We decided to keep the Aga on during the summer despite
many of our neighbours or friends switching theirs off.
Our kitchen is a big old farmhouse kitchen that is north facing. In the winter, it’s just a nice temperature
in there despite the Aga kicking out some heat.
In fact the whole house is cold so we tend to congregate solely around
the Aga in the colder months.
I did
think it would be too hot in the summer and although it’s been hot, we’ve been
able to manage it. Now why don’t we turn
it off? Well we use it every single day
for a multitude of tasks. Steven’s
overalls for work (he’s a butcher) dry on there a couple of nights a week, the
kids clothes that inevitably get wet, dry on there before they dash back off
outside, our boots dry in front of it (yes, even in the summer), we have toast on it
daily, boil the kettle and every main meal of the day is cooked on it plus the dogs love laying
in front of it!
Now if I switched it
off, I’d have to find alternate methods to do all of these things, using
electricity instead of oil and to be honest, I don’t want to. Whether we will feel the same next year, our
second summer in the house, I don’t know.
It will also depend on how much the price of oil rises too. Not to say that we have money to burn on oil
this year, we don’t. I just don’t feel
as much pressure from it as I would should I be paying double the amount. It is a part of the family now, I simply love
it and I think I would always have one now.
Ours is 45/50 years old according to the engineer who services it for
us. He installed it in the farmhouse
many, many years ago and it was a good age then as he bought it second hand and
reconditioned it. It’s an amazing little
thing.
When we moved here, well just before, my Mam and Dad
bought me Mary Berry’s The Complete Aga Cookbook and it’s extremely good. It's very informative and so many recipes in there
that I’m working my way through. I think
I will pick a month and make a dish a day (or so!) from it. This will help me get through the recipes too
as I am terrible for having recipes books and then making 1 or 2 from them and
shelving it. I’ll maybe do that through
November, when the clocks have gone back and I have less time outside.
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| Aga toast - from when we first moved in and ever since! |
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| Quite comfortable here |
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| Poor Buddy! |
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| Yummy food from the Aga |
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| He seems to be here a lot! |
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| See what I mean? |
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| The Aga fixes poorly children |
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| and sends you off to sleep if you sit there too long |
We keep ours going through the summer our fuel is wood, it heats our water without it we would have to use electric, its also my main cooker its great for putting a roast in the oven in the morning keeping the Rayburn on low and it cooks away all day, I do just keep it ticking over on low during the summer and when I want it hot just open the vents and off it goes.
ReplyDeleteI love thay you can use your own wood to heat your house and water. Very self sufficient
DeleteLove the post. The jack russel even got to share the poorly chairs!! Our jack Russel would have muscled his way I too!
ReplyDeleteThe JR's have a lovely way of making you feel better :)
DeleteTried to comment earlier but then all of a sudden it said the blog didn't exist! Love the photos, especiallythe poorly child one!We are nearly at the point of putting the re-furbed Rayburn into the kitchen. It wil be a solid fuel and will heat the house, water and be our main cooker. I can't wait and we plan to leave it on low constantly. Thankfully no more oil bills and it will run on wood. Will have to get used to the vents and dampers etc. Love your chook cup.x
ReplyDeleteOh my I don't know what I would do without my blog now. Glad it was only a blip. I can't wait to see your Rayburn in situ and envious of being self sufficient in how you can fuel it. We've just put oil in the tank which I am hoping will see us through winter. Mt mam bought us those cups when we moved in 😍
DeleteHi Tracy
ReplyDeleteAn Aga/Rayburn is a way of life that once you have experienced once you lose it you want it back. My Nan had a solid fuel Rayburn which was second hand when they bought it and it lasted them over 60 years. however a part on it went and could not be replaced, this was in the days before they seriously started repairing them and it went to the big Rayburn in the sky. The kitchen was so empty without it and it used to cook some lovely meals and also keep our jim jams warm. If I ever got to the position of having my own home again an Aga/Rayburn is top of the list as are some log burners. Nan also used to make a clippie rug each year out of old woollen fabrics in different patterns and one always used to be in front of the Rayburn. I have a couple of Aga cookbooks just yet have to acquire the house and the said pieces of equipment. keeping warm is a priority and having something to cook on at the same time makes it very economical in the long run. Take care pattypanx
I totally agree it becomes a way of life. I love how many peoples memories are of Aga life. I do enjoy your outlook on life PP. Thanks for sharing x
DeleteSounds like bliss! If you are happy go for it! xx
ReplyDeleteGood point Amy, we are happy and surely will know when things need to be done differently thanks x
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