self sufficiency Archives - Lackan Cottage Farm - Permaculture off grid smallholding

Wood pellet boiler adventures

by Steve Byrne | Nov 22, 2019 | off grid, renewable energy, self sufficiency

Sometimes we’re just cruising along doing our thing and a project arrives out of the blue. In this case it came in the form of our largest freecycle ever, courtesy of Leo, who had spotted it and decided it was too big a thing to deal with. ‘It’ is a...

Autumn wines

by Steve Byrne | Nov 7, 2018 | food, self sufficiency

So far this year we’ve made wine from elderflowers, gorse, blackcurrants, redcurrants, raspberries, and rhubarb. Now that autumn is here, we have a new selection of crops from which to conjure wines. Although most of our peaches were made into jam, enough were...

Early summer in the tunnels

by Steve Byrne | Jun 16, 2018 | permaculture, self sufficiency

This growing season was slow to get going, even in the polytunnels, but after all the warm weather, it’s all growing like mad. Today we’re having a look round with Claire at what is coming on in the tunnels. We’re new to this film making thing so bear with us.

Spoon Carving workshop – 10 March 2018

by Steve Byrne | Mar 4, 2018 | courses2018, self sufficiency

Stephen Ryan from Green Woodwork Ireland, will teach you the skills needed to become a traditional spooncarver. Using locally sourced green wood, each participant will learn axe and knife carving skills to produce their own spoon. All tools and materials are supplied. No experience necessary, although it is advised participants should feel confident using sharp tools.

Hedgerow winemaking with Leo – 14th April 2018

by Steve Byrne | Feb 9, 2018 | courses2018, off grid, self sufficiency

A day of winemaking with Leo Cullen, who can conjure wine from just about anything. We’ll be walking and picking some ingredients in the morning, talking about what we can use to make wine, and how to go about preparing our ingredients and equipment, and then sampling some of Leo’s brews over a lunch of home made soup.

Our first willow harvest

by Steve Byrne | Feb 9, 2018 | self sufficiency

Our first basket willow crop Our first basket willow crop is now ready and we’ve begun to harvest it. We weren’t terribly good about keeping the planted willow cuttings weed free, so its a little patchy, but about 90% of the planting has established. Funny...