I have spent this evening making plum chutney with some lovely plums given to me by Mr C's boss, we will be sending back some courgettes from our garden and a jar of the end product.
Earlier on I managed to get some lovely windfall cooking apples from a neighbour in exchange for some cherry tomatoes. These will be added to our rather large courgettes/marrows to make yet more chutney!
We have exchanged some more courgettes for runner beans from our other neighbours. I just love this time of year, everyone else who is growing food and has gluts is as eager as we are to swap some of it for something they are not growing in quantity themselves. This way we all have a good variety of fruit and veg and have a lovely chat about how we are going to use the items up, swapping recipes as we go. The kitchens are busy and some lovely smells are emanating from the kitchen windows. Who needs the supermarket! (well maybe for the vinegar and sugar!)
I came in at about £30 over budget on my grocery challenge, we had visitors, I will try again this month to keep to £150, also only managed 8/10 no spend days! I am still going to try for 15 no spend days this month, today was nsd 1/15
3 comments:
I can't wait to start growing some of my own veg next year. Unfortunately, I don't know anybody else local who grows their own so there won't be any swapping going on.
It wasn't until I started growing my own that I realised my neighbours did as well! It is really through gardening that I have got to know them which is a bonus.
I know that both my immediate neighbours have nothing edible in their gardens and neither do next-door-but-one. What's happening futher down the street I really couldn't say, though. I've never heard anybody talk of veggie gardening but you never know.
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