More cynical is one way to describe how view the world these days. For me, it’s a trait which has developed from life experience and knowledge gained along the way because I believe most people become a little more cynical as they get older. When I first joined the Army at just 18, I was
When I received a request from Eden Grow-Rooms to run a small story about their product on Self Sufficient Me, I thought, yeah why not? I've been considering writting about grow rooms for awhile now because from a food growers perspective, I'm always looking for methods, tools, and ideas on how to improve my harvest and a grow-room is
Article updated on 24 May 2019 When I first saw rosella seedlings in the nursery I must admit to having little knowledge about the plant except for knowing great jam can be made from the “fruit.” And, I further have to admit purchasing these seedlings without the slightest research into how to actually grow
In today’s society we’re constantly bombarded by rules and regulations making us conform to a certain set of community values and logic. Largely, these values, rules, and regulations are good to have and keep our communities organised and functioning. However, the sheer overall success of implementing and upholding laws both locally and globally has led
Article updated April 2015 Some people struggle with the thought of owning a rooster and wonder if they should keep one with their flock. Others, wish they hadn’t got a rooster and now want to get rid of him. I can’t make the decision to get, keep, or remove a rooster for anyone; however, I
Tomatoes are an amazing fruit and the tomato plant is a wonderful act of nature. I’ve previously stated how easy it is to grow tomatoes; however, awhile back, a cousin of mine had a “bone to pick with me” when she read an article of mine referring to growing tomatoes as “easy.” She said that
(This article was reviewed on 30 Mar 2013) I recently wrote about keeping roostersand what they taste like if a person decides to get rid of their rooster and eat him. However, I didn’t elaborate on the slaughtering process and just what steps actually need to be taken to get the chicken from the
(This post was updated on 13th May 2013) Ever since I first started jogging seriously back in my high school days (around 1985/86) when I was preparing for a career in the military, I’ve always needed music on my runs. Whenever I’ve had to run/jog without music the experience for me has been less enjoyable.
When the end of orange season comes, more often than not we are left with a surplus of this wonderful fruit, which is a really good position for me to be in because it forces me to do something with the extra bounty before they go bad. Orange marmalade is great, fresh orange juice is
In my last solar article: 20 Solar Questions Answered (when I asked 20 questions from Brett the QLD State Manager of Green and Gold Solar here in Australia), I concluded by stating not to be surprised if in 6 months to read about my own solar installation. Well, I’m pleased to announce that’s exactly what
Whether you're looking to install your own PV system or just interested in solar energy and systems then this article is for you. From start to finish I have detailed my whole solar installation experience including selecting an installer; equipment used; step-by-step installation coverage (with images); and any problems I, or the installation crew came across. So my previous
This article was revised on 14 December 16 (a video I created was added towards the end of the post below – this gives some extra information on growing cucumbers and also how to ferment/pickle them). Cucumbers, the phallic melon which takes pride of place displayed proudly in the fresh food section in supermarkets around
The famous pickle Cucumbers are the most famous of all pickles, so famous that if I asked, “would you like a pickle?” You would probably assume I was offering a pickled cucumber when in fact a pickle can mean many different foods – which have been pickled (like peppers). As I explained in our
Often people who grow their own produce, whether plants or animals, are considered to be doing so to save money, eat chemical free food, grow what they can’t buy, or as a hobby to help stay fit and healthy. However, few consider home grown food production (like a backyard vegetable garden) as a way to
Updated on 4th Dec 2017 A review of a cruise ship, namely the Sea Princess, is a tad unusual for a self-sufficiency blog… I admit that – but, this is no ordinary self-sufficiency blog. And, since a large readership of our website are nature lovers, retirees, people approaching retirement from the workforce, and also people
This article was updated on 28 Nov 2015 I‘ve known people who have given up and given away their chickens simply because they felt chickens were too much trouble to look after. In fact, we’ve even benefited from people asking us if we could take their birds off their hands for free because they were
For several years now (perhaps even the last decade) alarm bells have been ringing about the rise of obesity. I find it odd how the mainstream news, current affairs, and media in general regurgitate the same dire warnings about how the “world is getting fatter” like it’s the first time this phenomenon has ever been
This article was edited on 13 May 2013 I’ve written reviews about wireless headphones before specifically the Motorola S9 HD (two models back from the Motorola S11-Flex HD) and I also compared the S9 with the Jabra Sport Stereo Headset. To me, exercise is important and it’s part of the self-sufficient culture and lifestyle I
The death of my American Hovabator incubator Updated on 12 Dec 2015 When my American Hovabator incubator died, it put me into a bit of a spin because I essentially wasted about 60 quail eggs due to the thermostat packing it in. Basically, the temperature soared overnight to past 120 F and the developing embryos
When I walk around the supermarket fruit aisles, all I see is ever increasing prices for a shrinking array of fresh produce. It seems like there is an attempt to groom ordinary consumers into creatures of habit buying certain premium product lines which are easy to manage with long shelf lives just to allow for
Self Sufficient Me is a blog about self-sustainment by growing our own produce (plant/animal), and self-fulfilment by looking after our health (physical/mental) through exercise and slowing life down a little.
