Birch Cottage has a new website of its own
Visit the Birch Cottage website to bookWelcome to Lackan Cottage Farm
We’re Steve and Claire Golemboski-Byrne, we live here off grid with our daughter, our dog, cats and horses. We make all our own energy using wind and solar, grow as much of our own food as we can (it varies widely) and have used permaculture design principles to help us create a great place to live.
Here on the website you’ll find stories about the projects we’ve undertaken – what works, what doesn’t. You can come stay in our guest cottage – Birch Cottage and we will show you round, or maybe you just want to find out how to do some of this stuff. Either way, welcome.
The earth is full
If only Paul Gilding's message that unlimited growth is totally unsustainable could be heard by more people, and that rather than putting their heads in the sand, they would act now to change the way we live.He sums up the reasons why I have chosen the lifestyle I...
Hydraulic Ram Pumps
Ram pumps are fantastic things - no external power required, and they can shift water over fairly large heights. Ideal if you want to pump from a stream up a hill. This video demonstrates really well just how they work -
An extension?
Headed off to England this week to get our latest addition in the form of this ford cargo horsebox, which will be a removal lorry, horse transport and occasional temporary accommodation as we establish ourselves in a new home over the next year.
Chimney sweeping!
By way of pre-midwinter preparations, we thought it would be a good idea to do a bit of chimney sweeping, and what a good job we did. After six months the flue was full of soot, and desperately in need of cleaning, especially the bit outside where it gets cold. Tar...
Un-consumerising Christmas
This Christmas is different from those that have gone before, for a variety of reasons. First, we don't have a lot of space here in the truck. Second, we do have pretty much all we need. Thirdly, it's tough out there people, and we don't want anyone spending money...
Bye Oak..
Yesterday I lost an old friend, and had to make one of those decisions that you just don't want to have to make. I feel very strongly that when you take on responsibility for an animal, then that responsibility lasts a lifetime. Poor Oakley wasn't blessed with good...