Play Dictionary

When you're bored and there's nothing in the room but a stuffy old dictionary and a friend or two as bored as you, you're in luck. Dictionaries are a great read and you can take it in turns. No wait, that's not what this article is about! Some people might enjoy reading them but this is the ''game'' dictionary and it's a lot more fun. Play on.





Steps

1. Have at least two players. It's not only a little lonely by yourself but the game won't work. There isn't really any upper limit and a larger group can result in more shouting and merriment.
2. Pick the dictionary master/mistress/fiend. The name doesn't really matter provided this person can read and has a good imagination.
3. Have the dictionary fiend quickly flip through the dictionary looking for a difficult word. The dictionary fiend must quickly make up two alternative definitions and provide a real one as well. We'll use the word "irrefragable" as an example. The dictionary fiend would ask the other players:
Does the word "irrefragable" mean:
Something that cannot be unravelled or loosened?
**An argument or fact that cannot be disputed? [this is the right response but you don't tell]
**A fragrance that has gone off in a bad way?
4. Allow the players to answer. They are allowed to ask questions and the dictionary fiend is allowed to embellish the answers. The first person to get it right gets a point.
5. Keep playing until a set number of points is won by a person (or a team if you prefer). Five is a good set number. The dictionary fiend is then the person who won (or a member of the team). Play for as long as the fun keeps going; it can become tiring after a while of guessing and it does tend to degenerate into very silly statements as people tire of it!

Tips

*The arguments can be great fun if you have good sports on the team.

*Be sure to have dictionary fiends who are good with making things up.

Materials

*A quality dictionary that has a lot of long, hard and long-forgotten English words in it. Most dictionaries should suffice.

Photo courtesy of Daquella Manera's Flickr photostream.

Rhubarb Pie

Rhubarb is delicious any way and especially in a pie. This recipe makes about 6 - 8 servings.

Ingredients

Pastry:

• 200g plain flour
• 50g brown sugar
• 100g butter, cubed
• 1 egg yolk
• A little water

Filling:

• 550g rhubarb stalks, cleaned and cut into 5cm pieces (discard the tips of the stalks)
• 200 ml water
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 100g sugar
• 1 apple, peeled and cut into small pieces
  

Steps

1. Mix the pastry ingredients together to form a soft dough.
2. Boil the water with the lemon juice and sugar.
3. Add the pieces of rhubarb to cook. Cook for around two minutes.
4. Remove from the heat. Add the apple pieces and stir in.
5. Drain the liquid and leave the fruit to cool.
6. Roll the pie base.
7. Add the cooled fruit and cover the pie with the top pastry piece and seal the edges.
8. Prick the pie top a few times for steam vent holes.
9. Place in the oven at 160ºC and cook for 20 minutes, or until golden.
   

Materials

• Large cooking pot
• Wooden spoon
• Pie dish
• Fork

Photo courtesy of Paul Goyette's Flickr Photostream.

Making Lawn Clipping Tea

Lawn clipping tea is a simple and fabulous plant tonic. It is easy to make and apply.


Steps

1. Place the bucket of cut grass into the netting bag.
2. Hang the bag in a bucket of water. Make sure that the bucket is sitting somewhere steady and cannot be knocked by animals or people.
   
3. Leave it there for one to two weeks. The nutrients will leach from the cut grass into the water.
4. Use. Pour small amounts over your garden and pot plants. It acts as a tonic and revitalizes plants, as well as strengthening them. It will help them to grow stronger and gain disease-resistant qualities.

Precautions

• This preparation does get a little smelly. Just block your nose and use it!
  

Materials

• One bucket of freshly cut grass
• Netting bag (the ones used for onions, oranges etc.), large
• Bucket or other large container

Photo courtesy of R.F.M. LL's Flickr Photostream.

Using Kids' Sports Time Productively

If you're waiting for your children during their sports time, it can sometimes feel like wasted time in between the cheering and encouragement, as you think about the 101 things needing to be done back home. There are a lot of things that you can do to make good use of the time.

Steps

1. Write thank you notes and letters. Use this time to do some snail mail catching up with family and friends. Take a clipboard to lean on.
   
2. Exercise. Walk around the sports field or back and forth in an area where you can still keep your children in sight. Walk fast, slow, fast for a varied and more interesting pace. Or, if you can slip away and use a gym in the building, do so.
   
