Self-sufficiency

[Jotham79]

There are a lot of threads about how many rai it takes to live on, but I can't remember seeing any comments on becoming self-sufficient. One of your major expenses if you are living on a budget is food and much of this can be taken care of around the house. I am curious if there are many of you who do this to some extent and would like to know what you have tired or are doing now. I know tomatoes have been well covered here and on the main forum, but what about the rest?

When we first married and started building a house my wife started planting things around the house she wanted for cooking. When I asked her about it, she said she wasn’t lazy. It is interesting at meal times as the first thing she does is take a walk around.

We are by no means self- sufficient, but it is a goal of mine to get as close as possible as we are on a budget. At one time or another we have basil, lemon grass, galangal, pak cha ohm papaya, various chillis, various eggplants, kabook, breadfruit, Marian plums, kaffir limes tomatoes, wild greens and some wild leaves, bananas, growing around our fence, she uses in curries. We have chickens and this is expanding. At one time or another in the past we have had limes, guava, rose apples, custard apples, melons, cucumbers, bamboo, coconuts, sugar cane and some other stuff I can’t remember. We have had ducks and probably will again. We have just added quail and several breeds of chickens that are meant for profit (I am starting a small hatchery), but I hope will provide much of our meat. If I can ever find them close enough I will add rabbits. Everything above our needs will be sold or traded. My MIL works the market and specializes in chillies, onions, and garlic so we get that from her. We have about a dozen other family members nearby who work the market and they sell for us and we buy from them.

As I prepare for retirement and will be there to help out we are reorganizing. We are adding limes, rose apple, jackfruit mangoes, custard apple, papaya, and guava. We are putting in some raised beds, concrete rings, pots, and hanging pots to grow a lot of different veggies. I am considering trying to go organic at my house, but will have to see how practical that is. I hope visit the Colonel and add some mushrooms.

On my farm we have a lot of things that are mainly for subsistence and we sell the surplus these. We have Magaup, star fruit, miyum, Jackfruit, Somo, miyom, various bamboo, sour tamarind, coconut, pakbung, papaya, and keelek. Of course we eat some of our other fruits (manila tamarind, jujubes, guava, mangos, Marian plums), and crops that we run commercially. I have a single pond dedicated to our fun and subsistence with a dozen or so species and also have some gai bahn. We plan to add a small permanent garden there where we will plant small amounts of lots different veggies that will be for subsistence and to sell the surplus. We may add a patch of asparagus, but I am not sure if that is worthwhile.

Anyway, I am just curious about what others are doing.

[pigeonjake]

hi jotham,

well i think it sounds great mate,

as you know we have mainly pigs, but also run about 30 karkie campbel ducks, this will be more,

we have other ducks as you also know, gease mainly to make noise as i was told they keep snakes away too,

i have pigeons, that could also be food as ive got to over 20 now,,lol and more hatching, but i do like to see them flying round,

we have fish in the pond behind the pig pens,

the veg we grow is mainly cucumber, chillie, egg plant,long bean, veriouse herbs,

but as you know im still working for a living, but when i do retire ill try like you to grow most of our own food and sell more pork from home,

i think it is doable, its not easy but hey nothing is easy now,

good luck mate, and ill be in touch about the duck eggs once them others that i cant spell start laying,,lol

jake

[tw25rw]

A quick search brings up several permaculture projects in Thailand. One of their courses might be useful to you. I think these things work better on a village scale rather than just 2 people doing it, but if you pick up some know how and are successful, your neighbours might want to join in.

[Jotham79]

I got interested in permaculture 20 years ago and have read some books (should still have them around the house). I have applied some of the concepts but I found many weren't really applicable. Had I studied before I bought my land it may have been more helpful. Also, I am limited do to some health issues. At the end of the day, I need to make a small profit and hope to grow most of my own food around the boundaries. There are quite a few decent videos on utube.