Emptying the supermarket shelves

[snapdragon]

//snip//
I would be interested if anyone actually knows how to do this properly - I am playing with a new(ish) plant called sunn hemp (looks like but isn't). The plant is a tall (6ft) summer growing annual legume that can be used for stock feed and green manure (my objectives at the moment) but can also used for fibre. Obviously this plant would yield longer fibre than nettle or flax so could be worth exploring further.

Sounds very interesting, if it's longer then it's probably useful for cordage after rhetting, even if it's not soft or attractive enough for spinning for fabric

[snapdragon]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=361YVBkFylo

[Flo]

Will that link cause panic buying of nettles?

[Viper254]

I'm in self-quarantine as of today!

Don't feel too bad - definitely up to some digging and hoeing.

[Flo]

Good luck with that Viper. Even if it's Friday 13th.

[Green Aura]

Blimey, I hope all goes well viper. I would add a group hug emoji but I think that's not to be encouraged at the moment. Keep safe.

[Viper254]

No group hugs for sure!

Mrs. Viper works for a University and has seemingly brought it home.

[Flo]

Well I do hope she bought enough loo rolls and hand sanitiser as well. Can you get a grocery delivery to the doorstep if you need stuff?

[ina]

Nobody seems to have hand sanitisers any more, and I couldn't even get the painkillers I need for the tooth ache (having major work done on my teeth, which leaves them rather painful!)...

Viper, I hope all goes well for you. I could do with some gardening leave myself!

[Flo]

Now I'm beginning to see the downside of being over 70. Ye great British government is threatening us 70s and over to stay at home and self isolate for up to 12 weeks. Most of the pensioners who use the buses locally shop little and often for fresh stuff and are not the people who empty the supermarket shelves.

[Skippy]

It can't be just me who habitually keeps a stocked larder of dry goods and canned food, including cleaning and bathroom essentials surely? I mean, yes I have a freezer which holds some meat and veg but for just in case the electricity fails there has to be spares right?

We keep a full pantry and regularly buy toilet rolls a hundred at a time , it's cheaper that way.
Facebook has been full of people condemning the panic buyers. I commented that perhaps people should have brought stuff before now even if it was just a couple of extra tins to the weekly shop to build up a full pantry and a bit of resilience. Just like our parents and grandparents did , it was normal to them as well as growing vegetables to supplement their diet. Well , that got me a slagging off. " people can't afford to buy extra" " people are going without to feed their kids" " people don't have the space " " people don't have the time to grow vegetables" " not everyone has a garden" and so on. Basically because some people are poor everyone else is greedy and selfish...

[ina]

Did I say I wanted some gardening leave? Cold symptoms since yesterday, worse today - of course, the battery of my thermometer is flat, but I do feel a bit hot... So I'll be staying home as of tomorrow. Went to the local Coop tonight to get some fresh stuff in, but I always have a good stock of tins, soap and loo rolls anyway! :)

Not a good time to get sick, there's so many people at work needing to take their holidays before the end of the financial year that we are more than busy...

[Weedo]

Not so bad around here (Wagga) at the moment; yes the loo paper, tissues (I'm the old fashioned bloke that still carry a pocket handkersniff), paper kitchen towel, disposable nappies, baby wipes and sanitisers are basically gone - strangely the "ladies requisites" are still on the shelves (perhaps the girls are more caring and sharing?). Eggs, bread, flour, rice and pasta in short supply also: most veg still available. My rural suppliers report massive increase in sales of veterinary disinfectants and hypochlorate (20l drums) and "industrial" detergents.

My Deputy Director General has just sent a message asking that everyone who has no critical need to be in the office or on site should work from home. I may interpret "home" to mean the farm house rather than the town house; I prefer the latter as it has no internet access other than on the SE corner of the verandah (no landline)

[Viper254]

Crazy isn't it - we buy loo roll in bulk by mail order so have been very well stocked for a while, but the local Morrisons was looking like a war zone last week.

Unfortunately, as a home worker, I don't actually get time off work by being home! Ah well, at least there's the allotment out the back :)

Yes - the over 70s have by far the worst deal

The other downside is that I have piles of DIY supplies in and have no excuse not to be getting on with that as well!

[Green Aura]

We do a "click and collect" order from the big T***o in Inverness, which the gal brings home with her on a monday morning. It would appear these slots are going the same way as the toilet rolls - none available for days. So we had to do next week's order, yesterday, to ensure we get a slot. Fortunately we're always fairly well stocked in case she can't get down the road for whatever reason. Crazy times. Oh and there's no loo roll of any brand available from them to purchase online.

Looks like those washcloths might be getting used after all.

OH works from home so we're always in a state of self-isolation!