Preparedness for when

Karmacat

mardatha wrote: »

I can't even look at the stuff. Sends my stomach into revolt.
It's against the law to put anything but salt and cream into porridge!!! I thought you all knew that!

My porridge has linseed, pumpkin seeds, honey and mixed spice (and then cornflakes for texture!). Sorry Mar

If anybody has any home remedies for trig neuralgia then please tell me. Spent so long flat on couch with a HWB to my lug that half my face is broiled.

I just googled the term, never heard of it you poor thing and I've no help to offer except my sympathies.

For myself, I'm not doing any prepping except ensuring the food stocks are kept up, and carrying on cutting back the laurel hedge and reclaiming the tiny decking area, I'm telling myself that this is maintaining the sales value of my property, to keep my spirits up. I've hurt my arthritis-ridden shoulder by using the saw on too many branches, but a couple of feet of the very back of the decking is now within reach :j and there's a billycan of some kind thats been abandoned there - never seen it before and its on *my* property so as soon as I can get to it, it will be washed and reclaimed.

AnimalTribe

Sacrilege I know, but oats are for making flapjacks. Ever since I was ill after having porridge as a kid I can’t stand the sight or the smell of the stuff. I have to leave the kitchen when my daughter’s eating it. It’s probably delicious (and obviously healthy), but nope can’t get close enough to try it.

boultdj

My OH is the same AnimalTribe, only way he'll eat 'em is as flap jacks, in Twinks Hobnobs or home made fruit crumble.

mardatha

Flapjacks are nice but the RV needs them made with Splenda - which makes me run to to loo all day. Gawd it snot easy is it lol

ivyleaf

Oh mar, so sorry about the neuralgia. Our son-in-law gets that. I'll find out what painkillers he takes for it, in case that's any help to you x

"Go to it" monnagran, dig for victory. According to a song someone wrote in WW2, when your back hurts you're apparently supposed to "laugh with joy (no relation) and keep on diggin' "!

No, I wasn't impressed by the idea either.

[Deleted User]

A small lesson in preparedness today, last year we planted parsnips on the allotment and the germination was scratchy so He Who Knows planted some more and the same thing happened. It may have been the season, it may have been not viable seed but it happened that as a result we ended up with 6 partial rows of parsnips most of which we used but some we left to stand. Today I tried to process a batch of them and they've gone woody inside so aren't useable. Lesson to learn is DON'T rely on root crops to stand over this long into spring in the hope that they'll last you through the hungry gap because they WON'T. Leeks are heading up to flower too but most of what were left in the garden had some salvageable leek on them and are now in the freezer so same lesson there they won't stand forever.

GreyQueen

Say it loud, Mrs LW. I lost some leeks this time last year because they went over and the centres went all woody and 'orrible. This year, I started eating them in October and about 2 months ago prepped the rest for the freezer.

It worked well because it enabled me to enrich the soil where they stood with spent barley grains from the brewery and there are now spuds in there.

Miraculously, my beetroots haven't gone wooden although I think they're a touch less sweet, but these were ones planted in the late summer.

Might it be an idea to experiment with root cellaring or clamping for root veg? If I had some ground at home I'd give it a go but don't want to do it on the allotment as mine is very much on show to passers-by and I wouldn't want to have a stash of veggies very visibly.

Just been talking with my Dad, the veteran gardener. I shall probably be planting the first of the small seeds this coming weekend; leeks, parsnip, beetroots and radish. It's still rather cold for the time of year but the month is getting away from me and I shall be away over May Bank Holiday so won't be sowing them.

I shall also be looking at pulling some loose earth over the tops of the spuds which came through last weekend as a bit of frost is predicted. And I think I'll get the cold frame up and running and sow the cukes and courgettes as time is getting away.

I lurve spring but it can be a touch manic........ :rotfl:

[Deleted User]

Just what I'm pondering at the moment GQ I think I'll try getting a couple of heavy duty dustbins and sink them up to the shoulders in the garden and get a basket that fits them so I don't have to lay down to reach the bottom but can lift the basket to get at the contents. Other option is a defunct fridge/freezer buried in the same way. I'll consult He Who Knows or really we might just try building a proper old fashioned 'clamp' and see how we go with that.

Our spuds have been earthed up on the allotment this week and the broad beans in the garden we thought wouldn't make it are covered in blooms. All the fruit bushes are putting out leaves and the redcurrants have flower buds, silly beggars!!!

fuddle

You know what you need time if year? Timperly Early Rhubarb! Now I love a bit if rhubarb and apreciate that this variety keeps on giving and giving... and giving and giving but I'm running out of uses for it now plus the variety I brought with me from Dorset is starting to pop up from it's hibernation too.

Can I stew and jar (intention being crumble bases in the future) without using the sugar needed for a preserve and if so how long would the shelf life be?

milasavesmoney

https://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/canning/canned-stewed-rhubarb-zerz1506zcwil.aspx

You can use a water bath to process your jarred rhubarb. You can also freeze it if you have room in your freezer.