September means spring in my part of the world and at spring time no matter where in the world you are one of the best plants to grow is the strawberry. As we all know, strawberries are a divine and decadent fruit but they can be pricey to buy from the markets so I grow
Article updated on 24 May 2019 When I first saw rosella seedlings in the nursery I must admit to having little knowledge about the plant except for knowing great jam can be made from the “fruit.” And, I further have to admit purchasing these seedlings without the slightest research into how to actually grow
When the end of orange season comes, more often than not we are left with a surplus of this wonderful fruit, which is a really good position for me to be in because it forces me to do something with the extra bounty before they go bad. Orange marmalade is great, fresh orange juice is
The famous pickle Cucumbers are the most famous of all pickles, so famous that if I asked, “would you like a pickle?” You would probably assume I was offering a pickled cucumber when in fact a pickle can mean many different foods – which have been pickled (like peppers). As I explained in our
Modern society has many ways to make us feel economically inadequate. There are pressures arising from numerous sectors demanding more and more slices of our income pie. Most people could be forgiven for thinking the days of fair wages and a reasonable cost of living are over – and they may well be correct (for
Sterilisation is the process whereby all nasty bacteria is killed on or in a container or utensil before usage. When preserving or storing food in jars or bottles at home it's important to use sterilised vessels and also utensils utilised in the process. Storing food for long periods in non-sterile vessels can make the food
When I think of beetroot I can’t go past a hamburger with the lot and for me the sweetly pickled taste of the sliced beetroot mixing with the pineapple, lettuce, cheese, fried onions, egg – soft yolk, and of course the burger meat with some BBQ sauce on a buttered bread roll, is what nails
This article was updated on 1st Oct 2015 I have found some reasonably priced preserving jars called frutta del prato (that's the name on the lid) which are not only fair quality but don’t look too bad either, therefore, as give-aways they make a great gift. I will tell more about these jars shortly after
Here’s a simple and frugal way to make a long lasting, healthy, snack that everyone (not just the kids) will absolutely love! I call it fruit salad “yummy yummy” fruit leathers, or rolls, or wraps… Don’t take this recipe for granted as it really is that good – I promise you. The combination of all
There’s no better gift than one heartfelt and bequeathed with love and care. Self-sufficiency is the perfect platform for enabling the best of both worlds when it comes to gift giving at Christmas or any other festive occasion by producing something very special at a reasonable cost. Venture into Target or any other department store
Preserving mangoes through dehydration (drying) is one the best and easiest ways to store them because dried mango tastes nice, is a very healthy snack, it’s not messy to eat, and it lasts a long time in the pantry. To buy this organic gourmet snack from a health food store or supermarket usually costs over
All of us have probably bought stock cubes from the supermarket but did you know you can easily make your own stock cubes? This article is about how anyone can make a stock cube from their own left over cooking stock to be used later in making their next great tasting dish. Sometimes when we
If you want an easy, no fuss, fruit tree to grow, then the Meyer lemon tree would have to be without a doubt in the top ten list. No matter if your gardening skills stink you will be able to grow this tree and produce one of the most famous and popular fruit known to
I've been experimenting lately with lacto fermentation as a way to preserve and create good, healthy, and tasty food from our own surplus produce. The modern way to make pickles and preserve food is to use lots of vinegar or sugar and pasteurize or boil the heck out of it to sterilise the food by
Self Sufficient Me is a blog about self-sustainment by growing our own produce (plant/animal), and self-fulfilment by looking after our health (physical/mental) through exercise and slowing life down a little.
