[Markos101]

Hi,

I'm not usually one to endorse publications, products or companies, but I think for those who are interested you should take a look at the Dorling Kindersley New Complete Guide To Self-Sufficiency For Dreamers And Realists. I've just ordered my copy so I'm only going by reviews of the book, but it contains how to become self-sufficient using anything from an urban small holding (not expensive to invest in!) to a few acres of farmland. The new edition also contains information on how to use wind and solar to become energy self-sufficient.

Note that in the UK farmland is (relatively speaking) as cheap as chips at £3,000 an acre. Might be worth an investment in an acre and look at how much taxes/overheads on such an acre might cost. I would hazard a guess not much, and it's value might rise considerably in the next decade.

Of course you have to get to the farmland, but it should be interesting to see just how much continuous work and materials is necessary to break from the grip of industrialisation and fiat money.

I'm buying the book, and as you 'tend to become what you study', you never know, by the end of this year I might be geared with all the knowledge I need to sustain myself through the collapse of the global food markets.

I've got some relatives back in Wales who own farmland and bungalows with a large amount of land, so that should prove useful if things really do start to get difficult. I'll probably practice my skills on an inexpensive small holding, selling it if I need to move for economic reasons and buying another one whereever I am. I can also rent/purchase a small amount of land off a farmer (much of which is setaside land at the moment) if that's more convenient.

Should make an interesting read.

Mark

[NevadaGhosts]

Hey,

Let us know how the book was after you finish it.

[backstop]

Dear Markos - another book you may be interested in is the classic of the genre: "The Complete Book of Self-Sufficiency" by John Seymour. He's been a working farmer (in Wales) and has taught many young people the basics since about 1967.

BTW, having spent time in the UK, I should say that smallholdings are very expensive per acre compared to farms, while house prices are just absurd. Therefore, if you're set on the UK, it may be worth forming a group of like-minded people to buy a place in common, and get far more land for your money.

Regards,

Backstop

[Markos101]

Thanks for the advice Backstop.

Mark

[nigel]

Mark - In the fantasy die-off survivor world you appear to anticipate, the 60,000,000 legals (and the 100,000,000 illegals according to the Daily Mail right wing newspaper) on this tiny little island will be looking to you for food.

Simple fact is, this island cannot support that number of people without imports.

Plan to surround the place with machine guns and guard it with 10 dozen platoons (allow extra land for their feed and extra land for the extra workers to farm that much land by hand and horse).

Failing that, expect a Stalinesque farm food collection and distribution system.

Mad Paddy's ancestors would probably have said - "I'm dying for a potato.'

[Markos101]

Okay mate, well you completely forget about self-sufficiency and continue buying your food at Wal-Mart.

I'll continue to invest in my education and skills for the coming decades and give my self a fighting chance.

Mark