what foods do you grow and get for free

fishingmum
fishingmum Online Community Member Posts: 562 Empowering
Whilst researching prices for foods I grow or catch or swap I was surprised to see how expensive a lot were. Fish is a main source of food here, So I was surprised to find it is selling at £9 per kilo for mackerel, £20+ for salmon and trout. The chepest I found was breaded pollack at £5 per kilo.
I tend to make recipes out of my free foods, I think if I was to buy foods that I got for free, I would be starving by half way through the week. So if anyone wants to give ingredients they get for free, I thought we could do recipes based on this to help keep costs down.

Free foods, Eggs, Pollack, colefish, cod, salmon, trout, mackerel, conger eel, dogfish, plaice, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, leeks, corgette, turnip, spinach, chard, spring onions, red onions, white onions, squash, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, chives, basil, oregano, parsley, strawberries, garlic and pick locally, rhubarb, chestnuts, hazelnuts, sloe berries, brambles, mushrooms, mussels, razorfish, cockles
I suppose, I could add nettles and dandelions, once made nettles into pasta and have used the petals of dandelions in salads before, but as a general rule I do not use them often. Although I am considering picking a few dandelions by the root to ground down to see if it does make a nice coffee substitute :)

So what do you pick/grow/swap?
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Comments

  • thespiceman
    thespiceman Online Community Member Posts: 6,283 Championing
    Hello @fishingmum Thanks for this I like this. Unfortunately only free food for me is herbs. I love what you are doing. All that is free. 

    Proves that by being self sufficient is worth while. Really great. 

    Problem is the cost of food.   Far too expensive and will the costs rise due to BREXIT.?

    Who knows ?


    @thespiceman

    .
  • fishingmum
    fishingmum Online Community Member Posts: 562 Empowering
    I am sure they will rise due to Brexit, but overall food is getting more and more expensive, the more you can do for yourself the better off you will be, maybe you could consider swapping some herbs for ones you do not have, or if you have enough garden space allow someone to grow veggies for you and they can benefit from free veg and time to garden. @thespiceman
  • EstherB
    EstherB Online Community Member Posts: 16 Empowering
    I have just starts growing cucumbers, peas,  rhubarb, parsley and basil. Had tomatoes and spring onions planted but the wind knocked them over and broke them. I will start again. I am pleased how the others are coming along.
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  • fishingmum
    fishingmum Online Community Member Posts: 562 Empowering
    @EstherB you can buy a small windbreak for the tomatoes, I grow mine in the green house to start with then move out once they are large enough, last couple of years have not done so well here as the weather has not been great for them, but this year with all the sun we have had has made it worth it.

    @Victoriad lmho, I do the carrots for the winter and normally get about 5 kilo from a raised bed which helps as I grow all my soup stuff so saves me a good bit over the year, as it is a free meal.
    Not related to the Clampetts either, but I also make candles, soap, wine and knit and sew every bit of money saved is money earned :)
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  • fishingmum
    fishingmum Online Community Member Posts: 562 Empowering
    @VictoriadI am not hard on clothes, but I do tend to refashion them so it looks like something new, or curtains or chair covers, just whatever when I have time.
    As for the carrots that is my winter stash, I do earlies, autumnal ones and have my January/ February uplift, but at that time of year it is very welcome.

    I am about to start making shampoo and conditioner bars rather than liquid form, never tried it before but it saves on waste and mostly plastics so going for that next.

    With kids in the house that play outside I need to sew regardless of liking it or not, so I am glad I like it :) The knitting can be expensive as wool costs a lot, but I pick stuff up at charity shops as well, and every time kids have outgrown a jumper, I take the wool back and re knit it into something else. Last top I made myself was from an old pillow slip, so always a way to do something to brighten your day.
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  • Gaina
    Gaina Online Community Member Posts: 135 Empowering
    If you want simple, nutritious recipes that fit your budget, check out Jack Monroe's website. :)


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  • Gaina
    Gaina Online Community Member Posts: 135 Empowering
    Victoriad said:
    I think she’s Scottish as I’m sure she used to have a Wednesday afternoon slot on Radio Scotland.


    Jack's from Southend-on-Sea. ?
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  • fishingmum
    fishingmum Online Community Member Posts: 562 Empowering
    @VictoriadI have never had it, I think making sure parsnips and parsley etc are not planted near my carrots and also stock rotation helps, also planting at different times making sure I get most of them. I don't plant parsnips winter or early spring but instead plant them mid summer, less likely to attract the fly, a few of my earlies I also let go to seed so it keeps the rest of the year going. keeping my fingers crossed for you about your queen.
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  • fishingmum
    fishingmum Online Community Member Posts: 562 Empowering
    I use autumn king, which grows fine the rest of the year too lol, not a lovely thought about them being aggressive hope you have medication at hand just in case
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  • fishingmum
    fishingmum Online Community Member Posts: 562 Empowering
    OMG, you really need to be careful, go bee keep by proxy lol, Think I would move closer to a & e and give up the bees if I were in your position, I am certainly not brave enough.