| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| Bugs |
The Downsizer Challenge?OK, this is a fluffy idea at the moment, but I was just thinking about the dyeing post, and also in a vaguely related manner about baskets, and it occurred to me that a fun thing to do might be a challenge, where over a given time, say, one month, everyone picks an idea, suggestion etc, that they've seen on Downsizer (or elsewhere) but never got around to trying. Then over that month you have a go - and report back as you go along if you like, ask questions of people, etc.There would be some people doing the same thing, and some people doing things on their own; some people would be able to consult "gurus", some people struggling by with Google and the library. The idea overall though, would be for everyone to try a new thing and have a reason for pursuing it, and for us to have lots of beginners reports on how they got on. So I might make a foray in to the art of dyeing; and to pick at random from some recents threads: Jema could try some nettles or other wild foods (it would be especially interesting to see how his offspring take to the idea!); Jonnyboy could get on with stripping and preparing his veg patch); Treacodactyl could make a wormery (  ); SparklyWellies could try a bit of sewing for pleasure; Moogie can investigate some DIY propagators; Gill_didsbury could make some potato breads and Wellington Womble can make some curries 
I don't mean people *have* to do those things, I'm just picking out things people have said recently "must give that a go" or "have never been able to do that"! Terrible idea? |
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| bagpuss |
great idea, can't promise I will actually get round to being involved but it may given an excuse for trying to make some bacon | ||||||
| jema |
Sounds fun, and you have even come up with a good one for me 
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| boff |
Im up for it (no silly duck today... something about orange sauce )
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| judith |
I like the idea, but I think I'd be more likely to follow through if we were all doing the same thing. I'd love to try some dyeing, for example, but I really don't see it happening unless there were other people doing it at the same time. | ||||||
| jema |
That gets into the realms I think of an idea a month, because otherwise we would never all agree a theme. e.g. dyeing holds almost zero interest for me. |
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| Jonnyboy |
Ok. Count me in | ||||||
| sean |
I'm in. As long as I don't have to knit.
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| Treacodactyl |
I've thought we could all try something at home but together on the site.
My idea at the moment is to try and catch, clense and eat some garden snails! Then everyone can post up what they thought. |
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| moggins |
I have a huge supply here
I'd be up for it too, I want to try something that I could sit down in the evening with though, I spend far too much time on the computer after dark. |
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| cab |
I'm in the 'lets all do the same thing this month' thing. That sounds like a nice way to introduce people to lots of new things, and provide support for doing them.
My alternative suggestion is that we pick a new seasoal topic each month. So for April it might be, say, excracting dyes. For May it may be hunting Spring wild foods. For June it could be catching, cleansing, preparing and eating garden snails. July may turn out to be hot, so we could choose a shady indoor passtime like making soap/ August... That might be the time to be harvesting some new spuds, there's lots of cow parsley in full bloom and past it, nettles are overgrown, so lets call that for the moment the paper making month (maybe). Pick a craft or activity each month to begin with and do what we can with it. If it turns out really successful, pick two. |
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| wellington womble |
it's a great idea in theory, but I think in a lot of areas its already happening, naturally. Like Cab's foraging articles (they're great, by the way, cab) and people doing seasonal things and getting stuck, posting for help or results and lots of people of various abilities responding with suggestions. I don't really think a more formal approach would do this any harm, though.
I think if your going to do it, it needs to be someones (guess who that'll be then Bugs?  ) responsiblity, otherwise it kind of stops happening so well. I don't think its a bad idea, I just think it happens all the time already, spontaneously, and if it aint broke.......
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| SparklyWellies |
I think it's a great idea.
Apart from the sewing bit, obviously. |
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| snowball |
Fantastic idea.
Yes it happens anyway, but feeling part of this could inspire more of us to try sometning entirely new. |
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| nettie |
yep I like it too
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| sally_in_wales |
Himself has already eaten snails from my mums garder- apparently they are really tough too early in the year...
Anyway, why not go with the challenge idea but just on a broad theme. So maybe May is 'try a wild local food you haven't tried before' and June is 'Learn to identify one flower you didn't know previously' or July is 'Preserve soft fruit for the Winter' month and with everyone reporting back we have a general theme for a month but the pooled resource comes on in leaps and bounds. |
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| mochyn |
Yep: the 'general theme' idea is the one for me: some people here are veggies, so snails wouldn't be for them, others may live in flats and find growing parger things a challenge. But I'll have a go at almost anything, as long as I can find the time! 
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| Pilsbury |
I am more inclined to go for the personal challenge as some things dont really intrest me and others i just dont have time for but i would be intrested in following how a number of people get on with the same projects, bit like a seed trial but with a downsizer idea and when one i like comes along i would definatly have a go. | ||||||
| dougal |
IMHO, the "Downsizer Challenge" is the constant multi-facetted one of "hey, look how these folk have got it together, come on, I've got to raise my sights". Lots of (can't find a better word) role models in different fields (oops!)...
