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The Good Life Club
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Message 1.Â
Posted by clevelandboy (U10227499) on Saturday, 8th August 2009
A thread for the lovers of free food, home reared food, locally produced food and all that we would like to do to provide ourselves with a life (or dream) about a life like Tom and Barbera.
I'm a big fan of River cottage and Valentine Warner.
I have baught a chicken shed to get some chickens to give me some eggs and perhaps sell some. Not sure whether to have some rescued battery hens or to buy some pullets.
My tomatoes aren't doing anything and the slugs scoffed my strawberries. The courgettes, sweetcorn and carrots haven't even shown their heads. The blackberries have already started growing and i can't wait for the shaggy ink caps to appear. -
Message 2
Posted by Ali-cat (U8666386) on Sunday, 9th August 2009
Hi clevelandboy
Well, can't stand either Valentine Warner or the River Cottage chap, I think they are both total frauds to be honest. Maybe I'm overstating it a bit, but I believe Hugh Fernley Whittingwhatsit charges a fortune for a meal at his place.
However, having got that off me chest, I think it's great having a Good Life thread. We struggle with a veggie patch, and this year the sweetcorn is OK, but not as good as last year. I think I need fresh seeds, ours are 3 years old now. The courgettes are taking over the world as usual, we have one or two melons swelling up nicely, the beans were carp because I didn't water them enough, the salad crops were OK but as usual I either plant too much of something, or not enough of something. Best crop really is the beetroot.
Oh, and butternut squash, they're enormous this year. Hope they keep. Does anyone know how long they will last in a dark cool place?
I admire you for taking on chickens, one or two contributors to the French thread have chickens as well, and seem to get on fine, but I have never dared to take the plunge.
xx
Ali -
Message 3
Posted by Doodlysquat (U13738858) on Sunday, 9th August 2009
Good idea for a thread Clevelandboy. I'm not in a position to grow my own veg but get fish as fresh as it's possible to have them and pick samphire from between the low and high water mark. It's better than asparagus!
suze -
Message 4
Posted by Ali-cat (U8666386) on Sunday, 9th August 2009
I have never had samphire, and have always wanted to try it. Is it salty? Does it have that metallic taste that asparagus has?
Ali -
Message 5
Posted by ThisLizzie (U5294918) on Sunday, 9th August 2009
Great idea for a thread.
>>shaggy ink caps<<
As children we went with an aunt gathering different mushrooms but I don't now have the confidence to do it which is sad because locally there are plenty. -
Message 6
Posted by Belle au bois dormant (U9706573) on Sunday, 9th August 2009
Oh, this is nice - a thread about real food. Was just this minute talking to someone about how wonderful home grown food tastes. Ali - hi there - samphire is great - I have picked it from the beach at Holkham in Norfolk and seen it the other day on the fish counter in Leclerc. You just wash it well to get the sand out and then steam it for about 5 minutes - drain and scoff with lots of butter. It is salty - but pleasantly so, and is fab with any fish.
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Message 7
Posted by clevelandboy (U10227499) on Monday, 10th August 2009
I'm so glad that you think this is a good idea for a thread, as i'm surrounded by people who think i'm strange for not wanting pre packed stuff.
I've got some potatoes growing and i can't recal planting them!
I do get a bit fed up of shaggy ink caps towards the end of the season, but, with it being free and just about ten metres from my stove and only for a breif spell each year i keep picking them. They taste a little like stilton cheese or some other strong flavoured cheese. They go well with home reared bacon from the farmers farm shop that i go to. You know the bacon. No grease or white stuff oozing out of it, no shrinking as it cooks on the frying pan. Mmmmm. Ö÷²¥´óÐãmade tomatoe sauce.Yum yum yum, apart from my tomatoes are still just flowers.
I'm hoping that the chickens will help with the slug and snail problem. I don't know whether to have all layers or some meat birds too. What do you think?
