What preps are you doing this week? part 2.

[Deeps]

Made another 20 jars of chutney, this was pumpkin and apple, post-Halloween. I've made over 130 jars of jam and chutney this year, I think I've lost my sense of proportion a bit.

Maybe a wee sideline selling them ?

[Deeps]

I received a load of first aid stuff from Amazon today, I wouldn't say its an area I've neglected but its a weak area for me. Still an area I need to work on but 20 odd quid out of this months 'zombie budget' has salved my conscious a bit. As a Brucie bonus, going round Aldi tonight I got a saw horse reduced to 15 quid, no idea how good it is but as a rule the Aldi stuff is pretty reasonable and I've been looking for one, I've been cutting wood on bits of other wood which is less than ideal. I also got a 'hobby' box which I'll find a good use for, I've got stuff that's rattling round and it will give me a good excuse to play around with my toys too. Best of all the saw horse and hobby box came out of the shopping money not mine. Ker-ching.

[featherstick]

Made another 20 jars of chutney, this was pumpkin and apple, post-Halloween. I've made over 130 jars of jam and chutney this year, I think I've lost my sense of proportion a bit.

Maybe a wee sideline selling them ?

I give a lot of it away - it's a great way of building goodwill and links in the community. The local garage will be getting some, and some jam, as a thank you for letting me use their ramps to replace the exhaust on my car the other day. To be honest, I was happy to pay them, but I pulled up, Reggie said "Get it up on the ramp, you'll need this 10mil socket on a long drive and this 10mil ratchet spanner, make sure you put them back, the spanner cost £40" and let me get on with it. That kind of relationship is worth a jar of jam or two.

[bungee]

Finally finished the get home bag I've been building for the last three months today. Its is gonna live in the back of our car. The last thing I needed was the bag and I found a ridiculously good condition 65 litre karrimor rucksack in a charity shop for £3! The only downside is its a lady's rucksack so its lavender purple and seems to have moulded / shaped straps to take into account for differences in anatomy. Still for three quid I cant really complain and it may prevent chaffing on my moobs...

[Yorkshire Andy]

I give a lot of it away - it's a great way of building goodwill and links in the community. The local garage will be getting some, and some jam, as a thank you for letting me use their ramps to replace the exhaust on my car the other day. To be honest, I was happy to pay them, but I pulled up, Reggie said "Get it up on the ramp, you'll need this 10mil socket on a long drive and this 10mil ratchet spanner, make sure you put them back, the spanner cost £40" and let me get on with it. That kind of relationship is worth a jar of jam or two.

Your not wrong make sure you include something they can spread it on scones and clotted cream are good



I need to sort my winter car bag and restock it/ pack it...

since ive had bits out of it for camping trips etc over the summer.....


got a nice new goretex jacket to go in £10 from car boot

a goretex bivvie bag £3 car boot again

and a British army artic bag and compression sack £45 from army surplus

[Deeps]

Made another 20 jars of chutney, this was pumpkin and apple, post-Halloween. I've made over 130 jars of jam and chutney this year, I think I've lost my sense of proportion a bit.

Maybe a wee sideline selling them ?

I give a lot of it away - it's a great way of building goodwill and links in the community. The local garage will be getting some, and some jam, as a thank you for letting me use their ramps to replace the exhaust on my car the other day. To be honest, I was happy to pay them, but I pulled up, Reggie said "Get it up on the ramp, you'll need this 10mil socket on a long drive and this 10mil ratchet spanner, make sure you put them back, the spanner cost £40" and let me get on with it. That kind of relationship is worth a jar of jam or two.

I hear ya, we've given away stuff and received stuff from neighbours, its quite reassuring in some ways that you get on with those around you like that. Not every 'transaction' will reap some kind of reward, its a big picture thing I think. You don't do it looking for something back but you end up forging relationships, I like it, we've generally been quite insular but very much part of the neighbourhood now and we've really taken to it. Its the way ahead.

[MissPrep]

I have my dried goods in kilner jars but was under the impression that you couldn't pressure can with them? I've been using the Ball Mason jars and have to say comparing the glass to the Kilner jars, Ball seem to be excellent quality, sometimes the Kilner glass looks uneven thickness and have faults in them. I may use them for water bath canning though.

Loving my canner, the only equipment I'm missing now is a food saver where you can attach the tube to seal jars of dried goods!

The Kilner jars with the gold coloured 2 part lids which have a replacable round top with a red rubber seal on the inside are great for canning.
They are the only kind I have as when I looked at the prices of other brands they were a lot more & needed shipping from the states.
I think some uk stores have started stocking other brands now though, but was a couple of years back when I was looking.

The ones with the glass lids with a clip aren't suitable.

I've never had one crack or break & I've used them at least half a dozen times in the canner, as well as for water bath canning.

I keep meaning to get some multiple use lids to try that I saw advertised from the states, but my pc crashed & I lost the bookmark.

I've been trying to find a food saver to, but with no luck. Really like the idea of them.

[Brambles]

I have my dried goods in kilner jars but was under the impression that you couldn't pressure can with them? I've been using the Ball Mason jars and have to say comparing the glass to the Kilner jars, Ball seem to be excellent quality, sometimes the Kilner glass looks uneven thickness and have faults in them. I may use them for water bath canning though.

Loving my canner, the only equipment I'm missing now is a food saver where you can attach the tube to seal jars of dried goods!

The Kilner jars with the gold coloured 2 part lids which have a replacable round top with a red rubber seal on the inside are great for canning.
They are the only kind I have as when I looked at the prices of other brands they were a lot more & needed shipping from the states.
I think some uk stores have started stocking other brands now though, but was a couple of years back when I was looking.

The ones with the glass lids with a clip aren't suitable.

I've never had one crack or break & I've used them at least half a dozen times in the canner, as well as for water bath canning.

I keep meaning to get some multiple use lids to try that I saw advertised from the states, but my pc crashed & I lost the bookmark.

I've been trying to find a food saver to, but with no luck. Really like the idea of them.

Do you mean Tattler lids?
http://www.reusablecanninglids.com/

[MissPrep]

Thank you Brambles, that's the one (I think, if not it's close enough as they do the same thing)

[sniper 55]

If people will leave me alone long enough I'm going to have a go making a penny stove (with coke cans) trouble is it's like the samaritans here, I seem to have to sort out everybody else "issues" before I get time for myself. I'm seriously thinking of a teeshirt that says "sod off and leave me alone" or something similar...