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Striving for Self-Sufficiency
Registrace 12. 05. 2011
Striving for self-sufficiency and preparedness; documenting lessons learned along the way.
Hi all, I'm Eimear (ee-mer) and welcome to my channel.
I started taking steps towards prepping and growing my own produce in 2020, and moved to the English countryside a year later.
I have lots of interests (which are mostly connected), including: growing veg from seed, preserving food, food storage, emergency preparedness / prepping, frugal living, off-grid cooking, homemaking, zero/low waste, simple and slow living, strength training, investing, and financial freedom.
I hope this channel will help keep me accountable - let's see!
Hi all, I'm Eimear (ee-mer) and welcome to my channel.
I started taking steps towards prepping and growing my own produce in 2020, and moved to the English countryside a year later.
I have lots of interests (which are mostly connected), including: growing veg from seed, preserving food, food storage, emergency preparedness / prepping, frugal living, off-grid cooking, homemaking, zero/low waste, simple and slow living, strength training, investing, and financial freedom.
I hope this channel will help keep me accountable - let's see!
UK camping trip do-over with bulldog puppy - Testing out the Berghaus Air 600 Nightfall tent
Camping trip do-over with the new tent and Spud! (Don't judge me for getting an air tent - it was my partner's choice and the only way he'd go camping again haha.)
00:00 Intro
01:07 Tent set-up
02:27 Tent tour
04:54 Camping meal
06:47 Evening walk and chill
07:22 Testing the candle lantern
07:54 Breakfast and packing up
08:22 Debrief
#camping #airtent #campsite #bulldog #puppy
00:00 Intro
01:07 Tent set-up
02:27 Tent tour
04:54 Camping meal
06:47 Evening walk and chill
07:22 Testing the candle lantern
07:54 Breakfast and packing up
08:22 Debrief
#camping #airtent #campsite #bulldog #puppy
zhlédnutí: 55
Video
A glut of blackberries and the tomatoes went wild - August gardening UK
zhlédnutí 33Před 9 hodinami
Hey, hope everyone is doing well! I neglected the tomato patch and paid the price by spending about an hour pruning it all back. Let's not talk about the plastic cover that is hanging on for dear life... Currently loving blackberry-picking season, and am out picking these every other day. We have lots of patches of blackberry brambles growing - I know it looks awful to the perfectionist-gardene...
August Garden Update - UK Gardener
zhlédnutí 39Před 21 hodinou
I've been a bit rubbish with CZcams updates since upping my hours at work and have lost momentum. Hopefully I'll get back into it soon! I've also been a bit rubbish with my gardening commitment - but here are some snippets of what I've managed to do. #augustgarden #gardening #garden
First time camping as an adult! UK camping - lessons learned
zhlédnutí 368Před 14 dny
Originally wanted to share a longer video with voiceover but life has been busy so a shorter version is better than nothing! My partner and I recently went camping for the first time in a very long time! I'd been asking to go camping for the last few years and something always got in the way. He's had lots of poor camping experiences (including Duke of Edinburgh, rubbish tents, lots of rain, et...
Weekend in the Garden - July Gardening, UK - Makeshift Tomato Shelter
zhlédnutí 326Před měsícem
Hi all, I spent some time in the garden last weekend working on the big raised bed. I grew way too many tomatoes (more still in the house and greenhouse!) so thought I should get them outside. Tomatoes hate getting their leaves wet so we made this make-shift shelter. I usually plant my tomatoes in deep pots but thought I'd give horizontal planting a try in the raised bed too. Will probably need...
Dad's DIY Campervan Tour - Woodburning Stove in Campervan - Is My Dad A Prepper? - Ireland Trip
zhlédnutí 816Před měsícem
Hi all, last weekend I was away visiting family and some touristy spots around the north coast of Ireland. I asked my dad if he could show us around his DIY campervan which he was happy to do but he asked if his voice could be excluded from the upload. So there is a bit of reading to do but hopefully it will be worth it! For context, my dad has enjoyed camping for about 20 years, and has had a ...
