Preparedness for when

alfsmum

Our 1990s build house doesn't have a chimney or suitable space for a wood burner but I was very taken with the fire pit that was blazing away outside the local whole foods store last weekend and wondered if it was worth considering a smaller one for the garden. We have an average size garden so I think we could accommodate one without annoying the neighbours too much - or no more than they annoy us with their stinky barbecues. It might satisfy my inner pyromaniac and provide some heat to huddle round in a power cut if we were really stuck for warmth. So.....has anyone got one/used one//generally got any experience they could pass on? I could finally find a use for all those bits of wood I feel the need to pick up when we're walking the dogs!

alfsmum

mardatha wrote: »

Yea Armyknife but in my post I wasn't suggesting going back to Tudor times to live, only saying how amazing I found it that they could do so much without modern technology.
We didn't have Tudors up here - who did we have then? *brain hibernation*

You had some royalty marrying the odd Tudor - James IV married Henry VII's daughter but then managed to get himself killed at Flodden!

westcoastscot

I'd love to see the tudor farm guys come and do some crofting up here - totally different experience!

Does anyone have any ideas for purchasing perennial veg seeds? I couldn't even find pentland brig that last couple of years (not perennial but dual purpose and biennial) - would love to have some as it could solve the issues of my not having the same capacity for gardening?? I keep reading about perennial brocolli but cannot find seeds for it - did have perennial onions but winter put paid to them.

[Deleted User]

ALFSMUM if you're considering a firepit you might be interested too in a KOTLICH which is an eastern european cooking vessel suspended over a firepit on a chain hung from a tripod. I first found them in Permaculture Magazine when they ran an article on them. It would solve the problem of cooking over the firepit very well, if you google kotlich you'll find prices for all the bits. The other thing you might like is an OZPIG which we do have. It's an outdoor woodstove with a chimney and we run ours on wood collected off the beach by our friends labrador. You can cook direct over the flame or it has cooking plates that can be used to cook on too, very useful bit of kit, ours is called FATIMA!!!

AnimalTribe

GreyQueen thanks for the reminder about the matches. I have normal ones, but I'm worried they'll get damp, so I've put 'stay-dry' ones on my 'to buy' list.
Butterfly Brain I loved the ration list. I've printed it off (hope you don't mind) and I'm going to see how I would have lasted. I'd be OK for jam for awhile as I have 47 HM jars and 15kg of sugar. I think I'm addicted to making jam!

RAS

thriftwizard wrote: »

I suspect seed-saving is one of the most essential skills we could be learning & passing along.

Hi guys - alert here and help needed.

Thought that this load of boolocks had been seen off last year but the powers that be are trying to remove the exemptions agreed then.

Just been to real seeds to check for veggies and found the latest alert.

Could as many as see fit send a message to their MEP

http://www.realseeds.co.uk/seedlaw2.html

[Deleted User]

Keep your pack of matches dry by storing them in a large glass jar with an airtight lid (still in the packet), works very well. I also keep a disposable lighter and some cotton wool balls in my jar, the cotton wool balls are excellent firestarters and the lighter is the failsafe in case the matches don't work for some reason. They sit on the shelf in the storeroom along with the billy cans and camp kettle so I'll always be able to find them, Lyn xxx.

Butterfly_Brain

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

I use one of these.



Currently £3-07, including P&P.

You can also get RFID blocking wallets, and Passport holders.

Where did you get it from Bob?

RAS

westcoastscot wrote: »

Does anyone have any ideas for purchasing perennial veg seeds? I couldn't even find pentland brig that last couple of years (not perennial but dual purpose and biennial) - would love to have some as it could solve the issues of my not having the same capacity for gardening?? I keep reading about perennial brocolli but cannot find seeds for it - did have perennial onions but winter put paid to them.

wcs

I grow 9 star perennial broccoli which is apparently a multihead cauli. My plant is on the way out and 8-10 years old. I have a baby to follow on and will try to root some shoots next spring. By year 3 it needs a metre diameter space and will provide 15-40 main heads plus side shoots. Marshalls are still selling seeds.

I think Daubetons kale has to be grown from side shoots. Have realised a fellow plotter has it and will ask for some cuttings.

Both these survived minus 19 for months in early and late 2010.

Do you have welsh onions?

Karmacat

alfsmum wrote: »

Our 1990s build house doesn't have a chimney or suitable space for a wood burner but I was very taken with the fire pit that was blazing away outside the local whole foods store last weekend and wondered if it was worth considering a smaller one for the garden. We have an average size garden so I think we could accommodate one without annoying the neighbours too much - or no more than they annoy us with their stinky barbecues. It might satisfy my inner pyromaniac and provide some heat to huddle round in a power cut if we were really stuck for warmth. So.....has anyone got one/used one//generally got any experience they could pass on? I could finally find a use for all those bits of wood I feel the need to pick up when we're walking the dogs!

I've seen them used in Turkey (in Istanbul itself) during the winter, inside a room. And earlier this year, I bought a tiny little version, cast iron, 19th century, French, for the princely sum of £10.