My Off-grid and need to be frugal diary

AnimalTribe

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The wild garlic bulbs I ordered a couple of months ago have arrived. The company only delivers them when it is time to plant them, which I did this afternoon. I do already have a few small patches of wild garlic but I’m hoping to get them to spread. I love the taste with cheese sandwiches, cheese on toast, cheese quiche, soup and so many other things.

All the chilli seeds that I’ve dried, so far, are now in packets ready to plant next year.

DH has been busy too, mowing some grass and fixing an electric cable (he’s qualified).

As expected, the flapjacks have nearly gone. I have to admit I’ve been helping to eat them. I don’t know why but these are the tastiest I’ve made in a long time, but I’ve made this combination before.

It’s been so hot and sunny here that all of the portable power packs have been charged and a load of laundry has been done and air dried.

AnimalTribe

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DH bought something for his hobby for £180. Apparently, it was on sale and was a such a good bargain he couldn’t resist. I spent £15 on a vintage board game. I think I could have resisted temptation if DH hadn’t splurged. So that’s the no-spend 30 days well and truly blown. I will endeavour not to spend for the rest of the days though.

It’s been sunny with wind here today so lots of energy generated. I’ve pickled some more cucumber that will last 2 weeks in the fridge. I found some part-made crafts so I’ve made an effort to finish them today. I’ll continue tomorrow. I must take some photographs soon though so I can list the items. The dining room is beginning to take shape.

All in all it’s been a decent day.

AnimalTribe

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There's not been much sun today so I think I will have to switch to the portable power packs overnight.
Today the only extra I've done is made a couple of cakes and finally finish off some sewing that's been part done for ages.

AnimalTribe

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No sun, no wind, but plenty of rain, so the generator has switched on and the garden has gotten the water that it very much needed.

I've now cleared the dining room except for some of DH's stuff. I'm leaving that for him to sort out.

DH wired up an extension cable that was the right length for the job, rather than have long cables trailing.

I've spent the day making earrings for Halloween and Christmas as I found a box of stuff that I'd forgotten about. I'm trying to use the stuff that I'm finding whilst clearing out my craft room.

AnimalTribe

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There’s been enough energy today to microwave some jacket potatoes for today and tomorrow (jacket spuds are the only thing I use the microwave for). The house has been vacuumed too in order to make the most of the power.

I think a mouse or something must be living in one of the raised beds as there are constant holes in the soil – it doesn’t seem to be damaging anything, as the bed is almost empty, so I’m content to leave whatever creature it is alone.

I’ve picked and boiled some more beetroot today to add to salads over the next couple of days. The beetroot hasn’t grown particularly large, but it is very tasty. I think it was the compost I used.

It won’t be long now before the elderberries are ripe. I will make elderberry jelly and perhaps syrup. A few years ago, I made elderberry pickle, which DH loved, but I don’t know what I’ve done with the recipe. I will search my books and if I can’t find it, I should be able to find a recipe online.

My job this morning was clearing down my e-mails.I don’t know why I let them build up so much, but I do. 

I’ve finished making the earrings. I now know why I’d put them aside months ago. It was because I’d mistakenly ordered very small jump rings (the rings that join an ear hook to the decoration) and dealing with something so small was frustrating me. Still, they’re all done and I’ve used up something else that’s been sitting around the house for some time.

AnimalTribe

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I’ve had family over this weekend and had a great time. I spent this evening putting things back in order and now I’m just going to watch a film with DH.

AnimalTribe

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It's been overcast today and windy, but the wind was blowing in the wrong direction to power the turbine, so the generator switched on.

I’ve still got a decent amount of veg growing in the garden and I planted some more seeds a month ago. I’m not sure how big the latest plantings will get, given the poor weather here, but having salad to pick each day has really helped with the grocery budget.

It is obvious from not having to spend much on food over the last month that I have been buying too many groceries, much of which ended up being frozen. It’s kept DH and I going for so long that going forward I will be buying less. The freezer still has so much food in as it is a large commercial kitchen freezer.

Not buying snacks, mainly crisps and nachos, I believe has benefited my health and I’m going to continue not buying them.

Today I’ve started to sew Easter bunnies. I know it seems a bit daft, but I had cut them out last Easter and didn’t get around to sewing them.

rachmac3

I think my veg might be pretty much done now, I've got salad seedlings to plant out but the slugs demolished the last lot overnight.
I've got a few spring onions and perennial kale left.

AnimalTribe

rachmac3 I'm amazed I've still got veg growing as the season here is very short and the weather conditions difficult. I've not suffered much slug damage this year but caterpillars, mice and rabbits have taken their toll. My first kale sowing was all eaten by caterpillars, but I have some tiny seedlings coming through. I don't know if the kale will grow very big though.

The biggest suprise has been the Webb's Wonderful lettuce. I've just been cutting off some leaves, not pulling up the entire plant and the original plants are still going strong, whereas other lettuce types have bolted. Outside I've still got 2 types of lettuce, chard, beetroot, chives, carrots, marrow, courgette, garlic, potatoes and lots of herbs. Kale, lettuce, mustard and spinach seeds are showing baby leaves, but again I don't know how big they'll grow now.

Inside I've got sweet peppers, chillies, cucumbers and the very last of the tomatoes. At some point I'll start things like mustard & cress and sprout some seeds, so I will continue to have some home-grown fresh stuff over winter. I bought some grow lights and this will be the first year I have tried them. I have heat mats (meant for pets) that I use for seedlings, but I might give them a try for the mustard and cress and other micro-greens.

It's been windy here today and it was blowing in the right direction for the turbine so there's been lots of electricity generated.

I had planned to do some crafting, but one of the locals called in for a chat. 

rachmac3

My main raised beds were built from dry stone wall type stuff by previous owners, it looked fab but now nettles and ferns grown through the gaps and it's a haven for slugs snails and woodlice. It's collapsing very slowly. 
I do still have a few tomatoes and cucumbers in the conservatory.