Selfsufficientish.com

I dont blanch anything anymore, when we first started growing our own I did... but just couldnrt get it right, veg would go soggy when cooked and just be yucky... Ive found if I open freeze on a big tray, most things free flow... then just bring pan of water to boil and drop in veg, bring back to bo...

Its a Pa, over here in Portugal everyone uses them, big ones small ones every size and shape, some with pointed bits one end for weeding , forks all kinds, you never see anyone with the 'english type' of tools at all, my neighbour told me the art of digging with one for hours on end (which is what t...

Hmmm no we havent, I may look into that though, thanks..

I boil as above people do, but as you cant get malt vinegar out here, I use red wine vinegar and brown sugar boiled together and poured over... mmmmmmmn sweet picked beets... smashing, I did 12 kilos last year, supposed to last all winter... they didnt even make it to Christmas... Beets can also be ...

Just wizz it with a hand bleander and bung it in clean hot sterilised jars and it will keep for ages , use as syrup for pudding and ice cream, pancakes etc, watered down with hot vinegar and sugar as cough syrup, ooh flavouring for all sorts.. mine never sets firm and Ive tried all ways for years......

I couldnt do it.... plus hubby doesnt like rabbit meat.... we also live in Portugal and rabbits come under the hunting law and the season is October to end of Feb.... trouble is you never see them then.... come the first of March they all start having parties in my garden.... The local old man who u...

I agree, we are not completely off grid, or selfsufficient, but manage well, I think complete selfsufficiency would be almost impossible, you cant grow loo paper.... well yes I know you could self make but... with animals, growing food, bedding and veggies for eating, log cutting drying stacking, co...

I think I know the answer to this already but its worth a try... Apart from fencing which will cost us loads.... and poison/traps which I couldnt use, is there any way to stop rabbits munching my veggies.... someone suggested placing mothballs around the perimeter as they dont like the smell.... any...

We had guests over for a meal the other day, I had quite a lot of carrots that needed using up so cooked tons.. they being veggies I assummed they'd polish them off.. no such luck, seems they dont really eat a lot of 'fresh stuff' hehehehe they live on packet sosmix etc So, to use up the cooked carr...

Oh poo.... just thought... Ive planted three lovely baby plum trees in the last two years....

Hmmm that sounds just like it. The peaches look perfect from the outside, right up untill almost ripe then they fall and are full of yucky dark brown mush and tiny maggot type grubs all around the stone...
Hmmm I would never want to harm any bees... any more ideas anyone?

We have a lovely old Quinta here in Portugal and inherited 5 beautiful peach trees. All are a reasonable size and blossom wonderfully each year, each year we also get tons of big golden peaches, then just as they are ripening, they drop... when cut open they are rotten inside round the stone. Ive lo...

Hmmm three logs is pretty much medium oven I guess... the apple and cinamen once takes a longer time so a slightly cooler oven...

Hi Elizabeth.
Sadly it doesnt have a makers name, it came from a little backwoods Agricola shop over here and didnt even have a brochure or instructions with it. It seems a generic model out here Ive seen a few all very similar.

Chickpea and Lemon soup. gorgeous! Soak chickpeas overnight and then cook until soft , In a heavy bottom pan in a good dollop of olive oil,fry off a good sized onion, couple cloves garlic(chopped) sprinkle of mixed herbs, I use coriander leaf and parsley. Add chickpeas. (I dont know weight, I have a...