I can share the basis of my lifestyle, my self sustainability methods, show how it's possible to interact and exchange with the neighbours, how to use hand skills and a wide knowledge of materials and tools.
Doing a lot with less resources, takes more time but prevent from squeezing the environment every day.
All the calories that I'm burning myself, are the ones that I won't ask the system to burn and waste for me. All the useless items that I don't buy, don't need to be produced (that includes extraction, transformation, transport, "recycling"...).
My name is David. I was born in Belgium, my mother tongue is French, and I am slowly learning Slovak. In my previous life, I saw ignorance, conformism, submission and unquestioning all around me. My questions that started with "why," often received the same answer: "because it's like that". Wanting to change things and people is severely punished. Despite this, for decades, I tried to find my place in this system that did not suit me at all. A long way followed by the current events (including the CREATION AND ACCEPTATION OF A NEW WORLDWIDE RELIGION), decided me to leave that dangerous life forever. Most of the people stay like they are. I "composted" my relationships, that brought me less and less satisfaction. Always talking about change, but blaming it on industrials and politicians... continuing to grow and consume in the same way, to do actually NOTHING. Most of the people do not want anybody to criticise their own lifestyle and habits. However, accepting criticism would be a good starting point. I prefer to base my relationships on quality, instead of quantity, and... to make it clear... at my place, you will certainly never hear any usual or politically correct speech. I have a historical and systemic vision and understanding of the world, therefore I consider that having a restricted vision based on "what television shows", is of course, extremely deleterious, destructive and unhealthy. I consider that "people" are massively ignorant and that this is the basis of the problem; I won't get along with those who do not want to admit it or think that it's a better idea to agree with everybody, or to love them all. If you don't know that item manufacturing, beliefs and people are the problem, if you feel ok in the system, the comfort, and love everybody... you won't even understand me : I prefer to meet with courageous and marginal people who are not well suited to the system, even if that means meeting fewer. I tried several times to find partners to grow our food, to start farming, to become more sustainable. Nobody gave a shit. The richer the countries, the less people understand why they should make more efforts, stop consuming, etc. Ok, what did I change ? I moved to a 4 hectares piece of land, surrounded by the woods, previously used to produce hay to feed big animals. I planted 280 fruit trees, welcomed a few chicken, goats and sheep, and want to allow other animals to live on the same parcel, and to grow a part of my food. In Slovakia, a little bit more people still produce a part of their food; trading with the neighbours is one of the best practices ever, to face the future. I prefer to make efforts and to work everyday, instead of asking "the system" to produce everything for me (with so much damaging consequences). All the things that I don't need to consume here, are not needing extraction (mining), transformation and transportation. It limits the impacts of my existence, in addition of providing an healthier daily life. I will do my best to share the living space, instead of owning it. I currently live in a caravan, that I heat with a wood stove, collect rainwater, use solar panels (but my point is to become less and less depending on the electricity and other technologies). Living like this means saving electricity, water, wood, and all the other available goods and resources, including gas, fuel, tools, clothes, materials... It offers the opportunity to deeply redefine our real needs. Yes, I would like to build a small house (maybe half buried in the ground), but my priorities are definitely to manage the trees, the garden and the animals first. Waiting for this to happen step by step, I still feed myself in a conventional way (but start to trade with the neighbours). The projects that I already completed : - having a bore well and water on the parcel - making a chicken house and playground, welcoming the first birds and having eggs everyday - planting almost 300 fruit trees (mostly old varieties, mixed with new ones, from all over the world) and individually protect them, from being eaten by the deer and future goats. - pruning the trees. - building a greenhouse. - building a shelter for the chicken My current projects are : - building a shelter for the goats and sheep, before the winter - adding a storage for the firewood - holding the solar panels with a wooden structure that could be an additional shelter for some stuff - building a "walipini" greenhouse - building a root cellar, mostly made of local stones, and/or with earth bags - there should be a half buried house, somewhere, with a greenhouse facing the south, and this is a big project, even if I don't really want the house to be big Step by step, I'd like to welcome more animals. Different breeds of chicken, birds like pigeons, and probably other animals in the future. Bees should come soon. The gardens have to be prepared, to slowly replace (a part of) the grass, which is currently everywhere. NB : I never used and will never use any chemical on my property. I don't need any certification for this. For the helpers, I currently cannot provide a luxurious accommodation. This is another project... The best would be to come here with a camper van. I can provide electricity, fresh water for drinking/showering, and the food. NB : if you can't come with your van, a big tent is available with a camp bed. Toilets are outside, all around. Depending on the weather, we can cook in the caravan, outside or in the main tent. We can share the meals, and all of us can let creativity speak. Until now, a few weeks only after moving to the new piece of land, I still don't produce what I need. Only a few mushrooms in the woods, some walnuts and berries are available! We can buy products locally, or from zero-waste and bio shops. We can also go there together, to meet interesting people. What else... This remote area in the woods, will definitely suit the ones who like calm and quietness; there is a 1km unpaved road to access the land. The last meters are a bit muddy in winter; that means that a normal city car could hardly help you to get here in winter. The land can be accessed by any car from spring to autumn. Once you are here, there is nobody and nothing around, but the woods and a few animals. Sometimes, we can meet bears and friendly neighbours who also keep bees, make their own harvest and homemade products. The first food shop is located 4,5 km away from here. With a car, it's easy to get to Detva, Hriňová, Lučenec or Veľký Krtíš. In these cities, you can find all kinds of shops, several restaurants, a swimming pool, a climbing rock, traditional farms, beautiful sky and hiking paths, waterfalls, and mountain bike paths in the nature. Being calm, patient and careful with the tools and stuff, is highly appreciated.
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