the daydream fund challenge thread

alfie_1

choille wrote: »

It takes all sorts I suppose.

I was at a crofting thing & one of the guys from the Isle of Lewis told me about Gugas. I couldn't believe it. I thought he was having a laugh as they are very funny guys from Lewis - hilarious.
Basically it's a seagull that has been buried for - like ages. I was howling with laughter. I didn't think it was true.
But then I got told about smokies & I don't mean the fish. It's a North African dish - if that's the right word.
Basically the event I was at was about croft produce & marketing meat from the croft - some one posed the questions about what you considered ethical & what you didn't - very thought provocking stuff. That's when I had to ask what a smokie was - I couldn't believe that either.

well.....??? what is a smokie?? iv asked but OH doesnt know either:rotfl:

choille

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smokie_(carcass)

alfie_1

choille wrote: »

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/smokie_(carcass)

uuurrrggghhhh !!

alfie_1

lostinrates wrote: »

White here too. white and freezing. I'm thawing from feeds then about to go out with a bucket of water and a kettle and try and defrost some very, very frozen troughs.

there is no snow here at all... just a bit of a freeze on the ground. the water troughs ballcocks are still frozen up tho!!
black ice is the thing to watch for here....
hope everyone has a good week.

lostinrates

alfie_1 wrote: »

there is no snow here at all... just a bit of a freeze on the ground. the water troughs ballcocks are still frozen up tho!!
black ice is the thing to watch for here....
hope everyone has a good week.

Our white is just thick frost on top of thick frost. The water in our troughs was frozen solid in some, to the bottom quarter or so in others. The pipes and ballcocks have no hope!

Feeling a bit ''billed out'' today. :(

rhiwfield

Smokies are available in the UK I understand, though not legally. In a past life I was unfortunate enough to gain too much experience of abattoirs and food safety regs, some experiences not to be repeated :eek:

As for the pheasants, they're hung in the freezing garage atm but will be cleaned by Wednesday and frozen.

Temp didnt get above freezing today and minus 6C at night. Shamed to admit I bought some veg for the first time in months . Suspect my remaining in the ground carrots have not survived the early freeze, though the deep frozen brassicas may be ok along with the swedes and parsnips

choille

Your carrots maybe okay. Mine are still in the ground - would need a pnuematic drill to get them out. My beetroots have sort of bled into the snow - tis all pink round about them. I should of put fleece around the parsley but I haven't & I have bulbs that I haven't put in - must do them into pots tomorrow. It's been blizzards on & off all day & sort of spattering the van with hail now - the power flickered a couple of times but it's still on - obviously.

We were 4 months snow free - so I don't wonder we haven't had a great growing season. The temps have been low & I hear the bus slid off the road today I'm surprised it was attempting it. I walked up to the road & it didn't look great but we got post.
Earlier this evening the helicopter was hovering around across the Loch - so someone's away to the hospital. It's supposed to thaw on Friday.
I've sort of shut down & just hunched over the stove most of the day.
rhiwfield I've oonly been inside a slaughter house once on a crofting trip - it was cows that they were doing. Was at Spean Bridge in a new set up. It was so busy & big - well not compared to where you live proabbly but seemed that way to me. I was stood next to a bloke from the Scottish Office - he was green about the gills - so I didn't feel as bad I suppose. It was very professional - but it is hard here, distances. There has been talk of mobile abattoirs but it won't happen coz of the hygene laws I reckon.

Rummer

There was a big discussion on the radio yesterday about abattoirs and people buying meat from unknown sources. It was all very interesting hearing the differing views.

I am so happy today as I am having a snow day today! Looking forward to relaxing today!

lostinrates

Less cold here today, just took a bucket of hot water and a big stick (a broken pickaxe handle!) to get into the troughs! One of the oldies,well rugged up, and frost on the tip of every single hair on her body, the best frosted horse I've every seen.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

thanks rummer.. yep..

well it was -9 this morning:eek: and the roads are still bad,

some of the local councils are saying they have low supplies of grit.... next thing we are going to hear, when it comes to feb time, when we normally get this type of weather, is that they havent got any money to buy grit......

some more pics for the detectives amoungst us......any more ideas on dates?

this is the back of the cottage... plus again there is a few foot of old rotten leaves etc:rotfl:

I feel like lloyd grossman.... by saying..

'now who lives ( lived) in house like this':rotfl: ( no not me, but i wish)