Show me your brexit stockpiles cont...

[SparklySneakers]

A thread for sharing details of our stashes: what we have, what we need, good hiding places and all sorts of hints and tips to help prepare for shortages in the event of a no deal brexit.

Didn't want to mention the C word in June but as @BlackeyedGruesome already has, has anyone had any thoughts about Christmas in a No Deal world???

@Dontlickthetrolley , good point. I usually put bits and bobs of presents by as I see them and can afford them. I like a nice roast turkey etc Christmas dinner. Maybe I will stick some turkey breasts in the freezer nearer the end of summer.

I continue to eat into my March stockpile I disorganised and un documented way. I was so organised then completely lost heart at the awful mess we are in. Fear I may be doing hot summer stockpiling trips In August/September with new lists etc. Really want Political life of this bloody country to get back to some normality.

I think we'll be OK for Christmas. I tend to buy a fair bit early and we're ordering our meat from our local butcher who gets local meat, so supply shouldn't be disrupted.

I can make a whole stack of treats if necessary and will get those ingredients in October.

I already have our gammon in the freezer and a side of salmon for Boxing Day. I can make bread / rolls.

I'll get puff pastry in Oct and freeze it and can make shortcrust for mince pies (I have made my mince meat already).

Presents I tend to buy early where possible.

I think I could do it without too much deprivation. I hope!

I've still got turkey in the freezer from last year's bird - worse case I'll get that out!!

We have been to my sil's for the last two years. I do our own meal later. I bought stuffing for next Christmas before march as it is long dated. I also have lots of cranberry sauce. Also long dated. We magic chicken the chicken but I consume half a jar of cranberry with it. ( Parents brought up in the war so meat rationing aware and effected size of portions we ate as a kid and see as normal)

I will buy and blanch carrots and parsnips ready for roasting. The rest we may have to do without.

You can buy and freeze pigs in blankets and stuffing as you can get them all year. You can get frozen turkey before Halloween too. I think a full Christmas dinner shouldn't be too difficult with much of it bought just before crash out. I've got parsnips growing on the allotment. They're leafy buggers; I hadn't realised how tall they get!

We have lots of roast veggies: tomatoes mushrooms, courgettes peppers, carrots parsnips, onions. Some are only good fresh. Ones that will freeze I will. The children have frozen sweetcorn and peas. And veggie sausages.

Because we have been to sil's for the last two years I have worked out what is the essential part of dinner. The favourite bits are storable so all good.

I suppose we will have to think of winter supplies: anti freeze, grit for the path? Gloves?

Carrots and parsnips store in the ground until needed, which is helpful. I've put extra parsnips in which I'm hoping have germinated now. I've loads of leeks in the ground too, which will also store there once ready.

We should have plenty of pumpkin and squash depending on how well they do. And courgette.

My tomatoes are just starting to flower. As are my chillies and peppers. Everything is slow this year due to rubbish weather. We've a tonne of garlic, some as bulbs and some chopped into last garlic. And a cracking onion harvest, some of which are chopped and frozen. I'll stock up on frozen peas and sweetcorn as I've not got enough growing (and the peas get eaten from the plant and never make it inside!

I have potatoes for now and will put more in sacks so I have ones ready later on too.

I also have approx 4 tonnes of strawberries too! I may freeze some of those as I've experimented with making dairy free ice cream today so if that goes down well I'll just need honey and coconut milk in my store.

I'll get loads of blackberries from the allotment too as they're everywhere which I can freeze. And hopefully loads of runner and green beans.

I feel partly organised!

Having a massive fail on my veg front. Something has eaten all of the leaves on my broccoli plants, only 2 tomato plants have survived, all of the cabbages have been demolished but the carrots seem to be doing OK as well as the potatoes (when do I harvest?).

I've been eating my stockpile (amazing how fast you get through it) and need to start again with marmalade/marmite/cheese/butter/bread mixes/pasta/beans/tinned tomatoes. I was hoping to have had more luck with the veg by now which worries me. Is there anything I can grow inside on a window sil - have basil and an avocado which isn't doing much other than being leafy and an aubergine that flowers but hasn't yet produced any fruit (and yes I've been attempting to pollinate it with a brush) .