I made some bunny burgers last year, as we have a bunny problen too, which i hope to deal with on sunday evening!! I gave two to my partner, who is very much a supermarket, smilie faces and chicken dippers type of a girl, and i told her they were homemade beefburgers. She liked them but they were a little dry. If i asked if she wanted a bunny burger she would of had a aby daby, but because she thought it was beef it was tasty.
Have any of you got any thoghts on the following;
with winter coming up i need to be better organised for my heating. I've got a log burner but it pours smoke out of the front everytime i put more wood on. Chimney is clean etc and i have a good supply of logs. Insulation? I haven't the faintest idea on this. Not sure if i have any already but i would be surprised if i did. Electric fire with a nice fake fireplace. Quick but expensive and not really good life.
I go to bed in tracksuite bottoms, jumper, socks, wooley hat, hot water bottle, winter duvet plus blankets on top, bury my head under the pillows so that my mouth is the only part of me that's showing and i'm still cold, plus i need to think of the cats.
Fresh fish, now that does sound yummy. What do you get and what do you do with it? -
Message 8
Posted by Rubymoon (U4092795) on Monday, 10th August 2009
Hi Clevelandboy
Just a thought about your wood burner - are you sure you have the damper open? There should be a lever, probably at the back of the stove which opens and shuts the damper in the chimney so that you can put it on slow burn which burns wood more efficiently. You would need to open it before you open the doors or you will get smoke pouring out of the front. Otherwise, perhaps you need to create a bit more of a through draught in your room. If you have all the doors and windows shut, there may not be any draught to pull the smoke away up the chimney.
Also, would like to say a word in defence of the sainted Hugh. We ate at his restaurant in Axminster recently - it was very good and not that expensive compared to other similar places.
I also supported his recent campaign against the Evil Empire and their stocking of battery eggs.
Must admit though I think a lot of the TV programme is staged but then it's entertainment at the end of the day.
Have also been thinking about getting some ex-battery farm chickens but we are away a lot and I worry about arranging care for them.
Rubyxx -
Message 9
Posted by Flakey (U13643566) on Monday, 10th August 2009
Hi Clevelandboy
I keep chooks and they are great for the eggs. I am not great at eating my own though ! to be fair they are not meaters - little critters who spend their whole time escaping from their des res enclosure !! One thing I would point out about chooks and veggie patches is chooks are hooligans and let loose in a VP do more damage than rabbits and slugs put together. Even the new rather handsome coq Nigel (he is a local breed a Berry noir I live in France) who is the Brad Pitt of the chooky world cannot deter Flo, Audrey and Barder from bu**ering off everyday. I just feel sorry for Edina and her daughter Tilly Tots who look a bit jaded at the moment - Nige is a young man. The bottom tier of all my tomatoes have extensive chicken damage plus they ate the heart of my new posh cauli's before I even saw them.
Get big chooks they are less agile. Ours fly over a 8 foot fence.
Flakes -
Message 10
Posted by Septimus Harding (U8854256) on Monday, 10th August 2009
Reply to #1, clevelandboy
I wish you lots of luck (which you'll need), and every success (which you'll deserve) in your endeavour.
It's the right way to go, and despite some rather disparaging remarks by others I believe that you are absolutely right in citing H F-W and VW as exciting TV role models; the facts speak for themselves insofar as hundreds of thousands of TV viewers are clamouring for allotments and for the creation of urban farms.
"Dig For Victory!", my parents were told, and I was brought up in a post-war family with an understanding of the need for self-sufficiency in vegetables.
We didn't do hens or pigs because we had two uncles who brought home the eggs and bacon in that respect.
Ö÷²¥´óÐã TV's 'The Good Life' was a great example . . but at the wrong time in our history, as society then aimed for success in a different way (as Jerry and Margot were quick to point out).
'River Cottage' and 'What To Eat Now' are the right programmes at the right time.
Like thousands of others I also love 'Monty Halls' Great Escape', but I think it's fair to say that only one in a million British families could aspire to that idyll.
Thanks for starting this thread, and (I don't apologise for repeating myself) I wish you every success and much happiness from your efforts.
