Slowing Down with the Jones'

How to: Mrs J's Guide to blackberry picking!!!

2009-09-08T10:11:00.003+01:00

Depending on where you live in the UK there should be blackberries of varying ripeness all around you now and here is my own little guide to harvesting them....

Preparation

Find Locations - Blackberries are regularly found in hedgerows, try paths, car parks, waste / scrub land, overgrown allotments and gardens.....If you are too late to pick this year, note where you have seen the bushes and regularly check them throughout next summer for progress.

Supplies - You'll need some pots to collect your berries in. I generally recommend a rag or piece of kitchen towel in the bottom to collect juice / bugs.

Clothing - wear old clothes, ideally long sleeved and trousers too. Don't forget to wear shoes not sandals and you'll be able to get in better areas. This is do as I say not as I do... last trip I wore sandals cotton skirt and white linen top!!!!! Luckily I'm well practiced so couldn't resist and impromptu pick!

Freezer - If you are not using your berries straight away you can freeze them till you have enough for a recipe. Make sure you have enough room to flash freeze them on trays on your return.

Helpers - In my opinion you're best off doing this by yourself, children eat all they collect and husbands even though they can reach higher are quickly bored - yes Mr J I mean you!!!

Technique

Blackberries are best harvested on a sunny dry day. Before you start picking, walk up and down the whole of the hedgerow. Blackberries often vary vastly in their ripeness even over a hedge of 50ft. In early September my favourite hedgerow has ripe succulent berries at one end and bushes still flowering at the other!! Pick the ripest berries first, come back regularly (I do every 3 days). A great ti is to look from various angles and heights into the bushes, I discovered my 5 yr old son was getting a great haul because the best blackberries grow under the leaves of the bush, and that's the angle he could see and I couldn't!!!!!!

Beware of:-

Prickles - wild brambles have thorns, watch where you put your hands or wear gloves!!
Foragers Thumb - the juice will stain your finger a lovely shade of purple!!
Nettles - Blackberries often grow above stinging nettles and the nettles intertwine with the ripest fruit. Or to quote Little Miss Jones

" Come to Blackberry World get a free ticket to Stingerland!!!!"

Cover yourself in long sleeves and trousers, and watch where you put your hands.
Wildlife - be careful not to disturb nature to much (nests and other plants) and watch out for wildlife on the blackberries wasps and fruit flies feast on the overripe berries and little grubs can live inside them. If this concerns you make sure you give everything a quick wash when you get home, I can't stop my kids eating shiny ripe ones off the bush!!!!!

What are your best tips for picking blackberries????

A difficult decision.

2009-09-04T10:19:00.002+01:00

Nine months ago we took on the challenge of living without a refridgerator. For most of this time we have survived quite well. We progressed from iceblocks in a cool box to an insulated cupboard on an outside wall, regular swapping of iceblocks ensured that for the most our food was chilled and all was well. But, over the summer, things haven't kept so well. Food has spoiled quickly and I've had to throw it away.
At the start of September I decided to reintroduce a fridge to our household. It is smaller than our original fridge, and secondhand from freecycle. When we need to replace it we will buy an A rated one.
Living without the fridge, we kept very little in it and food spoiled. Now I can keep leftovers to eat the next day without freezing them , chill fresh produce when needed and make homemade yoghurt that won't go off before we've finished it!!!!!

It was a difficult decision but I think, for us, at this point in time, the right one.

Community Farm

2009-08-28T10:02:00.002+01:00

In the village, we've (Peasedown Area Transition Group) have been trying to form a Community Farm. Before the summer holiday we found a site, but it seems things have progressed from there whilst we've been off!!!

I found this whilst checking the RiverCottage site today....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAF8gh-odmU

Ditching Disposables - Handmade Money Pouches

2009-08-26T10:41:00.003+01:00

I've done a budget for my monthly spending for as long as I can remember, but last year i made the decision to draw out my 'food' and 'petrol' allowances in cash for the coming month.

I kept these amounts in brown envelopes in my wallet to draw from throughout the money.

Unfortunately over time these rip and need replacing so I was looking for replacements. I found several on the internet but they were all quite large and more money then I had to spend!!!

This summer I had decided to make my goal to get out my machine and practice sewing. Well,with only one week left and the sewing machine untouched on the dining table I decided to make this my first project.

Its not perfect and I'd like to make a few improvements to the design but for now I love my new money pouch!!! Just need to make some more now!!!!!

2009-08-18T10:05:00.013+01:00

Well, we're halfway through the summer holidays now and have been busy bees, hardly having time to blog at all. We've finally got around to doing 2 things that have been on my list since Mr J moved down to Bath.... First we visited the Roman Baths ( local residents can actually get in for free with a discovery card). We spent the morning wandering around like tourists, but surprisingly took few photos, as we knew we could come back again whenever we felt like it!!

The other was to visit a local wood and find the Waterfall. I'd never visited Greyfield Wood before, we are lucky enough to have so many wonderful woods to walk around here, but friend had told me of the waterfall so we were intrigued.

