Progress on the self sufficiency front

so, yesterday evening I went to a meeting for the association of organic farmers. Called A.M.A.P. I am an amapian apparently! It was all in French which was a challenge but the farmer I am contracted to speaks English and sat next to me to help with the translation. He kindly told me during voting when to raise my hand otherwise who knows what I could have volunteered for. I have have renewed my contract for winter and paid my money for 10 weeks of veg boxes. I feel good about helping to support a new organic farmer. I have visited his farm and am impressed with the work he is doing. So far he is just growing veg and fruit for personal use. He hopes to get into animals at some point and I hoping he will invest in outdoor pigs. Here you rarely see pigs outside as they are kept crammed in large barns. Something I do not agree with.
I have also been put in touch with an English smallholders group in my part of France. It is just the sort of thing I need. Not only do they share knowledge they also sell and barter produce and animals. I plan to go to the next meeting. It will be good to have things in English.
A good friend said to me today that when she first met she did not think I would last. She knew of my plan to be self sufficient but did not believe I was the right sort of character. I have to admit I doubted myself in the beginning knowing nothing about that way of life. I bought John Seymours book some time ago and loved reading it. The reality is somewhat different. I have found my way round chickens, ducks and geese not to mention mice and other nasties. I am hoping that with help I can start producing our own meat. My reason for being veggie is I do not want to support the exploitation of animals. Being a full smallholder corrects this. We would only process for us or barter and not for profit. It will be the same with the honey when that starts, I will barter not sell.
It is wonderful to be able to do all this.
On Saturday my eldest daughter and her husband arrive with all their belongings. They go back to the UK on Sunday to finish up things then the following week move here. Then we will all work together to live the dream!
A diversion from talking about how we coped with settling here but I will get back to that!