It'll be birds eating leaves. Have you netted them?

What kind of potatoes are they? If they flower, harvest once they're gone. If not, when the plants go floppy!

My carrots are all being eaten at home. Hopefully the allotment ones will do better (fewer slugs as it's too open / exposed).

I need to buy similar stuff for my stockpile, but am waiting to see what reaction Parliament has to the new leader.

It looks like we'll have loads of pumpkins. Must research what to do with them other than soup!

All three runner beans got eaten by slugs. Two seem to be reviving. One is too far gone. Both courgettes at church died. The one at ex's is looking peeky. I have two seeds left to try again.

The potatoes are doing ok it seems. Maybe it is a bit shady for them? The raspberry seems to be surviving.

It's not too late to sow more runner beans.
You'll have beans into November if you do. I'm thinking of sowing a few more as I've lost some. I've about 5 free poles, so might just throw a few seeds at it.

Would you like me to post you some seeds, Blackeyed?

If you'd like to buy some good cheap seeds in larger pack sizes than garden centres etc sell, go to Premier Seeds on eBay.

Not many things like full shade. And if your raspberry is a summer fruiting one you won't get raspberries until next summer as they fruit on the previous year's growth.

I have loads of runner bean seeds left. Only five courgette seeds in the pack though. It is supposed to be an experimental year... Must plant the one pea seed that grew before ex let the plants die. I really only need one plant to thrive.

Going to put a label on the back of his loo door, give peas a chance, water them... I pop in after school to water them. I water the church plants on the way home from ds's school to save petrol.

Thanks for the tip about raspberries.

I have about 150 pea plants! You plant them seriously close together and they love it. 😁

Going to try and plant peas then. The ground at church was weed filled/ overgrown so clearing a bit at a time.

Popped into ex's to check on the plants the two new runner beans are growing well.may try to plant another at church if it can beat the slugs.

It is all about experimenting and having fun.

This year anyway...

I always have lots of pumpkins. A couple of Halloween ones for carving, their flesh is really quite watery and doesn't have much flavour so they end up in soup. The main ones that seem to do well in our garden look like classic Cinderella pumpkins, bright orange flesh and pretty tasty, they are called "rouge vif d'etampes" I tend to roast wedges for eating like a veg the same as I would with butternut squash. Once roasted they can also be puréed and frozen to use in stews, curries, pies etc through the winter. Or I grate them and use in quiches or fritters. Can also make jam (with ginger and lemon) and I pickle them (diced, in sweet spiced vinegar) I also freeze them grated raw. Grated they're also good in cake (like courgette cake).

As for other veg: the pigeons were bad this year and I couldn't find the netting I usually use so goodbye kale, spinach and lettuce... Beetroot and onions going well, carrots ok, but got disturbed by some digging animal.

Big Fray Bentos pies are on sale in tesco for £1 each. The little ones are £1.50. I bought 3 :)

We have also developed a liking for corned beef hash. I am very surprised but it's cheap and hearty, and so i have stocked up on ingredients, including frozen onions.

I am so stressed.

The whole growing stuff is not going well. I am pissed off with my lack of energy. Bloody eds/hsd. The flat is a tip. I need to tidy. Need to get ds's room decorated. I want to be beating the shit out of bindweed.

ASD ds been away with school and had transition day and the consequences are horrendous. Thus no emotional energy to do anything.

@BlackeyedGruesome , I'm having a poor growing year too. I had a massive setback in the garden which just delayed everything and now I am really struggling to get anything going. I still have loads of dehydrated kale and spinach from mast season and am trying to grow tomatoes.

@BlackeyedGruesome cut yourself some slack and refresh your spirits in a way that works for you

I'm back on the thread as I'm making plans to reinstate my stockpile in preparation for no deal October a la Boris!

I'm trying to learn from the Feb stockpiling - what was successful/tasty and what wasn't. The Idahoan range of dried potato products went down well but only the instant mash is widely available in supermarkets now which is a shame.

Somebody on this thread - or it's predecessor- recommended the Napolina instant risotto pots. I had one for lunch at work the other work and was pleasantly surprised by how tasty and filling it was so will be buying a few more of those. Think they are only available in Asda though.