Being selfsufficientish in 2016

[Puddleduck]

I'm starting again from scratch this year. A lot of things happened over the last few years that stopped me getting in the garden (having babies, breaking limbs that kind of thing) so this year it's kind of back to square one. We find ourselves in seriously large amounts of debt right now so this year is about clearing it and getting back on track with the life we want - no more buying stupid amounts of crap, simplicity is key. I am also hoping to be able to give up employment by the end of year if my little business takes off, I have a few markets booked in so fingers crossed!

I'm looking forward to getting back to the garden, I've really missed it. Although it's a bit more of a swamp at the minute!

[maple]

a positive way to start the year, debt is such a cripple in modern life....good luck and i hope it goes well, we all buy too much crap, i stopped a couple of years ago and don't even feel tempted now and the clutter has gone....in a cottage now which i am renovating myself so only buy the minimum i need ....like you waiting to get a garden started...

[Flo]

Was amused by people who cleared spaces out in their places after Christmas to the local jumble sale at the village hall, only to go round in the morning and buy different stuff back! Thought the idea of a jumble sale was to clear out or to buy cheaply if you are skint - but not to do both!

I was excused attendance as I was elsewhere taking allotment rents so couldn't go round to collect more "stuff" after clearing out.

[Flo]

Coo - I've been remembering how to cook over the winter - more stuff than beans on toast, winter soups, fruit crumbles, scones and other such simple stuff. The oven has been surprised. Thing is - with only one in the house it's very easy to do one pot meals to save time and effort. Can do better than that. Even for one. Skills learned and forgotten recalled whilst the weather has been miserable.

[Green Aura]

Good. My daughter's done something similar (although for different reasons - diet due to being a bridesmaid soon). She's rediscovered the art and pleasure of cooking.

I think the trick for her was giving her some smaller cookware, so she didn't feel overfaced by what she's prepared. She's now just making 1-2 portion meals and is happy to use them up. For some reason she never got in the swing of freezing portions.

[ina]

Can do better than that. Even for one. Skills learned and forgotten recalled whilst the weather has been miserable.

I do sometimes get fed up with cooking for one - although I generally cook several portions and keep some of them for another day (don't have fridge or freezer, so there's not a lot of scope here, especially in summer). It usually is still OK on the third day if you add a lot of curry...

Saying that, I've sometimes got books out of the library along the lines of "cooking for one". Seems like all those specialists don't come up with anything better than omelettes, soups and things on toast! Well, I don't need a blimming book for that!

[Brewtrog]

Hopefully planning on growing some different herbs and veg, it'll be the first year my liquorice is ready to harvest, but the main aim for the year for me is getting some more foraging done than in previous years, see what can be brewed from forage, especially looking at some old fashioned hop free ales.

[Flo]

Saying that, I've sometimes got books out of the library along the lines of "cooking for one". Seems like all those specialists don't come up with anything better than omelettes, soups and things on toast! Well, I don't need a blimming book for that!

You want to look at books for vegan cooking for one - the weird things you are supposed to keep on the shelf for a pinch of this and half a teaspoon of that just would wreck the budget in some cases.

I reckon that the place for recipes in on t'internet meself like.

[Green Aura]

I reckon that the place for recipes in on t'internet meself like.

I reckon you're right, Flo, but it's a terrible shame.

I've got a shelf full of cookbooks that I can't bear to part with, although we have whittled them down to those I really want to keep. I can't remember the last time I used them for anything - my first port of call is the internet, where I look up a recipe and carefully save it to the huge database of recipes that I've compiled on my laptop - only to find it's already there and I haven't looked there first either.

[ina]

Even on the internet I don't tend to find anything really new... But then, there are only so many different things you can sensibly do for a single portion, at low cost!

I stick to what I know and like.

[Flo]

But then, there are only so many different things you can sensibly do for a single portion, at low cost!

I stick to what I know and like.

What's this sensible thing?

[ina]

What's this sensible thing?

Ah - that would be:

Something not using dozens of different ingredients I don't already have, and only a pinch of each -
Not using four or five different pots and pans (my max is two for each meal) -
Not using too much energy (hence my reluctance to do any roasting, unless I can combine it with baking or so) -

... I think that are my main three conditions for "sensible" cooking for one!

And then, of course, at certain times of the year there are some things that have to be part of each meal - whatever glut there is in the garden... But that would be the same for one-person cooking or for families.

[Flo]

It's a good thing that the son-in-law has a just in case sort of garage store where he keeps useful wood left over from jobs that he has been paid to do. Few screws, use of his saw and screwdriver and the very shaky allotment gate has been restored to upright and secure. The repair does make opening it fully interesting if we want to let in a delivery of stuff (compost, park a vehicle on the hard standing) but we can work around a free repair done in a short time.

[Flo]

Alas I do believe that the second hand sector is in decline locally. More people are taking their better class "stuff" to cash4clothes outlets and getting paid for giving it away. This seems to have reduced the quality of what is on offer. Alas and alack.

[Green Aura]

I don't think they'd give me much for mine.

I took a weaving loom to our charity shop on Monday - big, floor standing one. I was given it and kept it for a few years in the hope I'd be able to use it at some point. It was in two boxes (labelled) and I needed help to get it out of the car, they were too heavy for me.

Unfortunately I don't hold out much hope for them selling it - as I drove away the boxes were still sitting in the mud - the bloke who helped me deposited them 20 minutes before.

I fear it will become several hundred ££££s of kindling.