What stops folk being fulltime bushcrafters?

[SimonM]

What stops other folk doing it ??? Or is it really just a hobby and not a lifestyle???

For me it is a hobby that influences my lifestyle.

What stops me doing it full time? Many things ....

• Mortgage
• Job
• Wanting the best for my kids
• Impracticality of "living the bushcraft dream" in Britain i.e. lack of space, legality of hunting etc
• The list goes on ....

Simon

 

[Tengu]

Who would want to?

I like to be in the warm (not that I can afford to heat my house, but its warmer inside, and unless it gets really cold, I find I dont need it anyway.)

Erics right, I read in a book on self sufficiency, that anyone can practice it, not just those who live deep in the countryside, city dwellers who make their own clothes and soft furnishings, for example.

 

[Surrey Yeoman]

I have a book on this its called the `Idlers Companion` its about the tramps, mostly between the wars

pretty harmless but they took a more liberal view of it those days.

Help!!

Who's it written by? ISBN ?

I've had a look on Amazon & Abebooks and there seem to be a few similar titles!

 

[Eric_Methven]

Idler's Companion
by Ian Nial

Publisher: William Heinemann Ltd (6 Nov 1978)

ISBN-13: 978-0434510252

"This is one of the most beautiful pieces of writing about a Britain we have sadly lost. The author takes us to the villages of his childhood, through rambles over highlands and lowlands and to so many fishing holes in search of the people that make this land special. Eccentrics, or they would be if they had the money, hermits, and those that live off the land with never a thought of self righteousness. The men who would be seen leaning against the wall by the green and would never seem to do anything, but somehow they never starved, and the poachers, with their myriad tricks for keeping one step ahead of the fish, the fowl and the gamekeeper."

Amazon: This book is HERE

 

[Tengu]

Thanks Eric, youve saved me a hunt on the groaning shelves

 

[Surrey Yeoman]

Thanks Eric (& Tengu).

Ordered a copy this very morning.

Cheers

 

[andy_e]

Me too, sounds like a great read.

 

[Minotaur]

There is was a bloke on country file this morning, and he has been on Grand Designs.

He lives in a wood, and that is his living too.

The thing that is in the way at the moment is money, if I could find a way to make it cover costs I would do it.

 

[crazyclimber]

Don't know how I haven't seen this thread before.
To answer the original question, I have no idea. Not something I've seriously considered, and I don't know why!
My first thought was that bushcrafting's fun when the weather's nice, but not so fun when the weather's nasty. I do like my creature comforts - a long hot bath and a warm bed!
Thinking about it though, the thought of paddling away up a river, becoming completely self sufficient in some far flung place away from the stresses of modern life is very appealing. I think even with UK weather it'd be worth it!
You've put ideas into my head. Ideas that probably wont be acted upon, but something for me to daydream over nonetheless

 

[Minotaur]

Don't know how I haven't seen this thread before.
To answer the original question, I have no idea. Not something I've seriously considered, and I don't know why!
My first thought was that bushcrafting's fun when the weather's nice, but not so fun when the weather's nasty. I do like my creature comforts - a long hot bath and a warm bed!
Thinking about it though, the thought of paddling away up a river, becoming completely self sufficient in some far flung place away from the stresses of modern life is very appealing. I think even with UK weather it'd be worth it!
You've put ideas into my head. Ideas that probably wont be acted upon, but something for me to daydream over nonetheless

There is a Survivorman extra episode called Off the grid, and it is about him and his family moving to the wilderness. I like a lot of what he says in this episode. I do not want to give up modern living, but take the best of both worlds.

 

[Ratbag]

I knew I'd seen that lanky twit somewhere else!

Pot, kettle....

 

[avalon]

There are a few people around the world who live in this way as part of the land, but most of us wouldn't know about them as they are not generally part of the society that we live in and therefore don't use computers, book publishers, TV crews etc.

 

[william#]

in the uk if you full time bushcraft you are a bum , tramp .
no really just try living out for a month without using official camp sites and very little money.the amount of energy taken up each day keeping your kit together keeping discreet and most places you find to sleep you will not be able to have a fire. it is so hard and yes i have done it. also the lonely ness is a problem and when you come back your new persective on the world is pretty different.
maybe in other country's it is possible.
hopefully in the next few weeks i will have a chance to do a 10 day out in the wood somewhere here in the uk (will be taking 10 days of mod ration pack and hiding them centrally to where i will be wondering ). though i am hoping i will get the opportunity i am also very aware at how challenging this will be alone this time of year. and i wonder whether i will cave in half way through or not.

