Selfsufficientish.com

Never been healthier since becoming vegetarian...touch wood!

The socks are fab! They look so intricate. Did they take a long time to knit?

Thank you frozenthunderbolt and MKG. Really good advice. I used a carton of chilled apple juice and red grape juice. The recipe I was following was one of the old country wine recipes that called for a tsp of Marmite. Could this be adding to the problem? Strangely, with the rhubarb, I made two gallo...

Definitely looks like an elder to me. If there are any flowers that are going brown, smell them. They often smell of cat's wee when going over.

Just racked my first ever wine to a storage demi-john. It is a apple and red grape juice wine (tried fruit juices first to test process). As I siphoned the wine from one demi-john to another I gave it a wee taste. Yuk! It tastes dry and a bit yeasty with a definite fizz on the tongue. Is this right ...

My first ever dandelion wine is in its third day of fermentation. I used the recipe in Andy's book' Booze for Free'. It had better be good as I spent half an hour collecting a carrier bag of dandelion heads in the rain (it started when I began picking and ended when I stopped!). I then spent almost ...

This is a beautiful frame basket. Well done. Basket making is not as easy as some people would have you believe. The colours are awesome. If anyone is looking for a basket weaving course in the South East I can thoroughly recommend Alan Sage (AJS crafts) who teaches in Ashford. I have done many of h...

Battybird, what a delightful barn and scene...it looks so romantic! I wish your OH a smooth and swift path to better health.

Cheers Mike, I did wonder how much pressure the lid could stand. There was me thinking that that the whole bucket/fermentation thing was designed to get to near optimum pressure point every 12 hours just as I approach with my sterilised plastic spoon to stir it twice a day. :lol: Would it be ok to j...

Hi and welcome Only been on canal boats for holidays - found it a really liberating experience, and a very friendly community.

Hi Battybird! A barn in Portugal - that sounds intriguing. Is it habitable? What is the growing like over there? I have never been to Portugal and imagine it to be sunshine all year round

Ok guys, I have apple juice and red grape juice with sultanas doing its thing in the bucket. It's been going for 24 hours and doesn't seem to be doing anything very exciting yet. Although...unless it is my imagination, the lid was was bulging upwards somewhat when I got home from work, so I guess th...

Thanks Okra, I didn't think of that. The chimnea always seems so hot but I guess it can also cool down quickly too.

Just found this after posting my homebrew newbie questions. It's brilliant! I really mean that. It makes so much sense and has definitely taken that mystery, and my apprehension, out of the whole process. I feel much more confident with embarking on the winemaking process. A huge thank you.

I sympathise with the rabbit problem. I used to consider myself an ardent supporter of animal rights until I moved to Watership Down. The only fruit/veg that I have in my garden that has not become rabbit food is an autumn fruiting raspberry. Autumn Bliss I think it was called. I will watch this thr...