Less is more?

Debt_Free_Chick · 20 April 2005 at 1:12PM

Re allotments.

If you've not already done so, speak to a local allotment holder and ask them for the details of the Chairman. Often, they have some control over the waiting list and you don't necessarily have to wait for the Local Authority/Council to allocate them.

Sunday morning is a good time to button-hole the allotment chairman

rchddap1 · 20 April 2005 at 1:16PM

Ours are held by a village charity organisation. I'm waiting for them to come back to me as I type, but thanks for the advice.

moggins · 20 April 2005 at 2:06PM

I would love an allotment, I grow as much as I can in my garden but really need more space, trouble is our local allotments are completely empty and overgrown due to vandalism and theft. Everybody just got disheartened and let them go. The council would not allow the holders to club together and pay for a water supply to the site either.

p.s. I've just spent 15 minutes just chatting to my butcher extolling the virtues of this site and having a great discussion about whether people really know how to cook these days.

Curry_Queen · 20 April 2005 at 2:47PM

In an ideal world I would have my own small-holding and raise my own meat/poultry, produce my own eggs, milk, dairy products, grow my own fruit & veggies ... all organically of course

Came close to it once but life has a habit of kicking you in the teeth :doh:

filigree_2 · 21 April 2005 at 12:45AM

I love the idea of living in Deliatown and chatting to my friendly high street butcher about the Sunday joint. In reality I tried my local butcher who wouldn't sell what I asked for because it was reserved for favoured customers. No wonder people prefer the supermarkets!

A few years ago I tried the compromise of buying from the supermarket's organic selection but the huge price hike was just too much. Around that time our benefits were reduced and £10 a pop chickens had to be cut from the budget.

I'm not stupid and I could and would cook unusual cuts of meat IF THEY WERE AVAILABLE - however, it would be ludicrous for me to spend time and money trekking across town in search of a hand of pork because it's allegedly an economical meal! It's not economical if I spend £5 on the return fares, is it?

I enjoy shopping and cooking for the most part, and I'll try new ingredients. I agree that organic food and adventurous cuts of meat are very yummy and healthy, but I know from experience (because I tried) that it is not feasible as a daily way of life for my family.

Debt_Free_Chick · 21 April 2005 at 12:53AM

Filigree

I have never heard of butchers selling only to "favoured" customers. Could you not find another butcher? Even if "across town" it might pay you to go once in a while & stock your freezer. They might even deliver! Or you could buy online and stock your freezer.

Also Cristin's post was about having better quality, less often, rather than organic every day.

You don't need to buy organic. Free-range or traditionally reared may well be raised to "organic" standards, it's just that the farmer has not converted to the Soil Association's standard - which takes time and money.

The above are just friendly suggestions, should you wish to pursue the "Less quantity, more quality" meat route.

filigree_2 · 21 April 2005 at 1:44AM

The butcher in question has unsurprisingly gone out of business, boo sucks to him and his snotty staff!

The only alternatives locally are Halal which is of questionable ethics in itself.

With no car and a small fridge freezer there is no possibility of bulk purchases. My freezer is full-ish at the moment and according to my meticulate meal planning, contains two weeks' meals.

For the time being I console myself that however cheap the ingredients I do "proper" cooking so at least we're not eating dubious meat in ready meals full of even nastier chemicals. If and when finances improve I'll step up the ratio of organic produce in the trolley

Sofa_Sogood · 21 April 2005 at 1:59AM

Debt_Free_Chick wrote:

Filigree

I have never heard of butchers selling only to "favoured" customers. Could you not find another butcher?

Strangely enough Debt_Free_Chick we had a butcher that had "favoured customers"

He wouldn't sell me lamb's liver unless I'd bought some lamb etc. His theory was the lamb's had plenty of meat but not enough liver , so I kind of understood it. I think he liked the power he weilded to be honest, but as my Mum bought his lamb, we got liver anyway via her.

And look now? People won't even ask for it, let alone eat it!

Debt_Free_Chick · 21 April 2005 at 8:04AM

Favoured customers .... blimey. Brings a whole new meaning to the idea of a "Loyalty" scheme

Chipps · 21 April 2005 at 11:57AM

I wonder why some butchers are like this since they are under threat from the supermarkets? We have 2 good local butchers, one is cheaper but both sell good quality meat, & will give advice and cut whatever you want. Also (vegetarians look away now) there is a good butchers shop in the slaughterhouse farm a few miles away, and the butchers there are very knowledgable & helpful & all the meat is local. Their prices are very good too.
A few months ago I made a very big mistake, and bought some chicken from Tesco: imagine my horror when I got it home and found it had an INGREDIENTS LIST...
YUK!!!

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