7th -
Message 11
Posted by al-in-a-field (U3325483) on Tuesday, 11th August 2009
sounds interesting. I would like to keep ducks, but am in too urban a setting (though mercifully on the edge), so space is at a premium.
I would also need to train the canine not to regard them as toys, but that could be done.
My tomatoes are doing really well, not boasting, but just to say that I start them off indoors in January/February, and it really does seem to give them a strong start. I also always grow at least 4 varieties, with 2 being cherry tomatoes - this again seems to give me more of a chance of getting something out of them at a relatively early point.
Have you heard of a book called "Food for free"? I have really enjoyed it in the past. These days I am too busy to go foraging (hmmm, maybe that is a sign...)
Al.... -
Message 12
Posted by LindaLee (U2777941) on Tuesday, 11th August 2009
Interesting thread. I am sure you will enjoy keeping hens - I used to, but can't where I live now, and I do miss them! Very soothing undemanding creatures.
As for Hugh Fearlessly-EatsItAll, I like his programmes but would worry about some of the ingredients in his restaurants, as he seems happy to eat absolutely anything, which I am not!
Nearest I come to the good life these days is visiting my local farm shop, I'm afraid. -
Message 13
Posted by Ali-cat (U8666386) on Tuesday, 11th August 2009
It's not easy getting it right, is it?
We've been 'growing our own' for three years now, and although we're getting better, we still make what seem to be, in retrospect, basic mistakes.
We love butternut squash, melons, cucumber, courgettes, and yes, we've grown each of them this year. But again the courgettes have taken over the whole patch - I think next year we will just isolate them in their own raised bed. The butternut squash have grown to twice the size they did last year and therefore taken up much more room on the trellis ... etc etc.
However, we're learning.
Butternut squash risotto for tea, I think.
I had forgotten about the book "Food for Free", by Richard Mabey and have checked it out on *m*zon - I've put it on my wish list.
We have a medlar tree which is full of fruit, and this year I may well have another go at making medlar jelly. I don't like using this fruit though, as it has to be left until it's practically rotten before you can use it.
Anyone got any other ideas for medlars? -
Message 14
Posted by al-in-a-field (U3325483) on Tuesday, 11th August 2009
digging it up and planting a fig tree instead?
I don't like over-ripe fruit at the best of times. And although medlar jelly can be nice, there is only so much of it you can eat....
Al... -
Message 15
Posted by Leaping Badger (U3587940) on Tuesday, 11th August 2009
I'll join! Growing my own - in pots in my little courtyard - for the second year now. It's wonderful to live somewhere where I can do this - I'd been wanting to for a few years. I'm hoping that I'll be able to secure a patch of land for a proper veg patch next year. Have tomatoes, salad, a dozen or so herbs, and this year am trying carrots, beetroot - all in pots - aubergine - had my first fruit this week, and it was delicious - peppers, and a few others things.
I want to do more foraging as well, and am trying to learn to identify fungi so I can do this. Am currently foraging for brambles, have found some cooking apples from a local tree, so am going to make my childhood favourite, stewing the two of them. Yum!
'Ö' -
Message 16
Posted by Flakey (U13643566) on Tuesday, 11th August 2009
Hi Ali
Not very familar with medlar however I have tasted samphire and its delish, salty and tastes of the sea. Really delish with a knob of butter.
I sure I saw a chef extolling the virtues of medlar recently. I will see if I can find it.
BTW my chillis and peppers are coming on nicely.
Cleveland if you want more bunny burgers flakey towers is swimming in them.
Flakes -
Message 17
Posted by Flakey (U13643566) on Tuesday, 11th August 2009
Ali
There is a medlar and apple chutney on channel four recipes but it is HFW ! what I did read though is that if you can't get medlars use pear so if you reverse that it should widen your scope. Spicy medlar chutney sound yummy though. Think of all that lovely star anais you can use !
Flakes x -
Message 18
Posted by catwomyn (U1485618) on Tuesday, 11th August 2009
friend of mine is involved with a scheme similar to this - renting land from someone who has too much unused land, they pay for it by giving the landowners 20% of what they grow.
