Coming Out of the Cold

Hilary Parslow

“It’s all going so well!” I wish I could say. The truth is, it’s all a bit quiet and I blame the weather. I have watched reproachfully as the dog and my other half cheerfully stride off on long wintry walks using up lots of energy and then return only to snooze by the wood-burner. It wasn’t meant to be like this when we planned our active self-sufficiency! My personal challenge has been the cold, cold few months when the ground has alternated between being frozen solid and saturated, and I’ve been the same. Wouldn’t it be lovely if we could just hibernate on the days when the warm fire is more appealing than venturing out?

Having said all that, the garden is looking a little more prepared for business. We have a very wide hedge that I thought we could slice in half and lay. I forgot how hard it is to do. Even the smallest amount of heavy digging leaves me gasping for a sit down and a nice cup of tea. So our plans have been modified and the abandoned hedge is being justified as a great place for wildlife that doesn’t give us backache or blisters. We have selected some young trees in it that we shall allow to grow and tackle the rest bit by bit. No hurry.

The veggie plot is lying dormant, ready to receive the lovely compost made last year. It has been left alone all winter but discussed at length as we plan and replan what to put in. Yes/no to potatoes, runner beans yes, sweetcorn definitely, broad beans yes, beetroot yes, radishes no, pumpkin of course etc. In the herb garden the garlic is in and the perennial herbs trimmed ready to surge ahead. The little greenhouse is tidy and clean, destined to supply us with endless yellow cherry tomatoes as well as start the whole show going. I have a shiny new spade and we are ready. Just as soon as it warms up…

I think this constant reappraisal must be the main lesson of the whole project – ‘set your goals in concrete but your plans in sand.’ Mind you, shelving the whole garden plan and maintaining the field as a wilderness garden has had enormous appeal through the recent sheeting rain. However I am not one to be defeated and having been unable to work in the garden due to an alarming amount of lying water we have rethought the grand design. This centres around wood chip paths, raised beds and raspberries, a family favourite. We have also been feeding the wild birds all winter so that they will help us by keeping the pests at bay later on. I’m sure they won’t touch the soft fruit out of gratitude, and anyway I’ll give them a good talking to if they do.

Our pretty hens are sadly depleted with the demise of our shy Buff Orpington. One day she looked a bit off and the next day very off, gone in fact. That leaves us with a tiny flock but also in a quandary about what to do about re-stocking. I contacted Defra asking for any advice on avian flu and the veterinary officer gave me the website address (www.defra.gov.uk) with the suggestion that I keep informed through that. At the moment we shall carry on as normal, ignore the media led hysteria and wait to see what happens.

We still want to take advantage of free solar energy, thereby reduce our heating bills and make a small difference to global warming. I imagined that with the alleged concern over depleting resources and rising sea levels local and central government would be keen to support us. To that end we have enjoyed a lengthy communication with our local district council which goes something like this:

1. Initial contact by phone, by me, to a planning officer. Do I need planning permission to erect solar panels on a south facing roof that is not overlooked? Response: a sharp intake of breath and mumbled reply saying he really couldn’t commit. Would send me a form to apply for a planning permission form.

2. A week later I received the form-to-apply-for-another-form form. I filled it in and sent it back.

3. A week later I received a yes, we have received your form letter. We will send you the other form in a bit they said.

4. Two weeks later I had a phone call. Please phone us on this number to discuss your application for the form for planning application. We need more information, the voice added darkly.

5. I did manage at this point to speak with a helpful planning officer. I don’t need planning permission as I am a) not listed and b) not in an area of outstanding natural beauty. However the units must not stick out over 6 inches from the roof and the way forward is to decide on the make of the panels and then submit the details for permission. Right-o then.

At the same time I have been looking into the availability of grants for installing solar panels. The timid eleven-year-old manning the government funded helpline didn’t know where Exeter was. Where is the next nearest place? she whispered. After all the other local towns came up blank, I suggested she typed in ‘Devon’ and helpfully spelled it out for her. There is one in Barnstaple, the only one in Devon she said. I asked about finding my own supplier, could I still receive the grant? Apparently not; in a shocked whisper I was informed that acting on your own initiative doesn’t cut it grant-wise. And anyway the grant period is up.

What we are now looking at is creating our own sealed system using an old radiator painted black and covered in glass to maximise solar energy uptake. This is placed at ground level and using the law of physics that heat rises, circulates water into a water tank in the roof. We picked up ideas like this during our visit to the Centre for Alternative Technology in mid-Wales and think we’ll give this a go. No large investment, no requirements for planning permission and no involvement with well-paid government agencies. After all, self-sufficiency is all about doing it yourself or at least getting him indoors to do it.