Lesley Posted November 24, 2004 Share Posted November 24, 2004 Jane asked me in another topic whether we 'grow' our own milk and pork? so I thought it might be interesting to see what other people do as well as keep chickens. Carl really wants to keep pigs but we don't have the room, so at the moment we buy pork from a local source. We are lucky because we have a choice of two - one a butcher and the other a farm shop. From Ascots we have just bought a sausage filler nicknamed 'The Beast' It looked quite small in the picture.....! Our butcher lets us buy sausage skins from him. It is a long time since I made cheese and then only soft cheeses so we bought a soft and hard cheese making kit again from Ascots. We will use Yeo Valley organic milk and will let you know the results! I can get local milk but not local organic so decided to go for organic from a smaller dairy (as opposed to Tesco's! own) We turned a lot of our garden over to veg plots so we grow a lot in a smallish space, both fruit and veg. We're not much bothered in growing things we can't eat. We don't buy much in the way of ready meals and cook what we can. We got lazy over the years and this year decided to take stock. We have reduced our dependance on Tesco considerably, and source as much as possible locally now. It takes time which has been the main problem, but once you've done the research it is much easier. I'm probably preaching to the already converted here! Kate recommended a brilliant book on making your own cleaning products. After the initial set-up costs these are really cheap and effective. Lots of little steps make a big difference - we're still working on it! Lesley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motherhen Posted November 24, 2004 Share Posted November 24, 2004 Lesley - inspirational I assume you have a copy of John Seymour's book - if not a Christmas 'must'. Another book that looks at garden veggie growing in a refreshing recycling way is John Yeoman's, The Lazy Kitchen Gardener. Amazon or get it from him thru John@villageguild.co.uk. Actually when I've got a minute today (hysterical ) I'll start a new thread on selfsufficiency and hen books and where to get them from. We might need a photo of your sausage maker with a hen posing in front to get the scale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted November 24, 2004 Share Posted November 24, 2004 Hi Lesley and Jane, Lesley already knows most of this so sorry for boring you again! We don't buy any processed foods and haven't done so for years now. I bake bread, cakes, biscuits, make yogurt, ice cream etc myself to try and keep my children additive free. Our house is full of "ingredients" rather than food and I enjoy taking the time to make everything myself. I also make my own sausages but I haven't been able to buy skins for them for a while so they have to be hand rolled and are incredibly ugly (though delicious) as a result! The boys won't eat "shop" sausages anymore which is a good advert for homemade, isn't it! I grow a small amount of vegetables and fruit in the garden in the limited space I have available but that small harvest is wonderful and as a result, we really do eat seasonally - no strawberries in December! I have a great many pots of herbs too which get dried or frozen for use throughout the winter. I would love a goat so that I could make my own cheeses but poor long suffering hubby thinks the chickens were a step too far so a goat is definitely out of the question for the time being! I make soft yogurt cheese for my youngest who devours it like chocolate and have made butter to show them just how easy it is to do. I don't buy any commercial cleaning products (except for Ecover washing powder and washing up liquid) but make all my own using biodegradable ingredients like bicarbonate of soda, vinegar and lemon juice. If anyone else wants to go down that road, Lesley and I can highly recommend a book on the subject for you. I used to use bleach by the bucketful but started to show signs of sensitivity to it so I made the switch to natural products and haven't had a poorly day since (apart from the tonisillitis, of course and I can't blame that on bleach !) The John Seymour book is a bible - everyone should have it! Having the chickens is another step on the road to a more self sufficient lifestyle. If we had more room, we would be even further! We are looking for somewhere with an acre or two - hopefully our dream will materialise soon then we can have that goat, more hens (a lot more hens!) and maybe even ducks and geese as well. What a lovely thought.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted November 24, 2004 Author Share Posted November 24, 2004 Hi Jane Yes we have both those books and I think a Books topic would be a good idea, especially with Christmas coming. You don't want much do you!, just got caught by OH,walking out of back door in smart skirt, wellies, camera and sausage machine tucked under arm! Well - it does need a wash before we use it so why not! Photo will be in my album for today.I will remove it when I get back from work. Lesley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahJo Posted November 24, 2004 Share Posted November 24, 2004 Nowhere near to being in any of your leagues. But do grow, lettuce, beans, Pumpkins, corgettes, Tomatoes and a few other whatever takes my fancy!. We have a small garden, and since getting the "girls" have decided to grow lettuce in hanging baskets next year!!!. We do beans against a wall .. pumpkins at the bottom .. and I will try upright corgettes in a pot!. The rosemary bushes are big enough to hold their own in the beds, but next year we are going to have to adapt ... to avoid loss to hens!!!. . Sarah Ginger and Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted November 24, 2004 Share Posted November 24, 2004 Hi Sarah, Yes, I know what you mean about having to adapt. My herb pots have been chickened and have to be regularly topped up with compost after they've had a digging/scratching session or have tipped them over when climbing in them! Silly things! It's amazing how much you can fit into a tiny garden though, if you're willing to accept failure now and then! My veggie patch is not very big, nor is the fruit garden but we've crammed in as much as we can and have one of those greenhouses with the zip on plastic covers and you can do a lot in them. I grow peas in window boxes, tomatoes in pots, runner beans against the fence and in pots, potatoes in rubbish sacks, carrots, french beans, leeks, onions and garlic in the veggie patch with apples, pears, plums, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, blackcurrants and rhubarb in the fruit garden. I have big plans to expand the fruit supply by adding some blueberry bushes, more raspberries, strawberries and rhubarb this year. Needless to say, we also compost everything that is compostable and recycle everything possible! