A few of you seem interested in my life-style so I thought I would give you more info.

The basics are food, water, power.

Food I grow my own pork and chicken, veg and salad crops. Besides the outside growing, I have a large heated greenhouse. I hunt for other meat sources like rabbit, pheasant, pigeon. Yes pigeons may not have a lot of meat, but it is rather nice.

Anything I cant grow, or make. I locally source and buy in. I have slipped a bit lately with take-aways the lads introduced too me. Note to self "cut them out!"

my pork, chicken and veg and salad are all organic. I also have a small orchard for apples, pears, plums and cooking apples. Black currants too.

Water Is provided by two large spring filled ponds. I think my grandparents must have installed this. But one is pumped through filters to the house. The other feeds several animal troughs, and an outside tap. I also have visiting ducks every year, I never eat those, they have their young and leave.

Power I have a wind turbine for electricity. I dont use much, it powers the house, and lights and heats the farm buildings. I also have a freezer room. So it powers that too. I sell quite a bit of electricity back to the grid. Thats another source of finance.

So thats the basics.

I have an aga to cook and heat the house, this is fueled by wood I grow, so it's sustainable. I get paid by the Woodland Trust for maintaining the wood. Another source of finance. The lighter side of that is I have badgers and foxes who live there.

Telephone, internet and TV

These are all perks from living next to an airbase. I get them for free. The signal isnt strong, but it is constant. It rarely cuts off. TV is global so many channels I DONT watch. I have a mobile too this isnt strong either, and cuts out completely in some areas of my land.

I have ten acres by the way, and a largish victorian farmhouse. with a multitude of out-buildings.

I/we used to have rare breed sheep as well as pigs, but I decided to become just pigs. Gloucestershire Old Spot, to be exact, a very freindly, intelligent breed, and a very good earner.

As I am a recluse, everything else is via the internet. Which is my lifeline.

Other things like healthcare, are sometimes difficult. My doctor, I have had since birth, is now in his 70's but he knows everything about me and how far to push me.

As for the business side of things, my lack of any formal education, is overcome by my wonderful accountant. My bank provided for me. It costs, but its worth it, He keeps me well in the black.

I think thats about it. Any questions dont be afraid to ask. Marky out