Tips on self sufficiency: wanna be country bumpkin
 

Hi all, i hope to start the new year by moving from the big smoke to some land i have in county leitrim.. my plan is to become as near as possible to self sufficiency... im looking for tips on polytunnels & growing veg (im a complete novice to this). Also where to purchase a decent one to start off.

Im also looking for tips on keeping chickens and live stock, in particular goats and pigs, As am getting 16 chicken, 2 geese, 2 ducks and 2 cockrels from a friend... chickens and ducks are already laying
so need to educate myself fairly quickly lol... any advice welcome..

Also any ideas as to what to do with 1.5 acres of land that may help produce an income???
land is in a high area on side of a mountain and has reeds growing on it....
will also be building a wind powered generator sufficent enough to give me a suitable power supply... will post picks as soon as ...

kind regards Vagabond, hope ya all enjoying the snow

land in leitrim
 

Hi Vagabond, the first thing that came to mind when you said there were reeds growing on the land was waste disposal ie. instead of septic tank. Sounds disgusting but if you google reed beds for composting waste, I remember reading something about it when we were researching in the early days. Eibhlin.

thank you
 

hi Eibhlin and thank you for your reply... i have heard of this before but not sure how to go about it or if planning permission is required... but i will research it further ..

Again thank you :-)

Help available.
 

Hi Vagabond,

Google John Seymour book

Your Allotment by Clare Foster
The organic Garden green gardening for a healthy planet) Allan Shepard.

Google River cottage.

Lots of info out there, and there's a guy South Tipperary that sells fantastic poly tunnels for about 700e.

If you're into Diy, Google Diy poly Tunnel and you'll find some very creative home made ones.

I posted a link on another thread here about a chicken keeping newsletter that you can have sent to you via e mail every week..no charge.

http://www.keepingchickensnewsletter.com/

There is also a page on Jumbletown about turbines.

http://www.xcweather.co.uk/?Loc=GB

http://windstuffnow.com/main/microwave_wind_generator

http://www.richardcollins.net/winsol_epilogue.html

http://www.allsmallwindturbines.com/

http://otherpower.com/users_manual.shtml

http://ivan.benkovic.szm.sk/


Best of luck with your venture.

many thanks
 

Hi Fries with that.....
thank you for the reply.. actually you know me as irish iiiis but for some reason cant acces my account so had to set up a new one... il check out all your info you gave me ... again many thanks .. cant wait to move n get started living the way id like to...... hope your keeping well

from Admin
 

Hi Vagabond,

The account for IRISH_iiiis (note format) is still active.

Regards
Chris P
Admin

second account
 

Hi chris, thanks for that.... do i have to delete one or can i simply let my other half use one of them??

from Admin
 

Hi Vagabond,

Your "other half" can use one of the accounts. Let me know if you have any problems accessing either of them or if you want to change any of their details.

Regards
Chris P
Admin

Poly tunnel
 

Hey vagabond check out this sitehttp
//www.self-sufficient.co.uk/greenhouse.htm for making your own poly tunnel

I hope no-one minds, but may I suggest :

http://www.selfsufficientish.com/forum/index.php


We are a friendly lot & what we don't (collectively) know about self-suffieciency ain't worth knowing!

I Would also highly recommend any of John Seymour's books (try fleebay for them just after xmas ;) )

MW

build a turbine !
 

Hi,
We are supporting a lovely venture in co clare, which has an open farm for farm forest and river trails, hands on training to understand renewables and sustainable living.( eg build your own wind turbine!) Children Parties, visitor centre, and training courses and also a huge indoor eco craft area with crafts like bird feeders from plastic bottles to spend hours at! Support this great amenity for Co Clare and beyond by having a look at www.imecofarm.com Thanks

how are you getting on? I hope you keep a diary of all your adventures, we keep chickens at the end of our garden and its great. also my daughter and her husband got us a polytunnell off e bay, we hope to get it all ready soon for planting in the spring.so we are trying, on a smaller scale, to live the good life.any way will look out for up dates from you as the year goes on. theresa