Preparing for winter III

Fruball

Katkin wrote: »

Oooo. I need a bag of wheat and dont know where to get one from. Got the last one from a friend who kept chickens. She moved and now doesnt have them. So dont know where to start. Sewing machine fixed so I can make some wheatbags but no wheat to fill em.

Any ideas on where to get some from? I live in the middle of the Black Country - so no countryside or farms to speak of.

Cheers

My local garden centre has an animal feed section and although they don't stock wheat anymore, they will order it when asked. Do you have somewhere like that? Try googling animal feed suppliers and your local area... or chicken feed suppliers - I have had a quick look and there are some but you will know which one is closest to you :-) Lots of people keep urban chickens now so I am sure you will be able to source some quite easily

Hope that helps

Confuzzled

Katkin wrote: »

Oooo. I need a bag of wheat and dont know where to get one from. Got the last one from a friend who kept chickens. She moved and now doesnt have them. So dont know where to start. Sewing machine fixed so I can make some wheatbags but no wheat to fill em.

Any ideas on where to get some from? I live in the middle of the Black Country - so no countryside or farms to speak of.

Cheers

i got cherry stones off ebay last year (which i never got round to turning into gifts ) they do the same thing and are washable! i got a really large bag of them enough to do at least 3-4 good sized bags for around £13 including postage, i went for these specifically as they weren't soaked in horrid lavendar, i'm allergic to it and all the wheat bags have it and they make me so ill!

23rdspiral

Katkin wrote: »

Oooo. I need a bag of wheat and dont know where to get one from. Got the last one from a friend who kept chickens. She moved and now doesnt have them. So dont know where to start. Sewing machine fixed so I can make some wheatbags but no where to start

Can u use rice? Or more correctly, can I use rice? I've a large container of it that somehow went musty. I cannot eat it so thought it could be made useful , like in a doorstop. Or maybe a heat bag?

Frugal wrote: »

I hadn't thought of making a lap tray for it - brilliant idea, thank you :T

You're welcome . When I was little I entered a competition to make up a game with a bordgame made on a piece of MDF... I then did my homework on it, uni work on it... Then lap top... Now dinner!

Confuzzled

23rdspiral wrote: »

Can u use rice? Or more correctly, can I use rice? I've a large container of it that somehow went musty. I cannot eat it so thought it could be made useful , like in a doorstop. Or maybe a heat bag?

yes i use rice in an old woolen sock for my aches and as a hand warmer on really cold days

i poured a 1kg bag of value rice 35p from tesco, asdas is 40p i think into a long woolen sock then tied a strong knot in the end of the sock, i double mine over and put it in the microwave for 4.5 minutes, times vary depending on how hot you want it and how much rice you have in as well as how strong your microwave is, i think mine is 700W

you need to slowly figure out the right point for setting the microwave, if you burn the rice it stinks and whilst it can be used again each time you burn it it starts to break down adn eventually you'll ahve to replace it as the tiny bits will poke through your sock if they get small enough

saying that i had the same rice in my well used sock for more than a year before i had to replace it

Rainy-Days

I don't know if this will help anyone but on our hose (we have it on a stand with a reel) I used one of the garden sacks that has the pull draw string on it.

I put mine over the top of the hose and wriggled it down, then I was able to pull the draw strings to, underneath and tie it up. If we do have a windy day then at least the bag won't be taking off and it will keep it secure and water tight.

Got the coats in off the line and they were nearly dry so they are sitting on the clothes airer drying off. Very cold tonight walked back with the dogs and it was really cold - forecasting a frost for us so heating is on low and the fuel burner is lit. No lights on in the sitting room though just have the flames dancing around.

23rdspiral

Thanks conufzzled!! The rice is just sitting there so it would be rude not to! (some went into a weighted pin cushion, but after that I was stumped.)

I've lit the wood burner!!!!! ME!! ALONE!! All by myself!! Woooooooooo!

It was a nice 14Degrees this afternoon so I flung the patio doors open to air the house, still damp cause of plaster drying. But as soon as the sun went behind the rooftops it dropped to 12.6 in the dining room. Brrr. So I took an executive decision and braved man territory. And now it's a pleasant 13.9 degrees again. I could run it hotter but we're still seasoning it. Wooooooooo!!!!!!

tugrin

D'you know you can really go off people...... specially the smuggy ones with their bloomin' new stoves!!!!!!! One day I tell you, one day I'll be up there with the rest of you - as long as the postal order miraculously comes in the post one day............

abwsco

If it helps tugrin ours has been in since Friday and we've only had it lit twice. Once to test and then once to burn off some smell. Chimney breast was plastered on Sunday and some floorboards are now up so the rooms like a bomb site!

tugrin

:(And just HOW is that supposed to help poor little stove-less me??:(:mad::(:mad:
Oh blow it - I'll just have to eat chocolate!

prepareathome

I agree turgrin, these people with their wonderful stoves always going on how wonderful they are, as if we are interested ( sez she, dying of jealousy and lapping up every word, and trying to enjoy their stoves from afar) now when I win the lottery and have my own the best, most wonderful stove instead of that horrible gas fire, I will draw word pictures of every movement of the flames - oh yes forgot you have to buy a ticket to take part in lottery, oh well back to the drawing board. I do have an electric fire that looks like a wood burning stove - even has false logs inside that look as if they are burning and I bought a plastic pipe to go on top of it, sits in hall, never put actual heat on just the pretend flames, but am amazed at how many people think its real lol