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

Gigervamp

Suzid, your son sounds like mine. He keeps his curtains, window and door closed, complaining that it's cold. X-box and tv on a lot of the time too.

At least your son is going to be moving out soon!

crumblepie

gigervamp - just seen you're in south wales like me - yes the blackberries are always behind england.... but I always get a really big bumper crop when they are ripe.

ceridwen - I went out this morning and picked some cherry plums. Last year I'd spotted the trees and knew they still had a couple of weeks to go until they were ready. When I went back the tree had been hacked to bits and every plum had gone. Not even the 'take some, leave some' philosophy. It's a very selfish attitude many people have and it's seen all the time.

Gigervamp

ceridwen wrote: »

Anyways.....I've made contact with the peeps planting out food in public space near me and all is well - ie it isnt just one or two individual households trying to plant up something for themselves personally only and landgrab:D. It is US - ie the Transition Town movement and for community type purposes:D:T:D and I've been invited to join in if I wish:D.

I'm happy now that its a community thing - ie rather than a personal land grab thing - so am considering my position as to whether to join in or no. But my mind is at rest that it isnt someone doing a personal "grab for it bid"

Seems like there's a lack of communication going on there, just like within councils.

But the thing is, if there are some people utilising land to grow food for themselves, what's the problem with that?

They can't get an allotment and don't have a garden however small, so they've found a piece of land where they can grow some veg *for themselves*. That surely is a good thing. No?

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ginnyknit

I went blackberrying earlier and someone has taken rather a lot more than a fair share. Even with my stick I couldnt get much. Going to try my old haunts tomorrow and see how I go. I have 2 medium ice cream tubs full now but would like a bit more. Last year I got a lot and left many many more.

Had a lovely suprise today. I ordered some cross stitch fabric remnants from a company I have used before but had rather a hassle ordering on line. I sent an e mail to the lady and she offered various ways to sort it out. I tried again and ordered successfully online. Then I recieved another e mail to say whilst she was getting my order ready she found a 'few' pieces that had been left over from other orders and had popped them in mine for my trouble -goodness the envelope was full to the brim and very useful for my charity stuff. There are some very nice people about aren't there (and she didnt know I was stitching for charity) restores your faith doesn't it

Churchmouse

I've had my eye on some blackberries near my grandsons' school which were ripening nicely. They are in a traffic free environment and were high enough to be out of dog urine territory I was over that way today, and they've virtually all gone:( Now I'm rather sad to have missed the boat, but as I didn't see who harvested them, I won't assume it was one greedy person. It might just be that more and more people are realising the potential to forage food, and after all someone has to be the last to harvest, else the last lot would just be wasted. There are still some green but beginning to ripen berries even higher up, I'll keep my eyes open then hotfoot across with DH. He's 6' 4'' so can get to the higher branches. Hopefully he will get his apple and blackberry pie, his favourite

My own garden veggies are a mixed lot. The snails and slugs have had virtually every french bean, I've not managed to harvest a decent portion for us. The courgette plants.........well one is producing some courgettes, the other persists in mostly male flowers, except when it lets all those finish and then produces a female that doesn't get pollinated. I shall not scream Tomatoes will be a bumper crop which considering I don't have a greenhouse or any protection for them is pretty good going. Whether that bumper crop will ever ripen is a whole other area :rotfl: Salad leaves have been very productive, no complaints there at all. Oh and the raspberries and strawberries have been fair to middling I'm getting chillies and one (!) pepper Still I've tried , it's not cost much at all, and will have saved the odd penny or two.

scottishminnie

Our blackberries, or brambles as we call them, are still weeks away from being ripe. I'm hoping they will ripen this month so I can get some as I'm fortunate to be going away next month on holiday.

We have quite a few bushed on my father's farm but people have become really ruthless about picking them. Last year I didn't get any even though my father had gone to the trouble of blocking off one dirt track where there were a few bushes with a huge gate. I arrived one afternoon to find the gate had been removed from the hinges, tossed into the hedge and a family had taken their small car up the track and were picking bucket loads of brambles. When they were challenged their response was" it's a free country, we'll take what we like. You'd better watch your sheds don't mysteriously burn down overnight".

Needless to say father reported the matter, along with the car registration number, to the local police who said they couldn't really do much and it wasn't the first such complaint they'd had and earlier in the year they'd had a similar incident where people were picking apples and plums from the garden of a house in the countryside near us. They'd opened a gate and trailed a good half mile up the driveway to get to it too - I'm all for people making use of the fruit growing wild but it's getting seriously out of hand.

Father is threatening to padlock said gate this year but I've suggested that's not a great idea. I could almost guarantee we would then be subjected to field gates being opened during the night to let the cattle out.

If only people could live and let live but given the fact that the rioters seem to think they are entitled to destroy everyone else's property and livelihoods then there's not much chance of that:(

I hope the families in the areas affected are safe and that the scum get their comeuppance and that it's swift and meaningful

pennib

Suzid;
"I've just been tackling 'the room of doom' and discovered there is even mould growing inside the wardrobe. Softstuff it sounds like you are an authority on all things mouldy , (sorry) living in a humid climate. Have you any idea of a UK inequivalent to the product you mentioned I could use on furniture? This particular wood is teak and it's been prone to green mould for years, is it particularly susceptible? Today I've wiped it all down with a mild bleach solution but I've previously used tea tree oil which is supposed to kill mould. Currently so fed up with it I feel like getting rid of the lot and looking on freecycle for a good old oak wardrobe or similar. DS asthmatic so no wonder he was coughing."


I have just had that problem, but for me it was the hardboard at the back of the wardrobe (the wood was OK) I googled green mould and one person came up with the idea of bleach and then spray with white vinegar.
I used diluted bleach which got rid of the mould, but the smell was still there. So used neat bleach, but still a very faint smell. Then sprayed with white vinegar and yay it seemed to have worked :T I have increased ventilation and dehumidifier so hope that is now sorted. Hope that helps you.

greenbee

ceridwen wrote: »

Anyways.....I've made contact with the peeps planting out food in public space near me and all is well - ie it isnt just one or two individual households trying to plant up something for themselves personally only and landgrab:D. It is US - ie the Transition Town movement and for community type purposes:D:T:D and I've been invited to join in if I wish:D.

I'm happy now that its a community thing - ie rather than a personal land grab thing - so am considering my position as to whether to join in or no. But my mind is at rest that it isnt someone doing a personal "grab for it bid"

Given that the transition movement seems to reflect your ideals, this seems like a great opportunity for you to join in and help in shaping the future of your community. And you'll probably meet lots of like-minded people too. I can't really see any reason for you not to join. You're lucky to have such an active transition movement in your area.

suzid

pennib Thanks for your post and that makes perfect sense as vinegar does stop smells. Will give it a go. The hardboard at the back of his bookcase has got the green mould just like you describe too.

With any luck the brown wall will be obliterated tomorrow with the first coat of paint and the window is looking much better since it too got the bleach treatment. Small steps but we're getting there.

Gigervamp My kids are like boomeranges - they keep coming back :eek:. If not them then it's their offspring while they work.

Off to bed if I can find the odd inch. DH still not well but dragged himself into work and then crashed out as soon as he got home and couldn't face any tea, so he really must feel rotten. A£da tomorrow so fingers crossed for some whoopsies. The last time an assistant wheeled out a large cage of reduced goods and we were all a very well behaved bunch and only took a few items so everyone got a share. Incredible the behaviour that some of you witness. As for the foraging hooligans I'm just speachless .