Best wellyboot forward. Pips frugal edible garden adventures.

mooomin

Pippilongstocking wrote: »

I'm surprised hens are still rescued, niave that I am, I'd thought caged birds were now illegal?

From what I read briefly when I was looking around for you, the hens are "disposed of" when they're about 18 months old, even though they are probably still laying well. The charity I pointed you towards work with the chicken farmers (producers?) to rehome as many as possible before they get the chop.

Pippilongstocking

So time to get on with the day.

Today - some work
Plumbers booked for tomorrow so I'm off to the flat in the land of the lino and do some more packing whilst I await their arrival. We're looking at a new boiler (money in bank from remortgage waiting for it) so we're shopping around.

Thanks Martin you made it pretty easy to compare them all.

Today
Work
Banks
CC's
Bit cooking
Bit gardening _ NO gardening done yesterday due to beach scampage, bad pippi.
Lots of things to pot or they won't grow and feed us.
Must put some more pictures up here and start to empty bags of clothes into wardrobe/drawers as the spare room is a bit epic at the mo.
Shop around online/look for ideas for a garden eating table - want something chunky and substantial, might check out the second hand places happy with an indoor table which I can varnish or look at recycling pallets?
Walk les mutts
Take post to older folks at the back and maybe a wee something to say thank you for being so kind as we arrived.
All meals from the stores
Bit handwashing laundry
Bit tidy up in garden
Sort out chainsaw as off to saw down a hedge tomorrow whilst in the neighbourhood at TRG's for a chum who helped us unload the van
Text the lass about the mower and get that moving to get paid
Text chum in linoland and see if she fancies a cuppa at her house (free cuppa )

I think we'll have HM flatbreads** and chilli or fajhita's for tea.

Also ponder housewarming/birthday for OH - he's in two minds as he's keen to see everyone but worried having a housewarming is a bit 'look at us' showy-offy.

I can see his point and wouldn't want to offend folks, but he's so happy here, its lovely to share with folks.

It shouldn't cost too much as I'd say bring a plate and a bottle (we aint rich after all) but he's scared its a bit too braggy. On the other hand its also his birthday soon and his family will all likely descend, so rather than fire-fight an invasion, I thought we'd be a bit 'pro-active' that way it might cost less.

Does that make any sense?

Anyhows OH isn't exactly a shrinking violet and it might give him chance to wear his wedding cape again

Happy for any thoughts lobbed this way for this one.

**HM flat breads**
250g (8oz) plain flour (I use SR as its a bit fluffier)
Pinch salt (optional)
1/4 pint water (150 ml)

Mix well and knead for a tiny bit until you're bored, roll out like a sausage - cut into 8 chunks and roll each in your hand to a ball. Flatten out by hand or use a rolling pin as thin as you can.

Hot pan, no oil, 30 secs each side when cooked nestle between a teatowel on a plate to keep warm or scoff from pan. Whole process takes about 20 mins from start to finish. they don't keep well as no preservatives but if you've any left over freeze, or use the next day. Also make great super thin pizza bases.

One lot of these and you'll never buy packet flatbreads again out of choice. And at 45p for 1.5kg flour in supermarkets, they cost around 7.5p to make 8.

Pippilongstocking

mooomin wrote: »

From what I read briefly when I was looking around for you, the hens are "disposed of" when they're about 18 months old, even though they are probably still laying well. The charity I pointed you towards work with the chicken farmers (producers?) to rehome as many as possible before they get the chop.

gotta love a productive unit eh. I'm so grateful for you looking thank you, I don't know why I didn't think of it, stupid I guess! From an intensive farming perspective I guess its normal practice, but still so good that charities help. Good lasses that they are.

In Italy, when we visited the north region we were surprised by the lack of 'chicken' on the menu's anywhere, when we asked the guy running the farm cottage where we stayed he simply said why eat a hen who'll work hard for you laying eggs. That makes no sense. We keep them happily for years for eggs not just food. Simples.



Thankfully I wasn't disposed off when I stopped being productive, or I'd be long gone.

:eek:

Seanymph

The cages are bigger. That was the law change.

Mine don't come from the charity - but straight from the farm. So if you do miss out it may be worth approaching your nearest farm directly. (Mines less than half a mile away) - I tip up and he hands me the poor blighters and home we come.

I figure it saves them from an early death, and gives them their twilight years wandering about and learning to be chickens - whilst still providing eggs for a long time (A year so far)...

Good luck though with the charity - I just thought I'd mention that if you aren't lucky the farms do sell them straight out of the doors near me.

Pippilongstocking

Seanymph wrote: »

The cages are bigger. That was the law change.

Mine don't come from the charity - but straight from the farm. So if you do miss out it may be worth approaching your nearest farm directly. (Mines less than half a mile away) - I tip up and he hands me the poor blighters and home we come.

I figure it saves them from an early death, and gives them their twilight years wandering about and learning to be chickens - whilst still providing eggs for a long time (A year so far)...

Good luck though with the charity - I just thought I'd mention that if you aren't lucky the farms do sell them straight out of the doors near me.

I'm really grateful you've shared - there are a few places in the county so if I'm not lucky by the rescue route I'll find a farm and 'kidnap' some lasses.

*Ponders being a chicken sanctuary*

Thanks ever so much. :A

And bigger cages, always the solution eh? Its a really silly system, lets make it better by allowing them a bigger cage, it should be illegal - in the future I'm sure we'll look back at this and think, what idiots we are. :mad:

I just can't buy caged eggs, I know some folks can't afford anything other and that's the only choice they have, but I'd go without first. Not being snobby, it just upsets me, always has.

