Selfsufficientish.com

The way I understood it Bernard, you get a grow bag about 3 feet long, cut it in half so you have 2 parts 18" long, stand them on end and you have 2 planters 18" deep. The confusing part (I think) is Elfcurry only cuts one side in half, so you end up with 2 planters 18" deep, but sti...

I've heard of people using a grow-bag cut in half. Imagine the bag flat on the ground in front of you; make a cut through the upper surface half-way along (ie divide across the short axis) leaving the underside intact to keep the halves together. Lift up the (cut) middle and readjust the contents so...

I really wouldn't want to spend time, effort or ... ANYTHING doing that. I just don't want wine tasting of dairy or animal products. As an ... umm.... 'interesting' experiment, if you're REALLY bored and just wonder whether it's possible, I suppose there might be something tiny merit but it's not fo...

MKG, thanks for saying that. I didn't quite get from Bernard that the seal isn't as much an absolute requirement as I'd thought, for the complete fermentation - is that right? As a worrier though, I'd still be anxious about when it becomes important not to allow oxygen to enter. With an airlock you ...

Thanks all for your thoughts and ideas. Green Aura: he was extremely apologetic and offered to buy me some wine but I decided it wasn't replaceable, it was the time and effort I'd lost and commercial wine would be no recompense. Though I was very disappointed, it wasn't the only blackberry wine I ma...

I have two demijohns* which leak around the bung. I tried different bungs, tried pushing the bung in tighter and making sure it's moist but the glugging soon comes to a stop, a sure sign it's not sealed. Can they be redeemed somehow or should they be thrown out? If no fix is available, can they be r...

I've had mixed success over the years with fruit (non-grape) wines but it nearly always turns out at least pleasant and drinkable and a fair proportion is very pleasant indeed. Sometimes I've made some and found it disappointing, then put it aside and tried it again a couple of months later only to ...

What happened? How many gallons did you make with how fruit in each and how did it turn out? I've made both blackcurrant and gooseberry wines a few times and certainly the former received some very positive comments and I've enjoyed the latter except for the first attempt My main mistake on my first...

I'd say first check the weight of the fruit you have, you may have enough. The plum wine recipe I use recommends 4lb (1.8kg) for a gallon but I have one fermenting now with only 3 1/4 lb plums and it's tasting reasonably 'normal' tonight. I've never really done mixed fruit wine so can't say what's b...

2 gallons of blackberry 1 gallon of 'plum' (graveyard mix)* 1 gallon of blackcurrant I still have a gallon of raspberry, some lemon and sultana, and a couple of bottles of 'gooseberry champagne' in old-style pressure lemonade bottles. *I found a churchyard in a nearby village with a couple of trees ...

I agree: don't blanch. (funny word)

I'm sure I used to blanch them years ago but they were always disappointing (soft) when thawed.
Now I don't wash them, just slice and put them in bags or plastic boxes and they're much better.

What to do with them?

Plum Wine!

I *bought* a bottle of walnut liqueur many years ago with my left-over Lire at an Italian airport. It was smooth but I could never really say I liked it much. People who tried it didn't hate it but didn't want a second helping.

If you do try doing this, I'd be interested to hear how yours does.

I was wondering today whether it's usual for people who lean towards greenness to have houses full of cr*p which just might come in useful at some point in the future.

Mine certainly is and it's because I can't throw out something which I think might come in useful.

If the police are interested in catching people stealing what someone throws out, their priorities are wrong! Can you imagine the desk sergeant answering a 999 call and saying "well it may be against your company policy but we have genuine calls to deal with, involving crimes of violence and pr...