Preparing for Winter V

Thriftkitten

Morning all preppers, hope you are enjoying the feeling of autumn approaching, I'm sure it was only a couple of weeks ago that I was struggling to get my hens in at 10:15pm, now they are putting themselves to bed before 9pm, which is nice as it means i can close all my windows and curl up on the sofa without having to keep trudging up the garden to check whether they are in yet ready for locking up for the night...
I have to admit I'm feeling very protective and shifty about my Bramley tree, it sits up in the hens area and is really quite 'Swollen' for saying its only a 5 yr old tree.... I always find I become quite ansty worrying that some little toe rag will climb over and pinch them all :eek:....I have turned a couple of apples and they came off the branch very easy so seems ready, however, it just feels too soon in the year to be harvesting them... what do you all think?... some are still fattening up but others seem ripe, so maybe I'll just pick a few...
On a different note, I am going to try to attempt knitting sox tonight, I have been watching a few utube video's, it looks very difficult, I cannot follow a pattern, but I can knit, purl. I know DH would love me forever and a day for a few pairs of knitted sox, his mother used to make all of his as a lad growing up in the Isle of Man and fishing all over...He is now skipper of a big Beamer that goes out for 7-10 days and loves the feel of long home made sox... Anyhoo will report back my progress... I'm not hopeful as its quite confusing with the 4 needles and marker things but hopefully if I persevere it will come....
Happy Wednesday everyone....

[Deleted User]

We've got apples dropping off our cooker tree and I noticed yesterday when I walked the dog that other trees are doing the same all round the village, it IS early but I think it's a direct result of the weather this year. We're getting the first lot of 'drop' apples from a friend today and the annual cider making will start this afternoon also much earlier than normal. I wonder if it is related to climate change?

Thriftkitten

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

We've got apples dropping off our cooker tree and I noticed yesterday when I walked the dog that other trees are doing the same all round the village, it IS early but I think it's a direct result of the weather this year. We're getting the first lot of 'drop' apples from a friend today and the annual cider making will start this afternoon also much earlier than normal. I wonder if it is related to climate change?

Hi MrsLurcherwalker.... if I wanted to puree them for apple sauce or pie fillings and freeze, do I just steam them add sugar, cool and then freeze please? I find I wasted lots last year because I just used them for crumbles as we wanted them rather than freezing them... many thanks for any advice..

fuddle

Thriftkitten I can barely knit (struggle with knit 2 purl 2) but the winwick mum sock pattern link mardatha gave a few pages back has seen me turn the heel on my first sock. It's a pattern but so simple to understand and follow. The was one stitch SSK I think it was that I needed utube for but I've sussed it.

The weather fascinates me in our country. The brambles aren't ripe here yet. Now that's not out of the ordinary for here but the last few years it's been the first few weeks of the summer holidays.

Pooky

Our apples are all picked in TK, we were getting a lot of windfalls and as our tree is in the front garden I didn't want to risk someone else helping themselves!

We went out foraging yesterday, DH is disabled but his big mobility scooter means he can join me down the country lanes - we found a huge load of rose hips but the tree was in someone's garden, I went and knocked and asked politely if we could pick some and they had no idea what they were or what they could be used for and were more than happy got us to pick. Got a kilo of blackberries, a kilo of elderberries and just over a kilo of rose hips. A good haul and a lovely walk. All now safely tucked in the freezer until required.

[Deleted User]

Hi THRIFTKITTEN I don't steam apples, I peel 'em chop 'em up add in a little water and cook them gently on the hob in quantities until they are completely broken down and pureed. I freeze the puree unsweetened but label the bags as 'unsweetened' having found apple crumble not so nice when I got it wrong!!! You could also use them to make apple jelly which I find vey useful in flavouring stews and casseroles in the colder weather and is really easy to do just chop up apples whole (no need to peel or core) and add some water then cook until all is soft, drip through a jelly bag overnight and then measure the juice and put it into a large pan, heat it up and add 1lb of sugar for each pint of juice, stir until the sugar is completely dissolved and doesn't 'crunch' on the bottom of the pan, bring to the boil and simmer for about 20 minutes until a spoonful sets a wrinkly skin on a cold plate. Pot up into hot jars and it keeps in a cool dark place for years. Good way of using up the small ones!

Thriftkitten

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

Hi THRIFTKITTEN I don't steam apples, I peel 'em chop 'em up add in a little water and cook them gently on the hob in quantities until they are completely broken down and pureed. I freeze the puree unsweetened but label the bags as 'unsweetened' having found apple crumble not so nice when I got it wrong!!! You could also use them to make apple jelly which I find vey useful in flavouring stews and casseroles in the colder weather and is really easy to do just chop up apples whole (no need to peel or core) and add some water then cook until all is soft, drip through a jelly bag overnight and then measure the juice and put it into a large pan, heat it up and add 1lb of sugar for each pint of juice, stir until the sugar is completely dissolved and doesn't 'crunch' on the bottom of the pan, bring to the boil and simmer for about 20 minutes until a spoonful sets a wrinkly skin on a cold plate. Pot up into hot jars and it keeps in a cool dark place for years. Good way of using up the small ones!

Many thanks for this, I will give it a try...:T

fuddle

Pooky what can rosehips be used for?

Thriftkitten

fuddle wrote: »

Thriftkitten I can barely knit (struggle with knit 2 purl 2) but the winwick mum sock pattern link mardatha gave a few pages back has seen me turn the heel on my first sock. It's a pattern but so simple to understand and follow. The was one stitch SSK I think it was that I needed utube for but I've sussed it.

The weather fascinates me in our country. The brambles aren't ripe here yet. Now that's not out of the ordinary for here but the last few years it's been the first few weeks of the summer holidays.

I'm already quaking in my boots at the very thought of a circular needle:eek: but the 4 needles are frazzling my brain more... However, I have shy'd away from this for too long and hate that it's been defeating me for years, so will nip to the 2nd hand shop tomorrow and get the tools Winwick Mum is suggesting, and crack on... Thanks for your help and motivation Fuddle, i'll give it a go..

fuddle

Same here thriftkitten. Knitting has been my nemesis for years but I so want to crack it. I could crochet in my sleep but knitting I can't - sorry, tentatively scratch that - couldn't get the hang of it. I tried socks on circulars a few years back and failed but with double pointed I seem to be coping. The first few rows I pulled out many a time but once I could work out visually what 2 were purl and what 2 were knit I was fine.

You'll be conscious of concentration frowning and the tense body position for a while though because it's not enjoyable at the start. Go for it!