Never judge a book by its cover.

On Tuesday evening we visited the local Permaculture Trust with the Garden Club. The Permaculture Farm is located at the back of our property and we have met Phillip and Michele who live there. We were of the impression that they were hippy sort people who might do a lot of lolling around. Well how wrong was I ( again).
Permaculture is an ecological way of living, and the participants observe and co operate with nature. Their way of living encourages creativity,resourcefulness and self reliance. Phillip and Michelle have no mains electricity, no land line telephone ( though they do have a mobile phone) and no mechanised machinery or transport , all through choice. They travel far and wide, either on shanks pony, or by bicycle, with a little trailer towed behind them for the children to sit in. Phillip farms the land with no assistance,and how he puts us to shame. He has two small poly tunnels, and they are absolutely heaving with all sorts of crops, he even has pots suspended from the ceiling to grow strawberries. They farm organically and are completely self sufficient, apart from some meat in the winter. Pest control is provided by a couple of ducks, and Merlin, the snow white cat, who looks rather evil to me. 
He has rows and rows of veggie beds, brimming with healthy looking plants, and a huge nursery area with dozens of cell trays full of healthy looking plants that he is growing on.Everything needs to be planted before the summer solstice, so I had better inform my plants that they had better get a move on.All this without any bug sprays, or additional chemicals. I have sooo much to learn and will be popping down to pick up some hints and tips whenever I can.
Michelle was telling me that they have no fridge, and live off fresh vegetables and dried legumes. They must be two of the fittest people I know, so maybe its something we should think about.I really admire people that live  as near to their principles as they can, though, though I am not sure that I could do without my creature comforts. I really like the light to turn on at a switch, hot water to come out of the tap without too much fuss, and a store cupboard and fridge that has a wide range of foods. I don't think I will make a very good permaculture person, but I will try harder to be a better small holder.