Jelly

It took five days to get from picking to processing the crabapples, but 'twas done! We got seven jars of jelly that surprisingly set. One jar for the neighbour whose tree it is; one jar for Toddler to test with grandparents; one jar for Grandma and the Great Aunties; one jar for Granny the Jam Queen (who decreed it worthy of eating); one jar exchanged for marrow marmalade at another food swap; one jar started by us; one jar in the cupboard.

On the subject of eating, we had a Nigel Slater recipe to use up some cabbage and carrots. The cabbage have managed to hang on to their little hearts, so we're eating them.

Yesterday I relinquished the elderberry wine making due to lack of time (8 loads of washing on one non-rainy day to clean off baby sick and Toddler mud!). Instead our elderberries got turned into biscuits and cordial. The biscuits are soft like cookies and taste yummy, plus have got to be healthy despite the sugar. Rather pleased.

And how would we know what to do with all these things if the internet didn't exist? Thought we had a lot of recipe books but none of them have these in. This tablet thing is great! Husband gave it to me for Christmas, being a gadget man, and I wasn't too overwhelmed. I've been converted coz it's brill.

Yep, it's all about the eating at this time of year. Although in the back of my mind are thoughts about whether to sow seed from a bolted onion now; what to do about the moving of Bed D; the need to write down with a diagram this years' planting; the netting on Bed E being too large hole-wise; where to insert brassicas into the rotation; and other small ponderings. Mostly I just want to eat cake though (hey, it's a necessity for this milk producer!). And thus ends another 4am burping sesh.

Following the foraging fashion

As all those in touch with the zeitgeist will know, middle class foraging is where it's at. Yer man Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall seems to be leading the charge in front of the cameras (Husband loves the Bread book). At any rate, it's his fault that we've stripped the neighbour's crabapple tree, eye every passing shrub for signs of sloe, have filled a freezer drawer with blackberries and are planning to attack the rowan trees lining a military range. All because of Googling 'elderberry wine', for when one has an elder and Mum P unearths a carefully labelled demijohn (circa 1985), the signpost can't be missed.

Well, all things seem possible at 2.30am (not so much at 4.30am) when on burping duty . So crabapple jelly is slowly being processed (two days so far due to Reginald's required upright position and my subsequently having no spare hands). Elderberries have been picked by Husband, despite the best efforts of Toddler and pigeons to scoff the lot, and more located beyond the garden. Much like successfully growing runner beans, it's oddly exciting to be able to eat these things. It's sustainable, local and free. Might start eating insects next (Google again)! All in keeping with the Institute of Our Lady of Mercy's 2008 Act of Chapter 'Reverencing the earth and its people', which rang bells with me as it summarises the purpose of my meagre attempts at sustainable living.

I shall dare to mention that as well as using cloth nappies and wipes, I've printed off a template for making cloth sanitary towels with offcuts so that I don't have to buy more (previously had them shipped from Canada, although the UK market appears to have caught up these days). Apologies to any relations who may now wish to disown me! But if I manage to create a decent pad, then Days for Girls need them as a necessity, so no avoiding the issue. And on that note, this early morning ramble shall cease.