Missing my courtyard garden - this year I've got two tomato plants and a chilli plant in my living room window. TomCat and TomKitten have just got containers of spuds and strawbs in the courtyard garden as I'm not there to tend it. In the past I've grown carrots, courgettes, spring onions and salady stuff in containers.
Cat x -
Message 19
Posted by Flakey (U13643566) on Tuesday, 11th August 2009
Cleveland I meant to ask you about bee keeping is it something you are considering ?I have two sets of chums that keep bees under very different circumstances. One lives very near me in rural France and the other who has keep an organic allotment 5 miles from Central London for about 10 years. I have to say the London honey is by far the best honey I have ever tasted, really delish.
Even my Father who has honey in everything including tea - thought it was top three he had ever tasted in his 70 odd years.
Flakes x -
Message 20
Posted by Ali-cat (U8666386) on Tuesday, 11th August 2009
Hope no one minds a general sort of response:
We do have two fig trees, Al, and this year (their third year) they are stuffed full of figs. I have everything crossed for lots of fruit, as we adore figs, and I shall be searching for ways of keeping them as well. Ditto the peaches. It’s been a bumper crop this year I think.
I like growing the beetroot and aubergine, Legs, delicious – I have made beetroot risotto this year, and I usually slice the aubergines in half and dollop olive oil and parmesan on them and bake. What do you do?
Hi Flakes, lovely chillis and peppers. I know you do a lot of exotic cooking so I imagine you have different varieties of chillies. Do you dry them? Oh, and I will have a look at channel four for the recipes. We have pears too, but not a lot, it’s their first year of fruiting and I am rather hoping they turn out to be lovely sweet ones, but we’ll see.
Sorry you are missing your courtyard, cat, I still long for my lovely wide herbaceous border in the UK. Hope you get back to it soon.
Back to housework.
Xxxx
Ali -
Message 21
Posted by Belle au bois dormant (U9706573) on Tuesday, 11th August 2009
Ali - will try your quick, delicious sounding recipe for a glut of aubergines that we have here. Yesterday I ate quite a lot of beetroot and creme fraiche soured with lemon juice to deal with some of the hundreds of beetroot. Our cougettes have been awful this year - I think I chose the least tasty variety to plant - next year will go for the yellow ones - does anyone have any evidence that those are tastier than the green? I've also found that Butternut squash is very productive this year.
Hugh Fernleythingy is good, I think. My daughter in law works on his tele programme and has a brilliant time - everyone seems to get really involved - apparently, he's a great fan of Moulin a Vent - wonder if he's growing any vines for wine there? Also his pig in a day courses are very worthwhile for any small holders thinking of raising an slaughtering their pigs. Not something I could do, but each to his own.
One thing I noticed that I thought was interesting - I have chillis and picked some the other day - didn't seem at all hot when I nibbled the ends of them...but left them in the kitchen for half and hour or so - and they went super-hot in that time! Must've been a magic kitchen or perhaps the volatile oil (?) is released after picking? -
Message 22
Posted by Ali-cat (U8666386) on Tuesday, 11th August 2009
Hi nancy
Yes, we've grown yellow courgettes for the last 2 years, and honestly we do believe they taste better.
Sliced thinly lengthways, sizzled on a griddle until you get the lovely stripes, then dunked whilst hot in a vinaigrette of olive oil, lemon juice and thyme or rosemary. Gorgeous as an antipasta or with fish or anything.
Lovely beetroot idea. I haven't got enough this year, should've planted many, many more.
Don't know about the chillis though, but I bet Flakes does.
Come on in Flakes..
xx
Ali -
Message 23
Posted by Flakey (U13643566) on Tuesday, 11th August 2009
I heart chillis only got cayenne jobbers and some other weird ones. Mine are super blaster straight away.
I understand there are some that loll you into a false sense of security but I usually cook and use so I like to know what I am dealing with !! I do dry some and freeze some but to be honest they are better fresh. Last year I had about 5 kilo's of the things.
