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

ginnyknit

FTM, congratulaions on being debt free, how wonderful. I think there should be some kind of award to go under your avatar! You are going to celebrate O/S style of course.

Smileyt hope you feel better soon. I wish I could come over to your side of town tomorrow and see you dressed as a teapot :rotfl: I am making blackberry jam and theres a pot for you to go with your tea !

Very wet here and a bit cold so another NSD. Got up early and started making cards without even brewing up.

flowertotmum

ginnyknit wrote: »

FTM, congratulaions on being debt free, how wonderful. I think there should be some kind of award to go under your avatar! You are going to celebrate O/S style of course.

Smileyt hope you feel better soon. I wish I could come over to your side of town tomorrow and see you dressed as a teapot :rotfl: I am making blackberry jam and theres a pot for you to go with your tea !

Very wet here and a bit cold so another NSD. Got up early and started making cards without even brewing up.

Thank you:j:j..we are very happy to be DF..its such a relief and a big thing for us...hmm..have got some nice cakes in my freezer and a bottle of HM wine..maybe when hubby gets home tonight we can celebrate our freedom...

Smileyt..lol teapot..i immediately thought of Mrs Potts off Beauty and the Beast:rotfl:..

Redlady..thank you..i have just whipped up 3 more cakes in my kenwood i love it:D..

love
ftm

cat_smith

FTM congratulations on being debt free. Enjoy the HM wine

Smileyt we want photos!

HariboJunkie

Well done on the DF status FTM. :beer:
Kersplatt you have my deep admiration for managing as you do.

Good post Charis:T. I think people just have different priorities too and not preserving from scratch every year isn't a sign of laziness.

I have preserved all the beetroot I picked from the garden but Aldi also have it at 39p for 4 cooked and vac packed so I have bought more today as the chutney I made was delish. Also bought courguettes as mine have been used and will try the chutney recipe too.
Children are going away for the night and OH infprms me that he's taking me out for dinner to my favourite place :T. We're celebrating him landing a new contract and...wait for it... getting paid half up front!!!!:j:j:j. It's a massive relief and I am very proud of him. :happyhear
I hope tommorrow is dry as I plan to do lots of gardening and then foraging on Sunday before we have friends round for a meal in the evening. No doubt they'll be leaving laden with chutney. :rotfl:

Rosanna79

Where are these big blackberries for foraging? OH & H have only been able to find very modest quantities up here in North Lincolnshire ? Todays health walk at our local stately home saw a couple of the lads foraging for wild mushrooms as we walked companionably around the woods to jovial comments like 'if you two aren't here next week we'll know why!' seems most folk are cautious about this- Learned today that in France local chemists will identify wild mushrooms for you. As someone forced to retire through ill health I must agree that it's much better financially than one anticipates & tapping into local activities does make for an interesting retirement. Our local Freshstart organisation has everything from lunch clubs to belly dancing fop the over 50s at modest cost or even free. Having been a belly dancer in my misspent youth I'd rather walk these days!

flowertotmum

Rosanna79 wrote: »

Where are these big blackberries for foraging? OH & H have only been able to find very modest quantities up here in North Lincolnshire ? Todays health walk at our local stately home saw a couple of the lads foraging for wild mushrooms as we walked companionably around the woods to jovial comments like 'if you two aren't here next week we'll know why!' seems most folk are cautious about this- Learned today that in France local chemists will identify wild mushrooms for you. As someone forced to retire through ill health I must agree that it's much better financially than one anticipates & tapping into local activities does make for an interesting retirement. Our local Freshstart organisation has everything from lunch clubs to belly dancing fop the over 50s at modest cost or even free. Having been a belly dancer in my misspent youth I'd rather walk these days!

Hi rosanna..where abouts in north lincs are you? I'm in south lincs..as for foraging well most of the fruit has been picked..i saw some huge blackberries last week down a local lane..went back 2 days later and it was all gone..every last one picked...not moaning as they are free anyway..but when i picked stuff i always leave plenty for others.....

Need to hear more about this mis-spent youth of yours:D..belly dancing:rotfl:..i love the new organisations that have popped up over the last few years..our local Surestart is brilliant..lots of different things to do and places to go..tots love it..
Haribojunkie..thank you..

love
ftm

UnluckyT

i know im probably being really dim, but how do you make jam? whats the really cheap and chearfull way of doing it. the same with chutneys?
unfortunatly i was never taugh/encouraged and from what i gather my parents werent and am wondering if it something i could do.
i had some blackberry bushes round the corner from me heaving with fruit before it was gone.

kersplatt

UnluckyT - usually equal quantities of fruit to sugar, low pectin fruits like strawberries will need either jam sugar or a squeeze of lemon juice to make them set.

Chutneys require vinegar and sugar to preserve them. I have a Marguerite Patten book called Preserves, Jams and chutneys or some such which is fabulous. I always use the cheapest equivalents to the recipes instructions and adapt.

Also check out the bbc good food website - they have some good chutney recipes there too

RAS

Take a weight of fruit (say 1 kilo) and a equal weight of sugar (1kilo). Put a saucer in the frdige or freezer.

Cook the fruit until it is soft. Add the sugar and raise to a slow boil. Skim off any foam. Keep stirring to stop it boiling over. When the jam start to coat the back of the spoon put a little bit (tsp full) on the cold saucer (may be worth reducing the heat at the point to very low). leave for a minute, then push the surface of the jam with your finger. if it wrinkles the jam is done so turn the heat off and pot up. If it does not wrinkle, tuen the heat up again and try again 5 minutes later.

if you use something like brambles that have very little pectin, then make sure part of the weight of your fruit is made up of cooking apples and maybe add a little lemon juice. Fruit like gooseberries, blackcurrants and redcurrants have lots of pectin (which make the jam thick) so you can use them on their own.

mambury

kersplatt wrote: »

UnluckyT - usually equal quantities of fruit to sugar, low pectin fruits like strawberries will need either jam sugar or a squeeze of lemon juice to make them set.

Chutneys require vinegar and sugar to preserve them. I have a Marguerite Patten book called Preserves, Jams and chutneys or some such which is fabulous. I always use the cheapest equivalents to the recipes instructions and adapt.

Also check out the bbc good food website - they have some good chutney recipes there too

Oooh... I have that book too and it is my preserving bible.....

FTM - :j:j:j:j Debt free... fab! I only have the credit card left but there is about £2500 on it..... I'll get there eventually....

Right, off to make dinner.