John_Seymour self sufficiency

[Snadger]

I read his self sufficiency book many moons ago. Was the comedy 'The Good Life' not based upon it?

I think some of it is relevant today but not all. I remember reading that to save money on barbers or shaving materials, he advised growing an uncut beard and let your hair grow long! I tried it for a while but it got very itchy and all manner of flora and fauna were living in the abundance of hair!
From what i remember he was very anal on crop rotation but not so much on ecology and mixing of plants in a naturalistic fashion encouraging wildlife. (Apart from the beard!)

Maybe someone should write a more up to date version?

[Elfeda]

Snadger, the first thing caught me when I saw his pic today is beard

his subject is about selfsufficiency, but I think he mentioned few companions to attract bees if remember any correctly.

what ever I read sounds same even for today, can't say about the chapters i skipped as me keen about veg only. better part of my day today went in exploring about his works..


today I preserved runnerbeans from his tip to jar them using salt

[KevinM67]

Not having read the book - what does he mean about 'self sufficiency' ?

[Elfeda]

Kevin, VC shared a link with the free pdf version of this book. we mainly talking about growing own fruit and veg (not even all the food needs) though he mentioned lot other aspects towards self sufficiency.

[KevinM67]

Kevin, VC shared a link with the free pdf version of this book. we mainly talking about growing own fruit and veg (not even all the food needs) though he mentioned lot other aspects towards self sufficiency.

Cheers Elfeda - I'll download the pdf on the pc.

Without coming across as cynical, bitter and/or twisted - is it truly possible to be self sufficient ? (without selling a million books to supplement that lifestyle)

I totally agree with the principle of re-adjusting our lives to become less dependent on supermarkets supplying our food needs, on being less wasteful with resources and trying to recycle/reuse as much as we can.

However, to be 'self sufficient' requires a bit of land for starters, a certain infrastructure in place, access to resources and a contingency fund in place if things don't go right.

I admit I'm being overly pedantic over the book title - I'm mainly trying to stimulate a bit of discussion.

[veggiechicken]

The title says it all - "The classic guide for realists and dreamers". JS uses the term "self-supporter" and I think this is more apt than "self sufficiency" if we interpret that to mean 100% able to live without external inputs. (I just made that up so it may be rubbish).
For example, he says "the city dweller who learns how to mend their own shoes, becomes, to some extent, self-sufficient".
By growing your own fruit and veg you become more of a self-supporter/self sufficient than those who don't.
Its up to the individual on how much of a self-supporter they become, although there are limits imposed by needing land, good health and skills.

Is that enough waffle for you, Kevin

[Elfeda]

Kevin,

we can give little important to book tittle , as we have no interests on so many things. but this book helped me to improve my growing plans, preserving and encouraged me to include variety of crops than just sticking to lazy growing of beans and squashes

infact i am spending far lesser time at allotment now

[KevinM67]

It's not waffle at all VC.

I did type a response, but pulled it - with the 'vegging out' thread not the being the best place to post it.

Can I start a thread in 'General' on my scepticism and annoyance about those who preach 'self suffiency'.

I promise I'll behave (but I might get a bit feisty).

[veggiechicken]

I've moved this thread into General Chitchat, where it seems to fit more, so, up to you Kevin, where you post it. Shall I get the pointy stick out ready?

[KevinM67]

I've moved this thread into General Chitchat, where it seems to fit more, so, up to you Kevin, where you post it. Shall I get the pointy stick out ready?

Get that pointy stick and your sharpener at the ready - I'm going to let loose. (not really).

[veggiechicken]

I'm ready

[KevinM67]

Right here goes -and please, this is meant as a discussion post rather than a rant.

Anyway, I shudder when I see the term 'self sufficiency' - I associate it with a utopian dream, usually promoted by those needing to sell books or entertain the media so they can afford such a lifestyle.

I believe in the concept and would welcome any advancement by our Goverment to promote the idea - but for the masses it is unfortunately a non-starter.

I'm a socialist at heart (a real one that believes in people - so before the daily mail readers start having palpitations - listen me out) - however, I have a fair degree of cynicism when 'self suffiency' is mentioned.

We watch and listen whilst being preached and cajoled into this phoney lifestyle by people whose lives have no resemblance to our own.

From Monty Don, to Hugh Fearnley Whathisname, to Carol Whatever, to John Seymour - all have/had property and land that can/could accommodate 'self suffiency', - yet feel the need to market the idea for cash.

I'm obviously being over critical - I enjoy what I do, growing my own, recycling/reusing, doing my bit. However, if I was truly self sufficient - could I pay my Council Tax by bartering in potatoes ?

[Elfeda]

Kevin good discussion, I recon one of my friend wrote an article long agao as her dad had to sell of farm lands and with that they had to sell of cows , other farming animals and even chickens as they can not feed any of them woth out cultivation land. and in tha place slowly kitchen electricals came into life and made life easier. still we miss the own fresh milk. cheeze..own grains from farms..fresh eggs, cheap and manually purified water and even handwoven cloaths etc...and even its all evected to local pottery business, milking business etc all disappeared .

and all in all she might be worried for all of it, just because she believed in against to capitalisam...

and thankfully you are not much bothering about it. I have picked John Seymour as he is not really into commercial market as much, you can access this very of his book as free pdf officially.

John and his works might be more relevant to that age, and still find usefull for few of us interested in growing, or any other part of living.

other day my FIL was asking on phone if we were growing enough so that we do not have to buy from shops in curiosity. I wanted to answer to his question other way, as we are able to use as much of the produce from our effort? since I am able to manage to use as much of my produce, I dint feel to buy any from shops...If I do not have few ideas like John Seymour mentioned , I would have thrown away many runner beans and other veg. instead i got inspired to include more winter veg in my plot.

This year I have grown sweet corn, and realise though this is not big crop as compared to my dad growing it for seed in acres of land...I grown as much as I would buy from shops ..

I would n't be buying any beans and leafy veg from shops mostly from now.


I am trying to be self sufficient interms of veg only but trying to get some fruit..not worried to grow bananas and oranges. but these boring fruit now became interesting ones to me.

[Snadger]

I think Seymour,Hugh Fearnly and Bob Flowerdew to some extent, have become self sufficient but having done that and proved a point, it is just easier to make a bob or two from writing about it and not having to slop out the pigs each day.

I'm too old now and OH doesn't have the same aspirations I have. I would have loved a Scottish Croft with a small Blacksmiths Shop to give me some extra cash.

Never mind, in a 'future life' maybe!

[noviceveggrower]

When we were last in Scotland we were told that you could get what was known as a crofters loan. As long as you could show you could look after live stock then you could get virtually a 99% loan.
I wouldn't mind moving to Wales as when we went to Shrewsbury we went into Wales a few times and it seemed nice.
I think the problem is how much would you need to grow if you were say a family of say 4. 2 adults and 2 children. Not only that the storing and preserving of stuff to last over the winter and into the spring.
Also many rules and regulations keeping livestock, transporting them and slaughtering them would make it harder now than in the past.