July Garden Tour - Veg Growing UK
zhlédnutí 93Před měsícem
Garden tour update (accompanied by Spud). Some additions to the veg patch - quite impressed some things are still alive! #vegpatch #vegetablegarden #gardentour
Topping up my working prepper pantry & non-food preps - Aldi / B&M Preps - Beginner Prepper UK
zhlédnutí 1,5KPřed měsícem
Took a trip to Aldi and B&M this week to top up the food (and non-food) preps. Could probably benefit from buying things little and often but end up spotting gaps and then decide to fill them. A little reminder to preppers to look after your physical health in peace times (incl. dental hygiene). Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:59 Aldi shop 03:00 Dental preps (B&M) 04:00 Other B&M bits 06:55 Other gr...
Training Update - Why I'm Not Competing This Year - UK Prepper Fitness
zhlédnutí 270Před měsícem
Bikini bodybuilding has been a big part of my life for the last few years so I thought I'd share an update on why I no longer intend to compete this year. As always, I encourage preppers to take a look at their own fitness levels and physical health goals. "Health is wealth"! Timestamps: 00:00 Intro / Background 02:51 Bikini to Wellness 04:50 Posing, etc 06:20 "Health is Wealth" #ukprepper #fit...
Experienced Prepper Helping Me On My Prepping Journey - UK Beginner Prepper
zhlédnutí 394Před měsícem
Experienced Prepper Helping Me On My Prepping Journey - UK Beginner Prepper
Life is Busy and Complicated Because I Make it That Way
zhlédnutí 59Před 2 měsíci
Life is Busy and Complicated Because I Make it That Way
The Vulnerability of Travelling by Air - UK Prepper
zhlédnutí 166Před 2 měsíci
The Vulnerability of Travelling by Air - UK Prepper
£10 Extreme Food Budget Challenge - UK Prepper
zhlédnutí 186Před 2 měsíci
£10 Extreme Food Budget Challenge - UK Prepper
From Unfit to NPC Bikini Athlete - Fitness Journey - UK Prepper Fitness
zhlédnutí 2,3KPřed 2 měsíci
From Unfit to NPC Bikini Athlete - Fitness Journey - UK Prepper Fitness
Unboxing Parcel from an Experienced Prepper - Beginner Prepper UK
zhlédnutí 139Před 3 měsíci
Unboxing Parcel from an Experienced Prepper - Beginner Prepper UK
May Veg Seed-sowing & Growing - UK Garden Update - Self-sufficiency Goals
zhlédnutí 624Před 3 měsíci
May Veg Seed-sowing & Growing - UK Garden Update - Self-sufficiency Goals
Adding to Preps - Beginner Prepper UK
zhlédnutí 942Před 3 měsíci
Adding to Preps - Beginner Prepper UK
£40 Food Prep Challenge - Beginner Prepper UK - Aldi Food Preps
zhlédnutí 234Před 3 měsíci
£40 Food Prep Challenge - Beginner Prepper UK - Aldi Food Preps
Emptying the Wormery Compost Bin - Adding Nutrients to Veg Patch - UK Gardening with Puppy - Vlog
zhlédnutí 80Před 4 měsíci
Emptying the Wormery Compost Bin - Adding Nutrients to Veg Patch - UK Gardening with Puppy - Vlog
Woodburning Stove Overview - Salamander 'The Little Range Cook Stove' - UK Prepper
zhlédnutí 2,3KPřed 4 měsíci
Woodburning Stove Overview - Salamander 'The Little Range Cook Stove' - UK Prepper
Prepper Birthday Gifts - Beginner UK Prepper - Car Preps & Other Wishlist Items
zhlédnutí 86Před 5 měsíci
Prepper Birthday Gifts - Beginner UK Prepper - Car Preps & Other Wishlist Items
Making Apple Scrap Vinegar - DIY Cleaner - UK Prepper
zhlédnutí 39Před 5 měsíci
Making Apple Scrap Vinegar - DIY Cleaner - UK Prepper
'Pruning' the Apple Tree - February Garden Task - Striving for Self-sufficiency - UK Prepper
zhlédnutí 183Před 6 měsíci
'Pruning' the Apple Tree - February Garden Task - Striving for Self-sufficiency - UK Prepper
Sorting Wood Storage & Cutting Branches for Kindling - Beginner Prepper UK
zhlédnutí 57Před 6 měsíci
Sorting Wood Storage & Cutting Branches for Kindling - Beginner Prepper UK
