On Sun, 04 Feb 2007 12:15:52 +0000, Peter Duncanson
> wrote:

>On Sun, 04 Feb 2007 10:51:29 +0000, "Pete ‹(•¿•)›"
> wrote:
>
>>Many of us could live quite happily off the produce from an
>>average size garden, if we had to. In fact some of our dearly departed
>>even lived in mud huts!
>
>Is this garden self-sufficient in water?

Bore holes, wells or rivers. The world managed quite well for many
millennia without taps!

>Does it have a well? Does it have sufficent rainfall? Does it have
>sufficient storage capacity to provide a daily supply adequate for
>the needs of the people, animals and plants on every day of the year
>regardless of season and weather?
>
>Alternatively is there access to a shared water source - a river or
>well perhaps - that provides a reliable all-year-round supply?
>
>If not, the people, animals and plants are likely to be "stuffed"
>(and shrivelled).

I suspect you have no interest in learning.

However lets take a look here for starters.
http://www.veganviews.org.uk/vv70/vv70pfaf.html


Plants for a Future by Harry Mather, Vegan Views 70 (Autumn 1995)
PLANTS FOR A FUTURE, (an article about them appeared in VV 55 of
Winter 1991/92) is now over 4 years old and what started as an
experiment along the lines of vegan self-sufficiency and permaculture
is proving a success. Ken and Addy took over a 28 acre barley field in
Cornwall and, with some volunteer help, planted hedgerows and
thousands of trees, which are now growing, thriving and fruiting.

They first spent years researching plants suitable for vegans, to
further increase the variety of the diet by using long neglected trees
and plants and those used in countries outside Britain; and not only
edible plants but also those that would help the vegan lifestyle for
clothing, lubricants, oils, paints, waterproofing, ropes and wood
preservatives, also medicines.

They also want to maintain the diversity of plants and counter the
trend towards relying on ever fewer species that could lead to
disaster if ever one species failed due to world climate changes, for
instance. They are already growing hundreds of different species of
edible plants from temperate and sub-tropical zones around the world
and would like to selectively breed some of them to improve their
usefulness or taste (e.g. reduce bitterness). Yams, Oca and quinoa are
part of their diet. They grow many herbs with medicinal properties,
including some common ones: Thyme maintains the vigour of body cells,
Sage is good for mouth ulcers and sore throats, Camomile for
children's stomach upsets, and garlic acts against Candida. They wish
more research would go into plant-based remedies as an alternative to
drugs.

Flax is the well-known fibre plant for producing cloth (the oil from
its seeds is also beneficial) but stinging nettles, hop stems and lime
tree bark are some of a number of plants that yield fibres for cloth,
rope or paper making. Indian Hemp (not the Marijuana variety) also
produces very strong fibres and hemp clothing was recently an
expensive fashion item.

Amongst many interesting uses for plants that they have come across
a a bulb that, dried and grated, is used for soap flakes, a
dandelion that yields high quality rubber, a tree whose sap makes an
excellent varnish, a fruit with a waxy coating that makes aromatic
candles, a plant that makes a pot scourer and a bulb that yields a
strong adhesive for paper.

Plants for a Future are forming a basis for a vegan future,
cruelty-free, environmentally sound, without exploiting other
countries and using renewable resources - agriculture avoiding large
fields that can only be sustained through artificial fertilisers,
pesticides, etc. They have also replaced open fields with trees that
are the lungs of the planet, maintain soil fertility and stabilise the
climate. Trees not only provide renewable fuel and construction
material but provide food, oils and often medicine.

Ken and Addy had to overcome the initial disappointment of not being
allowed to live in the large hut that was on the site, but, as they
were about to be evicted from it, a rented house became available in
the nearby village. Local people were at first not friendly to these
eccentric-seeming intruders but have not failed to be impressed by the
results. A recent Open Day attracted many visitors. Two people in the
village have turned vegan and several vegans have moved in to nearby
houses - so the dream of a local vegan community is taking shape.

They have even appeared briefly on TV. The presenter, who was doing a
programme on food, said this was all very praiseworthy but he could
not give up meat (a familiar excuse) and spent the rest of the
programme exploring Cornish fishing villages and their produce.

Plants for a Future is a non-profit making organisation. A centre
supplying information on useful plants and, where possible, supplying
the plants themselves. All plants are grown without the use of
artificial fertilisers, sprays or animal products (vegan organic).

They have a number of leaflets on various plants and subjects and a
catalogue is available of plants they have on offer.

They are grateful for any donations, investments or legacies, large or
small.

Visitors are welcome, but please be sure to make an appointment before
coming.

Plants For A Future, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall PL22
0NG. Tel. Bodmin (01208) 873554 or 872963. Website: www.pfaf.org

- - - - - -

Recently, a farmer who farms organically with dairy cattle said he was
struggling to maintain his family on 60 acres (admittedly he had 7
children).

In Plants For a Future they have 28 acres and Ken intends to leave
half of this as a nature reserve - for the non-human animals, as he
puts it. On the remaining 14 acres he claims he could maintain 30
people, who, when the project is fully established, would only have to
work 2 or 3 hours a day, leaving plenty of time for leisure and
crafts.

If dairy farmers were to change over to production of vegan foods, it
seems as though they would make a financial gain.

Related Vegan Views articles...
Cross-reference: Growing Fruit & Veg
http://www.veganviews.org.uk/vvcrossref.html#grow
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