3. Catch up with downloaded iPod shows that you have been meaning to catch up on.
4. Think about problems that need solving. Take a pad and pen and write down all the solutions that come to mind as you mull them over.
5. Phone a family member or friend you haven't had time to talk to for ages.
6. Do some reading. If you're studying, read study materials. Or read a novel, a paper, or a favourite magazine.
7. Use the time for planning events and future children's activities. This can be a great time to sit back and assess the future events coming up and adding them to your diary, writing lists of things you need to do or get, and to put down reminders of people you need to talk with.
8. Catch up with some unfinished hobby work if it's portable. Embroidery, cross-stitch and knitting are great portable projects that you can keep working on during this spare time.

Materials

• Paper and pen
• Reading material
• Hobby material
• iPod
• Mobile phone (cell phone)
• Diary

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Preventing Ponds Turning Green in Warmer Weather

Green ponds are commonplace during warmer months, as algae takes over a pond and thrives. The algae not only spoils the appearance of the pond (slimy and gunky) but also starves other plants and aquatic life out. Keeping a pond from changing to green can be solved without chemicals by relying on a plant solution.


Steps

1. Plant a water lily. The water lily's floating leaves are large and keep the water shaded. This discourages algal growth.
2. Look for other oxygenating plants for your pond. Ask your local nursery for ideas. When you use pond plants that create shade, absorb minerals and carbon dioxide, these plants make the environment unpleasant for algae.
3. Keep the pond clean. As well as removing pond weed regularly, it is also important to remove dead and decaying foliage and aquatic life.

Tips

• Don't leave fish food to build up; it provides too many algae-tasty nutrients.

Materials

• Water lily or similar suitable plant

Photo courtesy of Dawnzy 58's Flickr Photostream.

Controlling Vigorous Pond Weed

Pond weed that takes over a pond can sap the life force from it and prevent the fish from thriving and even suffocate them, as well as starving out other plants. It is a really good idea to keep it under control regularly during growing season, to ensure that the pond remains very healthy. This article provides some suggestions for getting started.



Steps

1. Put on gumboots and some good waterproof outdoor work gloves.
   
2. Drag out a third of the pond weed. You will need to do this every few weeks during growing season.
   
3. Check that you haven't caught any fish in the weed that is been removed. Use a garden knife to break weed that will not pull apart.
4. Leave the pond weed pulled out to one side of the pond on the ground. Let it sit overnight; this gives any small creatures such as water snails and any insects to go back into the pond.
5. Throw the weed into the compost bin the next day.
   
6. Keep an eye on the pond regularly to check for excessive growth.

Materials

• Gumboots
• Waterproof gardening gloves
• Gardening knife

Photo courtesy of Leezie 5's Flickr Photostream.

Spiced Cherries

These are a great garnish for dish presentation if you leave the stalks attached.





Ingredients

• 1 kg cherries
• 6 cups white vinegar
• 750 g sugar
• 12 cloves
• 1 tbsp peppercorns
• 2 cinnamon sticks

1. Clean the cherries. Discard any that are marked (eat them!).
2. Put the clean cherries into a large jar that has been warmed slightly.
3. Combine the vinegar, sugar, cloves, peppercorns and cinnamon sticks in a saucepan. Bring to the boil and allow to boil for 2 minutes.
4. Pour this hot vinegar mix over the cherries in the jar. Cover the fruit completely with the vinegar mix.
5. Cover the jar with a cloth and put somewhere out of the way for one week. During this time, the cherries are pickling.
6. Pour the vinegar off into a saucepan after one week. Bring it to boil and pour over the cherries again. Allow the contents to cool completely before sealing tightly. Store in a cool place or the refrigerator.

• Leave the pit in; provided you leave the stalk attached, it is obvious that the pit is still intact.

Photo courtesy of Bensonkua's Flickr Photostream. I am the original author of this article but it is placed elsewhere on the internet in tradition with my wish to spread the knowledge widely.

Repair Hair Damaged with Split Ends with Sunflower Oil

Sunflower oil is an excellent hair treatment. It can do wonders for healing split ends.




Ingredients

• 40ml/ 8 tbsp sunflower oil

Steps

1. Massage the sunflower oil into dry hair. Massage it right from the roots down to the tips of your hair.
2. Relax. Let the oil sit in your hair for 20 minutes. This is a good excuse to kick back and read a good novel somewhere comfortable. Just be sure to put a towel between your hair and any chair.
3. After 20 minutes have passed, massage through a quality, unscented shampoo. Again, massage right from the roots to the tips of your hair, aiming to cover every hair.
   
