we have evolved to eat it, and as such, the fruits are extremely good for us. There is a wide range of [...]
Foraging for food doesn’t mean you are scavenging around bins and eating food that no-one else wants to eat. Foraging basically means eating food that either grows, or wanders wild and is not farmed or cultivated for commercial consumption. What’s more, wild food grows at its own pace, it evolves [...]
Asparagus is a perennial crop that requires a permanent position and then little attention once it is established. Prepare the soil well by digging thoroughly, removing perennial weed roots and incorporating plenty of organic matter. The asparagus season is relatively short lived, lasting only eight weeks. It starts from mid-April [...]
With careful planning and a greenhouse or coldframe you should have no trouble growing salad crops all year long. Sow seeds every fortnight to ensure a continuous supply during the spring and summer, and sow seeds under cover in winter. Many salad leaf varieties can be grown on a cut-and-come-again [...]
Alliums are generally an easy crop to grow. If grown in conjunction with carrots and parsnips, they can help confuse pests, such as carrot and parsnip root flies. They can also protect leafy crops from slugs. Alliums enjoy a long growing season in a well-cultivated soil incorporated with plenty of [...]
Cucurbits (cucumbers, marrows, courgettes and squash) are fun plants to grow and yield impressive results. Courgettes are an ideal vegetable to grow for a beginner, and you are likely to always have more than you need. The plants take up a lot of room and require a very fertile soil, [...]
Brassicas enjoy a well-cultivated soil that’s rich in organic matter, such as homemade compost or well-rotted manure. If your soil is slightly acidic, a sprinkling of lime will help them grow better and help prevent the onset of the fungal disease club root. For best results start them off in [...]
Legumes are water and nutrient hungry so need plenty of preparation and care throughout the growing season. The best way to cater for their needs is to dig a trench in autumn and fill it with homemade compost and moisture-retentive material such as kitchen scraps, but shredded newspaper can also [...]
Root vegetables enjoy a moist, well-cultivated soil, packed with plenty of rich organic matter, such as homemade compost or well-rotted manure. The exception to this rule is carrots and parsnips. Carrots and parsnips prefer a light, sandy soil. If grown in a soil that is rich with manure or compost, [...]
Currants come in three colours: red, white and black (white currants are actually a sport, or interesting mutation of redcurrants). The growing requirements of all currant bushes are fairly similar, although blackcurrants tolerate heavier soils than other currants. Redcurrants have beautiful red, tart berries. The whitecurrant has translucent berries with [...]
Stone fruits are easy to grow. Once the trees are established, they’ll produce fruit for many years to come. They’ll need little care and attention apart from a yearly pruning and mulching, and watering in dry conditions. Growing Peaches Peach trees are widely grown throughout the Mediterranean and require a [...]
Apples and pears are some of the most widely cultivated fruits in the UK. The trees are grown on a variety of rootstocks, enabling them to be trained as espaliers in small courtyards and standards in large gardens. Both apple and pear trees flower in early-late spring. Pears are ready [...]
Berries are some of the easiest fruits to grow and will reward you with heavy yields. They require little attention and have very few pests. Growing Blackberries and Raspberries Blackberries will grow almost anywhere and are very tolerant of poor soils. Grow them in a sunny site and prepare the [...]
One of the best things about being self sufficient is that you have plenty of spare produce to preserve in different ways to keep over the winter months. Both fruit and vegetables can be turned into jams and chutneys, and frozen, dried, or stored in oil and vinegar. Making jam [...]
When you grow your own fruit and vegetables you will need to know how to store it to use beyond the growing season. This could be because all of your fruit becomes ripe all at the same time, or because you have a particularly good harvest, one year, or because [...]