The map gave no indication of a waterfall at all so we set off to explore.....

It was definitely worth the wait!!! We climbed the rocks to the top of the waterfall and ate our picnic.

That better taste good......

2009-08-14T07:47:00.008+01:00

because it looks like a train wreck!!!

I was lucky enough to meet a fellow forum member today, who gave me a pasta maker she had lurking in a cupboard! I rushed home and made pasta for supper. The pasta maker was great and took away hours of rolling out the dough, but i didn't seem to have the knack for the spaghetti attatchment!!!

I faired better with the tagliatelli.....

Add homegrown tomatoes, which have really started producing in good quantities this week!!!! And enjoy in the garden.....

Yes it did taste good!!

They're Quackers!!!

2009-08-03T10:28:00.009+01:00

Well I've finally found the camera lead so here are our little ones....

Treacle, Pip and Pebbles

Don't they look all grown up already (only 5 wks old!!!)

aaaah!!!

Little Jonsey and Mr J built a fab new enclosure for them

which they loved! Along with my Nasturtiums!!

I dug out our belfast sink for them too, to add to the other ponds!

We really love having the ducks, we've spent so much time watching them this week. Although a word to the wise, they do smell a bit and they are noisy!!!

How to take a Basil Cutting

2009-08-01T07:54:00.004+01:00

Today's how to is thanks to my mum showing me how to do this earlier in the week - thanks mum!

To make cuttings from a basil plant select a non flowering shoot.

1.Select shoot and remove the top 4 inches with a clean, sharp knife, cutting under a leaf joint.

2. remove bottom 2 leaves and plant.

Prepare a small flowerpot with seed compost and put cutting in 1 - 2 inches deep

Tip - planting cuttings around the edge of a pot will help to form stronger roots, as roots split and branch when they hit a surface.

3. Alternately, fill a clean jam jar with water and pop it on a nice light (but not hot) windowsill . Put the cutting into the water.

Change water daily and you should be able to watch the roots growing (2 - 4 weeks) Transfer to seed compost when good roots have formed.

When established cuttings should be planted up to a larger pot, watered in a placed on a bright windowsill.

Now you have lots of basil plants why not give some away to friends and neighbours? You might even get something different in return!!!

Simple changes - Reuseable toilet paper / wipes

2009-07-28T10:43:00.002+01:00

Photo from One Pink LadyBug

Last week we finally made the move over to reusable toilet paper for no 1's. I'm not sure why I made the change then and not before? All lot of it is the percieved ickyness of using something and not throwing it straight away maybe. But its really not a problem at all! We keep them in a drawstring bag hung on the toilet roll holder until they are needed then have a small stainless steel bin by the loo with a removeable bucket inside. After use they get tossed in there until they are ready to put in the wash.

I havent got anything nearly as fancy as those in the picture, our's are rectangles cut from fleece, a scarf and dressing gown that had come to the end of their useful life. Fleece needs no hemming, is lovely and soft and dries super quick so its a really quick and easy simple change!!!! Towelling, terry sheets and recycled TShirts are also favourites it seems. If thats still to much hassle then one pink lady bug has some nice sets in her shop (click link above) or search the net for other people making them (also called family wipes).

So go on what's stopping you? Try it for a day and I swear you won't look back!!

The ducklings have arrived!!! warning cute pics

2009-07-27T09:38:00.008+01:00

Yesterday we took another step on our journey to self-sufficiency and became the owners of 3 gorgeous indian runner ducklings. We've been watching them online since they were 10 days old

with the latest picture we saw of them at 2 weeks old *still cute*!!!

Hopefully we've got one male (dark one) and two females (lighter two) but only time will tell!

We went to collect them yesterday from a village an hour away. I felt awful, have flu, but we still went. It was sooo worth it!!
At only 5 weeks they've now started getting their adult feathers so not quite as cute but the parents we saw yesterday were so beautiful in full feather I can't wait to see these! They seem to have setlled in quite nicely into their new home although our cats don't know quite what to make of them!!!

They'll be more pics when I'm well enough to stand up again!!!!

Simple Changes: One for the pot.......

2009-07-17T14:27:00.005+01:00

Image by PatchworkPottery

Mr J and I enjoyed a lovely cream tea on our mini-moon, and of course it was served in a teapot for two!!! We returned home and have continued to make our tea in a pot. Not only does it save money.... close you're ears Nanny P, you don't need to add 'one for the pot'!! Infact one bag for two people is just fine! It also bring a sense of occasion to the drink, you sit togeher to have tea, not spread across the room. We've even added a tablecloth to our coffee table for afternoon tea Building afternoon tea into your routine gives you a chance to stop and talk, to reflect on your day.

Take10 minutes out of your day today to share afternoon tea with someone or spoil yourself :) Then head over to patchwork pottery and check out all her lovely tea themed goodies!!!

We're Married!!!