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen Posted November 24, 2004 Share Posted November 24, 2004 Likewise, not quite in Lesley and Kate's league, but being a born and bred Londoner this is not surprising. We do have a vegetable garden - lovingly created by Matthew with 6 raised beds made from old railway sleepers, and a greenhouse. We grow tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers in the greenhouse, and a whole variety of veg in the plots - it varies from year to year depending on what has been successful and what we would like to try out. Regulars are Asparagus, rhubarb, lots of salad, spinach, chard (now totally decimated by the chickens), beans, peas, brocolli, kale, cabbage and garlic. Roots don't grow well in heavy London soil, and we have had difficulties with leeks and onions. Potatoes are great but take up a lot of space. We also have lots of other things in the garden that we can't eat, but look pretty. Most of our friends think we are completely mad. I don't go out to work (although I do have a 'profession' as an actress, but rarely perform these days) - and all of my school/university/childrens' parents friends do work - so I am something of an oddity around here. But I am a home bod. I love the garden, the chickens, cooking, reading, knitting and playing lots of piano. I really enjoy being here with and for the children who both loathe gardening (but love the chickens), and who also play a lot of music. We can't leave London because of Matthew's work and the girls excellent (state) schools - also I am a fanatic theatre/concert/opera/art exhibition goer and would miss all of that hugely. So we have created our little bit of countryside here in Stoke Newington, and are fortunate to have a spacious garden in which to do it. My contribution to the community is as a parent governer in my daughter's school - I have been chairing the Governing Body for some years now, and it is a surprisingly demanding task, but very rewarding. Is this the sort of thing we are supposed to be writing here - I feel I am rambling! Karen Diane Millie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted November 24, 2004 Share Posted November 24, 2004 Karen, With all that, you are definitely in the same league! Glad to hear there's a fellow homebod out there ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahJo Posted November 24, 2004 Share Posted November 24, 2004 To Kate ... I have found flat paddle stones on pots stops the chooks digging, tho' not sure if these would leave enough space for the herbs . Just a thought . Sarah. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted November 24, 2004 Share Posted November 24, 2004 Well - it does need a wash before we use it so why not! Photo will be in my album for today.I will remove it when I get back from work. Lesley My, my, Lesley, that's a big one! Makes mine look quite puny ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted November 24, 2004 Share Posted November 24, 2004 I agree Kate it must make wopping sausages, I would love to get going on the self suffienciency thing, I do only grow things we can eat but will also have to net everything next year, I did have some lovely autumn fruiting raspberries but the girls have eaten them all. I grow as much as I can in a small garden, it's a shame the farmer won't let us buy some field. We are also looking for a small farm, just missed one at auction out bid by £100,000 property is so expensive here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahJo Posted November 24, 2004 Share Posted November 24, 2004 Lesley ... wheres the photo I can't find it and want gander as to how big sausages are in your house . Sarah. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammi J Posted November 24, 2004 Share Posted November 24, 2004 Morning! Was in scotland at the weekend and we had a look at houses with land up there and some of them are not bad prices. My hubby is happy to move somewhere with land, so I can have not only chickens but the goat and pigs that I have also always wanted! I am now a home body housewife after having to give up work for health reasons and would love to move somewhere with land but scotland is to far away from my family and friends, moving 60 miles away from them was a big step for me. So I guess I will have to wait till we have lots of money instead!!!!! Once the chooks arrive I am going to start making my own bread and do more cake making. My hubby grows all our herbs and has a small veggie plot in the garden. Sammi-x- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motherhen Posted November 24, 2004 Share Posted November 24, 2004 Books topic started. Already remembered another book to add. Please add your own favourite books and reviews of John Seymour's Self-Sufficiency from those who do it rather than just dream it. I've put it in the Nesting Box since it is about more than hens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted November 24, 2004 Author Share Posted November 24, 2004 Lesley ... wheres the photo I can't find it and want gander as to how big sausages are in your house . Sarah. Hi Sarah It's the machine that's big - not the sausages! We hope. It looked so neat in the catalogue! See my Album in the club gallery - the one with Eglu Towers - you can't miss it. It is on page 2. I thought I'd better remove it later as it is nothing to do with chickens! Lesley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motherhen Posted November 24, 2004 Share Posted November 24, 2004 Wow Lesley - what a whopper! I think you can safely leave it in the album since Tallulah is so obligingly posing with it. How many of you does it take to turn the handle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted November 24, 2004 Author Share Posted November 24, 2004 Wow Lesley - what a whopper! I think you can safely leave it in the album