Tonight I’ve made ‘windfall apple chutney’ using the first lot of apples we collected from the ground. The kids did all of the collecting and I’m very pleased with them. It was a cheap chutney to make which is right up there on my priority list! It says it doesn’t need to mature like the other chutney’s but I’ll leave some to. Apparently it tastes best with a good cheddar and some homemade bread. There’s that word again! So that’s my plan, it’d be rude not to! Here is the link if anyone is interested in making their own. It’ll be the first of many recipes for me using the food for free which we have in the garden and surrounding areas. |
| Chutney bubbling away on the Aga |
Steven was finishing the roof on his new gym room and instead of buying the pieces he needed we took a trip to a local farmer friend. He had a mountain of wood in one of his side fields and said we could take what we wanted.
So the roof of the new room in the barn is now on and complete. I spotted a couple of panels that will do just nicely for either a duck/chicken run or to create a new muck heap (we try to keep it as neat and tidy as possible so we don’t have mounds out in the open given that we don’t have lots and lots of space) so we took them too. He didn’t want any cash for it all (would have cost us a fortune to buy at a timber yard) but he did have an interest in hens. So we’re going back in a few weeks with 3 laying hens in exchange for another couple of boards which he said we could take. I love that we can buy thing without money changing hands.
There’s also a factory right near him that we can get some fence panels (they are extra-long pallet panels which look like fences to us) off him which we’re going to set aside for the pigs – a 2017 task but we’ll have them whilst they are there.
Your chutney looks good. I always store mine at least 6 weeks before I let his lordship lose on it to let the vinegar settle. I buy my vinegar in cannisters from a local cash and carry - works out a lot cheaper. Vinegar became a problem as I always used to use the Sarson jars of vinegar and used to give them out as presents on the provisos the jar got returned but a lot of them never did. As I do not drive it became difficult for me to actually bring back enough vinegar in this way and in the quantities I needed so I came up with this way of doing it. I buy white spirit vinegar for pickled eggs and malt for pickled onions. I also use wine and cider vinegar as well. Hope you are enjoying the playing.
ReplyDeleteTake care
Pattypan
x
It's so much fun, I can't wait to try different tastes and methods. My son keeps suggesting things, his latest was apple, gooseberry and ginger (he's 6 but I like his thinking).
DeleteThanks for the 6 week tip and the pickling eggs and onions. I'm going to give those a go when I'm off. xx
Love your barter wood for chickens, that's a great way to live your life. Hope you enjoy your bread pickle and cheese.
ReplyDeleteI think I might have a glass of red to go with it and a sit out in the garden when the kids have gone to bed!
DeleteYum!!! I LOVE chutney; can almost smell it from here. Don't you just love free?!Eeek, or should I say oink!We plan on having pigs, too. Great post. Food, free stuff and foreward planning (I think you may notice I love a bit of alliteration!)xx
ReplyDeleteHaha I love it too! Girl after my own heart. It tastes so much better when it's free too! xx
DeleteHow wonderful, just as life should be, homemade products, bartering exchanges, you are living the dream.
ReplyDeleteThank you - I think we are! I love it! Take care :)
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