My Off-grid and need to be frugal diary

AnimalTribe

Teapot2 the weather has been so unusual this year that it's been hard to judge when things are ready. At least you managed to get some. What do you do with them?

It’s been miserable weather here today. Windy, but in the wrong direction for the turbine, raining and dense fog. So, other than dog walking it’s been an inside day. I’ve put tonnes of laundry away (it’s one of the jobs that I procrastinate over as I don’t like doing it), made some vegetarian jelly and added pomegranate seeds (that needed to be used up). I’ve also made some rings and brooches.

DH has sold something on eBay for a £60 profit, but this won’t stay in the bank long as he’s asked for a quote for diesel for the generator (the tank is ¼ full) and we need a full tank for winter. It will be interesting (in a bad way) to see how much it will cost per litre.

teapot2

I got some free apples from someone local so I stewed some of those with the brambles, a bit of cinnamon stick and a wee bit of brown sugar. They are in the freezer now to top my porridge over the winter. When I have lots of brambles I usually make bramble whisky for presents and have made hedgerow jam in the past. What plans do you have for yours?

AnimalTribe

Teapot2 that sounds lovely although I'd skip the porridge and just have the stewed fruit. The whisky sounds good too. I've made blackberry vodka before for DH and blackberry vinegar for salad flavouring. This year I haven't picked very many as I don't have any freezer space but what I do have will be made into apple and blackberry pie. I still have jars of blackberry jam from last year.

I do have a small, empty counter top freezer, but I’ve just managed to empty it and don’t want to fill it again. I still have one counter top freezer and a huge chest freezer that are stuffed full. I’m trying to work my way through them.

Today I’ve done some clothes mending, but I still have a pile of socks to darn. It’s all my stuff as I’m really rough on clothes.

DH has ordered the diesel for the generator. Usually, he gets a full tank, but this year he’s gone for half a tank. The reason is the price. Last year diesel was 63p per litre and this year it’s £1.14 a litre. Half a tank is still enough to see us through the winter, but we’ll probably have to order more in March. I just hope the price goes down before then.

teapot2

I've made elderberry vinegar in the past, its a lovely flavour in stews and salad dressing. Love an apple and bramble pie, my mum used to make those with the ones we picked. I only have a very small freezer with 3 drawers and one is nearly full of various frozen fruits from the garden and foraging.