2009-07-13T10:26:00.002+01:00

A wonderful day

Handmade wedding goodies

2009-06-24T13:57:00.002+01:00

Bouquet

Buttonholes

(some of the 3 sets of)

Bunting

I've had so much fun making these over the past month! And yes, I did design it to match the blind! By choosing a wedding colour that went with my bedroom, I get to decorate the room after with all the goodies, a great bit of precycling if ever I saw one, even if I do say so myself!!

Drowning under a sea of rose petals...

2009-06-22T09:30:00.005+01:00

Oh dear, 3 weeks without posting! To be fair thing are a bit crazy around here with Wedding preparations!!!

My dehydrator has come into it's own quickly drying rose petals from the garden into homemade confetti. The bunting is coming along nicely and I'm steadily working my way through a list of cakes to bake for the big day (thank goodness for freezers!)

Kind friends have sent their contributions

Bags from Nita and Handfasting ribbon from Jacky

Oh well, better get back to the bunting!!!!

How to make easy peasy Ginger Beer!!

2009-06-03T13:53:00.002+01:00

The sun is shing in the sky and its perfect for 'lashings of ginger beer' a la Famous Five but you don't have time to go through the long way, you want it now!! Well you can have it tomorrow with this super quick super easy recipe.

You'll need

1 cup sugar

1/4 tsp dried yeast (the sachets you use in a bread maker)

Juice from 1 lemon or 2tbs lemon juice from a bottle

2 good tsp ground ginger

lemonade type plastic bottle (2 litres)

Water

Funnel

How to Do It

Pop the funnel into the top of the bottle and pour in the sugar and yeast.

Mix the lemon juice with the ground ginger, then add this to the bottle too. Fill the bottle 2/3rds full with water then pop on the lid and shake until all the sugar has disappeared. Now top up with water until there is about 1" space at the top . This is to allow the gases to develop without exploding the bottle!!

Screw on the top as tight as you can then leave somewhere warm ( a warm windowsill or an airing cupboard will do)

24hrs later check the ginger beer. Has the bottle gone rigid?* If so, it is ready, place the bottle in the fridge overnight to stop the fermentation. Strain the beer and its ready to drink!!!!

Enjoy!!

*If the bottle was not rigid leavee it a further 48hrs, then continue as above.

A nicer way to get there!

2009-06-03T09:13:00.002+01:00

I'd love a bike like this one!! I can imagine riding down the road giving flowers to passersby as I cycled :) Ok I may not have the vintage bike - its a yellow mountain bike - but I have ditched the car a few journey's this week in favour of cycling. Easy for me than walking, its great and easy on the pocket too!! I'm bumping into (not literally!) more friends on the journey and stopping briefly to chat. I can get there as quick as a car journey and enjoy the smell of elderflowers on the way!!

I worked out yesterday its a year since I last did this regularily, I don't know what was stopping me!! I even managed to do a small shop on my way home last night and well balaced the bags off my handlebars on the way home!! Unfortunately the bike doesn't have a rack so I need to save for one of those before I can make panniers.

There are some great pannier tutorials here

Take advantage of the weather and get on your bikes today!!!!!

A small break

2009-06-02T13:32:00.003+01:00

Apologies for the small break in posting. School holidays and a temperamental PC which won't click links or upload photos has stopped me from updating the blog.

The past weeks weather though has been glorious and I have spent most of it in the garden. Lots of time has also been spent think what I really want in life, cue picture above of not my home now but a local cottage I would LOVE to own (small dwelling on a decent plot of land) and a little bit preparing for these....

As soon as the PC behaves, normal service will resume!!!

Nursery Flapjack recipe

2009-05-22T11:28:00.003+01:00

At nursery this week we made the most delicious flapjack, so gooey and moreish - I just had to share the recipe with you!

Nursery Flapjack

6oz margerine

6oz brown sugar

8oz oats

1tbs golden syrup

pinch salt

12 x 9" baking tray

DO NOT SUBSTITUE ANYTHING!!!

Cream the marg and sugar together. Stir in syrup, oats and salt.

Line the tray with baking paper and spread the mix evenly in the tray.

Bake for 30mins at 170oC until golden. Cool on a wire tray

Cut into square whilst still warm and serve straightaway for gooey goodness. When it is cold its rock hard!!!

Enjoy!!!!

Tomatoes and the generosity of strangers

2009-05-21T09:19:00.003+01:00

Most of you reading will have heard of freecycle, a scheme where you offer unwanted 'stuff ' for others to pick up if they need some. Over the past few weeks we've freecycled lots of unwanted clutter from the house.

Yesterday, we collected some unwanted plants from a local grower and I was able to double the varieties of tomatoes we are growing this year!!

So now as well as the 'Gardeners Delight' we bought as young plants and the 'Alicante' Little Jonesey grew from seeds we will have 'Garden Pearl' in our hanging baskets, 'Beefsteak' in the greenhouse and 'Moneymaker' in tubs in the sunny spots in the garden!!

Hopefully the harvest will be vast and I'll be able to pop a jar of homemade chutney back in to the lady that kindly gave me the plants.

