Self Sustained Food

Money_Fritter

Hi Folks,

I was just wondering if people on this forum try to live self sustaining or 'off the grid'. If so how easy is it to accomplish.

Also is it possible to grow most of your own fruit and veg all year round, thus becoming self sustainable with respect to food.

Thanks
Moeny Fritter

Ken68

Yes Money, I am close to it. Grow own fruit and veg, freeze the surplus or dehydrate or store in the cool. For example Taters, beans, plus winter stuff in the garden , leeks, swede, carrots. etc.
If you have a reasonable sized garden go for it.
Helps that garden is light soil.

Money_Fritter

Ken68 wrote: »

Yes Money, I am close to it. Grow own fruit and veg, freeze the surplus or dehydrate or store in the cool. For example Taters, beans, plus winter stuff in the garden , leeks, swede, carrots. etc.
If you have a reasonable sized garden go for it.
Helps that garden is light soil.

Thanks Ken68,

Is there anywhere you would recommend for information and help. Any good books etc

Thanks

Ken68

This site, Money but more n Allotments4All and Self suffientish and Downsizer. Read also John Seymour.
You could go the full monty but keeping animals is a big no no for me. Never a day orf.

forgotmyname

You will need a fair size chunk of land for all your veg/fruit needs.

I planted 100 onions and its surprising how much space that takes up.

Wife said what will you do with that many. But they soon got eaten. All long gone.

And this years been poor for a lot of stuff. Apples are rotting. Strawberries were sparse as were the blackcurrents. Blackberries are starting to flower again. But very few actual fruits.

rhiwfield

Self sufficient?

Given enough land and the time/effort to work it, it should be possible to grow enough fruit/veg to tackle most of fruit/veg needs, especially if you are able to store and preserve.

You'll fall short on eggs and dairy and cereals unless youve got a lot more land and into animal husbandry.

Off grid implies energy and water sufficiency as well, not sure if this is the right forum for that.

I think people here go further than most to achieve partial self sufficiency, this year being a bad one for a lot of people due to the weather.

Ken68

I have a relative who tried TOTAL self sufficiency, woodburner, orchard veg garden fruit etc and goats/chickens. But it didn't work out, needs commitment from the family.
But a veg garden that supplies most of your needs is possible/weather permitting.

Mojisola

This is the classic - https://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Complete-Book-Self-Sufficiency/dp/0751304263

This is for veg production - https://www.amazon.co.uk/The-New-Self-Sufficient-Gardener-illustrated/dp/1405321334/ref=pd_sim_sbs_b_4