It is tough NOW. So how are we coping

Primrose

Mardatha - thanks for the link to the War Memories website. I've bookmarked it so I can return to it at my leisure, and hopefully pick up a few more tips. It's easy to feel depressed at the current dire state of the economy, but at least we don't have bombs dropping on us and severe rationing. Whenever I read stories like this, I wish my Mum was still alive so I could tell her now how much I admired her for coping so well through all these adversities.

lka200

Ive noticed that fresh and tinned have shot up. They are out of season so maybe thats why but saying that i have really noticed that absolutely everything has shot up in price.

Penelope_Penguin

jenster wrote: »

is it me or have toms suddenly shot up in price ?

is there a shortage then or somthing

even Value tin toms used to be 18p a tin now over 30p


must grow me own this year i think

Imported goods will become more expensive with the weakness of the pound It's a good time to stick with home-produced goods.

I'll add this to the Things Getting Tougher thread

Penny. x

freebiequennie

6 pack of toms currently 49p in aldi if that helps anyone

Sylvan

mummysaver wrote: »

Good morning!
It was icy when I drove back from work early this morning, -6c in the next village to ours, but a stunningly warm -4c here! Seems to have warmed up somewhat now though. I did leave the heating on very low overnight, can't believe that it uses a lot more gas than having to heat the house from freezing, and it's bound to be cheaper than dealing with burst pipes!

Brrr, I wish I could do that. It was -7 earlier and it's still -2 now, despite the sun:(.
We used to do it in the last house when it was very cold but we had a solid fuel Rayburn and 3ft thick walls (and ceilings the boys could bang their heads on). This house seems to haemorrhage heat and the gas is so expensive I'm desperately trying to cut down.

What's harissa? My slow cooker is being delivered today and I'm looking for ideas.

Apparently the RHS did a trial that showed you could provide a family of four's veg from raised beds, can't remember how many though and would like some instructions, so will be hunting on their website as well! I'm probably preaching to the converted on here, but if anyone hasn't tried growing things then give it a go, even a few salad leaves on the window sill saves lots of money, and means that you never find soggy brown leaves in the bottom of the fridge!

What do you all grow and find most productive and useful?

I think it was 3 square metres, which doesn't sound much but they said they weren't trying to be self-sufficient - just to keep the family reasonably supplied. They had new plants ready to go in every time they harvested something, but they didn't mention the space they needed to keep those while they were waiting to go in.

I've tried indoor salad leaves for the first time this year and they have aphids and whitefly.

I find courgettes and peas particularly productive. Hard to keep up sometimes.:rotfl:

Talking of gluts, what can I do with the freezer drawer full of plums I still have?

fedupfreda

mummysaver wrote: »

What do you all grow and find most productive and useful?

Hi Mummysaver

We grow fruit - mainly strawberries and raspberries, saving up to get some cordon apple trees. The boys could happily eat berries by the punnet full every day and the miser in me resents having to pay extortionate prices for watery tasteless imported fruit :mad: . Also runner beans, peas, courgettes, tomatoes and salad veg.

Currently planning this years planting - wrapped up in the warm, its darn cold out there (got to -9 last night :eek: there goes the gas bill.....)

hgbels

Well, I am now on day two of being a SHAM, and the LO's are at preschool. Only a settling in session today, they went straight off with the teacher so I have been for a walk in the lovely sunshine, and now have half and hour before I go and pick them up. Must get and alarm or something set. Managed to make some shepards pie last night after the builders left - I have added some Oats so will have to see how it turns out.

Just off to measure the bathroom as we need vinyl on the floor and I saw some roll ends on the way to preschool

Hels

mummysaver

Hi Sylvan - harissa is a North African spicy chilli paste, you can find it in the taste the difference section in Sainsbugs, and I think it's with the normal herbs in Mr T's, even Lidl have it in quite frequently. It's great for just adding a bit of heat and a slightly different flavour to stews, and is used in North African stews a lot, the sort that they traditionally cook and steam the couscous over the top.

Slow cookers are great, have a look at the "What I have in my SC today" thread, it's full of great ideas. Cheap meat cuts are brilliant in it, they absolutely melt!

Thanks for the veg ideas, my peas never seem to really get going, have tried for the past 3 years! Sugarsnap peas seem to be okay, and beans of all sorts, but the slugs must really enjoy peas round here! I've been looking at climbing courgettes up a really sunny bit of my fence, think I shall give them a go - have just finished off the last of the grated courgette from my friend's garden!

If you get white fly you can give them a squirt with water and washing up liquid in a spray bottle, just give them a good wash before eating them, don't want to be blamed if you start foaming at the mouth!

Thanks for the info about the RHS thing, 3sqm sounds simple enough, think we've got about that already, planning on another raised bed, and on using the bed under the front window again, gets so much sun that it was fab for toms, grew them through the lavender and roses! Also stuck some herbs out there too, as the part of the bed nearest the front door is really dry, the herbs are still thriving! Will be interesting to have a look at estimate the costings of doing it their way as well.

Actually came back to post the muffin recipe I said I would the other day! This gives great soft muffins, they keep pretty well and freeze well too.

225g s/r flour
2 tsp baking powder
0.5 tsp salt
100g caster sugar
1 egg
250ml milk
120ml veg oil

Preheat oven to 200c/gas 6, mix dry ingredients together, mix wet ingredients in a bowl then pour into the dry ones. Stir until everything is just mixed, about 30 secs, batter should be lumpy but with no visible flour. Fill 12 muffin cases 3/4 full, bake for 15-20mins. Muffins are cooked when tops are lightly browned and they feel springy.

You can add whatever flavourings you fancy, choc chips, raisins, nuts, or cranberry (add 180ml cranberry sauce and decrease milk to 230ml).

mummysaver

Fedupfreda - thanks for the tips, I have quite a few strawberry plants, thought they weren't very productive until I found dd3 and her pals sitting around the patch munching! Are raspberries easy to grow? I resent the prices of soft fruit too - nearly fell over when I saw the price of blackberries in the shops, i can't imagine actually paying £3 for a tiny punnet when they grow everywhere round here!

Any pea growing tips? Would they work well in tubs? I might have more chance with slug control then! Was thinking about the price of peas at the mo, they seem expensive as well - yeah I know, what doesn't at the mo!

Sylvan - sorry, forgot to say about plums, they make quite nice wine! They can also be halved, stoned and cooked as a clafouti. Never had a much luck with plum jam, seems to get really thick and sticky really quickly, but nice with apples added. We never seem to have a problem with using plums, as dd3 eats dozens of them in season! Our friends used to have an orchard that contained several plum trees, I really miss all the picking we used to do!

D&DD

I'll try again *just hit the power button by mistake lol*
Mummysaver I think raspberries are great,grow like weeds here and take very little loooking after.Really good use of space.:D

We're off to the hospital again tomorrow so just popped in to say tata for now and behave yourselves while I'm gone

Any weather reports for the Stanmore/Middlesex area would be appreciated see you all soon
D XX