my food and growing diary

ALIBOBSY

Came over here after the problems on your other thread Nikki. You are where we want to be really. We put some raised beds in last year plus 3 fruit trees and some bushes (hopefully we will get more produce from these this year now they are established).
We grew quite a bit, but it was mostly an experiment to see what grows the best where and to get an idea of how much sun/rain/frost our garden gets.

Going to dig up some of the front lawn this year for more space and do more pot growing which I loved, as well as making better use of the beds and my cheapy greenhouse-was underused last year. Our next step is chucks, but still debating over that and the initial setup costs.


Also did some foraging and now we know what is growing where around us will be better organised next autumn-already saving glass jars and bottles lol.

ali x

bay-tree-cottage

Thank you Nikki and Carrieon for the advice about the chickens.

I ordered the wood for raised beds today (delivery tomorrow) and priced up for a chicken run. We have a wooden childrens playhouse that can be altered to house the chickens but not sure where to buy the mesh as I understand chicken wire is not fox proof.

JackieO I would have loved to have met your mother-in-law. People of that era were amazing and you learn lots from them. Unfortunately I have no elderly relatives but still do things the way my grandma taught me (she was also very frugal ).
BTC X

Welsh_Poppy

Nikki, good luck will watch with interest we would love to try what you are doing.

nikki20022008

Tomorrow is as follows:

£ weetabix £0.14
£ raisins £0.15
£ cup a soup £0.04
£ yougurt £0.06
£ whoopie orange juice £0.04
bartered phesant £0.20
bartered potatoes £0.04
bartered Milk £0.06
home grown carrots £0.04
home grown swede £0.04
home grown salad £0.03
home grown tomatoes £0.02
Homemade bread £0.08
Total £0.95p



Breakfast Weetabix with milk orange juice and raisins
Lunch Cup a soup, salad bowl with tomatoes, bread
Dinner phesant leg, potatoes, carrot and swede, yougurt

Fruit and veg:

Carrots - one
Swede - one
Orange juice - one
raisins - one
Salad bowl - one
Tomatoes - one




Things I have done today started a new mushroom box so in about 12 weeks I'll have lots of lovely mushrooms. these can be grown anywhere warm and dark mine are under my stairs where my boiler is. I have also started off my leeks and cabbage in the greenhouse.

nikki20022008

It so nice to see people being supportative I'm loving this challane and I am stating to see the benefits of what I'm doing I'm starting to use my bartering more in fact I have a chocolate cake and lasagne coming tomorrow for 3 dozen eggs lol so that will be the day afters tomorrow nearly sorted only breakfast and lunch to do

carrieon

hI nIkki, Please, please dont tell me you work as well. I just cant seem to get motivated since christmas. I had been making my own wine but i'm drinking the last bottle now and have no more in demi johns.
I dont have a greenhouse so i'm not sure that i could start any veg etc off yet could i?
You are making me feel so lazy i am deffo going to start getting on with a bit tomorrow. The only veg i have growing in the garden at the moment are leeks and they seem to have stopped growing since the cold weather. Though they look healthy enough.
Keep up the good work nikki. i look forward to reading this thread.

nikki20022008

I wanted to tell people a little of why I'm doing this challenge I want to try to save £15,000 this year to buy a house been renting for 15 years and want to finally buy somewhere for me and lil one. It's not about being tight or putting our health at risk it's just about being smarter. I have never had to think so hard but at the same time it's made me look at how much I wasted and didn't use the assests I have and so far I'm doing ok. My tip for seeds is ebay there is a shop which sell a lot of varities at 80p for a decent amount of seeds I'm not sure if I'm allowed to mention names of certain sellers. Anyone can grow veg a few years ago I just grew broad and runner beans and lived quite well on just that it took no room at all.

bay-tree-cottage

Hi Nikki regarding mushroom growing - is it a kit or special compost or something and are they expensive to buy. I love mushrooms especially eaten raw x

nikki20022008

I work full time carrie lol and there are loads of veg you can start in the house and its time to start chitting potatoes put them in egg boxes so that the eyes on the potatoes face upwards. Don't put them in direct light but they do need a bright area. I grew chillis in my house last year and am going to plant those tomorrow lol

Welsh_Poppy

Nikki
I wanted to say there is lots of free seed exchanges and also the CGS who do a yearly seed exchange so wont cost extra money and swap with other gardeners.
i only did mushroom growing !!!!!! did not return my layout so seemed not cost effective.