A thread for lurkers...

Doris · Post by **Doris** » 17 Jun 2011, 12:39

hi don't pass out with shock another posting from me in one week, but i just wanted to say the "small holding" is out of reach for many people for many different reasons, surely it is more about making the most of what you have got.

For instance we have a good sized garden with a veggie plot but if needs be the whole garden could be used to grow food, we have fruit trees everywhere we can put them and we are just investigating whether to sink a tank for rainwater to run the toilet and washing machine if possible. We have a grain burner that heats the house and water and and have had compost and water butts everywhere for years, our yard is not pretty but functional!

I'm glad to hear bartering with goods and jobs goes on in other places too, i recently acquired a new chair for my kitchen swapped for two bags of compost and my hubbie reguarly gets paid in fruit, veg, logs and most recently some old telegraph poles (for the garden) for jobs or errands he runs for people.

bealers · Post by **bealers** » 17 Jun 2011, 23:26

JohnB wrote:
UndercoverElephant wrote:There's nothing I'd like more than to be living on a smallholding, but I'm afraid £80K just isn't enough. And I am in a much better position than most of the people I know...
I think that was the cost of a smallholding at Lammas.

Or in Devon

Potemkin Villager · Post by **Potemkin Villager** » 18 Jun 2011, 09:17

I wonder why it is that a thread for lurkers quickly gets taken over by all the usual suspects?

Perhaps there is an ecological or evolutionary explanation?

nexus · Post by **nexus** » 18 Jun 2011, 09:35

surely it is more about making the most of what you have got.

For instance we have a good sized garden with a veggie plot but if needs be the whole garden could be used to grow food,

For sure. However that's easier for people with medium size to large gardens to say. Millions of people live in houses or flats with either small or no gardens at all. If you've got a massive garden then there is loads you can do, most don't have that luxury.

I was watching Gardeners' World the other day and there was a woman who had a stunning garden, which was about ten times the size of mine, the presenter described it as a 'small garden'. I think a lot of well off people have really lost touch with ordinary life.

Having said all this I do agree you can make the most of whatever you've got. We use permaculture principles and manage to grow a wide range of veg, fruit and salad and keep chickens in what many would consider a miniscule space.

sister of mercy · Post by **sister of mercy** » 19 Jun 2011, 01:40

Hello, loving reading this place, 'tiz amazin. Bye.

UndercoverElephant · Post by **UndercoverElephant** » 19 Jun 2011, 02:05

bealers wrote:
Or in Devon

There's no house with that...

Baldybloke · Post by **Baldybloke** » 19 Jun 2011, 14:27

I guess I'm more lurker than poster but usually have a browse once or twice a week. I find it reinforces my commitment to make changes to my lifestyle.

hardworkinghippy · Post by **hardworkinghippy** » 19 Jun 2011, 18:35

I bought a bow from you a long time ago I think - are you the same Baldybloke ? The bow is gorgeous and still going strong and we started an archery association which is becoming very popular.

I've been lurking a lot recently and not posting as much as I'd like but this spring we've been really busy.

Hi to all the other lurkers.

bealers · Post by **bealers** » 19 Jun 2011, 23:39

UndercoverElephant wrote:
bealers wrote:
Or in Devon
There's no house with that...

No, but residential planning with Oneplanet-alike agri strings attached.

IMO that's a bargain for the right individual. A share of ~20 acres and 5 years breathing space to convert the talk into walk.

UndercoverElephant · Post by **UndercoverElephant** » 20 Jun 2011, 01:20

bealers wrote:
UndercoverElephant wrote:
bealers wrote:
Or in Devon
There's no house with that...
No, but residential planning with Oneplanet-alike agri strings attached.

IMO that's a bargain for the right individual. A share of ~20 acres and 5 years breathing space to convert the talk into walk.

I agree, but I'm not the right individual. I don't have the relevant experience. The website read like a job description on http://www.environmentjob.co.uk/.

Bedrock Barney · Post by **Bedrock Barney** » 20 Jun 2011, 09:21

Was lurker....then poster.....then lurker again (too busy!)....and maybe now a poster again (less busy!)

PhilSage · Post by **PhilSage** » 20 Jun 2011, 11:00

I have posted occasionally over the last few years, and look in regularly.

On most topics, somebody will normally post a POV roughly corresponding to my own, so I don't bother. The instances where I do feel inclined to post are often marginal topics, where I am generally ignored or rebuffed by the in crowd.

Still, I'm not complaining. It's an interesting forum with some good minds posting.

Janco2 · Post by **Janco2** » 20 Jun 2011, 11:54

+1 PhilSage.