My Working Prepper Pantry Top-up Delivery (With Massive Discount!) - Prepper UK
zhlédnutí 331Před 6 měsíci
My Working Prepper Pantry Top-up Delivery (With Massive Discount!) - Prepper UK
We Got a Puppy! New Bulldog Puppy First Five Days - Introducing Spud - Vlog
zhlédnutí 29Před 6 měsíci
We Got a Puppy! New Bulldog Puppy First Five Days - Introducing Spud - Vlog
Gardening is Good for You! Garden Tidy Catch Up - Getting Outside - Wormery UK
zhlédnutí 56Před 7 měsíci
Gardening is Good for You! Garden Tidy Catch Up - Getting Outside - Wormery UK
Prepper Pantry Top-up - Beginner Prepper UK
zhlédnutí 557Před 7 měsíci
Prepper Pantry Top-up - Beginner Prepper UK
New Year Planning - Goal Setting - Vision Board - Filofax Update
zhlédnutí 98Před 7 měsíci
New Year Planning - Goal Setting - Vision Board - Filofax Update
Well done, Eimear, impressed as always. Like you, I have now increased my food intake to take into account the exercise I am doing.
@@TDCamper thank you Josh! And that makes me so happy to hear your food intake has increased 💪 hope you’re feeling the benefit!
That tent is a beauty, plenty of room for you all,as for sleeping maybe camp cots/beds with a foam mattress on top,or maybe get a memory foam topper to go on top of your air mattress, you want the firmness to be close to your mattress at home as that might help you getting a good night's rest,as for spud he was the king of the castle, always try and go somewhere quiet, maybe your dad knows of a few places 🤔, I'm glad you got out and enjoyed yourselves, just bring your own pillow if you have the space.
@@OutdoorPrepper2025 thanks for the suggestions! I’ve slept on a single camp bed in the past and had no issues so maybe worth a try 🤔 haha Spud was definitely king of the castle! My dad would have recommendations for campsites in Ireland but is talking about trying out some here too.
Aaaah the great camping gear journey begins.......... With sleeping gear you have plenty of options and it really comes down to how much room you have to carry it and how much you want to spend. I now use a self inflating mattress, which I have used for years now, but have added a camp stretcher as well as I was finding that sleeping on the ground for more than a couple of nights was getting more difficult as I got older. It's an awesome setup and very comfortable, imo, but it takes up a fair bit of room in the vehicle as well. There are way more compact options but they tend to be expensive when you buy quality gear, which I always do for the important stuff. You have a channel over there called Kent Survival who does a lot of bushcraft/camping and he often uses compact gear that he talks about and he has a gear channel as well. One thing I would recommend to save you having to wash/dry your sleeping bags as much is a cotton liner that you put in your sleeping bag and you get in it like a whole body sock. They aren't expensive or take up much room and they're much easier to wash/dry. I don't think that washing sleeping bags often is much good for them from memory. You could probably make a liner quite easily. Only a few weeks away from my next trip. Likely about a week away in the Desert but unfortunately we have to go during the school holidays due to work commitments for one of the group. Hopefully it won't be too crowded or noisy. Might even have a go at driving up the biggest sandhill in the state if I put my big Girl panties on and want to give my vehicle a bit of a thrashing. Either way there will be plenty of alcohol, food and lots of bs so a perfect trip with a bit of luck. Better grab some leg protection as the snakes will be starting to wake ups as well. Keep practising as you will get better each time and don't forget to make and follow lists so that nothing is forgotten. Cheers.
