Introduction Every bit counts challenge Three Rivers Homestead August 2022

Hello again.

Nothing for  months and then within the space of a few days a bit of a deluge.  Just to let you know, I not only have this Blog, but I am also on Instagram 

@ https://www.instagram.com/tarragonnthyme/ 

As it is simpler for me when I am during the course of my day pop up items which I think will be of interest although albeit short.  This also shows up on Facebook too.

Now I am back from my sojourn in Cornwall, I am starting to get a little bit more organised in doing things and I have decided that I am going to take part in this challenge this year. which is hosted by Jessica at Three Rivers Homestead who has a presence both on Instagram 

https://www.instagram.com/threerivershomestead/ 

and You Tube.   Please have a look at this link on You Tube where Jessica explains more about what is going on in her life and also about the every bit counts challenge.  There is a direct link to the challenge.

If you have access to Instagram you can follow  and take part if you so wish as well.   Basically for the month of August each participant makes the most of the summer harvest and squirrels away whatever they can, and it doesn't matter by what preservation method.  There is no pressure excuse the pun. Just show and tell what you actually do if you intend to take part.

I have not taken part in this challenge before. When I am at home, I usually have something on the go at all times.  However, with being away for so long on holiday (I know I am lucky) I thought that this might be a good way for me to keep up the momentum, play catch up and put away any essential stores in my pantry for the winter months.  I do not class myself as a "Prepper", however I have long believed that keeping a good pantry is a way to at least alleviate stress on the food front in times of difficulty. I figured out many years ago that food security was high on my list of priorities.  At least we can always eat even when the pennies are scarce. This is the country way of dealing with things as years ago there were not the shops and supermarkets there are today, and we often lived in little villages or small towns where there was very little shop-wise.  You therefore had to plan ahead and make sure you had everything you needed either for the week or latterly the month for a trip to the nearest largest City, or Town for what shops there were or indeed a local market. Often in the winter months as well, villages used to get snowed in so you had to plan for that eventuality as well.  Freezers also play their part in this. I am talking about long term preserves and short term fridge preserves, as well as bought in ingredients, tinned ingredients as well as price reductions.  There is always something you can do with reductions. Each of them play a crucial part in everyday life. 

My Pantry has been sorted out in readiness for this challenge.  I intend to encompass many different areas of preserving such as water bathing fruits in syrup, canned goods, homemade Rumptof, bottled oranges, grapefruit, Apricots, cherries, mixed fruit cocktail, mixed peel, homemade mincemeat, jellies, butters, curds, pickles, dehydrating, as I usually do, including making up my own useful Pantry Mixes to make my life that much easier.  I have been researching these a lot of late and decided that it is time for further action and I want to expand on this theme.  I have in any event been trying to sort out what is a necessity and what we really need especially in view of the current prices of food. I am lucky that normally my local veg shop has regular reductions on produce which was £1 a bowl, and there is usually a kilo of fruit in each bowl, which has worked out well for me in the past. Whether the price has gone up or not since I have been away (I suspect it has) but I am not certain at the time of typing this post) I have been able to source apples, oranges, plums, pears, etc. for making something useful for the pantry shelf. For recipes I rely on basic methods of preservation, a whole stack of preserving books I have collected over the years, Pinterest and individual blog and You Tube sites, as well as friend and family recipes. I am an avid recipe collector at the best of times.  If you have a recipe, you have a start to taking those first teeny steps towards having a go.

The set up I have where I live at the moment is not perfect; it does however enable me to "dabble" to keep my hand in. I am however grateful that it is doable and at least something is better than nothing.

Are any of you going to take part in the challenge?

Hope you are.

Take care 

Pattypan

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