My Freedom Garden Update

2009-05-19T17:51:00.009+01:00

Our very first Nastutium Flower!!!

We've not grown these before but they are dead easy, the leaves, flowers and seeds are all edible!

The rain over the past week has really done the garden good, let me take you on a tour of some of the highlights....

Our first year growing tomatoes, they are up to 2ft high now but I'm surprised how early they are flowering. I've even learnt how to nip out the side shoots!!!

I threw down a handful of rocket seed in the soil at the bottom of the squarefoot planter and its growing great guns!!!

Redcurrants are bountiful this year! Compared to last years harvest of 5 yes count them 5 berries!!!!

No the photo isn't upside down this baby pear is reaching for the sky. Once again only a handful have set. Maybe I will hand pollenate them next year. Does anyone else have any tips for growing pears?

The beetroot leaves are coming on - I've already pinched some for a salad! Apparently taking the odd outone shouldn't affect the beetroot underneath as lon as its limited to 4/5 in total. I need to start some new seedling off soon so we have a second lot to harvest later.

Little Miss Jones' spinach has doubled in size in the past week.

The new strawberryies are growing nicely! These should make a nice compliment to the alpine strawberries I planted last year.

Little Jonesy has been planting up sunflower seeds.

Of course I've had a bit of help from my gardener in training, Little Miss Jones!!

How to recycle your way bigger better plants - Home made suntrap / greenhouse

2009-05-18T09:27:00.003+01:00

Sweetcorn, Sunflowers, Strawberries and Beans growing in the Suntrap

We don't have a traditional greenhouse and our conservatory is a cold northfacing one so after our seeds have germinated we transfer them to our homemade (recycled) suntrap to give them a little bit of extra warmth to help them on their way!!

As you can see they are recycled UHT milk cartons, the shiny insides make a great reflective surface to focus the heat onto the plants. Simply wash out your cartons thoroughly the cut open and tape together to make mini suntraps.

I grew two lots of sweetcorn side by side but put a suntrap behind one. Of course there could have been several variables but the one in the suntrap grew about a third bigger so far!!!

Give it a go, you've nothing to lose!!

What clever growing tips do you have?

Quick & Easy Recipes - Sponge Pudding

2009-05-15T09:24:00.003+01:00

Ever fancy a quick and easy pudding?

Every evening I get 'mummy what's for pudding?'. If I haven't already prepared one then I have a couple of great standby recipes...

Microwave Sponge Pudding

75ml vegetable oil

2oz sugar

1 large egg

2oz Self Raising Flour

2 tbs milk

2 tbs jam / golden syrup

Grease a microwave bowl, pour in jam/syrup and set aside. In another bowl mix remaining ingredients than pour on top of syrup/jam in greased bowl - do not mix!!

Cover and put into microwave. Cook for 3 minutes on full (my microwave is 1200w) or until cooked through. Loosen around edge and turn out onto a plate. Delicious served with custard

Enjoy!!!

How to stay on the simple path - Preparation

2009-05-13T13:57:00.006+01:00

Yesterday's post on temptation showed that we are all prone to little slips on the journey to a simpler life so how can we help ourselves to stay on course?

Whether your simple goals are to simplify, have more free time, save money, spend time with family, most temptation problems can be overcome by a few simple changes in your lifestyle. I will look at each of these in turn.....

Preparation
Organisation
Routine
Simplifying
Support
Community
Knowledge

Preparation

I am a planner and a list person, I write list after list after list... In lots of areas I think about something for ages before I do it. But sometimes in life I can't see the problem at all, I haven't prepared!!As my mum will remind me constantly,

'Eliminating the temptation before it arises is a hundred times better than dealing with it once its there'.

My kids always played up after school because they were hungry (no preparation on my front). Using preparation we can sort this one easily, we need to be prepared before we turn up at school with a snack.

As with anything on this journey, you can look at your goals and choose how deeply you want to do this you may decide it is important the 'food' is a piece of fruit or that there will be wholemeal muffins baked at the weekend as a family time activity!

Quick fix:- call in at shop next door and buy sweets/ crisps/ cakes
Intermediate Solution :- turn up at school with some food brought from home.
Simple Living Solution :- bring a homemade snack to school.

I hope you can see how this theory would work across the board.

What preparation tips do you have that you could share?

How much do you really, really want it?

2009-05-12T11:06:00.003+01:00

Temptation

Just before work today I started getting some lunch together. I got out the bread and went to the fridge to get cheese. Picking up the cheese I noticed the pork sausages behind that were getting near their end date. Thinking 'ooh I'll do those for the childrens supper' I started cooking them in the frying pan.

As they browned I looked at the sausages, I looked at the bread, I looked at the sausages, I looked at the bread....

Maybe one sausage sarnie won't hurt. * For those of you who don't know, OMJ is meat intolerant so I'm veggie too to give him support.

The thought had entered my head but suprising, thats where it stayed! I cut the cheese, walked out to the garden to pick rocket, ate the rocket on the way back in and had a lovely cheese and homemade chutney sarnie instead for lunch.

