Homegrown organic vegetables
While the UK is still in a period of uncertainty with a delayed Brexit, the election of a new Prime Minister and ongoing concerns about our environment and climate change, it’s natural to feel a little overwhelmed by the big issues that will ultimately affect us all.
It’s unlikely that any of us can individually solve our Nation’s difficulties, but it may be a good time to focus on the small actions we can take to ensure we’re resilient to potential changes in the future.
The Guardian recently featured an article by Rebecca Schiller, detailing her desire to take back some control and move towards a more sustainable way of life in light of the impact of climate change, the aftermath of the Brexit Referendum and Donald Trumps presidency.
It’s well worth a read: Take back control – could self-sufficiency be the answer to a no-deal Brexit?
Becoming completely self-sufficient may not be an option for lots of us, but there are many benefits to learning how to grow your own fruit and vegetables, make your own store cupboard essentials and even delve into the delights of keeping chickens in your garden so you always have access to fresh eggs.
There are lots of free resources online to help you take steps towards becoming more self-sufficient, and of course lots of books available in your local library.
Alternatively you might like to get more hands-on by getting expert instruction to set you on the right path - we list many relevant courses, here's a small selection:
Green Rocket Courses in West Wales have some great sustainability focused gardening courses:
Learn how to grow your own delicious home grown fruit and vegetables with a greater resilience to our changing climate.
Gardening journalist Kim Stoddart with teach you about polytunnel basics, time saving tips, growing all year round and dealing with extremes of weather on this fascinating course.
Grow your own tomatoes
Leafy Rainbow Chard
Learn about the pleasures and perils of keeping hens in your garden, their suitability as pets and the joys of having your own fresh free-range eggs with this beginners' course at Mantel Farm >
You could also keep your own bee hives - they are fantastic pollinators and will provide you with your very own supply of honey!
This course in Sussex with the Wayward Bee is perfect for those who want to keep bees sustainably on a small scale.
And of course if you have got plenty of space you could consider keeping your own pigs, goats and even learn to share the workload with donkeys!
Poultry keeping
Beekeeping
Join professional forager Jade Mellor for a full day of wild food foraging and discover what fresh green leaves, edible blooms and wild food you may already have access to.
And why not learn about how to utilise these wild plants for medicinal purposes? You will be taught all about making herbal remedies on this one day intensive course in Lincolnshire >
Wood sorrel
Hops and lavender
Not only is learning to make your produce sustainable and self-sufficient, but artisan food is delicious too.
Learn the basics of making your own bread in Oxfordshire >
It is particularly useful, especially if you are growing your own fruit and vegetables to learn how to pickle and preserve ingredients from your garden and keep your cupboards well stocked throughout the seasons. Acton Scott Historic Working Farm have the perfect course A year of preserving >
Breadmaking
Pickles
Kintsugi is the magical Japanese art of repairing broken pots with gold. This workshop in Buxton will teach you some traditional and modern skills of repairing ceramic >
Breathe life into old furniture and home furnishings, like learning to upcycle using paint with this regular chalk painting workshop day in Kent >
Plus, there are plenty of sewing courses that will teach you how to repair your clothes and accessories, as well as make your own and repurpose existing materials.
Kintsugi
Chalk paint