since Tallulah is so obligingly posing with it. How many of you does it take to turn the handle? We don't know Jane - all we've done is look at it as we unwrapped it, jaws on the floor, and ordered three pounds of pork for the weekend! Lesley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surrey-based Steve Posted November 25, 2004 Share Posted November 25, 2004 Hi Karen. New to posting, but i'm one of the halves that looks after star chickens Alan and Mohammed. It's great how us Eglu owners seem to lend ourselves to other self-sufficient lifestyle choices. I won;t go on about my quest for a composting toilet...but would be very grateful for more info about your raised sleeper-beds. I've realised that riased beds are the only way forward for me, and think that reclaimed railway sleepers would be a very groovy way of achieving this. Any further info or pics would be much appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen Posted November 30, 2004 Share Posted November 30, 2004 Hi, Steve - sorry it's taken so long toget back to you - very busy. Have finally learnt how to put photos in the gallery though, so I will take some of the raised veg plots and put them on for you. We got the railway sleepers from Balfour Beatty about 6 years ago - they are very heavy and were difficult to get into place, but have been fantastic. No digging required - everything easily accessible. Ours are 4ft by 8 ft, and we generally stick to square foot gardening, so can cram a lot in. They are easy to fence in - we now have chickenwire round two of them! and often need protecting from pidgeons, squirrels other pests. Hope this is helpful. Regards, Karen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted November 30, 2004 Author Share Posted November 30, 2004 Hi Karen Pleased to see that someone else does Square Foot gardening. We attended a one-day seminar at HDRA at Ryton a couple of years ago and found it really interesting. I'm still finding it difficult to convert even though I know it works! We do about half and half. now - conventional and square foot. Lesley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted November 30, 2004 Author Share Posted November 30, 2004 Wow Lesley - what a whopper! I think you can safely leave it in the album since Tallulah is so obligingly posing with it. How many of you does it take to turn the handle? We don't know Jane - all we've done is look at it as we unwrapped it, jaws on the floor, and ordered three pounds of pork for the weekend! Lesley I can now tell you it takes two! Hard work but easier than the sausage attachment on the mincer. Grandchildren helped as well so sausage meat all over kitchen but great fun! Lesley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted April 10, 2005 Share Posted April 10, 2005 Those of you interested in a more self-sufficient lifestyle, Sarah (AKA Lowlander AKA Mrs L) from the River Cottage forum has just set up her own forum. She's concentrating on things that she's interested in and as they are exactly the same as the things I'm interested in, I'm over there quite a lot!! She's covering cookery, gardening, keeping chickens, knitting, sewing, crafts in general, winemaking, environmental projects and various green campaigns as well as a whole range of other bits and bobs. The site's only been up and running for a week or so but it's growing in membership slowly. It's a friendly site like this one and those of you who already read River Cottage will know most of the members! Things covered this week have been simple cheesemaking (I've now got a small hard cheese maturing in the larder) butter making, bread making, homemade sausages, butterflies appearing in the garden, what's growing in the veggie garden and the Country Living campaign for a tax on plastic bags. If this sounds like your thing, pop over to Creative Living for the 21st Century and have a look! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon Posted April 10, 2005 Share Posted April 10, 2005 Hi Kate Thanks for mentioning the creative living site. I've just had a quick look, well it was meant to be quick but got totally engrossed. There's lots of good ideas and I'm interested in finding out more about the natural cleaning. Have checked online and my local library has the Natural Housekeeping book that's recommended; so tomorrow I'll see if I can get it out. Its a bit ironic though cos with newly arrived chickens and these forums (also checked out the River Cottage one today), the children and working part time, I don't think I'll have too much time for cleaning up etc. Oh well. Thanks again Sharoni :lol: Ruby Pearl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted April 10, 2005 Share Posted April 10, 2005 Green cleaning is my soap box, Sharon! Once I get up on it, I have to be shot down ! This is the book I would recommend to start off with - Clean House, Clean Planet (Clean your house for pennies a day, the safe, non-toxic way) by Karen Logan (Pocket Books ISBN 0 671 53595 1). It's a simple to follow guide to making your own household cleaning products from biodegradable ingredients. I've been using some of the recipes in the book for the last couple of years and won't ever go back to supermarket chemical cleaners again. The Natural House is a lovely book but a bit short on useable recipes. Another good book is Better Basics for the Home - Simple Solutions for Less Toxic Living by Annie Berthold-Bond (ISBN 0-609-80325-5). This also has recipes for make up, moisturisers, childrens play paints, gardening etc. Super book and they are both available on Amazon! I posted a terrific a website in the books on self sufficiency etc topic and have also posted some cleaning product recipes on Mrs L's forum - I post there as "Kate B". Good luck if you go with it Sharon. It's nice to clean the house and know you're not damaging the planet or your health ! I'll get off my soapbox now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted April 10, 2005 Author Share Posted April 10, 2005 Sharon - I know just how you feel! I've said a few times on here now that I need to do my housework with a black bag and a shovel, because I now spend far too long on these forums. Consequently I read all about the things to make and then don't have time to make them! I have the Clean House, Clean Planet as recommended by Kate - it is brilliant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