I thought about it after, living the simple life we are confronted daily by temptation and choices, the quick fixes or pressure to fit in with friends. Each time we are faced by these we need to think, do I really want to make that choice more than I want the life I have chose. After not very long the decision will be made in your head before you think it and the pleasures and satisfaction you gain from chosing the way you want rather than what others want will be tenfold ( healthier diet, a simpler home, the taste of a homegrown tomato...)

This post isn't meant as a lecture to anyone, we all make our own choices, but to serve as a reminder to me that I can choose to stay on course when faced with temptation and that it is so worth it!

2009-05-12T09:18:00.004+01:00

Its very nearly that time of year again when the hedgerows are abundant with Elderflowers. They are still only little green buds around here but I'm hearing rumours that elsewhere they are in flower!!!

Here's a quick recipe to get you started..

Elderflower Champagne

10 Elderflower heads

2 Lemons (sliced)

8 pints (3.5 litres) of water

1.5 lb (700g) sugar

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

Put elderflower heads and lemons in a clean bucket and pour on the water.

Leave to soak for 24 - 36 hours.

Strain through a sterile cloth (or muslin) and add sugar and vinegar.

Stir until sugar is completely dissolved and pour into screw-top bottles. L

eave tops slightly loose for 10 to 14 days or undo daily (one of mine popped its own!!)

Drinkable after a fortnight but better after 2 to 3 months.

Serve chilled.

Hmm, that reminds me........ I think I may still have a bottle from last year in the garage!!!

How to make a Homemade Fridge!!!

2009-05-06T16:47:00.004+01:00

We've been fridge free for over 4 months now!!!! We've been using a keep- cool and putting in freezer blocks to keep the temperature down for milk / cheese etc. and on the whole its been fine :) BUT the cold weather has been on our side!!

Increasing temperatures outside have had us looking on ways to better our initial idea.

We did toy with the idea of running a 12v coolbox off a solar panel but the figures ( and safety issues didn't work) so insteads we've come up with this instead....

OMJ and Little Jonesey have converted one of our smaller kitchen cupboards into a homemade fridge. It's on a cold wall (adjoining the garage). They insulated the cupboard all surfaces, inside the door and under the top drawer, with a roll of insulation foam and we stuck reflective foil on an outer side near a radiator. Daily use is similar to the cool box, we keep food in open tupperware boxes / trays with freezerblocks to keep the internal temperature low! It seems to be working well! And with the added bonus of a shelf in there I can go back to refrigerating cheesecake, jellys and the like!!!

Their first proper family project of the summer.

Saving Water and Electric....

2009-04-27T10:59:00.003+01:00

A month or so ago I bought a pump-flask!! Turns out to be a great buy, instead of boiling the kettle numerous times each day, I boil a kettle full first thing then empty it in the thermos flask to be used throughout the day. Hot drinks or boiling water for cooking the veggies. Saves electric and time!! Any water left in the flask at night is decanted into a bottle for watering plants or swilling dishes.

Simple Recipes - how to make cupcakes when you've no butter!!

2009-04-22T09:57:00.003+01:00

Determined to have a baking day today, i was somewhat thwarted when I realised we were out of butter!!! A bit of googling later and rejigging some of my favourite cupcake recipes I've come up with a winner (by OMJ's opinion anyway!)

Mrs Jones' Butterless Cupcakes

6oz SR Flour (sifted)
150ml vegetable oil
4oz sugar
2 duck eggs ( or 2 large chicken eggs)

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. It will look really different to your usual butter mix (maybe greasy or a different shade) but don't worry!! spoon mix into cupcake cases and cook at 175oC for 15minutes till lightly golden.

Enjoy!

Fragrancing your home naturally

2009-04-21T19:14:00.007+01:00

Now we are using not using chemical cleaners there is a distinct lack of synthetic fragrances in the home, not a bad thing but this leaves an opening for natural fragrances. These can come in many different forms.

Fresh Air - Clothes dried on the washing line bring a lovely freshness into any room. Get outside on those sunnydays and dry your clothes. Open windows to let fresh air in.

Essential Oils - Drops of your favourite essential oils can be added to homemade cleaners, or mixed with water in a spray bottle to make a room fragrancer.

Plants - Plant fragrant plants next to windows and enjoy the fragrance wafting in on warm summer evenings. Pot up herbs and place on windowsills inside your home, ruffle the leaves for instance frangrance! We love lavender, rosemary and lemon thyme in our bedrooms (3 bedrooms, 3 herbs- not mixed!)

Food - Warm Cakes, Fresh Bread and Brewed Coffee all are listed as popular smells within the home. Get baking.......

Candles - Scented candles or oils add richness to a home in summer or winter

What are your favourite natural fragrances to use in your home?

