Chickens<\/strong><\/p>\nChicken-keeping is the obvious answer for many people wanting to indulge in a more self-sufficient lifestyle. Over the past few years, there’s certainly been a resurge of chicken-keeping popularity in the UK, and I know, on my street alone, I’m not alone in having a few hens. Hens fit into most gardens, and whilst there are the expensive coop brands like Omlet, you can find decent sized houses for less than \u00a3150. These will suit at least a couple of hens that’ll give fresh eggs and produce some wonderful manure.<\/p>\n
Growing Your Own<\/strong><\/p>\nObviously, stepping towards farming, self-sufficiency or a smallholding, whatever you want to call it, involves growing your own. But, alas, once again gardens can be small, allotments hard to get your hands on and you might not have the space to lay out a vegetable plot. Luckily, where there’s a will, there’s a way, and you can always grow\u00a0something,\u00a0<\/em>whatever plot (or even balcony<\/em>) you’ve got. Utilise height by growing beans and peas up fences or along railings, and use growbags or old dustbins for tomatoes and potatoes. Even growing some herbs on your windowsill is better than constantly buying those stupid supermarket ‘live<\/em>‘ plants that wilt and die within days (weeks if you’re lucky<\/em>). If you have a pot, you can grow something. And, sometimes, starting out small is all you’ll need to stir the inner farmer.<\/p>\nMaking Your Own<\/strong><\/p>\nAs much as growing your own and keeping hens helps the self sufficiency lifestyle, all in all it comes down to making your own. You need to be able to\u00a0use<\/em> the things you’re producing. You might be able to barter some bags of fruit for a haircut from your friendly barber, but I’m not sure you’ll be able to walk into a Hi-Fi store at Tottenham Court Road and convince them to swap you a stereo for some homegrown potatoes. Therefore, by making and using every bit of produce you create, you can save money for other things. Eggs (again, here’s why chickens are so useful)\u00a0<\/em>can be used for a ridiculous amount of things; breakfast, omelettes, cakes and baking, egg-fried rice – the list goes on. The shells can be crushed and put into the compost heap too. Preserves are your friend too; jams, jellies, pickles and chutneys can be made in vast quantities. Make a year’s supply in an intensive week and you’re set for the months ahead. Plus, homemade goodies make\u00a0GREAT<\/em> gifts too.<\/p>\nI’m not about to give up on my dream of a proper smallholding in deepest, darkest rural Suffolk, but I have to come to terms that its still many years away. However, I’m not going to let that stop me. And you shouldn’t either. It’s surprising how many foods can be made, or substituted for homegrown goodies. And, once you’ve starting growing and saving, it’s hard to stop!<\/p>\n