Down the LaneA personal downshifting experience to seek a simpler, more frugal & self-reliant life |
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Welcome to Down the Lane
A website showing, through personal trials and tribulations, the results of a downshifting experience
Life takes you wherever you want it to go usually. For a large part of it you can be happy and content, then things change around you and it's not what you want it to be anymore.
This sums up how I was feeling in 1999. I had a good secure job, well paid and I didn't have to worry too much about paying the Bills. Then, in six traumatic weeks, everything changed and it became apparent that taking away certain parts of my life, there wasn't much left. I took stock of the situation and decided I could only have the quality of life I wanted by changing it and making my destiny through my own means.
Out went my Railway Management job and in came the self-reliant world. The last 10 years has taken me through Oddjobbing, Gardening Work, earning a bit on the Web through Surveys and Mystery Shopping etc. Now I'm lucky enough to have a summer job of Dressing Room Attendant for the Kent Cricket Team and spend the winter month's on other casual diversities.
Although still not earning half the amount I was 10 years ago, I have supplemented some of this by growing much of my vegetable needs and keep chickens for eggs (but they're pet's really!!).
Working on the "Do I need it and if I do, can I make it" principles, the frugal life has become second nature, the paying of Bills a challenge and the outcomes a sense of personal achievement.
The Web Site
Down the Lane has grown from just 30 pages in late 2003 to nearly 1,000 pages as of now.
The Website is referred to quite regulary in both National and Local Press, major Websites such as the BBCÂ and has been the subject of two TV Documentaries.
The Forum, which was refurbished in Spring 2009 now has just over 3,300 members and averaging over 400 posts per day
A recent feature appearance on Meridian
Tonight's 'Unsung Sporting Heroes'
with Samgeeta Bhabra
Through much needed publicity about Chicken Battery Farming (campaigned about by Down the Lane since 2003), the Chicken Keeping Section has grown considerably to give help and advice to those thinking about having, or who have just started, keeping Chickens in their back gardens.
The Frugal Living Pages
Video's
Many pages now have 'how to' or fun Video's to add to the Sites diversity.
The Down the Lane Blog
This was started to give me a chance of going off topic, well more off on one is probably nearer the mark!
Subjects vary from the interlect to absolute dribble probably only understood by few
Down the Lane Extras
As time has moved on, the website has gone off into other subjects. People finding pages for say WW1 Battlefields may find it strange why they were on a site about keeping Chickens! So, the Site has now been split into two, thus giving each category more definition. .
In Extras - Growing up in the 50's and 60's
These pages have become very popular, nothing like some of us oldens going back to 'the good old days' and a chance to say 'When I was your age..." !! Maybe there's clues in these pages for why so many want to return to more the lifestyle we had then?
Down the Lane and Social Networking
To keep up with the ever moving trends of the Internet, the Website has now a
Facebook Page and Twitter Page plus all video clips featured in this site plus more (one or two no relevance whatsoever!!) can be found on the dedicated Youtube Page.
Recently added pages
Month by Month guide to the Vegetable Garden (12 pages) - Where to site a Chicken House - Cleaning your Coop - Red Mite and Chickens - In Frugal Living What don't we really need (6 pages) - 3 new pages in Earning Extra Money
The Down the Lane Chicken Keeping Pages are sponsored by Chicken Coops
More subjects featured in the Down the Lane Website
•Hobbies and Interests,
•Health & Wellbeing,
•Kent Cricket,
•Ashford in Kent,
•Growing up in the 50's & 60's
•WW1 Battlefields Ypres
•Cycling John O'Groats
to Land's End
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The Battery Hen
Successful Boot Fairs
Film * TV Extra work
Eco Paper Log Maker
Loads of thing's I've done in an effort to keep afloat & pay the Bills (sometimes!!).. ; Newspaper Rounds - Decorating - House & Pet Sitting and more
Go to Earning Extra Money
From interlect to dribble!
Latest Posts...
More pages added showing the Villages around the Town.
Go to the Ashford in Kent pages
Pages
Keeping chickens in back gardens is still on the up
Shopping Pages
Forum
The Forum
Many people are now taking these poor creatures on as pets.
Read about it & how you can re-home Caged Hens
The Battery Hen
The Garden Farm
Read about my Bicycle Ride in 2011 to raise money for two worthy causes
John O'Groats to Land's End
Equipment
Just about everything you need to start keeping Hens in the Garden
One Stop Chicken Shop
Copyright © Richard Cannon 2001 - 2013