I'll stop ranting now.

Cheery_Daff

Same here with the caged eggs pippi - I'd rather just not eat as many (or none)

anyway - gah! I thought you'd been uncharacteristically quiet :rotfl: then realised I'd popped in but forgotten to subscribe! :eek: and here you've all been chatting merrily away without me! :rotfl:

Anyway - black elderflower - was that you mfmaybe who mentioned it?? I'd never heard of it, but the other day walked past a big purple bush with pink flowers and thought 'that looks a LOT like elderflower but it's the wrong colour!' I even took a picture to send to Pippi to check But didn't get round to it. Sadly it was in someone's garden so I can't poach

Not made cordial, Mr Cheery doesn't like it. But I do so perhaps I should get on with it!

As for your housewarming - goodness me, first of all, isn't EVERYONE who gets a new house 'showing it off' to their pals? And aren't all their pals really nosey and want to look round?? Also, you're 'showing the house off' not 'showing off' - that's just years of hanging round here that makes you embarrassed to own anything more expensive than a reduced bag of spuds - I feel the same and am currently VERY embarrassed at having paid our mortgage off - bloody ridiculous!

We should both stop being so daft immediately and celebrate our good fortune and wise household management

Very wise to head off relatives and do visits on YOUR terms :j :j

And now I WILL subscribe and stop just waffling on

rtandon27

Pippilongstocking wrote: »

...Happy for any thoughts lobbed this way for this one...

Pips - do you really need an excuse to have a good knee's-up??? Go for it, you know you want too!!!

Pippilongstocking wrote: »

**HM flat breads**

Yeah - a new recipe! - who would have thunk it would be just so darn easy to make flatbreads? Thank-you for sharing :DReally love the idea of using SR flour - no yeast I'll be able to eat these easily! Might just whip some up tonight for tuna wraps for tomorrow's lunch. (Your flour is a whole lot cheaper than what I can get down here in expensiveshire!)

Pippilongstocking

Cheery_Daff wrote: »

Same here with the caged eggs pippi - I'd rather just not eat as many (or none)

anyway - gah! I thought you'd been uncharacteristically quiet :rotfl: then realised I'd popped in but forgotten to subscribe! :eek: and here you've all been chatting merrily away without me! :rotfl:

Quiet - moi :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Anyway - black elderflower - was that you mfmaybe who mentioned it?? I'd never heard of it, but the other day walked past a big purple bush with pink flowers and thought 'that looks a LOT like elderflower but it's the wrong colour!' I even took a picture to send to Pippi to check But didn't get round to it. Sadly it was in someone's garden so I can't poach

Pippi always likes a good botanical ID photo by text makes her happy probably will be purple elder

Not made cordial, Mr Cheery doesn't like it. But I do so perhaps I should get on with it!

As for your housewarming - goodness me, first of all, isn't EVERYONE who gets a new house 'showing it off' to their pals? And aren't all their pals really nosey and want to look round?? Also, you're 'showing the house off' not 'showing off' - that's just years of hanging round here that makes you embarrassed to own anything more expensive than a reduced bag of spuds - I feel the same and am currently VERY embarrassed at having paid our mortgage off - bloody ridiculous!

:T:T:T:T:T:T:T you really made me laugh out loud with that one. And yes we DO have reduced spuds in the bowl the now, can't change old habits, you know me too well and well done on the mortgage :T.

We should both stop being so daft immediately and celebrate our good fortune and wise household management

:T:T:T:T:T

Very wise to head off relatives and do visits on YOUR terms :j :j

And now I WILL subscribe and stop just waffling on

You always make me giggle dear cheery - make some cordial for yourself - why not.

:A

Lovely to see you.

Pippilongstocking

rtandon27 wrote: »

Pips - do you really need an excuse to have a good knee's-up??? Go for it, you know you want too!!!


Yeah - a new recipe! - who would have thunk it would be just so darn easy to make flatbreads? Thank-you for sharing :DReally love the idea of using SR flour - no yeast I'll be able to eat these easily! Might just whip some up tonight for tuna wraps for tomorrow's lunch. (Your flour is a whole lot cheaper than what I can get down here in expensiveshire!)

Himself is just mindful that whilst we've been lucky, some of our family less so - so doesn't want to be rubbing it in.

Me brothers just getting rehomed (from trying to relocate) and needs a whole heap of stuff for his new batchelor pad. I'm so happy I can help, he was going for a welfare grant to get the basics, but we've double of everything. For once I can pay some of it back. I'm tight for petrol this month (no expenses) so he's offered to lob me a tenner for a car load of me loot if I need the help. I appreciate that too. Whilst I'm sure I won't need it, was nice for him to offer.

We've a tonne of spare food too - although he wasn't keen on that. #You only buy ingredients#. LOL.

But you're right a wee knees up is grand, they can bring their own grub mind, my budget doesn't run to such decadence.



As for the flat breads, plain flour works too. They are SOOOOOO easy I feel daft for not trying sooner. They don't keep too well but keep them wrapped up they'll be grand a day or so. Mines are all misshaped.

Just like me goodself.

:rotfl:

Sorry you've not cheaper flour.

:cool:

Pippilongstocking

EEK

Good job checked banks mob phone came out one account putting me 1.86 over me overdraft limit cos I'd paid a pesky £5 to my CC towards the move.

Moved money over, all will be well.

It pays you know, checking your bank everyday.

Just saved a charge.

Phew.