It was getting tough in 2006 and the workhouse still threatens us in 2011

grandma247

kittie wrote: »

Why has the uk gone so far away from the very old ways of preservation? Several euro countries still do it, so why not uk?

One word, Laziness!

Smileyt Be careful it could be a scam. We had this with a bogus phone company years ago and it took ages to sort out with the trading standards peoples help.

flowertotmum

grandma247 wrote: »

One word, Laziness!

Grandma247..i sooo agree with this...bloddy lazy people do drive me potty:mad:...if one more person says to me "humpf..would rather buy it than stand there making it..its easier and cheaper"..or "i can't be doing with that faffing about"..i swear i am going to explode...:mad:
This is whats wrong with the world...good job i'm not in charge..they would be told where to go and exctly what to do when they got there...:D..

If more folks gave this way of life a chance they would see the instant reward..i love making my family good food and then my reward is clean plates and asking if there is more:D...its too much hardwork for them to bear..sad really...life is for living and experiencing it..not sitting on yer bum and moaning...

Sorry to go on..but this is my main bug bear...
love you though:D
ftm

Red_Doe

grandma247 wrote: »

red doe here are loads of patterns for neck warmers.

grandma, those are great, thanks for the link!

Red_Doe

Thanks Seakay, I'm embarrassed to say I've never learned to use a circular needle so two needles it is.
I also like the idea of doubling up the yarn for extra warmth, and will use synthetic yarn as wool makes me itch.

Seakay

Just an explanation - Red Doe has not gone mad - I did post a neck warmer but when I saw grandma247's link I realised that they were much better and didn't require the messing around that mine would have done so I took mine off.

Potatoes in bags harvested yesterday - big dissapointment as only a couple of ppunds in each - I think the problem was that slugs discovered the leaves early so the plants weren't getting enough nutrition. Have now tried two places in (small) garden to put them so don't think I'll bother next year - fortunately seed potatoes were a special offer with the growing bags and I will be able to use those again.

Climbing French beans, on the other hand, have been great - only four plants but have salted away several pounds and have been eating them from fresh regularly. Kale another winner (sorry to mention it!) - it gots some of those dusty grey aphids that turn into clouds of tiny flying things the other day but i gave them a dilute garlic spray mixed with a squirt of washing up liquid on the underside of the leaves and that seems to have sorted things out; I am hopeful that my baby sprouting broccoli plants will recover from being attacked by caterpillars enough to grow on before winter really sets in.

Charis

kittie wrote: »

GQ you are one lovely neighbour!

Why has the uk gone so far away from the very old ways of preservation? Several euro countries still do it, so why not uk?

Kittie, I had a think about why we in the UK don’t embrace the old ways of pickling and drying produce and have come up with seven possibilities.

1 and 2) Cost and Time, which are interconnected. Many households have two breadwinners now, or a lone parent who has to both work and keep house. Few can afford the luxury of the time to plant, water, and tend produce, then prepare and store it properly. I think the younger retired are the only people with the money for the initial outlay on seeds, tools and equipment, storage containers and special canning equipment, fermentation crocks and dehydrators, and the time to grow and safely store their own food. Younger folk have to factor in the cost of lost wages if one works part time to devote time to the above. Older folk, especially those with health problems have less energy to spend on the tasks involved, and less motivation if they are alone.


3) Pickling, fermenting and drying are Lost Arts. Not only is this generation largely unfamiliar with the processes required, but so was my generation, particularly those reared in urban areas.

4) Space, of which there is stupidly little in modern homes. Even in older homes each person is likely to have far more ‘clutter’ than was normal in the era in which they were built. How many homes now have a cellar, a pantry, an outhouse or even a useable loft? Where could the produce be stored if all the bedrooms are occupied? I don’t even have an understairs cupboard as I live in a bungalow.

5) The Food Industry and Supermarkets, who make it so easy to load up with frozen and tinned foods and whose fresh produce is too expensive to make it worth while to take the trouble to preserve it. They subtly train us, their captive customers, to believe in the security of continuous supply. Aren’t we surprised every time the shelves are stripped in an emergency situation? (e.g. flood, ice, petrol shortage).


6) Freshness. Frozen food is often frozen within hours of being picked, near to its origin. It hasn’t been left lying in a warehouse somewhere, losing vitamins and gaining fungal spores.


7) Yeast Allergies & Candida Infection. Those with allergies to Bakers’ and Brewers’ yeasts and those with Candida / Thrush are advised to avoid vinegar (it’s produced by fermentation), so no pickles, avoid overripe fruit because of yeast growth on the skins and avoid dried foods for the same reason. The process of yeast growth on living organisms is unstoppable, it’s part of the natural kingdom and although its progression may be halted by preservation when done properly, there’s still the temptation to save produce that has already started to ‘go over’ and contains spores. Any process that involves fermentation involves yeast, so alcohol is on the avoidance list, together with any other fermented foods. No bread or dough-based products either. Not even sourdough. Sufferers also have to avoid sugar, as it feeds the yeast in their own bodies.

I had to research no. 7 recently, because I have an allergic reaction to eating bread, and have had to change my diet. It seems I will have to have the oldest OS diet of all, fresh food, locally produced, in season.

[Deleted User]

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redlady_1

FTM - enjoy the Kenwood but enjoy the DF status more! x

kersplatt

I often get asked how I have time to cook from scratch as well as preserving things by fellow mums and colleagues who also have families. My answer is pretty much that I don't really watch TV but also I don't have a choice. If it doesn't get made as cheaply as possible then we don't eat, simple as. Despite the amount of cooking I do I still manage to spend a fair amount of time on the internet reading blogs, MSE and searching for recipes. The option of 'can't be bothered to cook therefore I'll order a takeaway' really doesn't exist for me. So far this week I have had to buy DD's school uniform - one skirt and three t-shirts (£7.50 but had a £1.50 clubcard voucher so only £6.) It's the children's father's birthday today so I have helped them make him a present of millionaire's shortbread (he completely ignored my birthday and my 7 yr old was distraught because she didn't know and hadn't even had the opportunity to make a card) the outlay for millionairs shortbread between value butter and value chocolate came to about £3 in total as I had a tin of condensed milk and brown sugar in my cupboards already - and it occupied the children for a few hours. I worked out the calorific value of the 8 x 8 square when it was done - 6000kcal!!!! I nearly had a heart attack - or he may if he eats it all!

Thanks for the advice all. I've painted my smile back on and I'm getting on with things since the epic failure that was Wednesday. It just gets tiring sometimes, I've had to be the lynchpin of the family unit and had to work ridiculous hours and travel stupid distances because of ex DH when we were together and even though things are much better without him here, I get frustrated that I still struggle whilst his family will just swan in and save him leaving me high and dry. I'm hoping that the judge will take a dim view of the financial mess he has got himself into in the past year and that his parents have cleared this for him - which they are making him pay back at a rate higher than he gives me CSA - but as this could be deemed a soft loan that they could right off as he has no contractual agreement in place, unlike all of the mess he has left me in.

Not sure I can get cavity wall insulation as I live in a block of four purpose built maisonettes and they would all have to have it but might be worth looking into. I already claim my child tax credits and working tax credits - if not for those I really wouldn't stay afloat!!!

And I have been advised that I have been shortlisted for another job - would be less stressful that the other one I applied for. My problem is I always look good on paper, it's interviews I fall down on

Oooh and I have some victoria plum pits which I'm hoping to plant - I'm thinking that next Christmas they might make good presents for people if I can get them to root!

[Deleted User]

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