@@oldbloke204 thanks so much for the suggestions! You’re the second person that’s mentioned a self inflating mattress 🙂 Ha, I didn’t mention that Spud managed to vomit and slobber over both sleeping bags - otherwise they’d do a few turns before we’d wash them! Wishing you all the best with your desert camp! Sounds exciting!
@@StrivingforSelfSufficiency Yeah it should be fun and nice and relaxing as well. The mattresses we use are pretty bulky but you can get double versions of them. There are some excellent hiking type inflatable mattresses as well but the good ones tend to be expensive. They do pack down into a very small package though which may be important for you.
In my opinion the most comfortable night sleeping outside is not on an air mattress of any kind. It's in a hammock. Not super practical where you were camping, but if you are in a place with trees, it's far superior if you buy an appropriate hammock and not a short and narrow one.
@@michaelchrisman4179 interesting! I know @scottish prepper 73 is a big fan of hammocks and recommends them too - thank you!
Those air tents are great - till they leak 😞 - get a cordless air pump, will save you lots of hard work 🙂 Bed wise, it is going to be a trial and error thing, I use either a 10mm foam bed mat or a thermorest self inflating bed mat (but they are quite expensive now) and you can also now get double bed sizes ones now Maybe a double sleeping bag to share the warmth and also if you are used to sleeping next to your partner (as in a normal bed) might make the sleep situation a bit better A pillowcase will take up no space, stuff it with spare clothes or a jacket for a pillow. Did you say that you wore leather boots to bed ? 🤣🤣Get a pair of thick hiking socks, they will be much better to sleep in, maybe not so much fun though 😎 Spud will soon settle into it, just needs some more practice to get used to it. Glad that you had a better experience 👍🏼👍🏼
Thanks Lee, some great suggestions - the self-inflating bed mats look good, and I like the pillowcase idea. Hahaha sorry I didn't make that clear - I definitely didn't wear boots to bed! Just during the day (as opposed to my trainers which are meshy and not great for keeping feet warm in cooler weather).
@@StrivingforSelfSufficiency 🥰🥰
That tent is Palacial Eimear. Spud is obviously the King of the tent! I can understand why you chose it. My only concern is that if you were in a SHTF you may be without a vehicle. This is one of the reasons I mentioned the two-tent setup: you could both share the load in the event of a disaster. You would find it impoosible to carry such a large tent. That being said, it's not a SHTF it's a camp, one that I hope you enjoyed. 👍👍👍
You're right, it would make an awful tent in a SHTF scenario! It's very bulky and weighs 30kg or more - I refuse to lift it in fear of injuring myself haha. One or two-man tents is something we would benefit from for our preps. Good thinking on being able to share the load.
The tent looks great.
SPUDD ON TOUR!!!
@@Scottishprepper73 haha! 🐶😊
Spud is king of the tent!
That is quite a crop you have their Eimear, next job with be trying to preserve it all :-)
@@Lee_Proffit preservation is my next big task 😬 wish me luck haha
@@StrivingforSelfSufficiency What is the plan, or do we get a video ?
@@Lee_Proffit going to give dehydrating and vacuum sealing a go. Might give canning another go - it’s not my favourite but a useful skill to master 👍
@@StrivingforSelfSufficiency The blackberry's will take quite a while to dry. Apples are not too bad. You will need to swap the trays around every few hours - bottom tray onto top - so that every thing get dry. With both of them, if you dry them and then stick them into a small blender (bullet type of thing) and turn them into powders, they are great for adding to porridge. I would love to try canning, but just lack the space 😞
Wish I had that much land 😢😮. Good for you 😊
@@Jeffwalker66 thank you! Haha the berry harvest is the pleasant part of it; the maintenance of a large garden is more challenging than I expected 😔
@@StrivingforSelfSufficiency yeah, gardening is hard work. People need to be careful what they wish for. Still going to get an acre or so . Food shortages are coming. Keep up the good work
Your potato harvest looked really good,yes keeping on top of everything with a big garden is a lot of work,get yourself some battery or petrol tools and it will soon make the job easier,as for other places just run a lawnmower over the top of it and throw it on the compost pile and it will break down nicely as long as you get the right mixture of greens and browns, your tomatoes look like triffids they've grown well, looks like you made a day of it and i bet you will sleep well.
