bil

Ah? I assumed it was a euphemism for something less edible. Never wanted a horse, so it doesn't bother me what someone rides on.

Horsemeat is fine, I have no problem with that.

bil

Well, there are problems with some ideas. Chickens, had those, but I found that unless their protein intake was boosted in the winter with expensive pellets, they stopped laying. All in all, the eggs work out as more expensive than you can buy. Better, yeah, can't refute that, but what I spent on maize and pellets, I could have afforded to at the best quality eggs on the market. It's the same with energy saving. All too often, the cost of installation is so huge that it does beg the question as to whether it is worth it.

I would certainly argue that only water heating is worth it, and even then the payback period is certain to be measured in years, more than 5 for the average household.

Wind power, if used to generate power, it will give sod all for a domestic system, and the cost of a bank of batteries to store it would turn your hair white. Now, a better use would be to use the turbines to run the power thru a water tank heater to heat water again so as to have more het in the colder, less sunny months. Again tho, cost......

Trout farming, hell, the cost of pellets, and the fish have to be eaten very young, because trout pellets are sh'it food at best, and the animals get very flabby if allowed to grow.

'The Good Life' ain't really all that practical, not with the high cost of watering, fertilising and storing.

Dick Dasterdly

A lot of ppl.look at the good life and self sufficiency through rose tinted glasses until they get down to it and really find out what it's all about.
If they are inexperienced they can soon learn some very expensive lessons,whether it be in the UK or here in Spain.
Not only that but it's never quite as simple or as easy as it may appear at first sight.

Some of the older more experienced Spanish here with odd bits of land tend to know what it's all about and usually come out of it on the right side with the aid of selling a little surplus to the local co-operativas, but it still requires a fair amount of dedication especially where livestock are concerned.

I doubt if many newcomers or even younger generation Spanish have that same level of dedication and know how to make a go of it, but I can only wish the best of luck to those that try.

bil

From my own paltry experience here, I have discovered that it's seldom worth growing stuff when the costs of pesticides, fungicides, herbicide, water, fertiliser et al are all accounted for.

Plus either it all dies, or you have a horrendous surplus. When I have the latter I just offer it to the neighbours and get the odd bag of stuff in return.

Dick Dasterdly

Well as I said there are plenty of experienced older generation Spanish who do seem to do ok and make it all worthwhile.
Not being here permanently myself there's little point in me doing too much, but the older Spanish guys here advise me on what to grow because it grows easily with the least amount of expense and maintenance and what to avoid like the plague, not simply because it won't grow, but because it's usually far more trouble than its worth and can also cause complications elsewhere.
I've always found there advice to be invaluable and always right on the mark despite my own inclination to go my own way in the early days.
If you have any such neighbours down your way, it's not a bad idea to keep well in with them and do as they do.
After all they've likely been doing it succesfully for generations and usually without the assistance of many of todays very expensive artificial aids.

bil

Well, I've learned like you say, that there are certain items that just aren't worth it. I'm furious because I like parsnips, but they won't grow here without some expensive soil treatment, and it doesn't appear to have worked.

jackytoo

We stopped bothering some years ago as our water was expensive. Suppose it's ok if you have a well. Had some super tomatoes but they were all ready together and was getting a carrier bag a day off them. At he same time they were only 50 cents per kilo in the shops! Then we had some large melons and they all withered and died suddenly.

Lionda

Gold is at a high just now .... £10 a gramme here

Lionda

Cameron doesn't want to jeopardise his main objective in his career .. to move to Brussels. He's a career man and being PM is not in the interest of Britain, it's just a rung on the laddder to him

Dick Dasterdly

Cobblers, thats always been a Labour speciality.

Dick Dasterdly

C'mon yous blues.
Looks like your showers taking a pasting bil,
Quite right too.

HBG

It looks like the second biggest chunk of Europe has just turned blue, with a whacking majority. The markets like the colour, so it might quieten them for a time.

It rhymes with Heseltine, but I'm not going down that road, not at this time of night, I get paid in pounds and if the pound goes down, so do I.

bil

And you are so right. After the inadequacies and rubbish from the left, now will arise a golden age under Rajoy.

Of course you do realise what the rules are, don't you? Your side blamed everything on the left and ZP.

Fair enough. If the improvements are not swift and impressive, I will be pointing out that I told you so, and everything, but everything wrong in Spain will now be the fault of the PP.

Fair enough?

Dick Dasterdly

Not really and you know it.

I am sure that you are as aware as everyone else that it will take at least 4 or 5 years and maybe nearer 10 to clean up the mess the socialists have left behind, both in the UK and Spain, by which time no doubt they'll be ready to come back into power and piss it all away again.

Unfortunately something of a never ending vicious circle.

bil

Fair do's. The tories were still blaming Labour 17 years on. Nice to see that the US shitstorm is now the fault of Rajoy.

Hey, be fair, the right has been blaming ZP for ages, so now it's our turn to sit back, put our feet up and sneer at the government.