Also, we've been away for a month visiting family and friends in the UK. It was a lovely relaxing trip and in between cups of real tea and pints of real beer, we managed to use some of our time doing some research for the house as we went along.
Our first stop was Florida, a few days stop-over on the way home and a cultural experience we'll never forget! After a day or two with our hospitable friends in Miami, experiencing the sights (white beaches and glistening skyscrapers) and sounds (mainly salsa and Colombian accents), we joined the migration of RV dwelling 'snow-birds' with our rental car, tent and roll mats, and headed for the Florida Keys.
When researching our Florida trip, we were slightly offended by the term 'primitive camping' used to describe us humble tent users. However, after one night in a $45 a night state park (blasted continuously with air-con exhausts from RVs either side of us) and one night in a forest clearing on an Indian reserve (with no facilities), we happily accepted our place among the 'primitive' campers.
Saying that, despite their air-con, satellite telly, dishwashers and other mod-cons, the RV club are effectively living off-grid and there are great 'green' systems in place at the state parks. We attracted some funny looks checking out their composting loos, solar water heaters, lights and recycling systems.
Once back in Scotland, we started buying books, reading articles and picking the brains of friends and family about off-grid living and generally anything 'a wee bit green'. We travelled south to Plymouth to visit the Eden Project and loved their ideas about permaculture and alternative architecture. Mainly though, it was just nice to see a collective group excited about things like compost and low impact living and so happy to share what they have learned.
We also visited the Findhorn Foundation which is an alternative community near where I grew up. They have some great building and community ideas such as a natural sewage processor, wind turbines powering the whole village, straw bale houses and generally great local produce like bread, veg, honey and lots of crafty type things which they sell in the community shop. The only frustrating thing is that newbies like us, in search of ideas and inspiration, find it difficult to get info on implementing these systems or ideas ourselves without attending one of their (expensive) courses or workshops.
On the other hand, the local council is introducing some great recycling projects. My Mum introduced us to the 'Green Cone', a kind of composter/digester which breaks down all you household food waste. It seems really straight forward, it's a basket underground with a plastic cone sticking out the top with a lid which you lift up and chuck in all the kitchen rubbish. Then you can plant veggies around it because as the sludge breaks down, it seeps out and feeds the earth around the cone. Simple!
We made the most of our time in the UK choosing and being gifted some great reading material too. A few that we found great are:
Barefoot Architect by Johan Van Lengen - sold over 40,000 copies in Mexico and is full of great and simple ideas that we're looking forward to trying.
Off-Grid by Nick Rosen - A really informative read which lets us know that it's not uncommon to live off-grid, not crazy and not as hard as everyone thinks!
The Self-Sufficiency Bible by Simon Dawson - Brilliant for all sorts of things, however far you want to take it, whether it's tomatoes in a window box or hunting, skinning and gutting your own rabbits.
Henkeeping & Beekeeping by the National Trust - very funny and passionate books for smallholders - everything simply put and to the point.
I also think the following websites are great for their no-nonsense, practical approach to what's often portrayed as a romantic lifestyle:
www.aselfsufficientlife.com
www.selfsufficientish.com
We were left with a lot of great ideas and were really keen to get back and get started. Now that we're here though, it's hard to know where to start!
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