As The Workhouse Approaches....How To Do Everything To Avoid It, the Old Style Way

prophecy_grrl

Thanks elona for your reply - have had quite a bit of interest off freecycle, first time I've used it! Will let you know if it goes x

Charis

freudianslip wrote: »

feeling sorry for myself and really a bit bitter.

I am sad that I have all these things to learn and nobody to show me the old ways. I appreciate being 'here' on the board and must have a frugal streak in me even though we're living hand to mouth.

I just wish my grandma would have shown me the basics.

Well sorry for myself moment over with. I'm going to the library online to reserve books on self sufficiency and home made. No point being anything other than proactive.

Ah, don't worry freudianslip. We will collectively be your grandma and show you things she could only have dreamed of, like how to freeze, microwave and budget for your petrol, none of which my gran lived long enough to see in general use. And us grans are still learning too None of us knows it all but between us we seem to know the answer to most things. Start with the things you can do now and add to them a little at a time. Baby steps.

If you have some time, read through the older OS threads listed at the start of this one (there are about five, I think). See for yourself how far some of the posters have come since they started to post. Not overnight, but gradually, a little at a time.

flowertotmum

Hi all..welcome to all the new ladies..
Had a great day..went to the CS and got some bargains..a huge cardigan for £2,a lovely 3/4 length sleeve light weight jumper £1,a beautiful skirt for fern with a very pretty petticoat underneath it..it looks like one of those 50's skirts..75p..the lady that runs it is sooo sweet..she gave me a beautiful pink quilt and pillowcase for FREE..it has a tiny rip in it and i mean tiny..she said no-one would buy it and i could have it...so its been mended and washed and ironed and its gorgeous..i thought it was so lovely of her...
Got home and hubby and son had been to the lotties and brought home a bag of strawberries..they are so sweet and tasty...but very small..had the last cabbage out today..others have only just gone in..thankfully i have some in freezer.
Tots have spent the afternoon in the garden with new chickens..just getting to know them it was so lovely to watch..the chickens were a bit unsure but tots didn't make any fast moves and just sat and waited..chickens soon came over..they not to keen on being touched but by end of day they were following tots around..so now tots have 4 new little friends...
Got extra bit of shopping in..all put away in spare wardrobe..my parents have accused me of scare mongering..my dd's have just started to get the message about food prices..thankfully...and have been putting bits away..i am very proud of them..my parents told them i was worried over nothing..erm hello..do you not eat??????..they obviously haven't seen the prices hiking up..i am not letting them get to me..i will do my own sweet thing and carry on...
I found some curtains in my airing cupboard yesterday..they are a lovely dark cream and very long..so i thought in my wisdom they would look great in my bedroom...err no i was up at the crack of dawn..sunlight streaming through..bloody hell it was bright..so have been up since about 5ish..changed them back to my old ones this afternoon..will put them in blanket box once its done..might come in handy somewhere..
Been checking my fuit tree's..the apples are loaded up this year..my one and only pear actually fell off when i touched it so no pears again..think i need another pear tree to cross pollinate...my fruit bushes are only 1 yr old so was surprised to see redcurrants on my bush..o god that sounds rude lol...only 23 but they look good,no blueberries or white currants..they only babies so next year i should have some..
right im parched and shattered..going to have a cuppa..then early night i think..
take care all
ftm

redlady_1

7 week wonder - just be kind to yourself, and give yourself time. In fact, just say sod it for a month then get back on board. Thinking of you x

flowertotmum

OOh sorry me again...i want to preserve some soft fruits this yr and tomatoes..now i want to do them in syrup and the toms in brine..been reading up on it and do i really have to get a water bath and put the bottles in it and boil the bottles...can i not just sterilize the jars and pack fruit/toms in, put syrup/brine over them and then put lids on...is there another way to preserve these soft fruit/toms in jars..any help would be gratefully recieved..thank you.
ftm

ChocClare

freudianslip wrote: »

feeling sorry for myself and really a bit bitter.

I am sad that I have all these things to learn and nobody to show me the old ways.

Honey, name ONE thing - anything you like - and you will be inundated with responses from us girlies telling you how to do it (we love the sound of our own voices )

It's not too late to be planting a garden or some pots - even just some salad leaves or something. That would be a "self-sufficient" start. I have a CRATE of seeds - pm me and I will be more than happy to send you some.

As for all the other things you have to learn - ASK! No-one will roll their eyes at you, honestly! :grouphug:

ChocClare

flowertotmum wrote: »

OOh sorry me again...i want to preserve some soft fruits this yr and tomatoes..now i want to do them in syrup and the toms in brine..been reading up on it and do i really have to get a water bath and put the bottles in it and boil the bottles...can i not just sterilize the jars and pack fruit/toms in, put syrup/brine over them and then put lids on...is there another way to preserve these soft fruit/toms in jars..any help would be gratefully recieved..thank you.
ftm

You SHOULD be OK with fruit and with tomatoes if they're acid enough but honestly, it's not a hassle to bottle them properly and you can do it in the oven - you don't have to faff about with huge saucepans and vast quantities of boiling water.

If you pm me with your email address, I'll send you my nice little bottling guide with the different methods and timings for all sorts of fruit and tomatoes - it's really useful.

cat_smith

ChocClare wrote: »

Honey, name ONE thing - anything you like - and you will be inundated with responses from us girlies telling you how to do it (we love the sound of our own voices )

I'll second that. :T Welcome to all.

ChocClare

Also (sorry, hogging the board a bit here!) ftm, do you REALLY want tomatoes in brine? Acidulated water (ie water with a squirt of lemon juice) makes them far more like tinned tomatoes, or you can do them like a passata?

butterflylady

Evening Ladies,

A long time reader here who loves the sense of community on this thread but doesn't really have anything useful to contribute!!

A quick question a while ago someone mentioned a gardening book which highlighted what could be planted each month, I'd be really grateful if you could post the details again as this would be a perfect fathers day present for OH.

Thanks

(runs off to hide again!!)