New Starts

2009-04-21T18:57:00.003+01:00

Originally uploaded by Thirtyoneteeth

Guess what? For the first time in 6 years I have a job!! I am in old-skool terms a 'dinnerlady' at the local school, for the politically correct it's SMSA (school meals supervisory assistant). Anyhoo, its messing with my schedule, taking me out of the house in the middle of the day. I havent baked for a week now!! Excluding last weeks bread disaster, where it didn't mix properly in the maker so I did it by hand and then it was still runny in the middle when I sliced the loaf - who said the simple life was all roses!

Seeds are still being sown, sunflowers, sweetcorn, parsnips and poached egg plants have all gone in over the last week, as well as planting my beetroot seedlings out into the garden :) On the downside I lost alot of the swiss chard sedling because they got scorched, along with some summer squashes. Tomatoes, chillis and peppers have been potted up.

Whats going well in your garden at the mo? and whats not?

How to - make homemade shampoo

2009-04-16T19:05:00.000+01:00

Have you ever read the ingredients list on the back of your shampoo bottle? Laying in the bath I often scan the bottle and am amazed how I can't even pronounce half of the stuff in the bottle!!!

Over the Easter holiday I have been trying out a few homemade shampoo recipes, this seems to be the one with the best results so far......

Step one - make a liquid soap!

Take 1 4oz bar of natural soap and grate it

Pour 4 cups of water into a saucepan and bring to a boil, then pour in grated soap and stir until melted.
Leave to cool.

Step Two - make a herbal infusion

Select herbs for fragrance or beneficial properties. For my soap I have used 2oz of lavander. *Herbs can also be substituted for a suitable herbal teabag.

Mix the herbs in a lidded jar. Boil 2 cups of water. Add 3 heaped tablespoons of the mixed herbs into the boiling water. Remove from heat and let infuse for 30 mins. When cool strain the herbal mixture into a bowl.

Make the shampoo

Pour 2oz of the herbal mixture and 4oz of the liquid soap into a bottle together.
Shake the bottle to mix
Shampoo is now ready to use.

After shampooing rinse hair with 1 capful of cider vinegar diluted in a glass of warm water.

Do you have any favourite recipes for shampoo?

What other products do you enjoy making at home?

A good book or two...

2009-04-15T10:27:00.007+01:00

The absence of television in the house has seen an influx of books into the home.....

From friends, charity shops, mobile library and college I now have a good selection of reading material to keep me company in bed or in the garden on a lazy afternoon

The current selection include:-

Carrots love Tomatoes & Roses love Garlic - Louise Riotte
Getting Started in Permaculture - Ross and Jenny Mars
Food from Green Places - Rosamond Richardson
Urban Eden - Adam and James Caplin
The New complete book of Self-Sufficiency - John Seymour

I think my favourite is Food From Green Places, I wish I'd found this for sale rather than in the library, I'm a sucker for recipe books and this one really focuses on the simple ingredient. It would be invaluable when you have a glut of something on the plot and find a hedgerow harvest.

Carrots love Tomatoes and The Complete Handbook of Self-Sufficiency would both make great additions to the bookcase as reference books.

Urban Eden and Getting Started in Permaculture are both good general entry level books but both leave you 'wanting more'.

I'm glad I found the Permaculture one in the college library, Permaculture had been on my radar for a while and this explained the basics. I think when I plan my next garden it will be based on a permaculture idea. If you aren't familiar with Permaculture, Downsizer.net explains it extremely well here I think.
What books are you reading? What would you recommend from your bookcase?

How to - Planting Sweetcorn

2009-04-15T07:49:00.000+01:00

Monday afternoon I planted the sweetcorn. This was the one vegetable requested by all of the others for me to grow!! I haven't ever grown this before so I've gone for 'Applause' which is a full of flavour super sweet type.

Sweetcorn it turns our is also super easy to plant!

*Fill a 7.5cm pot with multipurpose compost

* Make 4 holes 2.5cm deep in each

* Plant your seed (kernel?) in the holes - I don't know why but I was surprised to see little shriveled kernels in the packet not seeds!!

* Cover and water. Place on a windowsill and after 2 weeks remove the weakest seedling from each pot.

Mmmmmm I can almost taste it now!

How to - make Tortillas

2009-04-14T11:19:00.006+01:00

I'm not sure where it came from but I got a hankering for Quesadillas at the weekend! Not wanting to go shopping I decided to make them from scratch at home, which meant making tortillas first. They were so easy I think they'll become a regular make around here!!

Basic Flour Tortilla recipe

1.5 cups Plain Flour
3 tbsp shortening, lard or veg suet
1 tsp bicarb of soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 - 3 tbsp warm water

Mix all dry ingredients together, then cut in shortening/lard/suet until well mixed.

Gradually add water and mix until it forms a soft but not sticky dough

Knead dough for 3-4 minutes

Turn out onto a well floured board and cut into 6. Roll each 6th into a ball then roll into a circle making sure the dough is very thinly rolled.

I find it best to use lots of flour at this stage to stop the tortilla from sticking to board or rolling pin!

When you have your circle, transfer tortilla to a hot, dry pan and 'fry' until cooked 20 - 30 sec each side.