Offski - chores before the yanks arrive on Friday and slow motion to protect my injury !!
There is that the scoville scale of hotness. If you go to WWW.worldofchilli.com You can learn loads. Poss even Identify your "creeper" chilli Nancy.
They pickle well BTW
Flakes xx -
Message 24
Posted by Ali-cat (U8666386) on Wednesday, 12th August 2009
Hi Flakes
Excellent website, thanks for the tip.
xx
Ali -
Message 25
Posted by poppy (U2220656) on Wednesday, 12th August 2009
Wed, 12 Aug 2009 10:29 GMT, in reply to Ali-cat in message 20
I'm growing veggies for the first time this year (dug up the lawn) - great success, so far, with spuds, tomatoes and courgettes. Broad beans didn't do well - they got black fly and I dug them out. Peas, aubergines and peppers are doing quite well although snails are eating a lot of the peas. Last year I picked loads of blackberries from a nearby nature reserve, plus rose hips and crab apples. -
Message 26
Posted by al-in-a-field (U3325483) on Thursday, 13th August 2009
if you nip out the tips of the broad beans, the black fly problem should be greatly reduced. If you do this before they are so infested that the leaves curl up, the growing tips are also excellent cooked - bit like spinach, but not so much bite.
Al... -
Message 27
Posted by Ali-cat (U8666386) on Thursday, 13th August 2009
Didn't know that, al, thanks for the tip. Also I've been told if you sow them in autumn there tends to be less of a problem because they fruit earlier - is there any truth in this do you think? If so I shall plant mine out in the cold frame before winter.
Ali -
Message 28
Posted by al-in-a-field (U3325483) on Thursday, 13th August 2009
not too sure.
Ether November or February is usually the thing. The November lot is fine outside, as long as it is not totally soaking wet for weeks on end.
I'm not sure I have ever noticed a difference in black fly susceptibility. But I haven't ever got round to doing a proper trial (and don't really have the space).
I have lots of white fly this year, if anyone would like some, plenty spare...
Al... -
Message 29
Posted by Leaping Badger (U3587940) on Friday, 14th August 2009
If anyone is in need of gardening advice (including fruit and veg), there are some very knowledgeable people on the Potting Shed thread who will be happy to help.
'Ö' -
Message 30
Posted by al-in-a-field (U3325483) on Friday, 14th August 2009
do they like white-fly sandwiches?
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Message 31
Posted by Leaping Badger (U3587940) on Wednesday, 19th August 2009
There are a few trees in the lane along from me which are proving to be wild plum trees. Not sloes, because they don't have thorns. The branches and bark look very like plum or cherry. I have just tasted one, and while it was very tart, it was a definite plum. Does anyone have any good recipe ideas? Nothing fancy, as energy is low, but if anyone has an idea for a simple recipe I'd love to use them.
Made a delicious bramble and apple crumble the other day from brambles outside my front door and apples from next door's garden (offered, not scrumped).
'Ö' -
Message 32
Posted by Ali-cat (U8666386) on Wednesday, 19th August 2009
Ah, but scrumped apples make MUCH more delish jams and puds.
NOT encouraging it you understand, not at all.
Here's a couple of recipes for wild plums, the second one is easier and quicker.
I suppose that any recipes calling for damsons would also be good for your lovely wild plums, too.
Enjoy.
xx
Ali -
Message 33
Posted by carrick-bend (U2288869) on Wednesday, 19th August 2009
Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:25 GMT, in reply to Ali-cat in message 32
You don't need pectin if you have access to apples - if you're making jelly, just cut them up, skins, cores and all. -
Message 34
Posted by Campbell-in-Clogs (U8123405) on Thursday, 20th August 2009
No idea who the people mentioned in the first post are (though I did hear some mention of River Cottage somewhere on R4 recently and thought the guy running it sounded a bit up himself, but in the nicest possible way...). Just bookmarking this thread really as I like the idea of it and don't have time to read it properly now.