4. Hop into the shower and rinse the oil and shampoo out. Your hair will feel soft and lovely after this treatment.

Tips

• Repeat weekly until signs of improvement occur.

Photo courtesy of Chris de Curtis' Photostream.

Venetian Glass Beads - A Small Wonder

Venetian glass beads are wonderful - they have long been the height of elegance and beauty in glass beads. They are produced in Murano, Italy. Back in 1291, the ruling Doges were afraid of the potential for a fire in Venice, so they banned the fire kilns and furnaces used to make glass beads from Venice. The manufacturers moved to Murano but couldn't go anywhere else for centuries because the Doges wanted to keep their monopoly over the glassmaking. This strict monopoly lasted for centuries. However, in the late 1600s, rival glassworks were set up in other countries, in such centres as London, Amsterdam and Bohemia.

You are probably familiar with millefiori glass cane mosaic beads. Their name refers to it seeming as if each bead is decorated with a thousand small flowers. An old technique once used by Phonecians and Romans, the artisans in Murano redeveloped it for their glassworks and we still have it to this day!

Photo courtesy of Iris Dragon's Flickr photostream.

Using Natural Materials for Beading

A lot of people are enjoying bead craft in one form or another. Beads can be expensive to buy if we need a lot to sustain a hobby; or, they may be made of materials such as plastics which are not so great for the environment. The solution can be to make more use of natural materials for beading projects. Here are some suggestions.



Steps

1. Make your own clay beads. You can make beads really easily using clay. Shapes are really endless - circles, ovals, tubes, squares, diamonds and more. They can be used naturally once dried, or you can paint and/or glaze them.
2. Consider animal by-products. This won't be for everyone but it is a time-honoured tradition to use up all of an animal, including horns, hooves, hair, teeth and bone to make ornaments. Plus, you don't have to kill an animal to get some animal derived bead material. Consider horsehair rolled into a bead - if you own a horse, you'll easy find tail and mane hair stuck to fences, posts and stable areas etc. The seaside is crammed with shells, fish cartilages and bones and other washed up debris of animal origin. Antlers, horns and other items are often shed and found on the forest floor. All of these items can be turned into excellent beads.
3. Think plants. Seed pods can make wonderful beads, as well as other tree and plant seeds, nuts, gnarled wood knots and other hard plant pieces with interesting shapes. Pieces of fossilized plants can make excellent beads too; if you're lucky enough to find them and they aren't classified as protected.
4. Try minor gems. Those little treasure chests of tiny gems sold in museum and science discovery shops are not just for cluttering up the mantelpiece - these make great bead objects for beading.
5. Keep an eye out when walking in nature. You can be inspired by anything natural to make wonderful beadwork. Let your imagination help you choose.

Materials

• Natural beads
• Project patterns or plans
  

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Designing a Good Kitchen Layout

Kitchens have to be perfect; they are so vital to the smooth running of the whole house. They can either make or break your desire to cook. So getting it right when you renovate or build from scratch is absolutely essential. Here are some things to think about.

Steps

1. Look at your current kitchen. Think about what works and what doesn't. Keep this in mind the entire time you are planning. You will want to avoid what has driven you crazy and you will want to replicate those essential things that you couldn't imagine being without.
2. Think functional. Sure, a pretty design is important but above all, a kitchen must work and work well. Always put quality of functionality first; if you buy well, you'll get both functionality and beauty in one.
3. Always leave space for preparing food next to the cooking area. And make sure that the sink is also near both the cooking and the preparation areas.
4. Plan your cupboard and drawer space down to the last detail. Even before you build, you should know the purpose of each cupboard and drawer. That way, you won't be burdened with the wrong choices or miss out on having enough space. Don't skimp on drawer space - drawers in kitchens are like shoe rack space in bedrooms - you can never have too many.
   
5. Make space for rubbish disposal, recycling bins and food scraps. These are better out of sight and close to hand for ease of use.
6. Get good lighting. A well-lit kitchen is a dream to work in. A poorly lit one will be avoided and the fast food mentality might creep in...
7. Make a space for condiments and herbs and spices that are used regularly in cooking. These are best near the cooking space, to inspire and for ease of access.
8. Borrow ideas from restaurants, friends' houses, magazines, travel etc. to import into your kitchen design.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Drive to Preserve Australian Wildlife

Driving in Australia can be a hazard for you if you hit a roo. But mostly, it's a hazard for the wildlife that unwittingly venture out onto our roads. If you want to help keep the wildlife encounters right down, here are some ideas.