 

[crazyclimber]

There is a Survivorman extra episode called Off the grid, and it is about him and his family moving to the wilderness. I like a lot of what he says in this episode. I do not want to give up modern living, but take the best of both worlds.

That's it exactly, a happy compromise and a simpler life.
I'll have a look for that episode - cheers

 

[Bogman10]

Even if you could scratch out a living for awhile, you still have to have something in todays world to fall back on when you hit your late 60's.
If you have ever seen the Documentary "Alone in the Wilderness", about Dick Proeneke , even he left Alaska in his early 80's ( Winters got to cold ). He also got help by having a few supplies flown in.
The world has changed too much, but it doesn't mean you can't scale back on the "Must make more money, work longer , work harder." and be comfortable, while spending your extra time doing what you love.
The above Reminds me about a RM World of Survival Episode, the 1 from Aussi. Where the Aboriginal Gentleman, said (Paraphrasing) the Land is the real world, the cities they are just make believe!
Call me a dreamer, or a slacker, but we only get so much time on this World, why waste it working anymore then you have too? Middleclass, workingclass, and a 40-44 hr work week is good enough for me!
Just me though.

 

[John Fenna]

I work for myself, when I want to where I want to, often in a wilderness setting, often making a bit of cash selling Bushcraft kit that I have made myself.
I do a bit of foraging to fil the table, trade goods I have for other bits, live in a house that I spent a lot of time helping to rebuild....yet I still live on the fringes of "normal society and take what I have to from that.....this is as near full time Bushcraft as I need to get!
I could get closer but that would spoil the fun and make it more like work

My wife will not let me trap or shoot the pheasants,woodies etc that come into the garden and we are short of rabbits here at the mo, so meat comes from the shops!

 

[webmuppet]

What if you sold all your modern life stuff and bought a plot of land outside a city (but not too far) and grew and sold Xmas trees. So you live in your own forest looking after your own trees, then from November on you flog 'em to the general public and bank the cash for government stuff like national insurance and the tax on breathing that they'll probably implement. I'm sure you could wring some money out of the land the rest of the year letting people camp / teaching bushcraft / selling bushcraft gear / charging the BBC to do documentaries on your 'alternative' lifestyle. You would still be on the grid with an address but still living a lifestyle you choose.

I suppose its not practical. The cost of the land would probably be more than the value an average chap owns in his house and I have no idea how acreage would be required but on principle it sounds feasible. You could build a little cabin for when it's really cold and obviously grow a HUGE beard and learn to shout 'Get Orf Moi Laaaaand' or else the local kids would be disappointed

 

[drewdunnrespect]

there is an easier answer live on a solar/desiel powered canal boat because then you need very little especially if you own some canal side land.
Due to there being no mooring fees because you own the land your moored to and the only thing you have to pay for is fuel but get it free from a chippy and convert to cooking oil
also insurance well if your in the middle of no were whos gone to nick it plus your sleeping on the thing so it wont go far so dont really need any if you are a handy mechanical sort of fix it person.

the only thing you would need to pay for is the liscence to have the boat on the canal to british water ways but then food well your land could become your farm or small holding as such. This is just my way of becomeing self sufficiant and less reliant on modern life styles

 

[swyn]

This is an interesting little thread and I will just simplify what I am thinking and doing right now. I do feel slightly awkward writing my thoughts but here goes...

I have been looking and thinking for many years on how to acquire my own plot of land and lead in media terms 'the simple life', although in main my life is reasonably simple, as all my work comes from either land or forest based work. The move therefore is really only sideways. I am confident that my and my wifes existing skills will overcome most issues. Others can be learned.