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Message 35
Posted by Campbell-in-Clogs (U8123405) on Thursday, 20th August 2009
Oh, one question which someone here may have an answer to. There are loads of lovely rosehips everywhere here now and I often pick one to nibble the juicy outer covering as I walk past. But it's a bit of a carry on really to get any significant amount of fruit flesh to actually be able to do anything with all this delicious vitamin C. Does anyone know how this is done? Without having to deal to much with the nasty scratchy-itchy seeds in the middle? Is this a really daft question? I'm fairly sure my mum used to make good rosehip wine but have no recollection of how she dealt with them in their freshly picked state.
I'm off now till Monday - curious if anyone has a solution by then. Hope everyone has an, em, fruitful weekend. -
Message 36
Posted by That Old Janx Spirit (U2140966) on Thursday, 20th August 2009
Damsons or plums.. this is what is now coming into season in Germany:
It's nice to have seasonal cakes.
Never mind how you pronounce it, this is one recipe:
-
Message 37
Posted by clevelandboy (U10227499) on Thursday, 20th August 2009
Sorry that i've been missing for a while but my computor broke and my new one got installed this morning by a friend in exchange for beer!.
Flakes. I have considered bees as i lurve honey. My problem is that i don't think i have anywhere that's safe to keep them away from my partner and the threat of flooding. My house is called "Riverside Farm" as it's.........
Most of my 45 acres floods in really wet weather which would mean that i keep them this side, which is too close i'm told.
I shot a rabbit last week and it was in the marinade within 30 mins. The kidneys and liver made a lovely supper with some crusty bread and butter and a glass of port.
I think it's fab that people grow produce in whatever space they can.
Mr H fearnley whatsit is one of my heroes, along with stephen Fry, but i wouldn't eat slugs. -
Message 38
Posted by carrick-bend (U2288869) on Thursday, 20th August 2009
Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:36 GMT, in reply to clevelandboy in message 37
I think I might - fry them up with some garlic, butter, black pepper and salt afterwards.
There's no reason why they shouldn't be pleasantly snail-like, and how satisfying would it be to tell people about them? -
Message 39
Posted by Septimus Harding (U8854256) on Thursday, 20th August 2009
Reply to #38, c-b
Quite right.
After all, we eat snails.
Aren't slugs merely homeless snails?
Here's a recent discussion of the matter.
-
Message 40
Posted by Leaping Badger (U3587940) on Friday, 21st August 2009
If you saw the Hugh Faintly-Twittering programme in which he attempts to eat slugs on the premise that they must be like snails, you'll realise that they're not. All attempts to make them palatable failed. It was a fascinating and pretty funny episode.
'Ö' -
Message 41
Posted by LondonEntwoman (U2232087) on Friday, 21st August 2009
Another first year veggie grower - keen gardener, but not really done food before.
Just harvested some spuds that were hastily grown from shop-bought selection as I'd left it too late to order seed potatoes. King Edwards, Robinta and some organic salad whites have really done quite well, despite the entire top growth being destroyed by slugs and snails.
Have some Sungold tomatoes ripening, but Gardener's Delight not going to make it I think.
My big disappointment was garlic, which only got to marble-size, as I planted them far too late. Got some specialist varieties at the Hampton Court flower show, which will go in late Sept.
Re Hugh F-W - I've tried quite a few of his recipes off the C4 site, and they do work. I think he's rather endearing.. -
Message 42
Posted by clevelandboy (U10227499) on Saturday, 22nd August 2009
Does anybody know what sorrel looks like?
I was givn some last year and i followed a river cottage recipe that was scrummy and i want to get some more but i don't know what it looks like. -
Message 43
Posted by carrick-bend (U2288869) on Sunday, 23rd August 2009
Sun, 23 Aug 2009 06:40 GMT, in reply to clevelandboy in message 42
Sorrel grouwswild as a weed - I knew it as "zour-zabs", long before 0 - my mum taught me how a keaf chewed up would stop your outh being dry in the summer heat.
I've cultivated the "weed" in a bit of the garden.
Here's a good picture of what it can look like in it's scruffy, wild state.
BTW slugs are ok, just very mucousy.
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