Urban Self Sufficiency NZ

Urban Self Sufficiency NZ Our adventure of self sufficiency as a busy family on about 1/6 acre! 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦
Tips, learnings + inspo trying to do as much as we can from scratch🌿

06/09/2026

Definitely not as was expected, but edible nonetheless. Sometimes things don’t work out, but generally it still tastes good, so it’s fine.

Now I’ve discovered that quince and apple fruit leather is the best so not sure I’ll ever make quince cheese again, but hopefully would have more success next time - start earlier in the day is my tip!

23/08/2026

Honestly it’s delicious, easy, and requires no thinking. When cooked in this size dish, it lasts us 2.5 breakfasts for the whole family, so we only need to cook one every 2.5 days!

Breakfast frittata recipe:
1 large onion
4 large potatoes
8 biersticks or other salami (we live near the factory shop so get these in bulk for cheap) for a vegetarian option, we’ve done couple handfuls olives instead and it’s been amazing.
5-10+ leaves of silverbeet, lemon sorrel, or whatever is currently in garden
12 eggs
Cheese

Chop everything except eggs and cheese into pieces no larger than 1cm cubed.
Add eggs and mix.
Add salt and mix again.
Grate cheese on top.

Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 1 hour.

I cut each bake into 8 adult size pieces. Kids get a half piece.

It tastes so good no one ever complains it’s what we’re eating again, and we still look forward to a freshly baked one in the mornings.

Save the recipe to give it a go!

We do as much as possibly from scratch, but I’ll also feed everyone noodles while I’m busy working making up shampoo and...
20/08/2026

We do as much as possibly from scratch, but I’ll also feed everyone noodles while I’m busy working making up shampoo and conditioner bars and cooking a pot of stew at the same time. Shortcuts are a lifesaver some days.

This is also a wintertime post. We eat very seasonal.

We do do the same thing for breakfast almost every day as less decision fatigue is great and it’s nice and healthy and easy.

Then usually lunch is a lazy meal.

Incase this post is of interest to anyone on how we make it work.

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17/08/2026

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15/08/2026

I’d say almost anyone can afford to go to the supermarket only once every 2 months. We literally end up spending the same amount of money whether doing a weekly shop or a 2 monthly shop (not sure how that works, but I think it’s because you learn how to make do if going 2-monthly)

When going 2 monthly you learn to make a lot more from scratch. Learn to rely on your local food systems a lot more such as gardens and bartering. And you shop a lot more sustainably focusing more on staples in bulk packaging rather than convenience foods.

We normally spend between $200-$400 on a 2 monthly shop, and I have a few things I buy from local supplies such as flour to add to this. Plus obviously we have a well established garden now but are very time poor with running businesses and little kids.

Let me know how often you grocery shop and what your aim is ⬇️

01/08/2026

Ok. Hear me out. ⬇️

I’ve always said I don’t have a favourite season. That living with the seasons makes you appreciate each one for what it brings.

And yeah, that’s still true. I appreciate the new growth and longer days and promise that spring brings. And then I love the hot summer sun and swimming while beginning to harvest so much. And then the bounty of autumn and satisfaction of a hard days work.

But there is something special about the season of rest. Not that I’m lazy, but that decreased mental load over winter is such a welcome break. There’s still fun jobs like mulching and pruning (and one could actually say pruning is one of my favourite jobs - hello hacking my trees but in an artistic way) but the time pressure isn’t as intense for getting stuff done.

It’s also a fun time of reassessing what worked and what didn’t last season and the fun and excitement of planning the next season.

Plus it’s also the quiet season for my work so a good time to just chill and have time for my other hobbies like skiing ⛷️

What’s your secretly favourite season?

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