I am so inspired by the idea of self sufficiency but i live in the city and on one had it seems the most logical thing in the world to do but on the other hand it feels like turning my back upon all the progress that society has made.
I have been following the documented move towards self sufficiency of blagger (Nik Rawlinson) http://www.blagger.co.uk though he works in London and lives in Essex.
He has been covering everything that you might expect. From chickens, vegetables, winemaking etc.
daveg
30 Nov 2008, 6:25 PM
Sounds great if you believe in utopianism but frankly I've not met anyone who is self sufficient. Definitely for dreamers only.
contadino
23 Sep 2009, 3:45 PM
Someone (I can't remember whether it's John Seymour, Kains, or HFW) describes self-sufficiency thus:
Imagine a line where one end represents working for a wage that pays for everything in your life, and the other represents full self-sufficiency (i.e. neither having nor earning any money, but instead producing everything you need to live by your own hand.) Now pick the spot along the line that represents the level of self-sufficiency that you're comfortable with.
I imagine that it is nigh on impossible to be fully self-sufficient, especially in highly regulated societies (taxes make it prohibitive.) However, I consider myself pretty much self-sufficient. My only bills are for internet access, petrol for machinery, the occasional bill for electricity when we use more than we produce, and car insurance - all paid for from a cash crop. When people ask what I do for a living, my stock response is that I'm self-sufficient and my conscience is clear that I'm not lying.