I sold my little cottage having lived there for 25 years and purchased a derelict victorian farm in a small plot of land in East Anglia in July this year. The house at least has a roof, water, two chimneys and most windows. Those windows that fell out have now been repaired/replaced. I have fixed the roof and chimney leaks.
Four rooms were modernised in the 60's and the remainder are original 1870 complete with arsenic green paint on the walls! There was rising damp up to 6' in some walls and it had not been occupied for four years. Sadly all except one fireplace had been ripped out.
There is a plot of 1.5 acres for the veggies and 5 acres for the horses(now all fenced). The land has not been touched for six years so there is an awful lot to do just to get the grass growing!
There are ditches to be dug, more fences to erect, gutters to repair and asbestos roofing sheet removal has cost to date nearly £700.00 just to put into land fill! There are loose boxes to rebuild (reusing all the bricks) and roofs to pitch along with the solar array to fit to make hot water.
I have got the rainwater system working and it flushes the loo. Cleaning, repairing and painting the 5000 gallon tank took four days, there was 3' of sludge in the bottom and this all had to be taken out up a ladder using buckets!
There is a back boiler in one of the chimneys so we do have hot water. I have rigged up a shower too.
So in five months we have made the house comfortable/ish and ready for Christmas. I am looking forward to spring to be able to get on with creating the veggie plot, finishing the ditch digging, reseeding the paddocks and planting 1000 young trees. We have 20 railway sleepers for raised beds and compost heap bur the weather broke before this work could be done.
As for Bushcraft, well it comes into use nearly everyday such as fire lighting, tool sharpening and etc, plus the New year meet that I'm hoping to host in Jan 09.
I still work 3 days a week for money, the other 4 are spent on the farm. I have been able to pay off my mortgage and now have very few overheads except those needed to purchase materials for the small-holding. There will come a time we hope that this work will start to pay for itself but at present there is just input physically and financially!

The only thing we're miffed about is the mud! Sometimes we feel that it is all we ever walk in...! Still mustn't complain

Swyn.

 

[Minotaur]

This is an interesting little thread and I will just simplify what I am thinking and doing right now. I do feel slightly awkward writing my thoughts but here goes...

I have been looking and thinking for many years on how to acquire my own plot of land and lead in media terms 'the simple life', although in main my life is reasonably simple, as all my work comes from either land or forest based work. The move therefore is really only sideways. I am confident that my and my wifes existing skills will overcome most issues. Others can be learned.

I sold my little cottage having lived there for 25 years and purchased a derelict victorian farm in a small plot of land in East Anglia in July this year. The house at least has a roof, water, two chimneys and most windows. Those windows that fell out have now been repaired/replaced. I have fixed the roof and chimney leaks.
Four rooms were modernised in the 60's and the remainder are original 1870 complete with arsenic green paint on the walls! There was rising damp up to 6' in some walls and it had not been occupied for four years. Sadly all except one fireplace had been ripped out.
There is a plot of 1.5 acres for the veggies and 5 acres for the horses(now all fenced). The land has not been touched for six years so there is an awful lot to do just to get the grass growing!
There are ditches to be dug, more fences to erect, gutters to repair and asbestos roofing sheet removal has cost to date nearly £700.00 just to put into land fill! There are loose boxes to rebuild (reusing all the bricks) and roofs to pitch along with the solar array to fit to make hot water.
I have got the rainwater system working and it flushes the loo. Cleaning, repairing and painting the 5000 gallon tank took four days, there was 3' of sludge in the bottom and this all had to be taken out up a ladder using buckets!
There is a back boiler in one of the chimneys so we do have hot water. I have rigged up a shower too.
So in five months we have made the house comfortable/ish and ready for Christmas. I am looking forward to spring to be able to get on with creating the veggie plot, finishing the ditch digging, reseeding the paddocks and planting 1000 young trees. We have 20 railway sleepers for raised beds and compost heap bur the weather broke before this work could be done.
As for Bushcraft, well it comes into use nearly everyday such as fire lighting, tool sharpening and etc, plus the New year meet that I'm hoping to host in Jan 09.
I still work 3 days a week for money, the other 4 are spent on the farm. I have been able to pay off my mortgage and now have very few overheads except those needed to purchase materials for the small-holding. There will come a time we hope that this work will start to pay for itself but at present there is just input physically and financially!

The only thing we're miffed about is the mud! Sometimes we feel that it is all we ever walk in...! Still mustn't complain

Swyn.

Stables are a good business to be in at the moment by the looks of it.

That would be the trick, finding a business that lets you live on your terms.

Self surffeincy is possible, to a point, but you still need an income if for no other reason than to give the Government their cut.