Episode 109: Living and Working on a Island with Mary Greensmith

What is it really like to move to a tiny island, grow more of your own food and run an online business from the middle of the English Channel? In this solo episode of the Homeopathy247 Podcast, Mary Greensmith shares another update on her new island life, including some unexpected challenges and the parts she is enjoying most. Running a Business From a Small Island Living remotely has brought a few surprises. Mary explains how moving to the island created difficulties with her Google Play apps and how she has been working to get them available again. At the same time, technology allows her to continue working with people around the world without needing to live in a large town or city. Growing More of Their Own Food Mary's vegetable garden continues to grow, and she has now started selling some of the excess produce and flowers from a small stand outside her home. She talks about the joy she gets from growing flowers while her husband enjoys having fresh vegetables for cooking. Eating With the Seasons Growing food has also made Mary think differently about seasonal eating. Instead of expecting every vegetable to be available throughout the year, she and her husband are beginning to plan what they can freeze, preserve, dry or turn into chutneys for the winter months. It has become another learning experience in becoming more self sufficient. Learning How to Preserve Food Mary discusses freezing vegetables, experimenting with vacuum packing and using a food dehydrator for fruit and other produce. She is still experimenting with what works best, which is part of what she enjoys about creating this new lifestyle. No Dig Gardening and Working With Nature Mary has also been learning about no dig gardening. Her approach is to accept that wildlife and insects will take some of what she grows rather than trying to eliminate everything from the garden. She also mentions experimenting with homeopathic preparations in the garden after an earlier conversation with Homeopath Shaz. Homeopathic preparations have not been reliably established as effective pest control or plant treatments. Recycling on a Small Island One thing that continues to fascinate Mary is how recycling works when almost everything has to be transported on or off the island. Green waste becomes compost and wood chips, while cardboard and pallets can be collected and reused for gardens, paths, compost bins and other projects. For Mary, it is another example of how island living encourages resourcefulness. Energy and the Future of the Island Mary also discusses conversations taking place around renewable energy. The island currently relies heavily on fuel for electricity generation, and residents are exploring whether solar power could become part of a more sustainable future. Working From Anywhere Despite the challenges of island life, Mary loves that the internet allows her to continue running Homeopathy247 and speaking with people across the world. For her, modern technology makes it possible to combine a slower, more locally focused lifestyle with an international business. Key Takeaways Remote living can bring unexpected business challenges. Growing food naturally encourages more seasonal eating. Preserving excess produce can help extend the harvest through winter. Small communities often find creative ways to reuse resources. Recycling and repurposing are an important part of island life. Local energy and sustainability decisions affect the whole community. Online work can make living remotely much more practical. A healthier lifestyle can combine nature, community, technology and personal choice. Subscribe to our YouTube channel and be updated with our latest episodes. You can also subscribe to our podcast channels available on your favourite podcast listening app below: Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/homeopathy247-podcast/id1628767810 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/39rjXAReQ33hGceW1E50dk Follow us on our social media accounts: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/homeopathy247 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/homeopathy247 You can also visit our website at https://homeopathy247.com/