While we accept that power cuts are a way of life in Bugaria, can I please ask residents if these are long enough/regular enough to make the use of freezers for preserving produce a no-no? Is that why bottling is still such a big thing? We are planning to grow as much as we can and if freezing is a problem I would rather know sooner than later.

Thanks in advance.

the longest powercut i have experienced was december 2007 and that lasted 18 hours. power cuts have got less and less over the years and any power cuts now are only a few hours, i have never lost any food as a result of power cuts.

It will also depend where you intend to live.

In our area there are 3 or 4 short power cuts lasting about an hour or so each time - however, we did have one for about 5 hours once panicked a little due to the freezer but there was no need however, we made sure we brought a generator the next year just in case.

oddball wrote:

In our area there are 3 or 4 short power cuts lasting about an hour or so each time - however, we did have one for about 5 hours once panicked a little due to the freezer but there was no need however, we made sure we brought a generator the next year just in case.

Ah yes, that is just the sort of tip we are looking for, thank you. When you live in a country where you might get one short power blip a year you forget that things like generators even exist.

We have both read so much on here, but things get a bit jumbled in your mind (blame it on the age) so it is time to write pertinent points down now that things in general are beginning to get clearer.

Next question is brewing away......................

Another consideration for you maybe water? since you going to be growing produce and then there is your animals, perhaps look for a property with a well.

depends on your village we have never had the water off &
the electric has only been off a couple of times while they were upgradeing the wires we were told when it would be off &
for how long.

We were staying in Yulievo last month, electric only went off once, no idea why it did but it was for about 8 hours, food in freezer was fine....( sour cherry ripple ice cream......) but water was dripping from the freezer. It was about 38C outside, in normal temperatures it wouldnt be as much of a problem as it was

its the very rural villages that have problems in winter, in a snowstorm your electric will go down, these villages get stranded and it can days before services can get to the villages.

villa zones will get frequent stoppages.......maybe because they are actually working on a fault.....but normally , just because !! you will loose it in a villa zone to let the villages get extra power if need be

cheekychops wrote:

Another consideration for you maybe water? since you going to be growing produce and then there is your animals, perhaps look for a property with a well.

Yes, thank you. We have already realised what a good idea it is to have a well, and many rural properties seem to have one. Even if just for animals and growing. Things are starting to come together in the little grey cell space.

And Mr Eq is researching generators and rotovators. Diesel or petrol? Are these best bought in Bulgaria because of guarantees? Or are there second hand ones available over there? Or shall we look for bargains over here now? So many questions......

My next lot may be about furniture............coming soon.

Mrs Eq.