Preparing for Winter

wssla00

Ugh! We really need to sort out the Scottish weather! Anyway. That coupled with the problems with the grain harvest means I am stocking up this weekend on bread flour and yeast. Will also start stocking up on pluses too. At least if we can have soup and bread then we will have something in the tummy!

I must sort out my winter gloves and hats then ready!

Janebo12

Hi, don't get to post often, but we have just had hail near Manchester - it was sunny this morning so I wasn't quite expecting that! Have definitely noticed a drop in temperature recently.

I am currently making patchwork quilts for DD1 and DD2 for Christmas pressies - may have to give them a bit earlier though lol!

Athome1

My winter preparations are -

Got 20 bags of smokeless fuel in whilst it is still Summer prices, OH is busy cutting up wood this afternoon (job he was on finished early) and stacking it and we've been blackberrying and plum picking and are about to start making wine this weekend. We made loads of different sorts last year and the favourites were the sloe, elderberry, blackberry, apple and coffee wines (obviously not all mixed together:p). We also made sloe gin, damson gin and strawberry whisky - all were gorgeous (no wonder I never felt the cold last winter;)). Just a quick tip, in the past when we've made sloe gin etc, we've just put the sloes on the compost heap but this year after they were drained we put them in a demijohn added sugar and covered them with port and left them for 3 months. Delicious, then when we'd transferred the port we made the sloes etc into wine. The spirit flavour came through and again, was very nice. I'm probably teaching my gran to suck eggs but we were chuffed when we were told about doing this.:)
I've been buying extra tins and packets all through the year and my cupboards are looking healthy - my OH is self employed and I never want to be in the position where he has no work and we have no food!! Good luck everyone, hope this coming year is OK for us all.:beer:

NualaBuala

I love blackberries but they aren't ripe yet over here. And they seem a bit dried out looking this year - not juicy at all. I wonder will they plump up when they're ripe or is this the result of the dry summer we had?

Athome1

NualaBuala wrote: »

I love blackberries but they aren't ripe yet over here. And they seem a bit dried out looking this year - not juicy at all. I wonder will they plump up when they're ripe or is this the result of the dry summer we had?

I can't speak for the rest of the country but they are big and plump hereabouts. I did wonder if they'd be small and dry after all the sun and lack of rain but we've picked about 6lbs (over 4 days - when dog walking) so far. I think they are very early this year!

NualaBuala

Athome1 wrote: »

I can't speak for the rest of the country but they are big and plump hereabouts. I did wonder if they'd be small and dry after all the sun and lack of rain but we've picked about 6lbs (over 4 days - when dog walking) so far. I think they are very early this year!

Lucky you! They sound delicious ... and all for free!

Athome1

NualaBuala wrote: »

Lucky you! They sound delicious ... and all for free!

I know!! That's almost the best bit!:p

NualaBuala

Athome1 wrote: »

I know!! That's almost the best bit!:p

Well enjoy your haul ... I'm hopeful that I'll get some free blackberries - even a handful to throw into an apple crumble would be great!

Caterina

Hi all, is it that time of year already? WOW time flies! However, my wood shed is full now, thanks to a few neighbours cutting down trees and dumping them in skips, and to DD's BF who chopped them into reasonably sized logs.

The next preparation will be in late September when I shall harvest and freeze (or dry) my borlotti beans for warming soups. Meanwhile as the green beans and courgettes are still producing, in the next few weeks I shall chop, blanch and freeze a few of those.

I have enough thermals for all the family already but I shall start looking for nice warm jumpers in the charity shops.

grannytwice

Hi AThome1, ididn,t know you could reuse sloe berries , how do you make them into wine . i made sloe gin which still has the berries in it and have been on the look out for this years crop, it seems such a waste it would be great to get the most out of them. by the way i am a newbie wine maker and have only used juice cartons so far, thanks for an interesting post.