really old style living?

ceridwen

Gigervamp wrote: »

I think Ceridwen does sq ft gardening. I know that I found out about it because she posted the link a year or two ago.
On the website there's a gallery of peoples sq ft gardens and they're very inspirational. Shows that a productive garden doesn't have to look utilitarian and can look very beautiful.

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I do my best in my tiny garden - based on square foot gardening principles...:D

Gigervamp

I've bought Home Farmer in Tescos.

ceridwen

BTW - JenniO is the MSE member/frequenter of O.S. who is our resident "expert" on Square Foot Gardening.

See her entries on Square Foot Gardening in 2008 on her blog - click for her homepage to get into this. Its @

http://homemattersmost.blogspot.com/

ceridwen

Patchwork_Quilt wrote: »

Have now finished jamming and chutneying for this year, unless the tomatoes stay green. I reorganised the pantry into year groups so that I can see what needs using up. Then, I worked out how much jam and chutney we actually need in a year -

12 chutney
12 'best' jam for sponge cakes and guests
12-15 ordinary jam for stirring into porridge and butties
12 jars pickled beetroot
12 jars pickled something else for variety - think it could be plums when the season starts.
3 jars marmalade - only DH eats it
7 elderflower champage
2 elderflower cordial
6 lemon curd
6 blackberry vodka

and as many bottled fruit purees as possible, depending on the apple crop.

So, I don't need to go to the supermarket for any preserves. The only trouble is that we need a lot of space for all this. Where do people envisage storing all their food when they buy in bulk?

In my case - sitting room cupboards/dining room cupboards and I keep bottles for homemade drinks in the airing cupboard. If I get desperate - I may just get some shelves put in going along the walls extending over the doors in rooms or on the wall above the kitchen window.

I think it helps if one sits down at the outset and thinks "Right - I'm going to cram in as much storage space as I possibly can into this house to make up for how small it is" - so I've done stuff anyway like converting the loft into storage space, putting in lots of built-in furniture, freeing-up space in the airing cupboard, cramming in as much storage space as I possibly could in the kitchen (mind you - I'm going to have to re-do my kitchen sometime - and have worked out a design that will get in even more storage space - based on moving the radiator....), drawers under my bed, a truckle bed underneath the spare bed, loads of shelving everywhere.....

But that was my take on things - I just thought "I expected a quart size house and got a pint pot size house - now how can I make this little house act like a Tardis?"...:rotfl:

stitching_witch

ceridwen wrote: »

I have been out today and duly ordered myself a copy of "Home Farmer" for a look though - as I couldnt find it in WH Smith - so have ordered it from another shop.

After the first issue that I bought in WH Smith I was hooked. I wish I had found it years ago. DD bought me a subscription for Christmas. It's a present which arrives every month and I'm going to ask her for the same again this Christmas.


I really need to get my act together with a store cupboard. I have next week off work, specifically to rip out the contents of the utility room and re-design it. Unfortunately it gets used as a dumping area for things without a home. Re-jigging it involves rehanging the door which then means moving the light switch which means.....

Funny how these things seem to snowball, and all I want to do is store more home made jam and rosehip syrup!

zarazara

I've never made rosehip syrup. Is it easy? Do the little itching powder hairs cause a problem?

D&DD

Zara I usually strain mine through doubled up muslin and that seems to work HTH

missychrissy

I was brought up with parents that made everything themselves. I didn't realise until I was probably a teenager that when I was about 6 or 7 my doll's cot and bed and wardrobe were made by my dad and all the doll's bed linen was made by my mum. I thought Santa left them because I'd requested them.

My parents did teach me to be self sufficient. I watched my dad on the DIY scene and my mum on the knitting/crochet/quilting/patchwork/dressmaking scene. I cannot remember learning to knit - I must have been very young when my mum taught me but I am very glad she did.

The older I get the more really old style living I become.

I don't have a company pension scheme so when I retire I will be on basic state pension so I have to practice now on living on as little as possible as basic state pension is just that.

zarazara

[QUOTE=missychrissy;35839717

The older I get the more really old style living I become.

I don't have a company pension scheme so when I retire I will be on basic state pension so I have to practice now on living on as little as possible as basic state pension is just that.[/QUOTE]

Same here!

csarina

missychrissy wrote: »

The older I get the more really old style living I become..

Likewise with us just now its a case of having to, this last move cost me so much money it unbelieveable.......I have given myself a budget of £140 a month for food. I have split it into 2 lots of £70, one lot at the beginning of the month and the other in the middle, if there is any left, I draw less the next month.

The work we are having to get done on the fire has really knocked us back, over £1000 to get the new stove installed. Our obdurate landlord refuses to pay for any of it which infuriates me, he is still insisting that the old stove was perfectly safe.

Once we have cleared out feet, I will be trying to rebuild our emergency fund, I need at least £1000 in it.

I have visitors coming at the end of September into October, I am going to have to look at the cheapest way the feed them, I think stews padded out with beans or large dumplings will be the order of the day......