Steps

1. Be a defensive driver. This means being alert at all times and being ready for the unexpected. Know in advance if you are driving through an area of high wildlife; usually there will be signs alerting you and other clear indicators include bush, trees, grass on the verges etc. And droppings and other roadkill are also big indicators.
   
2. Keep your speed to allow for wildlife stopping distances. 90 kph is a recommended wildlife speed on open stretches of road; lower for curvy and blind corner roads. Much lower for nighttime driving.
   
3. Drive during the day in rural, outback, mountainous and wilderness areas. Most Australian native animals are active at night. If you do have to drive in these areas at between dusk and dawn, slow down! This is a time for careful driving rather than fast driving. Use all your headlights at night (front and side) and make sure that they are in good working order.
   
4. Take extra care during drought and prolonged dry seasons. Roadside vegetation becomes very attractive when all else has been munched out. More wildlife will be around during drier seasons.
   
5. Slow down when you see wildlife. As soon as you spot wildlife, slow right down. The animal doesn't know that you just intend to drive on through; it will be afraid and may react by running at you rather than from you. Give it wide berth and time to pass safely across the road or back to where it came from. Small toots as you slow right down can help discourage it from your car but only do this if no other cars are around or it could simply run in front of someone else's car.
6. Slow down around fresh roadkill. This is a danger sign that there might be birds hovering around and other wildlife that is either trying to eat the kill or there even could be a baby or family member hanging around.
7. Understand how Australian animals react when frightened. Unfortunately, they have their own style each:

• Kangaroos and wallabies - hop quickly, across a lot of ground and can bolt all of a sudden
• Wombats - they usually keep going in a straight line
• Possums - will often freeze
• Bandicoots - randomly hop about with no certain path
• Ferals - cats tend to run straight, horses can bolt and rear, pigs run straight or alongside etc.
  

Tips

• Use your horn to warn. If you think there might be animals, alert them of your presence by tooting as you pass through. This can be specially helpful for mountainous curves where animals can spring out across the road without warning as you turn corners. Also areas with long or thick vegetation can hide animals.
• Feed yourself and your rubbish bin, not the wildlife. Never throw food scraps out the window and don't leave food by the roadside. This is asking for wildlife to come too close.
• If you do hit wildlife, and it is safe to do so, pull it to the side of the road so that other animals do not become inadvertent victims while feeding of it. If possible, check for joeys etc. in pouches and rescue them if you can. It can be handy to keep a pair of thick gloves in the back of the car for such a task and a blanket to wrap any baby in.
• You can have warning devices fitted to your car; enquire about them at your local RSPCA, environmental organisations etc.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Make a Pumpkin Seed Necklace

Elizabeth Cullum in her delightful book A Cottage Herbal tells us how to make a pumpkin seed necklace. This is a great activity to share with youngsters, who enjoy finding the best pumpkin seeds and helping to make the necklace.





You'll need:

• Pumpkin seeds, washed and well dried (put out in the sun or dry in a very cool oven)
• Strong thread
• Needle

Steps

1. Make sure that the pumpkin seeds have dried completely.
2. Prepare your strong thread in the needle. Pull the thread through each pumpkin seed.
3. Tie a knot in the end. The length of the necklace is completely up to you.

Tips

• Elizabeth also suggests dyeing them if wished. She uses cold tea to soak the pumpkin seeds a mahogany colour. Hang the seeds to dry in the wind after dyeing.
• Pumpkin seeds can be replaced by melon or marrow seeds.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Quinoa Salad

Quinoa salad is delicious. Quinoa is very high in protein - a complete protein filled with essential amino acids - and it was a staple grain of the Incas. It tastes nutty and has a very enjoyable chewy texture.





Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 1/2 cup cilantro/coriander, fresh and chopped
• 1/2 cup watercress
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions (spring onions/scallions)
• 1/2 cup lemon juice, fresh
• 1/4 cup olive oil (good quality)
• 1/2 tsp crushed garlic
• 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 2 tomatoes, quartered
• 1 lemon, cut into 8 quarters

Steps

1. Mix the ingredients together, apart from the tomatoes and lemon.
2. Continue mixing until well blended.
3. Refrigerate for 3 hours in a glass bowl.
4. Remove the salad from the refrigerator. Garnish with the tomato wedges and lemon slices. Serve.

Materials

• Bowl (glass)
  
• Mixing spoon
• Fridge

Photo courtesy of Fran Ulloa's Flickr Photostream.