@@OutdoorPrepper2025 thank you, I def need to work smarter! Haha I always sleep well on gardening days! 😴
No, No, No, socks are never to be worn with sandals 😭😭 Glad (or surprised 🙂) to see that the home made tarp cover was still up - that stands you in good stead for a prepper bug out 🤣🤣
Hahaha I was told "never trust a man that wears socks with sandals" but here we are 😄 If you can't beat them, join them! ...Don't get me started on the tarp 😒 Its now on its last legs haha. I think woodpigeons have tried sitting on top which hasn't helped 😐 Still, the tomatoes are looking great underneath!
It's amazing how much work you have to put in sometimes, even on a relatively small plot. These spuds make it worth it, though. And Spud the pup had fun with the barrow, lol.
Hindsight is wonderful - wish I knew what I know now about how much work is involved with a large garden 🙃 Ah well! Thanks Josh, hope you and Bluebell are keeping well 🙂
Success I've seen people growing spuds in newspaper lined laundry baskets to cardboard boxes. Congratulations so rewarding
😯 Oh wow, that's good to know they can grow so well! And thank you! 🙂
P.s yes I did forget something 🤦
I'm glad you enjoyed yourselves and didn't kill eachother 😆,you can pick up picnic sets cheap in the charity shops all the cups and plates etc are plastic or tin and easy to clean and lightweight and there's usually room for a stove,as for keeping warm try and get two windscreen reflectors the bubble wrap style,as for sleeping bags check the rating on them to see what season they are for and remember that you are squashing the insulation as your laying on it,as for cleaning you can get collapsible wash basons, you can also get compact lanterns with a hook or use a small carabineer like others have mentioned,its all a new experience for you both, definitely get another tent but take measurements so you both end up being comfortable, and don't forget hot chocolate at night,i camped and fished last night and it was good, well the camping part was, I caught a little bass on the way home but it weren't a keeper, definitely store all your kit in a tub/really useful box or if you want something heavy duty go for a strata storage tub from Argos, and always write a list when you're packing as it helps a lot 👍
I'm loving all these suggestions, thanks so much! We're determined to have a more successful camping trip next time round. I like the hot chocolate idea at night 🙂 Well done on catching a bass on your recent camping trip (even if it wasn't a keeper!) Thanks again
At least you both didn't hate the experience, which is a real positive 🙂 I would camp away from the toilets as they are normally in use all night with people swinging torch's around as they navigate to them. Buy a set of camping cook ware, it will be lighter as thinner, so the food will cook quicker, you can get small stacking units with the lids acting as lids or frying pans. Also buy a couple of sets of plastic / melamine eating sets (big plate, bowl, and mug) and 2 KFS (knife / fork / spoon) and a couple of tea spoons. A couple of 5lt collapsible water containers will sort out the water situation and also fold flat for storage. A small kettle will boil the water quicker than a pan Get a plastic container to store all of the camping kitchen stuff in, so that you don't leave either the house or the campsite with something missing A small carabiner to hang the LED lamp will make removal a lot easier. A tarp or groundsheet laid under the mattress will stop some of the chill coming up through the ground (or even one of your emergency blankets) Think flip flops instead of wellies, less space to pack and the morning dew will wash your feet on the way to the toilet block 🙂 (and easier to put on than wellies) If you get to take Spud, you can get a giant corkscrew ground peg, that will let you tie him up, up still let him have some run around space without disappearing into a neighbours tent 🙂 Glad that you both are going to have another go - but sit down and write a list of what you need or learned from this trip and obtain the items, it will make the experience a whole lot better - as we need more campers, it is a dying art 🙂
