Preparedness - the continuation thread

Doveling

French marigolds are usually planted in with roses to attract greenfly away from the roses.

My late uncle had a proper cottage garden. It was beautiful and everything had use. Lavender along the path edges, sweetpea and green bean wigwams, lots of herbs. I wish I had a photograph.

I would love my garden to develop in to that, beautiful but useful. There was an entry at Tatton flower show a couple of years ago which looked similar with a small potting shed and a tiny square of lawn for a deckchair. In my dreams

[Deleted User]

Where my late brother lived in rural france every housewife kept a lavender bush near to the back door to deter flies and it did seem to work

FairyPrincessk

Ivyleaf, I moved to the UK in 2006 and food was very expensive compared to where I'd lived before. My parents pay far more for fruit and veg than we do, but find some things like meat cheaper. When I first moved here, I did find that I needed to adjust some of what I thought of as cheap food . Fruit and veg was exceptionally cheap where I had been living, particularly warm weather crops as was meat. I changed the way I cooked at that time, and although I still sometimes make things because I crave them, some of my old standbys have become rare treats. If I were to move back (not in the cards), I'd probably have to give up some current favorites and revert back.

Butter has gone back down, but not nearly to the levels it was pre-2011. I believe there was a shortage in around 2012 caused by grazing problems in Norway. I don't know if this was entirely the cause. The rise in VAT and fuel prices about that time probably contributed as well by having a knock on effect. Even though food is exempt the prices of production and transport are still altered.

ancientofdays

Some of the bigger supermarkets offer butter cheaply as a promotional thing, usually own brand, so we tend to stick up and bung it in the freezer. Remember the butter mountain thing?

Doveling

I've got my lavender planted by the front door and in a pot by the back door.

Mrs MP- hope your college application goes well. What course are you doing or is that too nosey?:)

I liked the Peak oil article about emotional resilience. Just finished a Future Learn course on Caring for Vulnerable children and a lot of emphasis was put on this. Thanks pineapple

I still haven't used the butter churn I was gifted! Not seen any cream on YS since the day I got it.

FairyPrincessk

Doveling wrote: »

French marigolds are usually planted in with roses to attract greenfly away from the roses.

My late uncle had a proper cottage garden. It was beautiful and everything had use. Lavender along the path edges, sweetpea and green bean wigwams, lots of herbs. I wish I had a photograph.

I would love my garden to develop in to that, beautiful but useful. There was an entry at Tatton flower show a couple of years ago which looked similar with a small potting shed and a tiny square of lawn for a deckchair. In my dreams

This is one of my dreams

maryb

Pineapple that was a really interesting post, thank you. I was struck by his emphasis on talking it through. They used to say during the Blitz, apparently, that the best thing for those bombed out (or even dug out) was "tea and telling about it".

Also thinking through what you would do in a situation that you dread and working out how you would make it better. Mental preparedness always makes physical preparedness work much better.

maryb

Doveling wrote: »

French marigolds are usually planted in with roses to attract greenfly away from the roses.

My late uncle had a proper cottage garden. It was beautiful and everything had use. Lavender along the path edges, sweetpea and green bean wigwams, lots of herbs. I wish I had a photograph.

I would love my garden to develop in to that, beautiful but useful. There was an entry at Tatton flower show a couple of years ago which looked similar with a small potting shed and a tiny square of lawn for a deckchair. In my dreams

I plant nasturtiums to try and attract blackfly away from my runner beans. I think it just encourages them!

ivyleaf

ancientofdays wrote: »

Some of the bigger supermarkets offer butter cheaply as a promotional thing, usually own brand, so we tend to stick up and bung it in the freezer. Remember the butter mountain thing?

I've got some in the freezer; it's "block" butter, bought for baking really but I haven't been up to baking for ages. Not sure how long it can be kept?
One thing I've noticed is that butter that's been frozen and defrosted doesn't seem to melt on toast in the way that butter does if it hasn't been frozen. It melts a little bit, then just sort of sits there in a lump. Strange!

[Deleted User]

I usually read, post mainly on the daily thread.

I keep a store cupboard, we live in the back of beyond (almost) we were lucky to get the tenancy of a bungalow with a big garden. The back half of which is veg and fruit. We did not have much through the winter last year, we moved in June 15 after I had spent 10 days waiting for a pacemaker, so was not able to do a lot.

However, it's fully planted this year with fruit and veg. We have 5 rhubarb plants, two are bits off of the old plant so very thin growth this year.

Two freezers take care of the surplus, plus gifts to family and neighbours.

My store cupboard is empty just now, everything has been brought into use, restocking starts this month. I menu plan for a month, do a freezer audit and then get what is essential plus stuff for the store. A top up shop for fruit and veg if needed half way through the month.

Aldi is the store of choice, Morrion and Lidl for what I cannot get from Aldi, although they do seem to be extending their ranges.

We have storage heaters, which I am not fond of, an open fire in the sitting room, we also have solar panels which heat the water. Last winter I turned off the two bedroom storage heaters. We have a convector heater in both bedrooms, which have time switches, so switch on at times we require heat. If we loose power, we are all electric, I have a single burner gas hob and also a lamp. These use the small gas canisters, fine for a short time. We are supported tenants, so the council have to either move us to a community centre or provide alternative heating etc if the power is interrupted for any length of time.

Water would be a different kettle of fish, not sur what would happen with that. I do keep a 5 litre container in the cupboard, but that would not lady long.

This is turning into a screed.......we just do not know what is going to happen, I do believe however that it is right to be prepared for any eventuality. I will read with interest.