Daydream thread... without the rose-tinted specs

Rummer

Dull and cold here today in fact I am sitting with the fire on max and a sleepy baby on my lap

The fridge freezer arrived yesterday and is ready to be filled although we only had a couple of days without one it really hit home how reliant we are on it. In our old flat we had a larder which kept things cool however here we have nothing like that so even milk was a hassle to keep cool.

I was watching the Walking Dead and it made me think about how ill equipped I would be if life took a real down turn. Now I am not thinking about a zombie apocalypse [STRIKE]well maybe [/STRIKE]however I am conscious about what a vulnerable position I would be in if there was any real impact on the UK food chain. Realistically that links to food prices which seem to be climbing at scary levels every year.

As much as I say we grow fruit and veg to save money I wonder what the actual return is on the investment I make very year. What I need to do over the next few years is to reduce the investment I make in the garden each year and maximise the output so that I am constantly improving over time.

Phew brain dump!

RAS

Rummer wrote: »

As much as I say we grow fruit and veg to save money I wonder what the actual return is on the investment I make very year. What I need to do over the next few years is to reduce the investment I make in the garden each year and maximise the output so that I am constantly improving over time.

My advice (if you can bear it).

Dump the idea of timber edged raised beds (money for timber and the cost of the soil to fill them).

Beg or borrow a copy of the latest permaculture magazine which has an article on Charles Dowding's latest project. He has a lot of experience and has developed a good market; his income from 1/5th of an acre was over £7k last year. You do not need to aim to be a bag salad grower to learn from him (his books are interesting too).

Check out the lifespan of different seeds and only sow this year what you need. Some veg seed are viable for years so one packet lasts for ages.

Learn to save seeds. Start with tomatoes, peas and french beans (not F1) as these are the easiest.

Start with a limited range, learn to grow them reasonably well and then expand your portfolio; try a couple of new things every year and see what you like.

RAS

lostinrates wrote: »

I love the idea of quails.....but they cannot free range can they?

The options are a human height run or a low pen like a rabbit hutch. Anything else and they damage themselves when they fly upwards. Although one place I know had them almost free range in a large greenhouse.

Must admit that if I was not working and still lived in the city, three quail in a large hutch would be on my list. With plans for a higher run into which they could be released under supervision (too many dogs and cats). I reckon that would see to my egg requirements plus on a lowish input. Would try to grow maize and corn for them as well.

On the preditor side, discovered the local allotment foxes making out very close to my plot and have seen them since. Based on the racket, they mated in January but we have not seen cubs yet. They keep the rats down but wreck some crops.

lostinrates

RAS wrote: »

The options are a human height run or a low pen like a rabbit hutch. Anything else and they damage themselves when they fly upwards. Although one place I know had them almost free range in a large greenhouse.

Must admit that if I was not working and still lived in the city, three quail in a large hutch would be on my list. With plans for a higher run into which they could be released under supervision (too many dogs and cats). I reckon that would see to my egg requirements plus on a lowish input. Would try to grow maize and corn for them as well.

On the preditor side, discovered the local allotment foxes making out very close to my plot and have seen them since. Based on the racket, they mated in January but we have not seen cubs yet. They keep the rats down but wreck some crops.

No quail for me then. Not now. Mine are proper free range so any quail I had would just beggar off:rotfl:.

Rat numbers seem high this year, seeing signs here ( never, ever had problems with rats like this any where before here:o). Also, about two miles up the road badgers have dug a set, in a raid side bank. I like badgers, but I fear for them and rad users. There have been a lot of landslides in the wet winter, the bank there didn't need that by a road if next winter is half as bad! But also, I would be surprised to see 'run over' badgers there. In truth road kill badgers seem incredible numerous this year, I don't remember seeing this many ever, even considering there seem to have been fewer road kill ones Nd what I suspected were "road kill one" for the last few years.


I went passed one of my favourite towns today and saw a tree I have loved for fifteen years came down the winter. Silly to cry for a tree you drive by sometimes.

Rummer

RAS Magazine ordered and book reserved at the library
Thank you for the advice!

I am leaning towards the raised bed approach at the moment for ease of management and the grid method appeals to me however I am keen to read up and find out the best way to do things for the space that we have. To be honest we have procrastinated about this for so long now that I am keen to just get going with something :rotfl:

What I really want is for people with knowledge to come and design my garden for me!

Davesnave

Not that sunny here but I think we had the best weather today, albeit a bit windy in the middle of the day.

We planted another 20 trees, all of them in the hedges and a dozen of them where 'someone' snapped the others. There are now at least 25 trees in that small 6 metre stretch! :rotfl:

We also gave Mr Dog a nice bamboo to look through, mainly because it's a piece full of couch grass which I can't disentangle from it, or kill.

Horse Woman came round to make sure I was using her muck correctly. :cool: I'd already incorporated it into a deep bed and planted two courgettes!

She wasn't quite so happy today, having had a £900 electric bill, despite her solar panels. She heats her house with those very expensive German rads, expecting them to run at 7p an hour, or something. I just shrugged. Another victim of snake oil salesmen. :mad:

"I canna change the laws of physics, Captain!" :rotfl:

pink_poppy

Davesnave wrote: »

The only thing I know about cannas in Scotland is that song, "Oh ye canna push yer granny off a bus....!" :cool:

Davesnave wrote: »

"I canna change the laws of physics, Captain!" :rotfl:

You knew more about Scottish 'cannas' than you thought, Dave!! Live long & prosper
Did you get your x-ray today??

Maggie, that is a beautiful magnolia

CTC, are the quails for up on the ranch?? Are they the birds that are really noisy??

Saw Mrs. Blackbird busy nest-building with a beakful of moss today, makes my heart sing when I see things like that

lucielle

Weather has been crap here, foggy all day every day since Saturday and no sign of it going. Still cold and drwoning under washing trying to get dried.

DS1 has sold 2 puppies, 3 to go. They've nearly started to open their eyes, other chaps are nowhere to be seen asthey come home and cuddle puppies. The mum has chilled out a bit and lets them hold them.

Got the joyous task of stock taking this weekend with it being our year end. We usually argue and have a bit of a strop.

Must nick a rotavator and do a bed.

Had a lovely Mothers Day lots of chocs, DS2 made me a smoker!!!! I've seen one on Hugh Fearnley whats he called and DS2 you tubed it and made me one. Got loads of MAckerel in the freezer now need to smoke it and then pate here we come. I need to source some oak sawdust as I don't fancy pine!
L

Davesnave

No x-ray today poppy. The weather cheered up quickly and the forecast suggested we should use the wisely day here.

We also needed to prepare the van for the trip by filling it with things DW can take to the[STRIKE] tip[/STRIKE] recycling centre while I'm waiting at the hospital.

So, we'll probably go tomorrow and pick up chook food on the way home.

pink_poppy

lucielle wrote: »

Weather has been crap hereL

I couldn't have put it better myself!! :rotfl:

I'm just down the road from you, lucielle, on the NE coast. I'll pop in when the mackerel is smoked Lucky you having such a clever DS2. I had mackerel fillets on toast for my tea today

Good luck with the stocktaking.