Selfsufficientish.com

Not me!

It feels a bit weird that you're starting frosts etc when we quite clearly haven't finished with winter yet.

Snowing here, right now. Fortunately, I went to the shop this morning in full sun.

I don't know, Flo, but hopefully some common sense might start to prevail. I've just driven 70 miles to get coal from a coal merchant who was closed - they work reduced hours over the winter!!!!

Yes, just carry on working out the plan. Maybe Mrs Viper will do some of it rather than you, at least until she finds other employment, but it'll keep the goal in sight.

Budget, use any redundancy money wisely (get rid of any debts etc) and don't panic.

Sounds like a plan. Look at different types of kale too - some are pretty strong however you grow them ()I'm thinking particularly of Cavolo Nero, which we only grew the once!) others, like Red Russian are much milder and sweeter. The may have other names in Australia, of course. When you make your ...

Kale makes good kraut, or kimchi, although I'd mix it with some milder cabbage for balance. Not really a true lacto-ferment, because of the vinegar, but it's very tasty and great for any greens - I've made it with mustard greens, turnip tops and radish tops. I see no reason why it wouldn't work with...

No, Flo, we saw those too. They're definitely sweet peppers, a bit bigger than those mini peppers you see in the supermarkets - about 3cmx2cm, and much thicker flesh. Delicious and just big enough to put in a recipe for two - I'd usually only use half a big pepper, so that might give you a better id...

We have the usual tomatoes, chillies and sweet peppers, which have grown beautifully thus far. Potted on into 4" pots. The sweet peppers might be interesting. We got a free packet, called Elf, with last years chilli seed purchases. There was no information with them but they produced tons of small y...

you have to check the online grocery delivery service lastminute.com the evening before cut off time to see what they have removed from your order. My OH has set himself up as guardian of the click and collect, so I leave him to checking what is available, or not. The online storefronts are woefull...

Good on you. It can be hugely rewarding - not necessarily financially but as long as you can pay your bills that's fine - you've got all your design skills. And don't forget your Ish skills too.

It's distinctly possible, Zoe, that his parents didn't cook either. My gal, now in her 30s, had friends queuing up to come for tea at our house. They were stunned that the food didn't come out of packets/freezer/microwave etc and as for peeling an onion or chopping carrots! As most of them wanted to...

Yes, it's probably only for the well-practiced.

Well done, Flo. I've heard they're quite good for tripping up those who can't do social distancing too.

It does make you wonder how many of these things will re-open afterwards. We're off to do our click and collect today (140 mile round trip). I've thought of packing a picnic, as it feels like we're having a day out. There are plenty of places to stop, admire the view, stretch our legs and have a bit...

I'm going nowhere! Not deep snow, although that's a covering on the already frozen loch, but mighty cold out there. I've got woolly socks on (over my thick tights) and that's in the house.