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Hi Becks, The Motorways are ok but the M5 was down a lane yesterday. Its the small roads that are the problem and they are not getting gritted (not much point with snow) so around here (North Somerset) it is pretty dodgy. Lots of offices in Devon and Somerset have had to close because the roads are ...

I left my carrots in until christmas last year and they were ok when pulled (still only little though *sigh*)

Gem

What soil type do you have? if there is clay soil around then all you need to do is hire a digger and (ideally) use the stuff you dig out to compact the sides and the bottom to naturally line the pond. Natural ponds are frequently fed by ground water but do have a look at any small streams (or ditch...

I volunteered with conservation groups in my area and at the local country park. They do prefer you to do a full days work but you can go along with the rest of the volunteers and leave when you need to if you take your own transport to the site you are working on. Incredibly rewarding, hands on, ou...

Beet and carrots should be fine for the mild frosts, they prob will not grow much more but will stay in the ground as storage (mine were fine until xmasish last year..)

Gem

Thats what I was thinking, its due to be racked this weekend anyway so I may throw a couple of camden tablets in. The white layer is def only surface so should be easy to remove without disturbing it too much.. Thanks for the advice Gem ps Can you tell I'm a newbie to the whole wine making malarky? :)

My 2 demijohns of blackberry wine have a layer of white scum/mould growning on the top. It literally turned up over night.

I think I know what response I will get but any chance of salvaging the wine?? Such a shame to waste two whole gallons of blackberry wine

Gemx

Hehehe, this has made me giggle.

I may have to buy up a batch as christmas gifts for those who earn so much buy themselves everything they could possibly want! (Only those with a sense of humour of course!)

4 demijohns on the go now, one greengage, one elderberry and 2 blackberry. Looking forward to christmas now!

I freeze my home made rocket pesto in icecube trays. Ideal portion size and comes out as tastey as it went in. I have kept it in jars with a layer of oil as well and it just doesn't last as long.

Gem

I have worked with jute before, it does hurt your hands! I found I just had to do a little at a time and it was not so bad in the long run...

1 - tomato chutney

If anyone has any recipes I could use for the 10 - 15kgs of green tomatoes I could use then please post, I already have 2 dozen jars of chutney and I can only eat so much of the stuff (as yummy as it is!)

Gem

Mine get all scraps roughly chopped up (they are bantys so cant seem to manage big stuff) and thrown in a ball. They will help themselves to this or the pellets as they please, it certainly has not done their laying any harm ((though they are currently broody!). The only thing I have heard that is b...

I think anyone who has cycled on a regular basis has a couple of storys regarding car drivers and near death experiences. Ultimately you have to just assume that car drivers are out to kill you and do your best to not be one of those who give cyclists a bad name. I give myself plenty of space to avo...

I have exactly the same problem. I was washing elderberrys yesterday and tried to save the numerous bugs/spiders that came out of them but most of them leapt into my wash bowl..

Oh well..