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??

We don't have a food waste collection, nor do I have anywhere I could compost or anywhere to put said compost once it is made.
Do vegetables actually grow if they're grown indoors with nothing to pollinate the plants?

This is a common fantasy. Being very, very polite: it doesn't make any sense, other than scratching a psychological itch.

I think the frame of mind it appeals to is people who are feeling anxious about the world and want some sort of illusion of control by pretending to themselves that they've severed links with it.

You know who were completely self-sufficient? Primitive subsistence farmers, thousands of years ago. The changes in the way people have lived since then are generally considered a good thing.

The best life is not one with cut-off from the rest of humanity and their diverse abilities, it's one near the biggest group of the most advanced of them, where you can take advantage of everything they have to offer. In other words, in or as near as possible to one of the major cities of the world.

No bin collection in my area either, it's all on me to separate, compost what I can and bring to a recycling centre. So that is one reason why I try to use less plastics and reuse what I can etc.

@wanderlove not being smug at all (sorry if it comes across that way) I'm just excited and positive about it.

We have all sorts of vegetables growing in the garden ...I say "we"...DH plants, tends, and waters them and I occasionally pick them (I think theres only spinach ,rhubarb and a few herbs at the moment) but we are very far from self sufficient, because we have DC who are not keen on vegetables!!

On the downside, we are eating a hell of a lot of chard. Is this the kind of thing you meant?

Growing veg is hard !! I’m poodling all weekend and it’s a fun and relaxing way to fill a day . But am I under NO illusions I can be self sufficient

We've been thinking about getting chickens recently, and growing some veg. We planted lots of fruit trees a couple of years ago but they're not doing much yet. I'd love to grow vegetables but I find they get eaten before we get a chance to - I'd love to know what I'm doing wrong!

My local shop is a co-op. Not sure that's got any eco benefits

www.ethicalconsumer.org/company-profile/co-operative-group-ltd

We have a small veg patch plus some fruit trees. Currently growing plums, lemons, oranges, nesperas, pears, peaches, pomegranates, almonds, apples, raspberries and strawberries plus potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, carrots, Swiss chard, cauliflower, red cabbage, spinach and beetroot. Also have chickens for eggs and meat and a couple of home reared pigs in the freezer. With a bigger area (just ploughed) we hope to be not only self sustaining but able to share the field with neighbours within a year.

God almighty a poster is excited about something and down come the hoards to tell them to stop being "smug".
Yes its a bit of a stretch to think everyone can just go buy land but op has already moved house what do people want her to do? Move into a 1 bed flat just to put her in her place?

Its not impossible to grow veg indoors even in a small place. No we arent all going to be self sufficient but insulting someone who is excited about thier new life is really childish. It smacks of "I cant have it so i will take the piss just to make you feel bad."

Doing something is better than nothing. And gardening even in little pots on the kitchen windowsill or a couple of grow bags in your postage stamp size garden is really quite satisfying.

Good for you op. Hope it all goes well.

Good for you. It’s very therapeutic and worthwhile trying to grow your own food . We have fruit trees and various raspberry, strawberries black and red currant, gooseberries , tayberries , blackberry bushes .
I grow my own herbs and salad leaves throughout the summer too . The cut and grow again ones save me an absolute fortune every year . Last year we got chickens . We also have a well if we needed it ( was a god send a few years ago when the water pipes froze ) and solar panels and a wind turbine .
I really enjoy my pottering but realise it’s not for everyone . I think the op is suggesting that perhaps people make more use of their gardens as opposed to running out to buy a small farm. For anyone interested in having a small raised bed in your garden there are some excellent Facebook groups .” Grow your own grub “ is excellent as is “ Square foot gardening “.
Don’t let the miserable sods get you down . It’s very much a Can’t as opposed to a Can attitude on here sometimes .

There’s lots of information online about vertical gardening if you have a small balcony .

Buy some land. 😂😂😂😂😂😂. I've got to laugh. Some poor people have just about got enough for a loaf of bread. I'm alright Jack.

I would love to be able to have a house that was self sufficient as much as possible right down to sustainable energy and water but I can't afford it right now. But what I can do is grow my own salad and at least that is one step in the right direction and right now that is my way of being as self sufficient as possible lol. I would love to have the same opportunity as OP has so I am cheering them on.

My second step is to get a proper composter and I would like to rework my garden so those who have grown fruit trees thanks for the inspiration, I was thinking of adding height to my new garden design and thinking of trees but fruit trees would be a good idea over a non fruit tree.

Anyone grown fruit tree have an reccommendations for shady areas? Or do they all need sunlit areas?

I have turned 3/4 of my yard into no dig beds and a hugel culture. If all goes according to plan I will be able to grow enough to last us months if the bunnies and chipmunks don't take all my seedlings
I have invested in a pressure canner and will be canning my produce.
I am buying meat from my mate who is a farmer.
I dont have big yard but should be able to produce what a family of 3 need.
I live in the USA and Im very concerned, so trying to cover my arse

Is this an episode of Peppa pig or something?

I live in a tiny flat with no garden but i would love to. I currently have a thread running in chat about how im looking into projects that plant trees for a direct debit each month to help the planet. Im also looking into flowers and veggies or herbs i can grow in pots outside thr front door.

@Samtsirch - your grandparents had a much lower standard of living than now. It’s weird harking back to days of poverty and shortages

Wow some people really delight in being arseholes dont they.

I have a friend who built her own earthship and two who run permaculture workshops. It rocks, but it’s a hard way of life. They also recycle old chip shop oil and have converted two vehicles to run on it. They homeschooled three kids to university.
Go big, I say. I have a huge amount of respect for them. Good luck.

If you have space the best thing you can do is have some chooks. We have had them (Aus) for the past six years or so, there is nothing more delicious than your own eggs (and when eggs were in short supply here we didn't have to worry). They also take quite a lot of our food scraps which is an added bonus. Growing your own herbs is an easy one no matter where you live. I have always been a bit "waste not want not" but I am being extra careful to use absolutely everything I buy in terms of food, if everyone did that it would make a huge difference long term.

I think it is a great opportunity for a lot of people to think about making some major life changes, but being more self sufficient is incredibly hard work! I expect there will be more interest in allotments. I would love to think people will try and make more green choices around lifestyle a d consumption. Do you really need to buy new shoes and jewellery? Does your phone or car or TV really need to be upgraded? Can you buy second hand toys, books, clothes and furniture? Can we eat less meat and dairy? Can we try and shop for food in our local market (I live a 20minute cycle from a market sp yes, I'm lucky there) and can we cycle more if roads are quieter

I'm growing more veg myself but I think you need several acres to be self sufficient! I just have a 12m square garden and a husband who wants half of it to become a play area for the kids and won't give up his bbq area so we are all competing for a small space!

I think it is absolutely wonderful that you've found a new passion in this time of crisis. Tackle your project gradually and don't lose heart. You should watch The Good Life - every episode was about things going wrong and relying on neighbours for a bit of love and help. But it is hugely satisfying to make a big change and come out the other side with some success. Good luck.

@managedmis best comment award

Buy some land! Why didn't I think of that

We pay for everything ourselves. Does that count?

Ah thats buggered up my plans for me and my wife to be Tom and Barbara (if only we had a Margot next door, ahhhh!!!). Small plot of land the size of our back garden, oh that'll be offers over £175,000 please, right you are, where's my cheque book?