February 22nd 2007
The New Complete Book Of Self-Sufficiency
- Written by John Seymour.
- Published By Dorling Kindersley.
- Priced £20.
The New Complete Book Of Self-Sufficiency by John Seymour is a fantastic book for the smallholder or anyone dreaming of the ‘Good Life’!
In reviewing this book it would be quicker to list what is not included, since the book holds a wealth of information on many topics!
The book has eleven chapters full of interesting information, easy to follow instructions, useful pictures, a glossary of terminology and relevant contacts. In fact the 312 pages are just bursting with information.
A Summary Of The Contents
The eleven chapters include;
- The Meaning Of Self-Sufficiency.
- Food From The Garden.
- Food From Animals.
- Food From The Fields.
- Food From The Wild.
- In The Dairy.
- In the Kitchen.
- Brewing & Wine-Making.
- Energy & Waste.
- Crafts & Skills.
- Things You Need To Know.
Each chapter is broken down into specific topics which provide an overview of each subject in a concise and useful way.
An interesting and informative read. Highly recommended.
Click on the image below to visit Amazon.co.uk to find out more about this book or visit one of the Farming Friends Bookshops.
Books
February 21st 2007
Can you believe that the cattle drinking trough has leaked, not once, not twice but three times.
On the first occasion the drinking trough was broken and an emergency muck out had to be undertaken to clear all the muck and water from the yard. This had only brought the job of mucking out forward by a week, so the farmer’s didn’t mind too much. It would save them a job later, or so they thought!
However only two days after the new drinking trough had been installed and the fold yard was devoid of mounds of muck, the farmer’s awoke to a very wet cattle yard. This time the water pipe had come loose. Although the job facing the men didn’t include masses of muck it did include lots and lots of ‘mucky’ water.
Again the cattle didn’t want to get their feet wet and were huddled at the front of the yard and again the water was turned off so that my housewifely duties were interrupted once more. Muck out number two didn’t take as long and with pipe fixed, water gone and new straw under cattles feet, the water was turned on again and the rest of the day was spent in relative calm.
Only the very next morning, the farmer’s where again faced with a wet and watery cattle yard. The famous Victor Meldrew phrase, “I can’t believe it!” rang out from the cattle yard as the job of mucking out began for the third time. They do say bad luck runs in threes or is it bad ‘muck’ runs in threes?! Lets hope it doesn’t happen again!
Cattle 2007 Farming Stories Mucking Out
February 21st 2007
Yesterday was Shrove Tuesday and my husband and I made pancakes for our supper.
Shrove Tuesday is sometimes called Pancake Day.
In the past Shrove Tuesday was the last opportunity to eat rich food before Lent.
Many people made pancakes to use up their eggs, flour, butter and milk before fasting.
Fasting is when people abstain from food or drink.
In the past people used to fast or eat very plain food during Lent.
Lent is the time when Christians remember the story of Jesus going hungry.
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and lasts for the 40 days before Easter.
Today very few people fast but some people will give up something for Lent.
Many people still make pancakes on Shrove Tuesday.
A Recipe For Pancakes
- 4oz / 100g plain flour
- pinch of salt
- 1 large egg
- half pint (300ml) milk
- butter / oil
- Sieve flour into bowl and add the salt.
- Make a well in the centre of the flour.
- Crack egg and add to the flour.
- Mix the egg and flour, gradually stirring in a quarter of a pint of milk.
- Mix well until bubbles are visible and then gradually mix in the rest of the milk.
- Melt the butter / oil in the pan so that the pan is fairly hot.
- Pour in a little of the batter mixture, tilting the pan to cover the bottom.
- Cook until golden brown on one side and then turn over and cook the other side.
- Repeat until the batter mixture is used up.
- Serve immediately with your favourite topping.
My husband and I enjoyed our pancakes last night with golden syrup and lemon juice. Delicious!
Butter eggs Flour Guinea fowl eggs Milk Pancake Day pancakes Shrove Tuesday
February 20th 2007
At first I thought it was part of my dream but the shrill howling and hissing gradually awoke me from my slumber. I clambered out of bed and threw open the curtains to see if I could make out any cats in the lane. I banged on the window and hissed through the glass, “What’s going on out there?” Of course no reply came and infact I couldn’t see a thing, even with my glasses on!
