Next steps; grip-relaxing bimbling, and avoiding the temptations

Suffolk_lass

I think I was prompted to go early after discussion on @foxgloves' thread about seeds she could not get this year, which prompted me to reflect. I did buy garlic to get in this autumn (tick!), then there was squash-gate - my complete lack of squash germination this year (so I resolved to bin lots and start again), and then there is the annual  RHS members' seed scheme - ten packets for £10.

I should explain a bit more- we have been trying to eradicate the pernicious weeds from the front garden. The two large beds are either side of the path to the front door, and apart from a gravel path under the thatch in front of the house, plus a bit so you don't get dripped on, they are the width of the house and about 4-5m deep. We have creeping thistle, vetch, creeping woodsorrel and worst of all, ground elder in one of these. So apart from about five plants, it is clear and I plan to replant it next year. I need to move a three centred yucca first. It is right on the edge of the path and far too tall for where it is.

The other side has more things like hardy geraniums and I hope to split and move these so we can do that one next year (and reduce the Shasta daisies, kniphofia, hostas and golden rod  back down to manageable patches).

KajiKita

Those aren’t beds! They are each whole gardens! 😉😂 Wowsers - that’s quite a project … 😊

I have eradicated anything remotely yucca-like here - just didn’t look right in my garden - too green and visually ‘soft’ by comparison. 

KK

Suffolk_lass

The yucca's are quite mature and throw up the big white bell spikes so I was thinking one in the midst of each bed and a third out back somewhere.

This morning I am baking a hybrid sourdough that I am speeding up with a starter made from a sachet of dried yeast in warm water with half a teaspoon of sugar. I haven't got time to hang about all morning so it will be what it is. It keeps me out of the shops for another day or three. I made cougette soup too, using the chicken stock. I might add some bits of the leftover (from the roast last Thursday) chicken to the soup I heat at lunchtime - there was too much for just a curry last night. We had cold chicken with baked potatoes and pickles the night before too and I plan either a pie or a stirfry tonight (or a stirfry pie) - so this rubber bird will have bounced through 4 main meals and four days of lunches before it is done. It was the last of the 3 for £10 birds I had in the freezer, so rather MSE if I do say so myself!

I need to get going on my Christmas cards. They take a few hours, and I need to tell people our landline is going to be turned off next month in them, and in our local magazine. We signed up nearly two years ago to a full fibre (FTTP) BB alternative (to the Openreach FTTC) and have been using it in parallel with the BT hub on Plusnet. Both seem to be much faster except around 6pm, which is, I guess, when all the workers and school children are doing their thing. We will start paying for it when the Plusnet contract ends in January, but elected to not pay the extra for the landline. The cost will go down by nearly £2 a month.

LadyWithAPlan

Just seen you have a new diary, I dont keep such a close eye of the DFW board, I need to start.. I have been on the MFW board for over 3 years now and still no mortgage..

Is it possible to buy your honey online at all? It sounds lovely.

Suffolk_lass

Thank you @LadyWithAPlan, I do not have a website but I do sell via an online presence after people see I sell honey in a couple of the local FB groups (closed ones). I could post some to you (I have postage boxes that take an 8oz (226g) jar - I always overfill them a bit so that is minimum weight, without the jar). I have soft-set and runny at the moment. If you want some, I think you should PM me, if you are happy to do so. I don’t want to advertise in my diary or break any forum rules. You may already have my email address as I once sent you a copy of my then money spreadsheet, before you went YNAB (so a while ago!!)

I feel obliged to tell you there are London beekeepers selling honey, some of whom have their details on the London beekeepers association pages. Local Honey is best, but proper artisan honey is excellent too! I note that Bermondsey honey have moved their business away from selling jars to individuals and sell through high end hospitality outlets now. There’s a picture of Petersham Nurseries on their website. That and the consultancy work they do. There is also Field and Flower in Borough Market but theirs is hardly local. They describe it all as “raw” - I know what they mean but many local Trading Standards Officers don’t like this (nor do BBKA) as there is no legal definition of raw. The Yorkshire and Cumbrian honey they sell, shows it is not local to you.

Around here, there are a few bee farmers who seem to have a monopoly on most of the local Delicatessens, food shops, farm shops and markets, so finding additional outlets is a real challenge. I have just agreed with a local cafe that they will take a pot (kilo+) of bakers honey from me to use in their cooking and baking, as and when they need it. [Bakers honey either has a too-high moisture content to sell in jars, or has begun to ferment (as mine had, after mixing two different honeys in an early attempt to make soft-set) - it is perfect for cooking and drizzling on savoury food but I can’t sell it in jars like that unless I heat treat it (which I won’t)]. We have been talking for a few weeks and I think the fact I am local and I gave them some to try, has swung it for me. I now need to give them a price for 1oz pots too, that they would like to use on crumpets or toast, and on porridge. I gave the owner two small pots to try and she said her husband thought they were absolutely amazing (I knew that!). Anyway, it is my first outlet, and I have a second to talk to today, the other side of my village, in another town.

In a money saving mood I have pressure cooked 8 (I know, bonkers) take-away rectangular trays of chick peas that I need to find room for, in my freezers. 'Tis the season for chilli and curry and bean stuff and we prefer chick peas to nasty bitter kidney beans, so now got my trays to pop in instead of buying tins. Time to go, the day is moving on!

LadyWithAPlan

Tx @Suffolk_lass I will be in touch next year All a bit crazy with life/work/housing/xmas etc 
Your honey sounds amazing though - I am also learning loads.

themadvix

I wondered what had happened to you SL! Glad to have found you again now and am caught up.

Suffolk_lass

themadvix said:

I wondered what had happened to you SL! Glad to have found you again now and am caught up.

It's good to see you @themadvix, I think it all went a bit bonkers last Spring and we just have not got back to where we were. I am still recovering from the damage to my shoulder, caused by using crutches when I wrecked my knee last Spring, and we have been dealing with some major beekeeping issues. The upshot was nearly twice as many colonies as we wanted and we have been giving them away ever since. Our spare bedroom looks like a warehouse, with 30lb buckets of honey everywhere.

I have got two cafe's taking bakers honey from me now and both are interested in small (as in 1oz mini) jars to serve with porridge or toast. It's all been a bit time consuming for what is supposed to be that little hobby thing we do together, and I had to stop following lots of diaries.  :'( - I'm studying now, so still busy but hopefully a bit less so going forward.

MrSl has gone for some blood tests, having discussed with the doctor, what might have caused his deficient blood when he went to donate. He has none of the symptoms she suggested, so a set of blood tests is good. He also got some moles checked out and they are OK too. They are an age-related wart! The joys of getting old!

It prompted me to check my results. My kidney function blood tests have come back satisfactory.

themadvix

Good news about moles and kidney function. Hope Mr SL’s issues are easily dealt with.

The beekeeping does sound like it has got rather out of hand! Hopefully you’ll be able to offload the hives until you’re back to more manageable numbers.

Suffolk_lass

We gave eight away last year and I am determined to deal with the nasty colonies this year, getting to nice calm queens so I can give more away!