Anyway, its a nice idea to further encourage folk , even if every time I look at the site, I'm *already* encouraged to try something new... Perhaps one way to approach this is to start with a 'keynote' article, and encourage folk to try whatever. And expect to revise the article based on the practical feedback from real first-timers dificulties in putting the idea into practice. So that the practical results are distilled back into an article that overcomes barriers to 'having a go' and allows the experinced guru to *teach* better. I'm going to be having a go at bacon-curing, but it sounds, from jema's experience that the way to start is with a commercial cure, rather than entirely from scratch... |
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| alison |
dougal, I have used pre bought mixes, as a trial and my own, and I couldn't really see the difference, or taste it for that matter.
My bacon was certainly the same colour. I know as I did both lots at the same time. |
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| ButteryHOLsomeness |
i've always wondered about escargot, are they the same as garden snails? i would think probably yes as they were orginally a food for the very poor but i'd like to know before eating any, just in case
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| ButteryHOLsomeness |
why not have 2 or 3 challeges each month. this would cater to many people's ideas of fun and also ability
you could have a simple challenge (as suggested) of eating a new type of wild food a intermediate challenge of finding wild 'meat' like snails or shellfish and a harder challenge such as building an outbuilding etc this would offer all sorts of incentive for people in various situations and with varied interests... we could also have a board specifically set up for people to post their own personal challenges and it could be a bit of a blog/diary where they can keep people up to date and people can comment but i think the group challenges are really good for motivating people to get off their bums and do that thing they've been thinking about for ages ! |
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| Treacodactyl |
The large garden snail, Helix aspersa, is indeed the one eaten as escargot. Many other snails are eaten around the world, but garden snails should be some of the best.
I've never tried them but I think I should. |
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| Loopy Lou |
Baking would be a challenge for me!! I can cook, and used to make various cakes, scones etc, but since I had the children (oldest 7 in August) finding the time to do it has been a challenge!
Maybe my personal challenge should be to make cakes/scones, or something, using our own eggs now we have the chickens.
I do like the idea of a group challenge though too.
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| ButteryHOLsomeness |
ooh thank you, if i find any we'll have a nice treat for dinner! they are so nice cooked in garlic butter with a few capers thrown in! if you've never had escargot you should really try it. i'm not sure how long to cook them (google will sort that for me) but basically if they are well done they taste like a nice piece of steak mmmmmm for anyone that is queasy think of all the organ meats people eat, i have a hard time eating liver now that i know what it does BUT it tastes good so i get over it
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| ButteryHOLsomeness |
loopy lou
if you want any help with the baking feel free to pm me, it's one of my specialties as my family and friends will attest to
i think i'm going to have a few personal challenges. learning how to sew on a machine again (i'm trying to buy one off ebay as we speak) dehyrdating more stuff (dehydrator coming soon as is dehydrator cookbook) and foraging (new edition of foods for free winging it's way to me as we speak!) can't wait to see how it all turns out! |
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| jema |
No trouble with Liver, very queasy about Snails 
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| ButteryHOLsomeness |
how are you with winkles? just think of them as land winkles that taste like steak mmmmmm
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| jema |
Haven't got beyond oysters, crab, and Lobster on the shell fish side of things, I do aim to get more adventurous and break through a bit more of the "yuk" conditioning. |
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| Treacodactyl |
If anyone does decide to try snails make sure they have not been near slug pellets and make sure the snails are purged before eating. I'm not sure exactly how this is done (other than feeding the snails some salad for a few days) but if we do a challenge we can dig out details and all have a go. 
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| ButteryHOLsomeness |
bullemic snails eh? or are these the type that frequent the spa?
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| Loopy Lou |
Thankyou!
My trouble is so often I have started something but then I have had to stop for one reason or another. I am hoping now the children are a little older it will be a bit easier.
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| Naomi |
How about a "New Skills" link so anyone who has done something for the first time can write about it and get advice if they have gone wrong?
That way we could compare our results with others who have just tried something new. It could have categories for food, crafts, gardening, livestock, energy, etc etc. I also prefer the one new skill each month idea, as then those willing to give one a try, can compare straight away their results with anyone else who gave it a go as well. Sure some tasks won't be tempting enough for everyone , but the idea is not to get everyone to do every task is it ? Just the tasks they want to try. |
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| jema |
In terms of the everyone try and compare notes, I like the end of this thread:
http://forum.downsizer.net/viewtopic.php?t=3282&highlight= basically the idea of going over to using soap flakes, washing soda and vinigar in place of commercial washing powder. |
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| twoscoops |
I suggested this at RC about a year and a half ago, with a dedicated subject per month, and it kind of morphed into the masterclass. Therefore I think it's a great idea and it could be a highlighted article each month, with all sorts of seasonal crafts/recipes/outdoor projects. Let's face it, we're halfway there already.
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