the daydream fund challenge thread

rhiwfield

Lotus-eater wrote: »

That's why we have oil heating too Flick a switch darling.
But after what we just paid for 1000 litres, I think it's cheaper to buy kiln dried oak and burn that.

And if the leccy goes off, which it does here from time to time, at least the woodburner still works

Rummer

Lotus-eater wrote: »

That's why we have oil heating too Flick a switch darling.

Marvelous :rotfl:

I have been discussing this thread and the push comes to shove one with my OH this evening and it has lead to some interesting debate. He has pointed out that we spend a fortune on the garden every year in relation to the yield we get, and I have to agree with him.

In my mind however I am preparing for the future and each year it will cost us less and less as we learn new skills and start to make our own compost in greater amounts and have the equipment that we need (want) to see us through.

He looks on it as my little pet project or hobby where as I look as it as future proofing our bank balance and health

Lotus-eater

rhiwfield wrote: »

And if the leccy goes off, which it does here from time to time, at least the woodburner still works

Exactly, we had to cook on ours last year a couple of times and many people in the village keep oil lamps and even generators for when the power goes off.
I could do with a decent lamp of some kind, but it's always been so expensive for so little use. I was thinking about one of those LED wind up ones for ages, but could never bring myself to buy one.

rhiwfield

Rummer wrote: »

Marvelous :rotfl:

I have been discussing this thread and the push comes to shove one with my OH this evening and it has lead to some interesting debate. He has pointed out that we spend a fortune on the garden every year in relation to the yield we get, and I have to agree with him.

In my mind however I am preparing for the future and each year it will cost us less and less as we learn new skills and start to make our own compost in greater amounts and have the equipment that we need (want) to see us through.

He looks on it as my little pet project or hobby where as I look as it as future proofing our bank balance and health

Rummer, many people spend a fortune on the garden without any intention of getting a productive return! Just give him the option of a Diurmuid Gavin makeover or a new veg patch

You know I agree with your approach. All I can say is that we are now benefitting from past investment in the house and garden, to the extent where we feel more capable of facing the economic shocks now looming!

Rummer

That is what I am aiming for rhiwfield small steps to a rosier outlook. I have been thinking about going on a working break, one of the ones where you stay on a farm/smallholding in return for your labour. It would be good to have that practical experience and to see exactly what is involved and if I have the heart and energy to work towards something like that myself.

Lotus-eater

Rummer wrote: »

I have been discussing this thread and the push comes to shove one with my OH this evening and it has lead to some interesting debate. He has pointed out that we spend a fortune on the garden every year in relation to the yield we get, and I have to agree with him.

In my mind however I am preparing for the future and each year it will cost us less and less as we learn new skills and start to make our own compost in greater amounts and have the equipment that we need (want) to see us through.

He looks on it as my little pet project or hobby where as I look as it as future proofing our bank balance and health

I'm not sure how much you spend, but I know you were worried about having plastic pots on the patio.
Tbh you can spend as much as you want on GYO, or as little as you can.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with having a project or hobby that also creates food but costs money, in fact it's a pretty good hobby in my mind.

Lets face it, we all know that for what we spend, it's not much more to buy veg in the supermarkets (we know there are huge differences, but we are talking money now ok), if you want to save money, you have to look at it with a totally oldtime smallholding POV, ie we don't spend money on anything.

And if you don't enjoy that, then phooey, do what you want, the important thing is to be happy, to enjoy it and to eat good food. And I think that's about it

Rummer

Lotus-eater wrote: »

I'm not sure how much you spend, but I know you were worried about having plastic pots on the patio.
Tbh you can spend as much as you want on GYO, or as little as you can.

I realised when I typed that that it didn't sound very MS but it is the only bit of the garden where we have ceramic pots and we use it so much for entertaining and family time in the summer that I want it to look a certain way. I am not making apologies just thinking in text.

We have been lucky that all our garden furniture has been gifts or found in skips and lovingly restored and that the pots we have bought have been end of season bargains.

The rest of my garden however is filled with pallets, flower buckets from Morrisons and lots of donated plastic pots of various shapes, sizes and colours. We have edged our beds with glass bottles and have used recyled/reclaimed items is a variety of ways.

Seeds were my gift from family for xmas and I always send away for free seeds when they are available. I think what I am trying to say in a very long winded way is that I do try my best to spend as little as possible in my garden but that there always seems to be new expenses every year.

I think I just need to be ruthless and more organised for example the compost, I will have to buy some in when I could have just collected leaf litter and turned our bins more often!

choille

Welcome cyclura,

Speedy recovery to all who are unwell & rockets for us who need them.

Snowing a bit & bitter wind. Went to rare breed sale in Dingwall today (two a year) & bought a new Mrs Chuckles - Buff Orpington.
No Lavenders. Thought I'd got three Light Sussexs but not. Snow heavy on the East so fled home sharpish with hens & battened down hatches - but snow not bad here at all although supposed to be bad through the night.

Went in LIDLs & they have some groovey metal planters - big uns & some trough type window box uns as well - cheap. I resisted - they also have some fruit trees, bird cherry but I have those.

Feel jiggered so off to bed for me.
Night night.

lostinrates

alfie_1 wrote: »

i may be buying something on ebay that is going to COST ...BUT still a bargain if under my max.... im buying on behalf of my friend, for me to use !!?? will know tmorow eve so will let you know if im succesfull !! bit random i know but to do with horses !!

Ah...if its what I was going to bid for in Southhampton I won't!

lostinrates

Had a goo date DH walking the dogs now.,...night all.