bandrui

I am hoping to find an affordable small property/cottage in an area where there are people into sustainable living, hopefully in Somerset, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire or even South East and would be happy to hear from those who have done this, or just have some input.
It's a long shot but am also wondering how feasible it would be to find a plot of land and build a cob or straw bale off-the-grid dwelling.
All tips greatfully received.
Linda

Victor Meldrew

How much are you thinking of spending on this?

A smallholding or larger area of land is probably going to be quite expensive.

In addition, running a smallholding is physically very demanding, even being self sufficient is hard.

I have no experience of this, but looked into it many years ago.

The message which seemed to come out was that self sufficiency wasn't enough in itself and has to be supplemented by a regular income from 'proper' employment.

I would suggest you buy the 'River Cottage' series as this gives a very good picture of what self sufficiency on a non commercial scale is like.

It is also quite entertaining.

There is also a book by John Seymour:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/New-Complete.../dp/0751364428

which gives a very comprehensive picture of what this involves.

Other things to consider include - until what age do you think you could physically do this? What would you do if you were ill and couldn't work on the land? What would you do about holidays as this is very much a 24/7/52 job

I think if you can do it, it could be a very (non monetarily) rewarding experience.

bandrui

Hi Victor,
No, I don't want to be self-sufficient so much as being around an alternative community, that's what I meant by sustainable...i.e.organic gardening, the old arts and crafts, etc.
I have an acre here and work as a gardener so I am quite physically active for an old one. but wouldn't want to manage a smallholding by myself.

In my dreams I see myself in a rural village of like-minded, non-mainstream people with a larger than average garden i.e. a postage stamp is not enough. Said village would be within a few miles of a town with a crafts market.
Thanks for the book links. I have quite a collection of them myself.
The building question is because I know the "Mud Girls" here who build cob houses and it is less expensive than buying a house.

Victor Meldrew

As soon as I wrote that, I re-read what you had opened with and thought maybe I had gone off on the wrong tangent

Your idea sounds fascinating. Good luck with it all.