really old style living?

hex2

mardatha - how has your jam making gone?

I went to visit my parents yesterday. They are retired and have a large garden that they have worked hard at for years. Yesterday all my interest was for the veg and fruit. They are as close to self sufficient for these things as they can be, I think the only thing my mum buys is bananas. I found it very inspiring, only now I want a veg tunnel too.

I came back with five trays of flower garden plants, and a pile of cookery books inclduing three or four on jam making and preserves so plenty to be doing.

Today I plan to pick yet more raspberries for the freezer, dig up all the potatoes and get them in sacks in the garage so that I can backfill the space in the veg plot with something useful.

mardatha

I'm working up the nerve to go and start it. I have to top & tail about a million blackberries... will let ou know how it goes.
But I am pleased that with your support in here, I have made yoghurt, and will make jam. Can make laundry & washing up powder. Can make bread and all cakes/biscuits. Can cook a hell of a lot better than I used to, and use up all scraps. The REALLY old style crusade is going well

mardatha

Hex, what you putting int he space left by the tatties ? I was jsut wondering this yesterday, I dont want to waste that space.

hex2

I bought Vegetable Growing month by month by John Harrison (currently £1 or so delivered on Amazon) because I am fairly new to veg. No pretty pictures but very helpful as he is northern so his dates are accurate for me. He says beetroot, brassicas, carrots, kohl rabi, early peas, french beans, radishes and spring onions. Leeks if you have any ready for planting out. He runs a couple of websites as well www.allotment.org.uk and www.lowcostliving.co.uk which are very OS. I have some carrot, early pea and kohl rabi seed so will go with what I have. Might have one last try at Basil to go with my much hoped for tomatoes glut. My mother says turnips will be fine too - she grows in shropshire in a frost pocket so is a good comparitor as well.

This thread has had perfect timing for me and is very helpful/inspiring. Thankyou everyone.

mardatha

Turnips is what I'd like, brilliant ta !

COOLTRIKERCHICK

talking of pwer cuts.... we have gas cmping stove anyway for when we do, well camping....lol... and we take it to the boot sales with use to make our own bacon rolls and tea etc..

but talking about power cuts, we have a cast iron pot belly bbq that we bought in asda a few years back... when we had a pwer cut before we just burned some wood in it, and cooked on that.. we had lovely bacon rolls, and then later on we heated up some soup.

Your could also do this even when the electric is on, and save yourselve some money on your energy bills.... you would have to get the wood for free though:D

mardatha

CANI leave the wee stubs in the blackberries ? Or do I have to stand for 5 hours pulling them out ? It leaves the fruit as a gooey splodgy mess !! The stalks are all off.

westcoastscot

mardatha i leave everything on -i just dip them in a mix of water and bicarb to bring up all the beasties, rinse and then start them off - anything untoward rises to the top of the pan and can be skimmed off prior to adding sugar

mardatha

Dunnit ! Happy ! I GOT JAM !!! whoohoo ! :j:j:j

stitching_witch

mardatha wrote: »

Dunnit ! Happy ! I GOT JAM !!! whoohoo ! :j:j:j

Well done!! Is that the first attempt? I still remember the first jam I ever made. It's one of those momentous occasions like your first boyfriend/car/flat etc