really old style living?

Winged_one

Would it be worth trying to get hold of a tea bush for the garden? I don't think coffee is feasible, but tea might be?

DH and I were reading an article this morning about someone with a polytunnel and getting jealous. My dad had one for years and his folks are cnsidering one. Ah boo"! for small gardens.

GreyQueen

Winged_one wrote: »

Would it be worth trying to get hold of a tea bush for the garden? I don't think coffee is feasible, but tea might be?

DH and I were reading an article this morning about someone with a polytunnel and getting jealous. My dad had one for years and his folks are cnsidering one. Ah boo"! for small gardens.

There's a thought. Despite the Famous Tea Gardens of Yorkshire (where they grow Yorkshire Tea)* I don't think it'd work at this altitude and climate. Plus you only pick the tips of the leaves so I guess at my rate of consumption I'd need several....:rotfl:

* You mean it isn't grown in Yorkshire?! Right! Trades Description Act here I come......

PS I have polytunnel envy, too.

rosieben

on TV last week Paul Martin - on one of his Flog It wanderings - visited a garden where they grow tea, it was good for black or green tea, neither of which I like very much

dreaming

ceridwen wrote: »

I wonder whether younger people might be more inclined towards this O.S. lifestyle now that the alternative seems to include getting "pre-loaded" on drink, followed by clubbing on a regular basis and not too worried about who they "go home with". If I had my time again <cue "when I was a youngster" with accompanying violins"> I simply wouldnt be interested in that sort of lifestyle:eek:. I did pubs and clubs a la 1970s version of a night out regularly - but I think those sorta nights out would be a bit passe these days:rotfl::rotfl:

Hmm -this is an interesting thought. I work with quite a lot of young people and I am sure that they think of me as a boring old f**t, but quite honestly if they knew what I got up to when I was younger they would probably be horrified, as I was quite a "wild child" from the ages of 14 - 19. This was late 60s/early 70s, and quite honestly I had the time of my life. However, I then got married (at 21) and had 2 children by age of 26 and as we were quite poor (I had given up work then as women tended to on having children) turned naturally to growing veg, baking, making clothes (I was a demon knitter pre-arthritis). As kids grew up we became better off and moved away from that to a more consumer lifestyle. despite the recessions of 70s and 80s there was a feeling that life could only get better, but then 12 years ago my marriage broke up and I started out again with a mortgage on my own. Although I had a couple of years of "kicking over the traces" where I accepted every invitation I was given, I soon settled down into what I am now - a person who enjoys her own company but has a small circle of good friends; someone whose idea of a good weekend is gardening all day, and reading all evening (with a glass of wine or2); cooking for family and friends now and then (but also enjoying it when they go again!).
I suppose what I am trying to say is that being one thing doesn't preclude one from being another. Where I work I am one of the oldest and as I have been in my job now for 14 years I can see how many of the "wild ones" from the late 90s are now settled with children/houses etc. and although they occasionally like to "party like it's 1999", they are more likely to talk about gardening or decorating. The newer ones since then are mainly still in the mode of "every night is party night", but they have the stamina to be up till all hours and still come to work (I remember those days (just!)). Some of them are moving towards the "settling down" stage (whether with a partner or on their own), and are quite proud when they can say they have made their own soup, or grown some herbs.
I like to think of the song "Turn,turn, turn" (which was based on a bible passage) which basically says that everything has its time/season.
I believe that the reason I am so content today (in my mid-50's)with my pared down life is because I have done all the other things in my life. However that is only a feeling as I can't go back and live my life differently to see how I would have turned out otherwise (although I quite like the idea of parallel universes with many versions of me living different lives).
Anyway, I am now off to sow some more seeds and try to assemble a mini-greenhouse as my kitchen is getting a bit overrun with seed trays etc.
BTW thanks to everyone who reports back on where to buy the cheapest breadflour etc. I don't have much time to shop around as I work very long hours but reading on here really helps me out.

mardatha

I think it's impossible to ever go back, or think like we used to. You have to grow into your age like a pot plant LOL and you cant go back to being a tiny pot plant no matter how much you want to .

dreaming

mardatha wrote: »

I think it's impossible to ever go back, or think like we used to. You have to grow into your age like a pot plant LOL and you cant go back to being a pot plant no matter how much you want to .

Very true, I often say I am 55 going on 16 going on 75, as mind and body seem to say different things to my birth certificate.
I very rarely give advice to people (except to my kids but they tend to ignore me anyway) but occasionally when one of the "youngsters" is talking about how awful it must be to be old (for them it seems to be over 30) and not have any life I do tell them to "remember this conversation when you are older". They often nod and smile to humour me.
I often find though that I can learn a great deal from the younger people I work with, and my children and their friends. They all seem so unafraid of trying new things, and much more accepting of people's differences.
(Right, dreaming, switch the computer off and go and do some work right now!)

youngmummy

i cant remember weather i have previusly posted on here, we dont have a very big garden but i am going to buy a miniture apple and pear tree, grow potatoes, carrots ect also if our move does go through if granted permission we would like to get chickens, i want our LO and any other children we have to understand where their food comes from.... i thought it came from the supermarket i didnt know where anythink came from before it went to the supermarket :ountill i met OH his mum has veg patches in her garden and grows a variety of diffrent things as soon as i moved in with them i was getting my hands dirty :T

mummysaver

Morning all!

Winged one - I'm sure they grow tea outdoors at the Eden Project, I can remember vaguely watching them planting some twiggy bushes! I don't know if they manage to harvest any tea?

I'm always happy to waffle on about OS stuff to people, I think most people quite like the idea that someone somewhere is still baking bread and making yoghurt! And as for squirreling stuff away, the more I mention it, the more people I find who admit that they do it too! I think that if you have the space and money then keeping a supply of whatever you consider essential and necessary items is quite sensible, especially when bought on special offers or if price hikes are expected.

I don't see an OS life as an alternative to going out and partying, I enjoy both, well partying is somewhat on hold at the mo due to Spud, but I can still go out as long as I can stay awake! I think people can quite happily combine both, I enjoy making things, cooking and time with my children just pottering, reading and time alone, but I also enjoy a darned good night out with friends as well - laughing, chatting and dancing the night away are all good for my mental health!

Off now to google tea bushes and see if I could grow them lol!

maryb

dreaming wrote: »

Hmm -this is an interesting thought. I work with quite a lot of young people and I am sure that they think of me as a boring old f**t, but quite honestly if they knew what I got up to when I was younger they would probably be horrified.

:rotfl:My DD2 thinks she shocks me when she wears very short skirts. She should see the skirts I was wearing in 1968:rotfl:But I won't spoil her fun

D&DD

MSaver I love the smell of the curry plant I took some cuttings of mine a few years ago and they're looking a bit bare bottomed now so will do a few more this year. I must admit I don't really use mine I just love the look and smell

I'm making dog treats today in the dehydrator She gets better fed than we do :rotfl:lean minced beef and sweet potato no less!

I've also been waylaid reading the Back to basics book about tinsmithing they have how to make scoops for the garden in there and I always need these as I have 2 scoops and five trowels and can never find one when I go out there