We have a busy week at Little Forge Farm, so I like to prepare everything on the weekend to make it easier to be self-sufficient. I also have Wednesdays at home to do additional meal prep, but the weekend is where the long-term magic happens!
Making soap
I know we need more soap when we get down to the last few bars. We seem to have soap in a million places- showers, and bathroom and laundry basins. We go through about 5 bars a week. I always find a basic 3-part recipe on the internet and modify it to my liking. I prepare calendula oil ahead of time as it needs time to sit. Calendula is really good for skin sensitivities and issues like acne and eczema, it also has a nice lather. Castile recipes are pretty forgiving and I haven’t made a bad batch yet. It only takes about 30 minutes so is really easy to do. It lasts until we use it up, so one batch will last about a month here! You do have to be organized as the batch then needs to ‘sit’ for a few weeks before use.
Harvest fruit/ make cordial
I will harvest whatever is growing. This weekend I found a lot of rhubarb in the garden. I made a lovely summery rhubarb cordial. It’s such a pretty pink color! I harvested some black currants to make cordial but as the harvest has just begun, I don’t have enough yet. I will freeze these until I have enough for a batch. This is another job that takes only 30 minutes. I reuse glass bottles and store them in the fridge. Nothing feels more self-sufficient than using home grown fruit!
Wash and card wool
I have a few bags of wool from our sheep, so I need to process this to be able to spin it. I have been waiting for a hot day to dry the wool before I commit to washing it. This takes a bit longer and I can only do one bag a day otherwise it won’t dry. These aren’t shopping bags, by the way, they are big feed sacks. I can soak some wool in hot water while I do other small jobs, then I can drain it and put it out to dry and repeat with the next lot. If I get time, I’ll spin some yarn or set a skein. I love seeing the whole process from raw wool to finished product, knowing that I have made it myself. I love how self-sufficient wool is, and its a very grounding, mindful process too.
Mushroom logs
This is so super self-sufficient! We cut our own logs and used beeswax that we traded for to seal the dowel plugs. We only had to buy the mushroom spawn. My eldest has a plan to grow mushrooms on logs. He’s bought the inoculated dowels and Dad has harvested the fresh oak logs. He needs guidance on drilling the holes and waxing the ends. This takes about an hour. The plan for the mushrooms is for our own eating, but also potentially as a commercial crop. He wants to sell them at market, so watch this space!
Gardening
Of course, when you’re aiming for self-sufficiency, gardening is never-ending. I try to do a little bit for 15 minutes a day so it’s not a chore. With small children underfoot, I often only have 15 minutes anyway! It is great to get them involved in gardening, and I can let my 4-year-old loose picking and eating parsley and strawberries, but sometimes you just need 15 minutes of uninterrupted time.
Meal prep
Here is where I’ll bake some brownie or biscuits, make some crackers, pesto and hummus. I’ll make a quick mayo, and set up some yoghurt to stay warm for the next 24 hours. I’ll make a large batch of basic dough that can be used for baguettes, loaf and dinner rolls. All of this takes about 2 hours. I also like to make some snacks with things that are nearing their use-by. I have home grown walnuts from last year, and we will be getting another crop in a few months, so I make candied walnuts with these. I can also set some sprouts and roast veges for lunches and salads.
