How is everyone dealing with rising prices?

[jansman]

I recall watching the first couple of episodes of "It isn't Easy Being Green" many years ago. They solved the problem of moving in early summer by containerising their veg and planting them out late after moving in to the new place. They planted bigger stuff like squash and courgettes straight into new beds through cardboard.
It looked as if moving all those plant pots 150 miles was a bit of a task though!.

Er, no
We've been in this place twenty years & have three teenagers so quite a lot of stuff to move without taking the garden as well
Although I am planning on taking a few bulb based plants from the garden.
The most galling thing is I planted a bare root edible hedge a couple of years ago so its just starting to get going now just as we move but hey ho, c'est la vie.
I think the new owners are likely to keep it so that's a good thing to have done.

That’s the thing about trees and hedges: it’s a legacy. Thinking of the future.

[diamond lil]

Wee bit OT but can anybody tell me how to freeze broccoli? I've been given a lot of really nice stuff and dont want to throw it out.

[jansman]

Wee bit OT but can anybody tell me how to freeze broccoli? I've been given a lot of really nice stuff and dont want to throw it out.

The standard procedure Lil,is to blanch it by plunging it into a rolling ,boiling pan of water for a couple of minutes,then straight out into ( ideally) cold,iced water to stop it cooking. I use a bowl of cold water. Drain it,bag it,freeze it. #

# I use a chip pan basket to put the veg in,so you can easily put it in and out of the water.

[itsybitsy]

Our ways of dealing with spiralling food prices is something we get asked about a lot because of our lifestyle on the Smallholding. It seems to be coming up more often as a concern so we made a video on the topic this week.

https://youtu.be/D-1Nz-URm0k

Hi Red, is this your channel on YouTube? If so, I need to let you know that we don't allow any form of advertising on the forum without prior agreement of the moderators. Particularly if your channel is monetised. You are more than welcome to put a link to your channel in your signature, but that's it, I'm afraid.

It is, I didn't realise that was considered advertising, please feel free to delete

No problem, I'm not of a mind to delete existing posts.

[diamond lil]

Wee bit OT but can anybody tell me how to freeze broccoli? I've been given a lot of really nice stuff and dont want to throw it out.

The standard procedure Lil,is to blanch it by plunging it into a rolling ,boiling pan of water for a couple of minutes,then straight out into ( ideally) cold,iced water to stop it cooking. I use a bowl of cold water. Drain it,bag it,freeze it. #

# I use a chip pan basket to put the veg in,so you can easily put it in and out of the water.

That's great Jansman, thanks!

[Happyhatter]

Food/fuel prices are getting silly now, always use washing machine with full load, soda crystals act as water softener so mix with laundry washing powder reduce cost of detergent (use less) & prolongs life of machine in hard water areas like mine. Instead of kitchen towel I cut up old clothes, towels etc into squares to wipe up spills which get washed/reused

[jansman]

Food/fuel prices are getting silly now, always use washing machine with full load, soda crystals act as water softener so mix with laundry washing powder reduce cost of detergent (use less) & prolongs life of machine in hard water areas like mine. Instead of kitchen towel I cut up old clothes, towels etc into squares to wipe up spills which get washed/reused

My wife has bought a stack of new tea towels, as the old ones are worn out. Only last night she said she was going to do exactly the same as you for the same reason!

[jennyjj01]

With fixed income , much economising on electricity use. Seldom eating out post COVID so that helps. Eating less nice meat. Not renewed a few subscriptions or gym . Trying to do less impulse buying at Home Bargain. Failing to rein in buying stuff of Amazon

[Happyhatter]

Great minds think alike, also reduced meat intake & started bulking out meals with filling ingredients such as potatoes

[jansman]

We are reining in our electricity usage too,although we are fairly frugal anyway.We don’t dip out,but nor do we live wastefully. Mrs J is watching our spend on groceries too. To be honest, we have a plan for me to semi retire inside the next year or two - it’s a plan - so watching our spending is on our radar anyway.

I am buying up terminal fishing tackle ( line,hooks,shot) from discount sellers. I now probably have enough to last until I die. It’s the dearest part of fishing in my opinion.Maybe not prepping,but fishing is my passion,and oil prices will only push the price of monofilament line up in particular . Stored properly it will last forever.

On the domestic front though,I don’t see what more we can do to save, but when I finally change my work patterns,we will definitely sell a car. I am looking at being as local as possible,but I suspect that we may well all be forced in that direction.