does anyone remember the haybox?

Penelope_Penguin

The_Thrilla wrote: »

That'll teach my electric company to meddle in my affairs.

Oooerr, what did they do :eek:

I first saw hayboxes mentioned on the Victorian Kitchen and Garden (recently repeated on Yesterday, so I've recorded the lot, to go with my book :T ). Never made one myself, but there are more opinions in this thread. I'll add this to that one later to keep ideas together.

Please come back and let us know if it works

ariba10

They were used a lot by the armed forces during and after the war.

cuca

I have one - its a bought version and its called a Wonder Box. Basically its a normal cardboard box with a lid, inside there are two 'cushions' that are filled with polystyrene balls. The bottom one is slightly shaped so that it fits snug around a pot and the top is triangular (so that the edges fit snug around pot and on top). Dh really didnt believe the meals that I made in it - saying that I shoved it in the box quick before he came home :rotfl:until I made an oxtail in front of him. Seriously it makes the best stews I have ever tasted......... :T and its practically free to cook....

Heres a pattern to make one:

http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf93301826.tip.html

katholicos

I read about it in the Self Sufficientish book that i have. The idea makes good sense, though i haven't yet attempted making one myself, i may do so in the none too distant future.

meanmarie

Haven't used a haybox myself but have, when OH could get me sacks of sawdust foc, used the 'volcano' method in my solid fuel cooker.....it involved filling up the firebox over a low fire with sawdust and boring a hole in the middle with a long poker....the sawdust burnt from the centre out and provided me with a red hot plate, as it was almost out when it reached the sides it didn't heat either the water or the oven, but could have half a dozen pots on top, even if some only had water to heat in for the washing up. I understand that the same method was used during WW2 using a large tin as sawdust container...think that a small fire would have to be started in it first...but it all hinges on getting your sawdust for nothing.

Love to cook as cheaply as possible, so use the top of my wood burner to heat water and cook as much as possible when its lit in Winter.

Marie

ceridwen

Still so busy experimenting with my foodmaking and foodgrowing that I havent gotten round to the energy experiments angle yet.

So - will be interested to hear this goes...and BTW...when I was wondering just what to put my two "cushions" full of polystyrene granules in - a small trug of mine caught my eye and I reckon it will be just the thing.

Reet...back to googling re food - next question in mind "Is there any culinary uses for used coffee grounds?".....:rotfl:(short of hoping slugs eat them in the garden and get to feel very ill indeed.......)

[Deleted User]

We did this back in the 1970s when we had massive power cuts and only had three hours evey 9 when the lights worked I can remember making stews for my two small children overnight in one of these .lots of kerfuffle but needs must when the devil drives .Most of the women in our road did this and often, if you had a pal who had a gas oven you would fill it up with stuff to cook as being all electric I was totally stymied. We also made sure to always use the stairs in case the lifts packed up in the car parks.We were encoraged to share a bath as well as hot water was so precious .I used to bath my two then use their bath water for me

ceridwen

Actually JackieO - have you thought about writing a book about everyday life over the years since you were born?

JenniO

Ceridwen

Used coffee grounds are fantastic to put around fruit plants such as blueberry to give the soil a more acidic environment. Of course if you have a compost heap, they'll be fine there.

Justamum

JackieO wrote: »

We did this back in the 1970s when we had massive power cuts and only had three hours evey 9 when the lights worked

We used to have great hide 'n' seek games when there were power cuts! School dinners tended to be sandwiches when they had no power - I remember tongue ones which were foul :eek: