Preparedness for when

GreyQueen

Nuatha, I've seen precisely 5 slugs in 2013. Which were promptly turned into 10 slugs, IYSWIM.

Considering the prestilential quantities of them last year, I am astonished. Thank goodness for the dry weather.

2013 has been The Year of the Snail and the beggars ate all my dwarf beans. They also ate the slug pellets....after eating the beans. Grrrr. I fall away from my standards by succumbing to the lure of the slug pellet and still get the crops chewed.

By removing The Rough as a habitat and overwintering ground, I shall improve matters somewhat, and they would be improved still further if the derelict lotties on either side get re-let this autumn and cultivated. I live in hopes.

Chicken-keeping is on the wane on our lottie site, unfortunately. Think it's due to the threefold pressures of the price of chickenfeed, the human rustlers and the foxes. I used to have a pal keeping hens few plots away and I'd take any grubs from my plot to hers. They loved the leatherjackets and the cutworms. That's the sort of organic pest control we should all be encouraging.

A pal from elsewhere on the site once came to visit my plot with one of her 20 hens. She leashed it by the leg with binder twine whilst I was digging and the idea was that it'd swoop on the grubs as I turned them up.

Only it kept swooping on the worms, which I didn't want eaten. It's amazing the amount of passers-by who didn't notice that two women had a chicken on a leash. The ones who did notice couldn't believe their eyes.:rotfl:

Hen was taken back to her flock in disgrace. Well, happily full of worms, and not a bit repentant. Back to the drawing board.

BTW, I do allow some of the weeds to flower such as the common mallow and the hairy bittercress, because the bees love them so. I let a few alone if they pop up in not too inconvenient spots, then aim to catch them before they set seed.

Mrs_T_M

nuatha wrote: »

Mrs_T_M with knowledge like that, please join in. We're a bit of a mixture of knowledge and experience, I've never heard of of honeysuckle jam, now I'm looking forward to making and trying it. Thank you.

This is the recipe that I use (it's in US measurements, sorry) for the honeysuckle jam: http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/7/Basic_Flower_Jelly9653.shtml

As a basic introduction for myself, I'm 28, live in Norwich with my British husband and I'm originally from North Carolina. It's been a really big change moving from 5 acres to a rented terraced house with a tiny back garden. I still have tomatoes growing here like crazy, and we had peas, broccoli, strawberries, tons of lettuces and greens, and herbs. We have two pet Netherland dwarf rabbits for my depression therapy animals (and just because we love them), and I'm working on convincing my husband that getting a pair of rabbits to make meat is a good idea. He's a complete 'city boy' and doesn't like to think of things like meat much. I grew up around meat rabbits, chickens, ducks, guineas, foraging, and gardening. I'm having to re-learn lots of things to help them fit within the confines of the UK laws and the space we have here.

This year, I've already picked, canned, and frozen over 100 pounds of apples, 40 pounds of plums, 3 carrier bags of blackberries, 1 carrier bag of raspberries, and 50 pounds of cherries. I've made a batch of rosehip juice for jam, along with apple juice from peelings for jam. I've also scouted out a sweet chestnut tree that isn't far from our house. I'm hoping to get another freezer sometime when we can afford it.

I love making my own bread and bread products, but sometimes it's cheaper to buy. I really have to be careful about bought bread, since I'm allergic to barley, but we currently have 2 loaves of wholemeal bread in the freezer that we bought for 9p each. I can't really make them for that.

I made my first two batches of butter yesterday, along with buttermilk, which will be used in buttermilk scones and buttermilk American style buckwheat pancakes.

I am a stay at home wife, and I hope to earn enough Swagbucks to get a few Amazon gift cards and start up a very small soap making venture.

I also knit, crochet, cross stitch, and sew, and I've been patching and darning socks and clothes since I've been here. I think all of my clothes except for 2-3 shirts are 5-6 years old and still going strong. I do love the fact that there are charity shops here! We don't really have those in the States, and I think they are wonderful ways to save money on clothes! I also cannot get over how cheap food is here (barring convenience stuff)! Even after the currency conversion, most food here is still half the price that it is in the States or less, especially the markdowns.

I've really enjoyed reading as much of this thread as I've been able to, but it's really long! Also, I'd love to have someone teach me how to recognise elderberries. I'm about 90% sure on it, but I won't pick and use anything unless I'm 150% sure.

Wow, I've rambled a bit.

nuatha

Mrs_T_M wrote: »

This is the recipe that I use (it's in US measurements, sorry) for the honeysuckle jam: http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/7/Basic_Flower_Jelly9653.shtml

Thank you, and no need for the apology, I can work in either US or Aussie cups at need, though I tend to convert recipes I'm reusing to grams.

...
This year, I've already picked, canned, and frozen over 100 pounds of apples, 40 pounds of plums, 3 carrier bags of blackberries, 1 carrier bag of raspberries, and 50 pounds of cherries. I've made a batch of rosehip juice for jam, along with apple juice from peelings for jam. I've also scouted out a sweet chestnut tree that isn't far from our house. I'm hoping to get another freezer sometime when we can afford it.

That's an impressive workload. I may well be wishing to pick your brains regarding canning in the future.
I have similar issues with Herself (my OH) regarding meat animals and hunting. Though we don't have the space here for raising food animals.

I've really enjoyed reading as much of this thread as I've been able to, but it's really long! Also, I'd love to have someone teach me how to recognise elderberries. I'm about 90% sure on it, but I won't pick and use anything unless I'm 150% sure.

Wow, I've rambled a bit.

I've often hunted for a post that I'm sure is on this thread, and am amazed how long the thread is and how much information there is. Perhaps we should aim for a reader's digest condensed version.

Elberberries, unfortunately I'm at the wrong end of the country to be able to show you. Best advice I can give is remember where the trees are which you think are elderberry and check them again in spring, I can't think of anything you could confuse the tree with once you've seen the blossom and the fruit. You could then make elderflower cordial and champagne from the blossoms and go back to harvest the berries in the autumn.

Upthread you said

I'll go back to lurking until I have a bit more in common with folks here to speak of.

Reads to me that you have lots in common with many of us, though I'll admit I have spells of lurking more than I post (then spells of expecting to be told not to hog the board )

fuddle

Excellent bit of advise nuatha re; elderflower/berries. I know exactly which is which as the tree I have my eye on for the berries is the tree I picked my very first elderflower (now a cordial addict) back in the spring.

maryb

We were away when the elderflowers came out and came back to find the bushes laden with flowers that were past their best so there should be plenty of berries. I want to try my hand at making elderberry cough syrup and also Pontack sauce, which I've heard about but never tasted. Supposed to be good but you have to leave it to mature for a year at least.

Mrs TM, I thought Goodwill was the US equivalent of our charity shops. Do they distribute donated clothes to those in need directly and not have shops to resell donated items?

fuddle

Thank you maryb off to investigate elderberry cough syrup.

Speaking of which preppers, have you stocked up on cough syrup for the winter? I havent, just on honey but getting a bit itchy about that decision now.

Mrs_T_M

maryb wrote: »

Mrs TM, I thought Goodwill was the US equivalent of our charity shops. Do they distribute donated clothes to those in need directly and not have shops to resell donated items?

They do have shops, but their prices are nearly the same as new goods. Also, the closest one to where I lived was an hour drive away!

maryb

Ah yes, pricing is a big issue in this country as well. The big chain charity shops (British Heart Foundation in particular, at least around us) are terrible for pricing washed out Primark teeshirts for as much (or even more!!) than they cost new. They get very defensive when challenged and try to make you feel 'uncaring' because it's for 'charidee' (well that and the Chief exec's salary, cos they have to compete with the private sector for the best talent don't they..?).

Local charities such as hospice shops seem to be much better at pricing to shift stuff

nuatha

fuddle wrote: »

Thank you maryb off to investigate elderberry cough syrup.

Speaking of which preppers, have you stocked up on cough syrup for the winter? I havent, just on honey but getting a bit itchy about that decision now.

I never stock cough syrup, but do keep honey, ginger, lemon juice and sugar in stock. Generally I'll add hot water to honey and lemon juice, but have been known to infuse simple syrup with lemon and ginger for a portable version.

HTH

RAS

I picked a few elderberries this weekend and am off to make elderberry syrup.

I was first given it thirty years ago when I had a hacking cough and it made a huge difference to my comfort levels and the experience of those with who I was staying.

I ran out last winter so need to get some more made up because I react very badly to a lot of the commercial medicines.

There are commercial elderberry extracts like Sambucol http://www.highernature.co.uk/Products/sambucol?AgentID=422276&gclid=CLaXyIj0z7kCFbHKtAodTyUAxg

These seem to be sold as antioxidents and cost a lot.