2013 Plans

snow hope · Post by **snow hope** » 01 Jan 2013, 10:42

I plan to :-

Increase insulation (as ever).

Extend my two lean-to's to store more wood logs - currently 5 wood stackers, want to increase to 10.

Buy some woodland (with part of my pension fund) - actively looking. Help my eldest son to start a wood log supply business.

Probably cut-off upper floor of house for insulation heat efficiency purposes.

Replace insecure double garage door and build proper storage area.

Plant more young trees and try to buy field behind my house (with part of my pension fund) - draw up plans for same.

Get vegetable garden seriously productive this spring.

Post by **adam2** » 01 Jan 2013, 11:39

More stocks of booze and fags, despite the fact that I dont smoke and I drink only in moderation.

Buy crossbows and air rifles whilst still legal.

More Mountain house dried food.

Upgrade the 12 volt power system at Mothers, it is not actually unsafe but is very untidy and is not an installation of which I am proud.

Stock up on 12 volt LED light bulbs, subject to the samples that I have ordered proving satisfactory.

Review IT arrangements and cellphones, seem to have at least 8 desktop PCs and several laptops, but mainly not working. "get it fixed or chuck it out"

Catweazle · Post by **Catweazle** » 01 Jan 2013, 14:01

1) Get into a "skills circle" with neighbouring smallholders. This is already in place, they share vets and sheepshearers visits, cut each others hay etc. etc. It's a case of identifying a skills shortage and filling it.

2) Put half my remaining savings into Silver.

3) Learn how to look after sheep, pigs, chickens and geese.

3) Grow everything I can to feed myself and the animals.

5) Run a few small businesses from home to make ends meet.

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 01 Jan 2013, 14:22

Grow more flowers.

Lord Beria3 · Post by **Lord Beria3** » 01 Jan 2013, 16:04

Get pissed.

Blue Peter · Post by **Blue Peter** » 02 Jan 2013, 09:23

adam2 wrote: Buy crossbows and air rifles whilst still legal.

Why a crossbow as opposed to an ordinary bow?

Peter.

stumuzz · Post by **stumuzz** » 02 Jan 2013, 10:38

Take more Holidays in winter.

Try to buy more land.

Do the same as last year.

Give some wealth away.

Post by **adam2** » 02 Jan 2013, 12:14

Blue Peter wrote:
adam2 wrote: Buy crossbows and air rifles whilst still legal.

Why a crossbow as opposed to an ordinary bow?

Peter.

More portable and often more powerful, also might be prohibited unlike "ordinary bows" which are relatively easy to make and therefore can not be easily regulated or prohibited.

Tarrel · Post by **Tarrel** » 02 Jan 2013, 12:23

Create a small nursery to nurture some of the self-seeded seedlings popping up in the woodland.

Continue with thinning and build up wood supply.

Install secondary double glazing in lounge.

Finish insulating the loft.

Construct portable solar PV array in garden.

Build up food stocks.

Plant vegetables.

Do more backpacking.

Do more fishing, to build up the skill.

Post by **kenneal - lagger** » 02 Jan 2013, 15:10

adam2 wrote:
Blue Peter wrote:
adam2 wrote: Buy crossbows and air rifles whilst still legal.

Why a crossbow as opposed to an ordinary bow?

Peter.
More portable and often more powerful, also might be prohibited unlike "ordinary bows" which are relatively easy to make and therefore can not be easily regulated or prohibited.

A long bow would be more powerful than a crossbow unless the crossbow had some sort of winding mechanism to draw the string back. A cross bow is also requires less skill and training to fire accurately. A full size longbow with a draw weight of 100 to 150 lbs would require years of practise to fire accurately, or to fire at all really unless the bowman had been on the weights for some time.

The archaeological remains of a bowman are easy to pick out because of the abnormal and asymmetrical development of the body. The bones of the left arm and shoulder are immensely thicker than the right side due to the compression load from the bow and the muscle attachments of the right arm are really pronounced due to the heavy tensile loads induced.