In the pitch black I staggered towards the door and the alarm clock. It read 4am. I charged downstairs and put on my wellies, grabbed the torch and out I went into the darkness.
As I approached the lane I expected to see a feline fight taking place, but thankfully nothing. It was as if I had imagined the whole thing. I flashed the torch up and down the lane. The light caught sight of something sprinting up the lane, it was indeed a cat and a white and ginger cat at that. I wondered which of my feline friends had been making the 4am caterwaul.
Was it Snowy? 
Fluffy? 
Snowball? 
Spot? 
or Stripe? 
Only time would tell!
I hastened back to bed and when I went to feed the cats the next morning, they were all present and correct without a scratch on them. I did enquire as to who was making all that frightful caterwaul at 4am but a guilty silence fell upon my ears and anyway I can’t understand the language of miaow even if they had replied!
Farming Stories My cats
February 19th 2007
The Year Of Food And Farming is a national initiative and is to be launched in September 2007 in the UK. It aims to give children an increased awareness of where their food comes from and give them the opportunities to become more involved in food preparation and production. It also aims to provide opportunities for learning more about the countryside and farming.
As a part-time teacher and farmer’s wife I have a great interest in this initiative. I am very keen to educate children in where their food comes from and to share my knowledge of farming and the countryside. As the Science Co-ordinator at a local Primary school, I am keen to develop the curriculum to include more opportunities for children to visit local farms, grow their own produce and prepare their own food. My school has just registered to take part in the 2007 Grow Your Own Potatoes project run by the British Potato Council. So I am looking forward to sampling the potatoes when we harvest them in June. Watch out for more information about the spuds on this site.
This website aims to provide information about farming and farm related food produce which can be used by schools to increase children’s awareness of food and farming.
The Year Of Food And Farming scheme is looking for individuals or organisations to give their support. If you are involved in teaching, farming, catering, food production, or horticulture, then you may be able to offer support. I aim to give my support and hope that you can too.
More information can be found on the Year Of Food And Farming website and the Farming and Countryside Education (FACE) website in the Links section of this website.
The Year of Food & Farming Initiative Year of Food & Farming
February 18th 2007
National Chip Week has been held this week (12th-18th February 2007) in the UK.
Events have included;
- Trying to set 5 different chip records in the Guiness Book Of Records.
- 800 chip shops across the country promoting chips.
- Creating positive press for chips with many articles and adverts being written and shown in magazines and on TV.
Chips
Chips are fried potatoes and homemade chips are great.
- Just peel your potatoes.
- Cut them into rectangular stick shapes, either thin or thick. Although sometimes I slice them into circular slices.
- Heat up a chip pan of vegetable oil.
- Add potato pieces to the chip basket.
- Put basket into the chip pan and fry the potatoes until they are crispy and golden brown.
- Take basket out of pan and drain well.
- Serve with your favourite food.
To celebrate National Chip Week my husband and I have enjoyed eating homemade chips as well as chips from our local chippy. But to pay homage to the chip, we have gastronomically experimented in the kitchen and extended the range of chips that can be served up at our meal times from just the wonderful potato chip to the sweet potato chip, butternut squash chip and the parsnip chip.
We decided to see which vegetables would make a good alternative to the potato chip. Into the chip pan went;
- Sweet potatoes
- Parsnips
- Butternut Squash
- Beetroot
- Carrots
The results (based solely on our own opinions and of course our tastebuds!) were interesting;
- Sweet potato chips are a great alternative to the potato chip they fry well and can be quite crispy, with a soft interior and a lovely sweet taste.
- Parsnip chips are great they are very crispy and sweet tasting.
- Butternut squash chips are a softer chip with a crispy coating and a subtle sweet taste.
- Beetroot chips are also a softer chip with a crispy coating and a sweetish taste.
- Carrot chips can be a little dried up.
My husband and I had great fun tasting our alternative chips and felt that frying parsnips, sweet potatoes and butternut squash would be a clever way of getting our niece and nephews to eat the vegetables that they won’t eat in the traditional way.
Chips Potatoes
