THE Prepping thread - a new beginning :)

worn_out_mum

Thank you maryb, unfortunately we've had to learn quickly due to s hitting the f, but I'm sure that's the same for most people here. My older two seem interested in learning and show the same natural aptitude for mechanics/building/repairing as DH. DS3 on the other hand seems to prefer digging up my lettuces, but then he'll only be 2 next month:)

jk0

Sounds like Snowy was right to be wary of humans.

GreyQueen

Morning all.

Bygorry, I spend a rare 24 hours completely offline and miss a ballot, thread-locking and all sorts.:rotfl:

Ne'mind, we're all here together which will make my life a bit easier as I get confused with posting on too many threads at once and there are only so many hours in the day.

In fact, just having a leisurely start to the day before heading allotmentwards. This very wet summer is turning the place into a jungle every time I turn my back. Today's plans will involve digging up the roots of the feral chard plantation which I felled last weekend and planting more beetroot.

I have beetroot already but, by accident, I found that I could over-winter late-sown beetroot in the ground. I dug up the last of them a couple of weeks ago. They'd lost some of their sweetness but hadn't gone woody and were perfectly edible, so that's a trick worth knowing for those of us in the warmer parts of the country.

By accident, I meant I ran out of preserving jars, so couldn't pot up all that I had from the latter-sown batches.

[Deleted User]

cheel wrote: »

my gran let her out for a run and she joined the other bunnies in the back field, or so I was told.......:eek:

She didn't "go to live on a farm"?

All joking apart, not that long ago, people did keep rabbits for the pot.

Maybe you should get yourself a male and a few females.

Doveling

Wow! Threads moving fast

Can anyone advise on the best place to get sleepers for raised beds?
I know you're not supposed to use the old treated ones.
Garden centre or builders merchants? Or does it not matter as long as the price is right?

Welcome all newbies

GreyQueen

Doveling wrote: »

Wow! Threads moving fast

Can anyone advise on the best place to get sleepers for raised beds?
I know you're not supposed to use the old treated ones.
Garden centre or builders merchants? Or does it not matter as long as the price is right?

Welcome all newbies

Probably a reclamation yard. I think all railway sleepers are pickled in creosote and not suitable for use in proximity to veg, though. At least that was what some rellies (trained horticulturalists with a total of about 50 years' experience) told me. They did have a few of them which they used to make garden steps out of. HTH.

moneyistooshorttomention

Too right about the wet summer GQ - not best pleased as we were promised "best summer for 40 years" and it was quite a relief to me to have a few weeks of "summer" recently.

Stopped the procrastinating and did a small task in garden - before getting stuck into Major Task again - and blowmedown but heavy shower came on. Sitting it out and hoping it doesnt last long before I can get back to it again.

I can find quite enough excuses for procrastinating all on my own - without the weather "helping out":cool:

thriftwizard

Checking in briefly, glad we're sorted & hope the dust will settle now. Thank you Zippychick!

craigywv

hi all ,missed vote/new thread etc..............been busy i my garden after work half my raspberries are ready to pick and make into jam rest still getting there,same for glut of strawberries. glut of all gluts of blackcurrants looks like next weekend i jam making in abundance. my plums are green but my red apple tree apples are turning red i really excited .
other apple trees still green and pear tree nothing.
in my work we selling the big size (big baken bean tin size) of mackerel in tomato sauce for a quid i got one to try during the week and it fed myself and son lunch on toast and it was masses ,tasted lovely so have 3 now in back of cupboard for stores. also sugar ..all types and colours in stock in work.the camping section in work has all the water holders and camping lamps in also two big packs of tea lights for 1.50 worth stocking up in those ,i did.pouring out of the heavens here plants loving it garden like the amazon all dark green waxy leaves and my lilies in bright pink,orange and red poking through all different plants ,my pink lilies due out beginning of august every year are wait for it .................5 foot 3 inches tall!!!!!!!!!!! i had to measure them and they not even open yet.
shall deffo be buying lidls strawberry plants again they were 89p and looking at them think i got 6 or 8 they have produced at least 2 punnets each plant and i mean big boys not wee ones,prob more but son aged 12 has them nicked every time he passes them.poptatoes need dug up i think as the stalks in some are dying away i off on monday so will have a plunder at them.have a busy 2 weeks in front of me sons birthday so cake and lots of baking to do next week and need to use up some ingredients i have lurking in cupboards well i have rambled on enough have a lovely day all xxx

GreyQueen

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

The rabbit will come in handy, if there's ever a major food shortage.

Wouldn't be a major food shortage if a single bunny could alleviate it........

One of my grandads used to raise New Zealand Whites for market. Lots of countryfolk had a little side-line raising chickens or bunnies for market.

One year in the 1950s, Grandma decided to raise six geese, five to go to market and one for the household's Christmas dinner. Although she was a no-nonsense countrywoman who raised bantams and chickens every year, when the time came she couldn't bring herself to slaughter the goose or lettie hubby do it.

The five went off to market and their one lived as a pet.

Jesting aside, it is a relatively-rich country which can afford to keep animals as pets and it may well be that in the future, some animals are kept for the pot. Already, I know some people who have realised that they aren't going to be in a position to afford a pet much longer, so will be seeing their current furry owner to the end of their natural span, but not replacing them.

craigyw, thanks for the update at £land, the stock turns over there so quickly that it's good to have a heads-up. I do have some larger tins of pilchards and sardines, flat oval ones bought from the 99p place. I've decided that for my singleton household, the smaller cans are more suitable. Thinking that if we're off the electricity, I would need to have things which could be eaten by me in a single sitting.

I used to live in a bedsit with no fridge, three whole years, and it does change how you eat as you couldn't store certain things safely - the place wasn't set up with an old-style larder or anything.

Does anyone have a trad larder with a cold shelf, and are they currently using it, or have plans to bring it back into use if necessary? I claimed an old fashioned meat safe when Nan was turning it out. It lives in the lottie shed and I keep seeds in it but I could strap it to the back of the pushbike and bring it down to the flat if necessary.