How much noise do you make

2009-04-14T09:33:00.002+01:00

originally uploaded by Asparagus

Our recent camping trip was heavenly, we woke every morning to birdsong and spent the rest of the day listening to the wind in the trees and trying to teach ourselves to recognise the different birdcalls.
Now we are home I am amazed by how noisy our house is!! We no longer set alarms to wake us, the kids wake up bang on time everyday, any lie-ins we embrace and enjoy even if it means we are late for something !! The noise starts soon after.... neighbours banging doors, scrapping tables across floors. Cars passing peep to scare cats out of the way or to pick up work colleagues. Hard drives hum as I read through blogs, freezers make the strangest noise defrosting themselves.
I'm slowly trying to gain back some peace, and this week I'm making an effort to sweep instead of hoover and even the 'effort' of using a scrubbing brush to hand sweep the hall and stair carpet has a theraputic calmness to it even if it takes a bit longer than hoovering. I also have the satisfaction that it does a bettter job than my hoover!!!! I'm opening windows and working in the garden. Guess what..... we have birdsong here too, it was just too noisy to appreciate it.

What sounds does your house make and what would you prefer to hear?

Free seeds anyone?

2009-04-11T15:05:00.002+01:00

The BBC have just launched DIG IN a new initiative to get us Brits growing! Apply now and they will send you 5 packets of vegetable seeds FOR FREE!!!! You can then sign up for the newsletter and get helpful tips and growing advice. Sounds great doesn't it? What are you waiting for click on the picture above and get signed up!! I have, and I'll be posting my progress along the way!

Tutorial: A Frugal way to Plant Carrots

2009-04-10T13:58:00.001+01:00

Little Miss Jones loves carrots, she'd eat them all day long, so there is no way I would leave them off my planting list but for really good carrots you need well prepared borders or nice deep pots. My square foot bed isn't really deep enough and I don't have any big pots left at the moment!

Thinking cap on, I've come up with a way that will give lots of nice straight growing length, be free draining and hopefully fox those carrot root flies too!

My Thrifty Carrot Planter

you will need

Sharp Scissors

2 ltr (lemonade type) plastic bottle

Compost

Dibber / Finger

Carrot Seeds

Method

Cut the top bit off your plastic bottle ( see pic ) this should include the shoulders and 3/4" of the sides.

Invert the top and push it all the way to the bottom of the bottle. This should allow excess water to drain off safely.

Pour a handful of small gravel into the bottom of the bottle then fill up with compost.

Using your dibber / finger make 4 holes in the compost 2cm deep. Leave enough room between hols and sides to allow 2 to grow to maturity and 2 to be harvested as baby carrots.

Plant seeds and cover with compost. Water.

Simple Holidays

2009-04-10T13:32:00.001+01:00

Camping is a big big thing for us, we LOVE it!!!! So much so we have a VW Campervan and a caravan, last year we had two tents too, but one broke and the binmen walked off with the other one by accident! This spring we decided to streamline our camping paraphenalia. We've retired the campervan into dry storage (awaiting a possible resoration) and treated ourselves to a new family tent. It was a bargain on Ebay. It's Easter here in the UK and according to the news this morning camping and caravanning is becoming ever more popular. Unfortunately rising popularity across the UK for camping instead of holidays abroad has a knock-on effect for those of us who've always done it; Prices go up and campsites are full! The campsite so we've been hoping to book at for this weekend wasn't even answering thier phone because they were so busy when I rang up in the start of March.

So this Easter we are trying out the new tent in Nanny's backgarden (it's too big for ours!!) At least we've cut our carbon footprint!!!! Surely if we are happy at home we shouldn't always need to go away to be on holiday?

How about you? Have you got any good tips for holidaying 'at home'?

The perfect FREE propagator for sprouting seeds???

2009-04-08T11:16:00.001+01:00

Have you worked out what it is yet? I'm a bit of a sucker for Tescos sushi and about 3 or 4 times a year I give in and buy some if I'm out and without lunch. This time as I sat in the car munching on my californian rolls I looked at the box and it screamed propagator to me!!!

The box was cleaned thoroughly and I folded a kitchen roll up into a 9th and popped it inside - perfect fit. I moistened the kitchen roll and sprinckled it with red cabbage sprouting seeds - and a few mustard seeds I had spilt from the packet and accidently mixed, at the weekend!!

Voila, perfect little propogator to get them started!

What have you managed to see in a new light and reuse????

Simple Changes - Television

2009-04-07T09:23:00.001+01:00

A long time ago, television was a big part of my life. I woke up at the start of the day and switched it on as I walked into the lounge, at night I set the 'sleep function' on the bedroom TV as I fell asleep! Recently we weren't watching much TV at all. The kids watched 1 hour before bed and I watched a couple after they were asleep.

At the start of March I unplugged all the TV and challenged us not to use them. 3 weeks in we didn't even miss them so I removed them ( and all the other TV related stuff*) from the house and cancelled our TV license - saving £150 odd a year (yippee!!)

*Video, Digital set top boxes, Ariel booster, DVD players, scart leads, games console, extension leads.......

