General Chat

Just been sitting in the garden drinking a few glasses of the first batch of elderflower champagne - chilled to just a fraction above freezing - the most refreshing drink known to man, lol - and only barely alcoholic as well.

Got me wondering about all the free food and stuf I collect here - does anyone else do the same?

Ive had a lot of mushrooms and fungi (ceps, parasols, jews ear, puffballs, etc)

A freezer full of rabbit and venison (had some smoked venison at the weekend - I have a smoke oven), trout, sea trout, salmon, mackerel and cod.

Loads of wild rasps, bilberries, cowberries and suchlike. I use the leaves of young wild garlic in salads, chickweed and water cress here in abundance, sorrel, etc.

My veg patch gives me potatoes, pumpkins, lettuce, marrows and sweetcorn.

The greenhouse gives me tomatoes, chillis, peppers, melons and cucumbers.

I make all my own wine in the autumn - damson, apple and elderberry/bramble. I sometimes make nettle beer (its like lager).

I do a trade for apples and other fruit/veg for venison, partridge, duck and other game in season.

Our water is from a spring and we use logs for fuel.

I am content :-)

Oh how the other half live lol!
You paint an idyllic picture! When's the party?

Lizx

Yes, well, I hope to be living off the land very soon, Eldrick. I have a very handsome cucumber which I have grown from seed..I also have Parsley and one tomato plant...so ner ner.......lol....

sounds idyllic hun, you enjoy xx

sounds a bit like the Waltons to me..!
Nah..seriously..Im well jealous..especially with the price of groceries these days..I love the fact of using nature to survive on..must be very rewarding..`The fruits of thy labour`..good for you!

Good on ya Eldrick,sounds great
My garden is the size of a postage stamp tho i grew some tomaoes in grow bag, got loads and made relish.
when i was little my dad grew veg in the garden and we had apple trees

~~All you need now Eldrick is a Happy commune..with happy followers..and you could create your own `cult`...
`The cult of the flying cucumbers`?...`Mushroom and the fruits of our labour`....or ...?...any other names anyone can think of?.. ; )

I have a happy commune already - but theres only one member. Me :-)

I like the barter system. I have far too much produce for my own needs, so I will exchange stuff - often for pints of beer, lol but a deer for a lamb from one of the shepherds, or a 1/4 of beef, whatever.

Come October when the salmon are running and the shooting season is in full swing, I have to put two other freezers into operation!

Sounds like you live your life in a pair of wellies,,traisping over land and sea,,,,:}}

But sounds great apart from poor old Bambi..how could you,,,,,,,,,!!

~~~

BC well done a cuecumber,,well I never.............but then !!!.

Well Eldrick, I have just taken a quick cider and gruel break from tilling my strip of land......if you have a couple of hare to spare I can barter for a bushel of early wheat.....

sally the peasant....

Eldrick, it all sounds up my street, and idyllic.....x

poor old bambi?

lol

The old ones are best smoked, or cooked very slowly in a casserole with red wine and juniper berries (elderberry wine does the job beautifully)

Then served with new potatoes and fresh steamed veg. All free.

Bambi sausages, burgers and mince. Venison chilli is particularly good and the fillets done a la wellington (coated with pate and wrapped in pastry) are to die for.

:-)

Sally....a COUPLE of hare....for a Bushel of wheat?

You drive a hard bargain. A hare and a rabbit - my final offer....have lots of wheat here, you see :-)

Enough!!! Unless you can start a delivery service, I don't think we need to hear the mouthwatering menus!
Liz

I dont like you,they are that little doe eyed relatives,,,,,~~ !!!!fancy making them into pies,,,,,,,,yukyyy,,,,,,,,,


well when we come up for the meet weekend,,,,,I hope its not on the menue,,,,,,,,,,,:}}

I love venison.................we had loads growing up, but now I have to buy it it's an occassional treat.

I don't like rabbit, but love hare, pheasant, duck etc.

We used to have pigeon pie as children too...............delicious.

Now we grow most of our own veg, but have to buy meat.

pauline, you need to be shown by someone who knows what they are doing.

Basically, woodland fungi can be dodgy - but most ceps are edible and extrmely tasty - they are the large brown ones witha spongy underside, not gills like a mushroom. Puffballs are delicious when young, but they must be firm and white.

get a good book and only use the ones that you are sure of to begin with,,,,,and be aware that some of them react with alcohol - so no wine with your dinner if you pick ink caps, lol

Its worth learning - they are beautiful - and free :-)

Kitty,,,,think of Bambi..,Peter Wabbitt.and Mrs Muddle Duck,,and Minnie&Donald,,,,,,,,,,,...........:}

feasant ?no wont go there,,,,,,,,,,,::}}}

Sorry Eldrick, of course you must have wheat around.....silly of me.......talk about coals to Newcastle....

Never mind - someone has thrown a rotten peach at me which I am at present eating......

sally the p

mmm, got the makings of a nice game pie there - rabbit, duck, hare, pheasant and some venison, diced, browned, cvered in a crust and filled with stock and gelatin, seasoned and a few herbs thrown in......

mmmm:-)

with chips of course - from the main crop potatoes

Eldrick what are Cowberries please?You sound a hive of activity.However do you have time to have all your debates???