My dad said the same thing "write a list" - which I did but didn't look at before we left 🙄 Thanks so much for all the suggestions! I have taken note. We're determined to have more success next time 😀
@@StrivingforSelfSufficiency See, with age come great wisdom 🙂 The good thing about having a not so good experience, is that it can only get better
Short but sweet. I am glad you enjoyed it enough to try it again. Halfords are not the greatest, but they will do at a campsite. Be kind to yourselves when you buy a new tent. To avoid squatting on top of one another, either get a 6-person tent, or better yet, this is just my suggestion. Purchase two two-person tents that are orientated so that their respective entrances face one another, then place a tarp in the centre. You can all have more living space outside while being protected from the sun and rain with an inexpensive tarp. All experience is valuable and I know you will take something away from this that will help you in your future adventures. I am happy the head torch proved useful. I am excited to follow your next journey! 😆👍👍👍
Thanks so much Josh! Great minds think alike - we ended up buying a 6-man tent (partly so friends/family members can join us in future if they want to). I liked the 2 x two-man tent with tarp idea but my partner wanted to be able to stand in a tent haha. Hopefully will be able to do a more thorough camping video next time :)
With an airbed just be careful that the cold isn't coming up from underneath so something underneath may help. I have a Rubber backed picnic rug. Air beds are evil as they will likely get a hole in them at the worst possible time. Head Torches are an extremely useful camping item. I now only use a tent that I can stand up in and have one that pops up with an folding frame and Fly. Take up more room and a bit heavier but easier to set up and use imo. I have dedicated boxes for various things that I keep a list of. Even one with your Kitchen/Cooking items would be good and there are plenty of lightweight things like Cutlery, Plates/Bowls etc etc. It will cost more and need to be stored but will also be available to quickly chuck in your vehicle if you need to get out of the house.
Thanks so much - all really useful advice that I will take on board for the next camping trip 😊 I've got a lined picnic blanket so will try putting that under the airbed next time too. Cheers
@@StrivingforSelfSufficiency No worries my pleasure. I've wasted a lot of money getting it wrong before I got it closer to right. One thing I would suggest is that when you're looking at buying stuff put your money towards a good tent and sleep system as it will pay off in Spades. Happy to give my opinion on benefits/compromises that I have found.
@@oldbloke204 Yes keep the suggestions coming if any more pop in your head! We've just upgraded our tent so will test it out soon hopefully and share our thoughts 🙂
So rewarding having your own spuds.
@@deanoktoday9155 Absolutely! And the surprise of not knowing how they’re going to turn out 😊
@@StrivingforSelfSufficiency yummy
wow that is a really interesting job. Breaking everything down into manageable bits is always a great way to go. you are absolutely right it can be overwhelming so doing things in your own way that works best for you is so important. Great start hun :)
Thanks Pam! :) That means a lot x
Eimear, have you seen "Thebowlerhatfarmer" ? He's a farmer type named Mark and is trying to get up a scheme where they help people learn to grow their own food and create community that can swap advice or get help (similar to the prepper MAG) Might be a useful channel for you ?
@@Lee_Proffit think I’ve heard of but not watched. Will check him out at some point 👍 cheers
@@StrivingforSelfSufficiency You should, he's big on people growing their own and supporting their local farmers / growers
Fyi the hexamine stove you showed are now illegal. Governent have banned them as hexamine an explosive precursor. In saying that i still have a good supply.
@@rosss825 so I saw 🙁 what a shame as they’re so compact!
No
No what?
What's the diffrence, muscle wise use to normal squats ? Never seen this one :-(
@@Lee_Proffit sissy squats focus more on quads, whereas normal squats involve bend at hips
@@StrivingforSelfSufficiency OK, thanks. We always just did squats for the quads, I guess that this is progress as we learn more