Photo: Fiona in a bee suit with smoker
My name is Fiona Nevile. I want to share our journey towards our goal of partial self sufficiency. It is such a satisfying, old fashioned endeavour, that provides moments of glowing pride alongside the occasional smelly disaster.
I started this blog after we decided to invest in our future. Retirement looms in a few years time. Before I fell ill I often worked in houses where people had recently retired. Usually they were testing the water. They had plans that they had dreamt about and tweaked for years:
- Raising a few chickens
- A small vegetable patch
- Bees
- Homemade wine and liqueurs
- And the individual extras which could include stock car racing, dabbling on the Stock Exchange, breeding terrapins, planning the trip of a lifetime and dreaming about a lottery win that would finance the lot.
Watching from the sidelines, I realised that often the first four of these interests can take years to get up and running. So I decided to start early. These activities are so satisfying that within months I was peering over the parapet. Why not cure and smoke our own bacon and make salami? How about making sausages and homemade butter? And where could we find food for free?
Six years later we are investing in now as well as our future retirement.
Why just plan for the future? Investing in now can be a bumpy ride but generally we’ve found that it’s fun and our quality of life is so much better than before. Each week our horizons expand.
This website charts our journey towards deluxe self sufficiency and beyond. Our aim is to live like kings on the lowest possible budget. Visit our new forum for inspiration and ideas from our readers.
My articles have appeared online in the Wall Street Journal, Reuters, Chicago Sun Times and many other publications. Use the ‘contact us’ tab to speak to me. Writing commissions are always welcome.
Some people like to visit us here at the Cottage Smallholder.
Because I have been ill and unable to work since July 09 we decided to host advertising on the Cottage Smallholder site from December 09. Click here for more details.
a brief potted history of Fiona’s career, which has ended up in our attempt at partial self-sufficiency.
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FD
Thank you, Danny. I wasn’t expecting quite such a rapid response! Don’t let me keep you from your chores, though… 🙂
Hi James, and a sincere Thank You for your many contributions.
You have hit a nail on the head. I have finally managed to take some annual leave to do some work on the site (and mow the lawn, weed the driveway . . . the lists of ‘er indoors go on and on 🙂 )
That is task #1. The top priority. Give it another week and it should be in place, along with some other improvements
This really is a wonderful site, and if you haven’t already, I think you should publish a book of your recipes.
I don’t know how easy it is in WordPress, but the only thing I have found myself wishing for is a breakdown under the main headings. You’ve got over 300 recipes and it would be very useful (IMHO) to be able see a list. I know half the pleasure of browsing is to stumble on stuff, and you can tell me to go away and stop being pedantic, but I’m sure there are lots of things on here I would rush to read if I knew what they were… 🙂
I have soooooo enjoyed my unplanned excursion into the 41 wine and spirit recipes – thanks very much for your site. I’m just about to launch into 2009 damson gin production, having experienced a year of “no damsons” in 2008. I did experiment with blueberry vodka instead (2nd time) but didn’t keep a note of sugar content . . . and have had variable results/serves me right I suppose. However, blueberries now at silly prices and as I haven’t enough space to grow them shan’t be testing this year. I am truly delighted to discover a second use for gin-soaked damsons – boy – does that suit my recycling tendencies/without a headache . . .
Just a quick word of appreciation for a fascinating site. My other half (Ann) found it while looking for things to do with sloes (as well as gin) and I’ve spent the rest of the evening exploring!
We seem to have had a bumper crop here in the Isle of Wight (hello Colin Boswell!) and it seems a shame to leave too many on the bushes…
My husband found the site whilst looking for a larger chimney brush!! He instantly thought that the site would be something I’d love!!I grow loads of herbs and some veg etc. I forage every day as I only need to walk through the bottom of my garden to fields of haw berries, blackberries, rose hips, sloes, damsons and mushrooms from time to time. My only problem is work! Without it I couldnt afford to live here but with it I hardly have time to live how I’d like to.
Whats the answer do tell me!
Just happened across your website which is immediately a favourite! I live in Willingham so not too far from you I’m guessing and 3-years ago my husband and I bought a slightly run-down house with 2.5 acres which we are now renovating (the land especially which had become extremely overgrown). This year we are finally making something of our land (instead of chopping, strimming, spraying) with the addition of a 35ft polytunnel, 5 laying hens (now 4 sadly), veggie beds, an orchard, and many many plans for the future!! Good luck with all your plans and I look forward to reading more!
Hello Sara
You made my day!
I love foraging – looking out for blossom in the spring and then returning to pick in the autumn. Very few foragers round here. Which is crazy as the hedgerows are thick with fruit. You have to be on foot to spot them, though.
I love this blog!!!
my friends and partner always joke and say im old before my time because i love gardening & growing veg. i just feel there is more to life than all the materialistic things!!! dont get me wrong i do love nice things etc but sometimes i like to disapear into my garden and grow something…
We have recentley moved to a new area. we dont have any conection to the area but we were fed up with living on the outskirts of london in a tiny flat, with crime being the way people make a living!
i noticed a lady picking blackberries the other day whilst on my way to the super market to pay around £1.99 for a tiny punnet of them!!! i didnt buy any!!! i took my children out and showed them what mummy used to do as a child. i cme across some damsons – although i didnt know what there where. i had an idea so i punched in damson to google and up came your blogg. I LOVE IT!!! i am in no doubt that i was looking at damsons, i am now on the look out for sloe’s. i thought i had found some but i have not seen any thorns, even though they look like them.
anyway….. thank you for all this wonderful information. i will indeed teach my children any new skills that i learn, most probably from your blogg now that its in my favourites
xx
Hello Claire
The cabbage white butterflies have been in abundance this year. They lay eggs which hatch out as caterpillars with a taste for brassicas. If you can find the patches of eggs wipe them off the leaves ASAP. You can pick off the caterpillars but you have to kill them or they will return.
Hello Ann
I do hope that you enjoyed making your jam.