Pippi’s pulling up her stripey-socks for the final sprint towards the Good-Life……………

Karmacat

Oh, I could do that! Thanks Cheery, thanks Pippi.

Pippilongstocking

Karmacat wrote: »

Oh wow! Now thats a really good idea - that will see me buying animal products again :rotfl: thanks Pippi!

Now I thought of you (and other non-animal eating folk) when I did my thinking - vegetable 'hard' fat can be used!

http://www.princesgroup.com/brands/crisp-n-dry/

You don't need to buy animal product if you dont want to - therefore you can do what suits your specific choices

.........big debate about it here

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=75767

From my point of view - I don't do factory farming and getting organic decent lard not very cheap - I'd be cheaper if I put a block of butter out (and I can't do that too expensive) - I've wrangled with my mind about it - I'd like to feed the bird here but other hand - I can't afford much in the way of luxury right now - I'll try a better solution than the cheapo lard (pig) at 27p and buy a better option when I can afford one - its the meat derivitives (of anything) I have a problem with if I can *see* how they've lived.

While I wrestle that one out I'll bite my tongue at the mo and buy the cheap lard - when I can afford to I'll probably switch to vege lard - and then figure a plan

The fat ball they make commercially (non home made) I'm pretty certain won't be organically made - but they are very good for the birdies - depends how far you want to take it.

As we're maybe mabye maybe thinking of a pig next year for rearing - maybe I can use the whole animal (after I've loved it and nutured it) for things like this to get the whole use of it.

Hey Prudent - HI - whar aboot (roughly) are you fae in the land of the scot.............dont worry if you don't want to say!

gilligansyle

Popping by to say hello.

I've seen you around other threads, mainly KC, and lurked occasionally on your last diary, but was tempted to read your blog today and just loved it.

Pippilongstocking

Cheery_Daff wrote: »

Birds love fat balls We love making them (might sneakily make you a few when we're up there pippi :rotfl:). We usually do it with Trex though - white vegetable fat - looks the same as lard but not animals - usually find it in the same place - works exactly the same

Whoops missed that post - you said what I meant in fewer words - lol

I figure a tin can is a good mold for such things and good recycling- you can then chop the bottom open with a can opener and push the bird cake out - I'm just being lazy at the moment!

Pippilongstocking

gilligansyle wrote: »

Popping by to say hello.

I've seen you around other threads, mainly KC, and lurked occasionally on your last diary, but was tempted to read your blog today and just loved it.

Thank you very much I'm glad you enjoyed it _I'm trying to write more to get over the bad habits and the fear I have of writing now - the blog is random, its always very random - and lovely to see you too - enjoy your posts on KC thread

(and others!)

Nice to pop past thank you!

Karmacat

Hmmm.... in my garden I've seen blackbirds, bluetits, sparrows, starlings, a couple of robins.... what do they eat normally, I wonder? I don't have a problem buying animal products for an animal that eats meat - even if its maggots and insects I did it for my cats, I can do it for birdies ... thinks ... I *have* to go see my accountant tomorrow, and that means I'll pass a poundland shop - I'll check on cheap lard and cheap hard veg fat, see if, like the links you gave above, they list transfats, hydrogenated and whatnot. Like you, Pippi, even tho I've gone down to what feels like the absolute minimum of money, I don't have any surplus - and thats even with no mortgage to pay. I'm sure birds don't live long enough for hydrogenation to be an issue. I don't think so anyway. I'm pretty sure they'd rather have it than not.

**waves at gill**

**and pippi**

**and all**

Pippilongstocking

Good plan KC - birds eat a mix of insects and seeds and berries - they other bit is, if a chunky beak seedeater (finches etc) if a thin beak can be insect or seed (robin, etc). Although they do eat both if they are hungry don't they. Its not exactly 100% right but you get the idea of it. I've a book about gardening for birds as the things we grow can really help the birds - so I'm going to dig that out when planning the old garden. I've a really good article about it in my night class folder as one of the girls was keen on finding out what to grow.

On saving seed - I'm having a go at growing my own butternut squash - we had one with our dinner - seeds look plump and viable - I'll do a germinatoin test later on in the week.
As I was ungunking them - I was thinking is this really worth it? Um, OH pointed out - if I can then I can sell the baby plants for 50p-£1 a plant - and I can grow my own squashes for free - there are c100 seeds in the tub from one squash. No brainer really. Needless to say I degunked them and now they are drying on a tray - I've saved a good tomato too - and been kindly sent more homeseed from GV - - I really do need to get this tunnel up soon - baby plants = money. And if I can do a decent germination test and feel happy about the seeds I could actually sell seed - but I'll think about that - I'd rather sell seed I grow myself IYsWIM

Girls (hens not actual girls) are happy in the new shed and decided against donning ski's to escape the homestead - locked them in and I've grain and scraps in the slow cooker - which I've found out heats the kitchen up nicely if we close the door before bedtime - and on cheap leccy too they get a hot treat in the am and I get a cosy kitchen!


Tomorrow extra money stuff - 1 doz eggs to take into town - pal picking them up from town saving a trip up to hers as we're both in town (I'm getting better at this grouping my journeys cheery!)
Extra work from 9-5.15 - I can take in my own writing and review it and get paid for sitting in a lovely quiet exam - dunno how much they pay (dunno why I didn't ask......) I'll have to find out.

Off to pyjama land - thank you for a lovely start to the next adventure chaps.

Must take in drink/food as only 15min between the morning and the afternoon.

Karmacat

This sounds good, Pippi - but please find out how much you're being for invigilating! And I'm glad the girls didn't put their skies on after all

makeup

Hi Pippi

I meant to catch up with your last thread but seeing as I'd missed 4 weeks I was thinking the reading might take me days so I'll just jump back in with your new thread.

I can't believe the end of your paid work has come round so quickly.

However I know you'll manage brilliantly, you have so many great ideas and are really working the patchwork lifestyle in such a great way.

I'm getting used to the idea of being back home but the coldness is so harsh and that will take a while longer to get used to. It was cold while I was away and we did get snow but it seemed less cold or maybe I was just better dressed for it!!!

boredofbeingathome

I agree with all of the above, and as a long standing member of the RSPB may i recommend this site to help for those who want to make fat balls and other things for birds- it is the children's one but heaps of fun.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/youth/makeanddo/activities/birdcake.asp

I also use a pine cone it is easy to tie string around and just pop in yoghurt pot, put the fat and seeds in let it all set and very decorative when hung up and the birds have pecked away at it- plus can recycle a few times.