Self Sufficiency I 100 Hours Certificate Course

There are 10 lessons in this course;

1. Understanding the possibilities: Understanding Modern Society and the Scope and Nature of Self Sufficiency
   • What is Self Sufficiency
   • What is Needed to make a Change
   • How to Start
   • Getting the Right Attitude
   • Being Realistic
2. Health, Nutrition and Clothing
   • Introdyction to a Balanced Lifestyle
   • Health and Fitness
   • Understanding Anaerobic and Aerobic Exercise
   • Mental Health
   • Understanding Food and Human Nutritional Needs
   • Clothing Needs
   • Safety with Fabrics
   • Protective Clothing
   • General Care and Hygiene for Everyday Clothing
   • First Aid
3. Horticulture - Fruit and Vegetables
   • Scope and Nature of Horticultural Production
   • Selecting and Planning for a Vegetable Crop
   • No Dig Growing
   • Review of Different Vegetables
   • Growing Fruit
   • Berry Fruit
   • Nuts
   • What to Do with Excess Produce: Preserves, etc
   • Resources for More Reliable Information
4. Horticulture - Herbs
   • Introduction
   • Cultivation of Herbs
   • Natural Pest Control and Companion Planting
   • Herbs for Different Situations
   • Harvesting Herbs
   • Handling Fresh Herbs, Drying Herbs
   • Cooking with Herbs
   • Herb baths
   • Propagating Herbs
5. Animal Husbandry
   • Short Cuts for Animal Rearing
   • Chickens : Feeding, Watering, Housing, Health
   • Turkeys
   • Geese
   • Ducks
   • Bee Keeping
   • Locating a Hive
   • Honey Production
6. Animal Husbandry
   • Overview: Cattle, Sheep, Goats, Horses, and Pigs
   • Livestock Terminology
   • Feeding Animals on Pasture
   • Pasture Management
   • Housing, Shelter, Fencing
   • Animal Health and Disease Management
   • Breeding
   • Keeping Pigs
7. Building
   • Introduction to Earth Building
   • How to Make Mud Bricks
   • Building Foundations
   • Laying Bricks
   • Wall Finishes
   • Using Fasteners : Nails, Screws, Bolts
   • Building Tools
8. Energy
   • Scope and Nature of alternative energy sources
   • Comparing Renewable Energy Sources
   • Solar Energy
   • Wind Power
   • Solar House Design
   • Energy Conservation
   • Growing and Using Wood for Fuel
   • Choosing a Wood Burning Appliance
   • Environmental Aspects to Burning Wood
   • Care and Maintenance of Wood Stoves, Chimneys
9. Craft & Country Skills
   • Scope and Nature of Crafts
   • Marketing Home Crafts
   • Protecting Your Work
   • Painting
   • Candle Making
   • Other Crafts: Pot Pourri, etc
   • Rustic Timber Structures
   • How to Join Timbers
   • Tool Maintenance
   • Cleaning and Sharpening Tools
10. Making Decisions
    • Scope and Nature of Decision Making
    • Risk Management -Preparing for Emergencies
    • Preparing for Fire
    • Making Money - Small Scale Home Based Businesses
    • Growing things to Sell on a Small Property

This course is taught by:

Susan Stephenson
BSc in Applied Plant Biology (Botany) Univ. London 1983.
City and guilds: Garden Centre Management, Management and Interior Decor (1984)
Management qualifications in training with retail store. Diploma in Hort level 2 (RHS General) Distinction.

Susan Stephenson is a passionate and experienced horticulturist and garden designer. She has authored three books, lectures at 2 Further and Higher Education Colleges, teaching people of all ages and backgrounds about the wonders of plants and garden design, and tutors many students by correspondence from all over the world.

Susan studied botany at Royal Holloway College (Univ of London) and worked in the trading industry before returning to her first love plants and garden design. She is therefore, well placed to combine business knowledge with horticulture and design skills. Her experience is wide and varied and she has designed gardens for families and individuals. Susan is a mentor for garden designers who are just starting out, offering her support and advice and she also writes, delivers and assesses courses for colleges, introducing and encouraging people into horticulture and garden design.

Susan is a Professional Associate and exam moderator and holds the RHS General with Distinction. She continues to actively learn about horticulture and plants and (as her students will tell you) remains passionate and interested in design and horticulture.

She also supervised the Area Arboriculture Team and was Exhumations Officer€“ in charge of collecting discovered remains and arranging identification (if poss) and interment of same.