To think that this is the time to become as self sufficient as possible?

[letsgetplanning]

Just as the title says really??
Anyone else aiming to get more sufficient?
Buying some land, living as eco friendly as possible?
Growing your own as much as you can??
Using local shops that are more eco friendly too??
I'm just starting on my journey and I'm so excited!! Land/house bought, just working on the garden and growing all the while being as eco friendly as I can and buying plastic free etc.
Anyone else doing this or wanting too? Any more hints, tips or ideas??

I think this is the time to think about how we can change our socio-economic system from imperialist, white supremacist, capitalist patriarchy into something more suitable for people and other creatures inhabiting the planet, and not to indulge into privileged middle-class fantasies.

And unless you also provide medical care, education, building services, transportation, clothing, etc. for your family, you are not self-sufficient. Sorry, but "using local shops" is not self-sufficiency.

I've lost 20% of my wage until July and may possibly lose my job. But yeah I'll just buy a bit of land and grow my own potatoes, rather than contributing to the dwindling economy, that makes sense

I'm with @GlummyMcGlummerson

My DH has been growing chard in our back garden. They are giant, indestructible plants and are also ‘cut and come again’ meaning that when you harvest the leaves more grow back. On the downside, we are eating a hell of a lot of chard. Is this the kind of thing you meant?

Buy a plot of land where and what with?

Should my parents grow their own in a Victorian mid terrace with a yard just bigger than a wheelie bin? What about people in flats, people with disabilities?

We're lucky where we live to have lots of local shops. Most areas maybe have one corner shop or small, expensive convenience store.

I'm glad this works for you but it's not going to be The Good Life for everyone.

We are lucky enough to have a big garden and I have planted a lot more vegetables than normal.

It (the situation) has pulled me up a bit and made me think. I’m enjoying my job a lot and being very thankful for it. I’d like to spend less time socialising in the evening. Simple things, but added together I think I’ll be making changes.

It something we’ve been thinking about. We don’t have access to any land except our small garden however. Would love for people to share some advice

We have an allotment plot that we rent for a pittance. For the last eight or so years, we've been self sufficient in terms of veg. We get a bit fed up of raspberry, Apple and blue berrys, so do but oranges and lemons.

We've yet to "grow our own meat", though

@PissedOffProf well I do pay for private healthcare, and my dh does all of our own diy etc.
I don't know why your being so rude, everyone knows that using local products is better than use those from multinational companies.

I didn't expect or say that it would work for everyone.

I've recently lost my job and had Covid so I'm spending my time growing lots of fruit and veg and also houseplants.
I've found it really beneficial for my mental health.

well I do pay for private healthcare, and my dh does all of our own diy etc.

This has got to be a wind up

I hear you OP, I think a lot of people might end up rethinking their way of life after food shortages and the subversive trauma that is going to supermarkets with dire health warnings interspersed with muzac. It feels so sci-fi and yet, here we are, due to a collective fuck up of global (pandemic) proportions.
Its not possible for most to live in a truly self-sufficient manner, but like it or not there will be a significant rise in stay-cations for the foreseeable, less car travel, less overseas business meetings and more of a 'make do and mend' ethos. Which, generally, is more sustainable, if not truly self-sufficient.

It does sound exciting, there are some great books on self sufficiency, if you google it.
You should also watch The Good Life, with Felicity Kendal and Richard Briers, it shows some of the harsher realities of this way of life, and is very funny 😀

@darrenlacey why a wind up...plenty of people pay for healthcare and do diy! They are not abnormal activities!!

Love to. How much is land now again? Are the big farms going to be broken up into small ones? Many can't afford housing, let alone land as well. There are not enough allotments to go round.

YANBU to want to be as self sufficient as possible, at any time, it's just common sense really.

Something about this post seems a little weird... stealth boast? Or a journalist on a fishing expedition perhaps?

@Samtsirch oooh will do thank you!! Yes I definitely think it will be challenging!!

I'm into bread baking and have had an allotment for a decade. However, due to the recent flour shortages I might have to consider putting my plot to wheat and constructing some form of windmill. It may be that this is the beginning of the end for humanity as we know it and due to a significant reduction in the population we are forced into self sufficiency due to the collapse of the global food chain, somewhere between lord of the flies and that one with the chimpanzees in. But, I might have gotten carried away there.

Yep I'm sure getting a grobag of tomatoes and finding a magical money tree to buy some land after the economy has been desecrated will be a viable option

You managed to buy land and a House, have the searches done, found a solicitor open, and complete in the 7 weeks Lockdown has been on. Good going!

ladyface you definitely can get hand mills. Might be easier than constructing a windmill.

Can I buy my land with buttons? I have lots of buttons.
My local shop is a co-op. Not sure that's got any eco benefits (although it should do the prices they charge).
I do my own DIY not sure what that has to do with anything

This also makes me think of how my grandma lived during the ration years, grew all her own veg, had an apple tree, and kept chickens in the garden. Absolutely nothing was wasted and a lot of bartering/ swapping went on between neighbours.
My grandad used to make his own cider from the apples, but the less said about that the better.....

@Samtsirch that's what I'm thinking!
@emz771 no I had actually started this journey prior to the Covid 19 but it has spurred me on massively to be honest!!