Anita Martin

I never tried real Garum so I don't know if the taste is not really strong by nature as to conceal any possible variations due to freezer burn?
If you need live enzymes you might just add one or two fresh fish to the batch.

On the other hand, fish that was frozen is definitely free from parasites. I once visited a historical Garum factory in Andalusia and in the museum you could read that they even excavated and identified the nasty parasites...

Certainly not hyacinth.
Either epilobium, or lysimachia (my guess, I have both in my garden).

Andrea Locke wrote:I like those bags made from repurposed feed and coffee bags. The cool art is one of the most fun things about those. I would love to make some for our future farm store, and was wondering if there are any legal restrictions one needs to be aware of when making products that might show names or logos of the original business on them? Is this even something to worry about?

I had not seen this thread earlier - I have made dozens of cloth bags till today. I might show some of them, I use them daily (also fold-up totes to stuff into your pocket when you go for a walk or have in the bike/car for unexpected shopping/foraging occasions).

Regarding your question:
This is something I would investigate further. Maybe coffee companies are not so fussy, but I know that people got into trouble when upcycling jeans and showing or selling the resulting bags with the logo still recognizable.

Lots of different experiences and great tips in this thread!

I think that cold showering can help to adapt the body to lower temperatures but it can only do so much - I use this routine for many years but still suffer a lot in winter.

My very logical but yet unproven theory is that our bodies have a kind of inner thermostat that gets "set" in adolescence. In my adolescence I lived in the Middle East (Tropic zone) and coped very well with the high temperatures. Everything under 22 C was cold to me and spending the summers in Germany was a challenge (although I loved the lush green everywhere!).
Back in Germany at 15 years old I was wondering how I was going to survive winters! It took me very long to have a more relaxed way with cold weather and low light.

What helped me was attitude and going out, but on my own terms: With lots of clothing and walking briskly. It was torture to be outside in winter when my children where three little kids/babies who walked in slow-motion (or not at all) and I would freeze in situ.

I still do not like winter and envy those who can enjoy a mild spring with all kinds of flowers and veggies and who can harvest lots of of tomatoes or have their own peppers and eggplants or apricots, figs and peaches. Unfortunately with older age I have lost the tolerance to heat and have difficulties being outside when it is over 30 C (not very often here but increasingly over the last 3-4 years due to climate change).

Our houses do not have AC; with the very strict building codes all houses have efficient heating and insulation, double pane windows (since 2014 every landlord has to publish the energy efficiency of your building), no power outages. It is very tempting to stay nice and warm inside, too much so.
My children hardly go out in winter and complain a lot. Of course, if they spend their free time with their electronic devices, often in bed!
I do not remember that I ever felt cold as a kid playing outside in the snow.

Having said that, I still think that there are different "strains" of human types and some can adapt better to warmer weather and some to colder weather. I sometimes wonder how humans ever could leave Africa and go to live in unfriendly places like Middle/Northern Europe or the Arctic circle!
I sometimes dream of a place that is somewhat milder than Bavaria but still not too far out, like the Eastern part of Austria, Central Italy or similar. But there are lots of arguments against moving. All in all, I live in a great place with some degrees below my personal preference and too short a planting season.

I am really happy about my down coat on really cold days, although on normal winter days I can go with my woolen coat.

If I had to buy something new and I had the cash (I would be willing to spend the cash) I would order from this young German company who uses wool fleece as insulation in modern winterwear:
https://nordwolle.com/
Their garments are very stylish:
https://nordwolle.shop/damen/3dx/perchta-steppmantel
(ETA that the garments are only made from certified cotton and local sheep fleece, no polyfibers)

Apart from that, I layer. Never without a long pantyhose (or however you call it), knitted socks, a woolen sweater - in the house. More to go outside, of course!

I thought I`d share this balcony of a lady in Germany who is growing amazing things on her small balcony - really inspiring.
She gardens organically and stresses that she chooses to spend money on a really good soil.
Have a look:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YF2iQAGA5Bg

Eino Kenttä wrote:Thanks! What's the name of the company/catalog? Not sure what species it is either, but guess either C. laciniosa or C. ovata. Both are hardy and fruiting in south Sweden according to what I read...

The company is Hof Jeebel. The German name translates to shagbarked hickory nut (was that the name? Can't check on my mobile phone and hope I haven't written an obscenity...).

Eino Kenttä wrote:I'm thinking of trying shagbark hickory (Carya laciniosa) as I've read that it can fruit in southern Sweden, but haven't found a reputable seed source yet. Does anyone know of one (preferably in Europe)? But again, it will take many years to reach maturity...
Yellowhorn (Xanthoceras sorbifolium) is mentioned a lot, but few people seem to have actually tasted it. You find dozens of sources (all quoting each other, I suppose) claiming that the nuts taste like macadamias, but that seems to be nothing more than rumor. Tried to find statements from people who actually tried, could only find two who said they had. One said that it was pleasant eating, but not entirely like macadamias, while the other said it was barely edible and quite disgusting. Did anyone here try? Also, not sure how far north it would be hardy.
Nut pines are nice! In northern Sweden you find them (probably Pinus sibirica) planted in a lot of small villages, even in the cold inland. I once heard someone claim that the state at some point encouraged people to plant them as an emergency food source for scarce years (fat, yum). Unusually good thinking for the state, if it's true...

Not sure if this is the hickory variety you mean, but saw it in a German gardening catalog.

The belt and rubber ring have arrived, it all worked out fine.
I still haven't ordered needles.

By the look of the machine, do you think those might be flat or round shank needles?

I will try with my regular flat shank first if I manage to get to the sewing things in the basement. We are currently renovating and everything is stuffed into one room...
Thanks!

Skandi Rogers wrote:Only going on what I am reading but they very rarely flower here and even when they do it's even less common that they ripen any nuts.  I've not seen any large ones around either which I used to in Aberdeen.

One neighbour down the street has a little Auracaria, but in all the years I am living here it has hardly grown at all. Not sure about the variety.

Regardint the bladdernut:
Very interesting, just did some reading on the German wikipedia entry:
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gemeine_Pimpernuss

It seems the nuts are used in the Georgian cuisine as jonjoli, the dried shells were used for rosaries, and in parts of Bavaria the nuts are used for a special liquor with aphrodisiac effects (so they say, never had one myself - it is the first time I heard of it, to be true).


Today I have received a seed and plants catalog from one of my favourite organic providers and they have hickory nut trees. First time I saw them.