A long bow is as portable as a crossbow, or even more so, because it can be used as a walking stave and is probably less likely to be viewed as a weapon until strung. A crossbow would obviously be a weapon and is difficult to conceal.

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 02 Jan 2013, 17:20

All that and, apparently, practicing archery gives one a good, erm, balcony

Meanwhile in the real world, here at Chateau Renewable it's grow more nosh, make more wine, in fact "more of same", really. I could even think of running-down the (rather messy and at the moment very wet) wood store to make the place look more presentable in case it'd be a good time to downsize (smaller house, more garden). At the very least, we're going to go through the Renewable garage and flogoff all the junk therein (to make room for more proper stores).

Also, if (unlike last year) it should deign to stop bloody raining for long enough, we intend to do another bike/camp expedition: at least to the coast (ca 60 miles) and back.

Catweazle · Post by **Catweazle** » 02 Jan 2013, 19:53

For the Mad Max fans - a shotgun is cheaper and much more useful than a longbow or crossbow. Shotgun ammunition is not re-useable, but arrows break and get lost. There is no limit on purchasing shotgun ammunition and it's cheap. You don't actually need a licence to own it, but have to show one to buy it. Strangely, all the components to load / reload your own shotgun shells are available without licence, so if you wanted to plan long term, but didn't want to go through the hassle of applying for a shotgun now, you could stock up on reloading supplies and wait until after the crash to get your shotgun ( they'll be cheap once all the shells have been used up ).

Alternatively ( and more sensibly ) get a licence and a few shotguns now, a double barrel 12 bore can be had from £25, and enjoy some tasty free-range meat.

Post by **adam2** » 25 Jan 2013, 14:09

And upgrade the 12 volt system at my home in London.
Batteries are now of doubtful usefulnes, they were secondhand.
Replace all regularly used 12 volt CFLs with LEDs
Install a proper reading light over the bed, rather than a bare bulb suspended on a piece of flex !

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 25 Jan 2013, 14:27

In April, the plan is to rebuild the main section of our front (north) boundary wall. This section is 70 metres in length and 1.8 metres in height. It's currently overgrown and tumbledown but, when rebuilt, will be excellent for espalier and similar growing as its entire length has an unobstructed view of the sun - when it's out.

Little John · Post by **Little John** » 25 Jan 2013, 14:53

kenneal - lagger wrote:
adam2 wrote:
Blue Peter wrote: Why a crossbow as opposed to an ordinary bow?

Peter.
More portable and often more powerful, also might be prohibited unlike "ordinary bows" which are relatively easy to make and therefore can not be easily regulated or prohibited.
A long bow would be more powerful than a crossbow unless the crossbow had some sort of winding mechanism to draw the string back. A cross bow is also requires less skill and training to fire accurately. A full size longbow with a draw weight of 100 to 150 lbs would require years of practise to fire accurately, or to fire at all really unless the bowman had been on the weights for some time.

The archaeological remains of a bowman are easy to pick out because of the abnormal and asymmetrical development of the body. The bones of the left arm and shoulder are immensely thicker than the right side due to the compression load from the bow and the muscle attachments of the right arm are really pronounced due to the heavy tensile loads induced.

A long bow is as portable as a crossbow, or even more so, because it can be used as a walking stave and is probably less likely to be viewed as a weapon until strung. A crossbow would obviously be a weapon and is difficult to conceal.

I have a long bow and can confirm there is quite a learning curve to shooting them accurately. It's a lovely bow mind. Carbon-fibre and left-handed with sights. Also, very long cos I'm a tall, orangutan-armed bugger...

I must admit, though, I'm thinking of a crossbow as I get older because of the strength issue of having to hold the tensioned bow steady. With a crossbow, even if it is a manual draw, once notched, it holds itself steady till the trigger is pulled.

Just need to find a buyer for the bow.