Practical Self Sufficiency

306 Pages·2010·70.06 MB·English

by  Dick Strawbridge

B E E N E R G Y E F F I C I E N T G R O W Y O U R O W N U S E S O L A R P O W E R K E E P B E E S
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G DICK & JAMES STRAWBRIDGE A
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THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO A

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M A K E C H E E S E K E E P C H I C K E N S A N D G E E S E G R O W M U S H R O O M S B R E W B E E R

LONDON, NEW YORK, MUNICH, MELBOURNE, DELHI

Senior Editor Alastair Laing
Senior Art Editor Sara Robin
Managing Editor Esther Ripley
Managing Art Editor Alison Donovan
Editors Sharon Amos, Emma Callery
Designers Tina Vaughan, Kathy Gammon,
Vanessa Hamilton, Vicky Read
Illustrator Andy Crisp
Photographer Peter Anderson
Production Editor Ben Marcus
Production Controller Man Fai Lau
Picture Researcher Jenny Faithfull
Publisher Mary-Clare Jerram
Art Director Peter Luff

First published in Great Britain in 2010 by
Dorling Kindersley Limited
80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL
A Penguin Company
2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1
Copyright © 2010 Dorling Kindersley Limited
Text copyright © 2010 Dick and James Strawbridge,
Jera Enterprises Ltd
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by
any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording
or otherwise, without prior permission of the copyright owner.
A CIP catalogue record for this book is
available from the British Library
ISBN: 978 1 4053 4441 8
Colour reproduction by Alta Images, London
Printed and bound by Hung Hing, China

IMPORTANT NOTICE
Neither the authors nor the publishers take any responsibility
for any injury or damage resulting from the use of techniques
shown or described in this book. The reader is advised to
seek appropriate expert advice before undertaking electrical
work. For all construction work the reader is advised to wear
protective clothing and follow instructions carefully
throughout. Advice on natural remedies in this book is not
intended as a substitute for medical advice and use of them
is entirely at the reader’s own risk.
Discover more at
www.dk.com
DICK & JAMES STRAWBRIDGE
PRACTICAL SELF
SUFFICIENCY
THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO
SUSTAINABLE LIVING
Contents
Authors’ introduction 6 Chapter 2: Energy and Waste
Understanding electricity 56
New Way to Renewable energy options 58
Self-Sufficiency
Using solar PV panels 60
What are the basics Using solar thermal
for life? 12 systems 62
Self-sufficiency Harnessing wind energy 64
vs sustainability 14 Harnessing water energy 68
How much land Building a waterwheel 72
do you need? 16 Using a hydraulic
The cycle of the seasons 18 ram pump 74
Urban opportunities 20 Conserving water 76
The urban plot 22 Using sand filters and
Suburban expansion 24 reed beds 80
The suburban plot 26 Using biofuels 82
Rural adventure 28 Using an anaerobic
The smallholding 30 digester 88
Reusing and recycling 90
THE HOME
Chapter 1: In the House THE PLOT
Taking stock 36 Chapter 3: Productivity
Conserving energy at home 38 Approaches to growing 98
Using passive solar gain 40 Growing with hydroponics 102
Improving home Achieving a productive plot 104
infrastructure 42 Set up a greenhouse
Building an earth shelter 48 irrigation system 110
Building with straw bales 50 Growing under cover 112
Setting up a workshop 52 Build a cold frame 116
Making a greenhouse
heat sink 118
Gardening in harmony Managing a wood 182 Curing meat and fish 246
with nature 120 Making charcoal 184 Smoking your own food 248
Growing in urban spaces 124 Make a cold smoker 250
Build a raised bed Chapter 6: Animal Husbandry Make an earth oven 252
and make a wormery 126 Keeping chickens 188 Brewing beer and mead 254
Taking on an allotment 128 Build a chicken ark 192 Making wine 256
Setting up a Keeping turkeys 196 Making cider 260
well-equipped shed 130 Keeping ducks and geese 198
Keeping pigs 200 Chapter 8: Natural Remedies
Chapter 4: What to Grow Keeping sheep and goats 204 Herbal tinctures 264
Sowing and planting 134 Keeping cattle 208 Revitalizing infusions 266
Plan the growing year 136 Keeping bees 212 Immunity-boosting syrups 268
Vegetables to grow 140 Game, fish, and vermin 214 Healing beauty 269
Fruit and nuts to grow 148 Greener cleaners 270
Pruning, training,
TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE
and grafting 154 Chapter 9: Craft Skills
Chapter 7: In the Kitchen
Herbs to grow 156 Working with wood 274
Eco-kitchens 222
Create a herb spiral 158 Working with willow 278
Preserving the harvest 224
Grow your own mushrooms 160 Make a willow basket 280
Making cream, butter,
Foraging for wild plants 162 Green woodworking 282
and yogurt 226
Storing the harvest 164 Working with metal 284
Making your own cheese 228
Problem solving 166 Mending 286
Baking bread 232
Making pickles and
Chapter 5: Working
chutneys 236
Large Areas
Resources 290
Making jam and jelly 238
Observing, planning, Index 294
Bottling fruit and
and designing 170 Acknowledgements 304
vegetables 240
Creating boundaries 172
Drying fruit, herbs, and
Fodder crops to grow 176
vegetables 242
Storing crops on a
Make a solar dryer 244
larger scale 180
AUTHORS’ INTRODUCTION
We are lucky enough to live on a smallholding in a
beautiful part of Cornwall in our own valley and half
a mile from the sea. Our move to Newhouse Farm was
documented in the BBC TV series It’s Not Easy Being
Green, but it was not inspired by television; it was a
family decision that was the culmination of years of
experimenting and dreaming about the good life.
We have always had an interest in self-sufficiency.
Some of Dick’s earliest memories are of helping his
father in the garden, or collecting mushrooms with
his mother; quality time that produced the tasty
vegetables he remembers from his childhood.
While James has always been involved with nature
and the garden, going for walks collecting berries or
digging over the gardens of the many houses we’ve
lived in. Now we both write and work in television.
There is still a mortgage to pay so we have to spend
time away from Newhouse Farm, but returning is
always calming and makes us smile; it reminds us
why we have our smallholding.

This book is aimed at everyone who has a desire
to be a bit more self-sufficient or to live life more
sustainably. There is absolutely no reason not to
start today. It doesn’t matter where you are living
there is something in this book for you. You can
reduce your energy bills, make cheese in any kitchen,
grow herbs and tomatoes on any windowsill, and
learn more about sustainable living and apply it to
your situation. This book is a collection of the
information that we have been amassing for years.
We don’t expect you to jump in and do it all at once,
but no matter what stage in your life you are at, we
are sure there will be something in here for you.
Don’t forget to have fun – if you are not smiling you
are doing it wrong!