Greetings from Sunny Bradford on Avon

[shiney]

Hello,

I heard about this site and forum through my very good friend Tracey Smith. (National Downshifting Week Gal).

It's so such a useful site, full of great information, especially today as I am retaliating against the army of slugs in my garden!

I am just off to make a slug beer trap, but will probably have to drink a little of the beer first.

Also, I forgot to say ~ I recycle everything I possibly can, grow a few spuds, a few carrots and herbs. I eat as much organic food that I can afford and love cooking. I don't have a large garden but I have just made a couple of little raised beds, which is a start.

[Chickenlady]

Welcome Shiney! I found a pic and article about Tracey in my local paper on Thursday, so I guess her tour is going well. I suppose we will hear from her fairly soon!

[Andy Hamilton]

Hello Shiney

I think I might have seen you when you picked up Tracey from outside the Train station, if that was your partner then I have at least seen your car Anyway welcome to the site. I have a terrible slug problem on my allotment and have foudn that doing quite a few things to rid myself of slugs works the best. I have put a pond in see

http://www.selfsufficientish.com/photopond.htm

also on a gardening program (forget which one) they reccomended put down oatmeal, at least I hope it was oat meal as have just bought loads [/i]

[couscous]

Hi Shiny. I joined yesterday too.
Glad to see you recycle everything. I do too. I'm often found lurking around the greengrocers on rubbish day and pick up the large polystyrene boxes they throw out. They're great for growing veggies in.
They can look a bit stark but I knew someone who covered them in supertufa and had 'liftable' stone troughs. He used to sell them too.

I find the best method of dealing with slugs is to damp an area of soil and place heavy duty black plastic down. The slugs then nestle down under that. I'm not squeamish when it comes to slugs - I cut them in half with a very sharp knife. Quick and painless for the slug I hope. As for snails:-
I love snails (must be from years of watching The Magic Roundabout) so I round them up at night or very early in the morning, and put them in a bucket (with a lid!) The following day I drive them for miles as, apparently they have a homing instinct, and place them on the other side of a main road; then, at least if they want to make it 'home', they've got a main road to contend with first. Rings cut from plastic bottles and placed round lettuce, etc. is also effective.

[shiney]

Thanks for your welcomes everyone.

Andy ~ it was Jools you saw pick up Tracey at the station. I am about half the size of him and if I called him Shiney he'd probably turn me upside down on my head! You'll be glad to know, I have him out in the garden making another little raised bed for our beans. (Slave driver, me)

Thanks for the info on snails.

ChickenLady ~ I am so pleased you saw the article on Tracey. She was such a busy girl in the past fortnight, spreading the message of downshifting. I am sure she'll be back here to report back.

Couscous ~ Thanks for the tips on snails. I know they like to find their way home, so driving them a few miles maybe the answer and who knows, they may like a ride in a car!

[Wombat]

G'Day Shiney,

Welcome to the site, I feed any slugs/snails that I find to the chooks! They love 'em and they provide calcium and protein for the chooks free of charge.

Nev

[shiney]

Thanks for the Welcome Nev.

Where abouts in Sydney are you? I have been there and loved it. I have friends in North Sydney, Crows Nest and a great mate in Brisbane.

[Wombat]

G'DAy Shiney,

I live Waaaaay out west near Penrith, close to the foot of the Blue Mountains.

Nev

[shiney]

Oh lovely, I went out there on the tourist trail to the Three Sisters.

My god mother lives in Black Heath? Can never remember the exact name. It's beautiful countryside.

[Chickenlady]

Nev

I read somewhere that you shouldn't give slugs or snails to the chickens due to some bug or parasite that can be passed to them -cannot remember exactly what.

But if yours seem to be thriving, then maybe that info is incorrect. Anybody else know?

Jane

[Wombat]

G'Day Jane,

Yeah, I've heard that too, but I've done it for years and never had a problem (touch wood) so who knows?

Shiney,

Yeah Blackheath is correct, just past Katoomba. I like the area too!

Nev

[couscous]

For those remotely interested; apparently this week is National Slug Awareness Week. www.slugawarenessweek.co.uk.
Keep a note in your diary's now for March 6th next year when it is
National Spam Appreciation Week!!
So when is there going to be 'National - or even International Self Sufficiency Week???

[couscous]

Sorry people - that website doesn't seem to exist.
On the other hand - August 8th will be National Allotments Week!

[shiney]

Oh I am so aware of me slugs!

And...I bet they are having a field day today as it's pouring down with rain.

I am on their case tho.

[Andy Hamilton]

Don't talk to ma about slugs, (trying the oatmeal thing around my beans this year)

And this week is national compost week

http://www.torridge.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=4682


I tried to look for self sufficient week and self sufficiency week and it just came up with this site

I would like to start a national carry-a-bag week as I think perhaps a short campaign might have more impact. Now where's Tracey to see if that is true