We still watch a few programs online using BBC i -player and other streaming channels, but the difference we choose what to watch and when. It doesn't rule our lives anymore.

Busy doing nothing!!!

2009-03-31T15:45:00.001+01:00

Well, not nothing exactly, but taking some time out to enjoy the countryside around me! Look at all that wild garlic!!! The wood was overrun with the stuff! OMJ wouldn't let me pick any though as its right behind here

Beautiful, but its known as the 'plague' church. A whole village was buried and moved a mile up the hill to finally rid the plague!!! All that remains is the church.......... and the garlic if you believe my other half!!!

Oh well better start looking for other places to gather it.

Inspired

2009-03-23T16:52:00.000Z

Today I have been watching (online of course) the Gardener's World 2009 Special on no ground gardening. It features Patrick Blanc's living wall in Paris. It opened my eyes to new possibilities within my garden. I'm thinking of a 'wall' garden on the back fence, of herbs and edible flowers.

Greenhouses and seeds

2009-03-23T06:50:00.000Z

Our plot is too small for an actual green house but so many of the vegetables we like to eat in the summer seem to require hotter growing conditions than 'in the garden' can provide. So at the weekend I treated us to a mini greenhouse!! Whilst we were at the store I let the children buy a packet of seeds each Little Miss bought a mixed selection of herbs to grow on her windowsill and Jonsey bought Tomato seeds (never tried these before!!) OMJ bought parsnips and swede!

We spent an hour or two planting seeds then scuttled them of to their various homes.

Beetroot and Swiss Chard have both been popped in the mini greenhouse for now as the raised beds aren't quite ready. Tomatoes, Bell Peppers, Courgettes and Chillis in the heated propogator. Herbs (Basil, Parsley, Chives, Coriander) were placed in the airing cupboard in their own little propogator until germinated - as recommended on the pack!

Our garden looks very empty at the moment but by late spring it should be packed!!! As well as 2 raised beds by the conservatory (part shaded) we have a 2 x 4 square ft bed in the back border.

Future plans include shelves and hanging baskets on the rear (south facing) fence, window boxes on the shed and summerhouse, raised beds down the side fence (shaded) ...... and possibly attacking the front garden too!!!!

How to make Super Easy Bread?......heres the recipe!

2009-03-20T12:02:00.000Z

Part of the change to a simpler life has been making our own bread. This has meant me searching and trying ALOT of bread recipes and this is the one I love for quick super easy bread!!

Bread

1.5 lbs of Strong white flour

0.5 lbs of Strong wholewheat flour

4 tsp of easy blend yeast

2 tsp salt

2 tsp sugar

Put these into the breadmaker / bowl then add

1/2pt cold milk and 1/2 pt boiling water - mixed together first before adding

If using a breadmaker put on dough program for ref mine takes 1.5 hrs)

If by hand knead dough for 4 mins then cover with cloth and leave to rise for 1.5hrs

After it is ready, knock back and shape into loaf / rolls / pizza bases, sprinkle on toppings (herbs, seeds, cheese) then cover and rise for 1/2hr.

When ready bake in oven 220oC for 20mins.

Remove and cool on a wire rack.

(freezes well)

I normally split my 2lb mix into 1 loaf, 6 small rolls and a pizza base.

Changes to the simple life

2009-03-20T10:35:00.000Z

Today is the first day of spring and yes the sun is shining!!! I can't help but reflect on the changes we have made towards a more simple life over the passed few weeks and months, both big and small...

We have turned off (and taken away) our refridgerator. See here for the full story

I have started growing our own vegetables,

We make our own bread and over 90% of our meals are homemade

We have removed our televisions and I listen to the radio instead (wind up/solar powered of course!)

We use homemade cleaners around the home and for washing, we recycle some of our greywater.

I volunteer at the local school and have joined local community groups

All small changes in themselves but together they have made a huge difference to our lives

Welcome!!!!

2009-03-17T09:22:00.000Z

My Family by Little Jonesey

Welcome friends, old and new!!

Maybe you've come via my other blog or you've stumbled across us by chance, let me introduce ourselves (starting from the left of our picture)

Little Jonesey: Our Five year old son:- cheeky, outdoorsy, practical and hands-on. He got his first proper toolkit at christmas and loves to help daddy on projects. Favourite thing '

Little Miss Jones:- Arty, musical, a girly tomboy, loves helping mummy cooking or gardening and daddy in the workshop. Favourite thing 'getting muddy with daddy'

Mrs Jones to be:- Me!! I'm a homemaker, I spend my days cooking, baking, and learning new skills. I love growing my vegetables, being in the kitchen, learning new stuff via the 'net and the great oudoors

Old Man Jones :- The newest addition to our family! When daddy comes to visit he loves to be in the workshop or garage, creating new projects. Favourite thing 'exploring woods and climbing trees'

Together we make up the Jones Family. This blog is our journal of the changes we are making to live the simple life, the skills we are learning and our journey towards self sufficiency.