Tuscany Beans

Tuscany beans is a dish that is tasty and easy. It pretty much cooks itself and to complete it, all you need to add is a delicious green salad. It's a very healthy dish and not for the garlic feint-hearted.



Ingredients

• 500g / 1lb haricot beans, soaked in water overnight (cold water)
• salt
• 3 plump garlic cloves, chopped finely
• 5 sage leaves, fresh and finely chopped; can substitute 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
• 6 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped (canned ones are fine)
• Black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Steps

1. Drain the haricot beans after soaking. Put into a saucepan and add a teaspoon of salt and enough cold water to cover. Bring to the boil and let simmer for 20 minutes.
2. Strain the beans. They will still be very firm. Keep the liquid in a large bowl.
3. Preheat the oven to 150ºC/300ºF.
4. Toss the beans, garlic, sage and tomatoes together. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Put the mixture into a casserole dish. Pack down soundly and pour over the olive oil.
6. Cover with a piece of greaseproof paper and then add the lid.
7. Bake in the oven just below the centre until the beans are soft. This will take about 5 - 6 hours.

* Serves 6

Materials

• Saucepan
• Strainer
• Large bowl
• Mixing spoon
• Casserole dish with lid
• Greaseproof paper

Photo courtesy of Eric Perrone's Flickr photostream.

On Selecting Beetroot

Beetroot is a fabulous winter vegetable that brings a vibrancy to salad and main meal dishes. Selecting quality beetroot is easy if your follow these steps.




Steps

1. Look for firm beetroot when buying. If it is soft, it is too old to have a good taste and texture.
2. Look at the leaves. If you are purchasing beetroot that has leaves (which is preferred), make sure that they are green and not wilted. Yellowed and wilted leaves are a sign that the beetroot has been around too long.
3. Select unblemished beetroot with firm roots. Damaged beetroot can be eaten but it will not store well. (Thoughtful Foods)
4. Prefer smaller beetroot over larger ones. They are usually sweeter. (Weight Watchers, All About Beetroot)

Tips

• Older beetroot tends to have lost its sugars, which turn to starch. This makes the beetroot texture turn "fluffy" and it is less palatable than when it is sweet and new.
• Fresh, unblemished beetroot will store for 10 days or so in a refrigerator crisper. (Taste, Beetroot) Remove the stalks and leaves and keep these in a separate bag (these can be eaten too).
• Beetroots can be eaten raw or cooked.

Materials

• Quality vegetable supplier

Taken from my post on wikiHow and Ethical Living. Photo courtesy of Zed.Cat's Flickr Photostream.

Curried Tempeh Burgers

Tempeh is a high nutrient food that is really good for you. A traditional food in Indonesia, it is made using whole, hulled, or cooked soy beans that have been exposed to mould and left to ferment for a brief period of time. Tempeh has a chewy texture and a nut-like flavour that makes it perfect for a range of dishes. These burgers are one great example of using tempeh.

Ingredients

• 1 8oz packet of tempeh
• 1/2 cup low-fat, plain yoghurt (soy derived if vegan)
  
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ginger, minced
• 1 tsp coriander, ground
• 1 tsp cayenne
• 1 tsp curry powder

Steps

1. Cut the tempeh block into two pieces.
2. Mix all of the ingredients together expect for the tempeh. Keep mixing until it is combined well.
3. Add the two pieces of tempeh to the mixture.
4. Cover the mixture and place in the refrigerator. Allow to marinate for a minimum of one hour, longer if desired. It is important to turn the tempeh at least once during the marinating.
5. Preheat a grill to medium heat.
6. Remove the tempeh from the fridge and place on the grill. Grill for 3-4 minutes on each side.
7. Remove and serve. This goes well with a hearty salad and some beetroot slices.

Materials

• Mixing bowl
• Knife and cutting board
• Grill
• Cover for bowl when marinating (damp tea towel, lid etc.)

Taken from my post on Ethical Living.

Photo courtesy of Fotoos Van Robin's Flickr Photostream

How to Make Pear Jam

Fancy making some Pear Jam? Circe couldn't imagine anything more pleasant to make on a rainy, chilly Sunday night when the TV proved dull, the weather was threatening and pears sat there asking her questions about their utility.

This pear jam is a great treat. Goes well on toast and is a marvellous accompaniment to cheese dishes for the cheese-hearted. It is also great smeared over crepes (thin pancakes). Come to think of it, it probably goes well over thick pancakes too. It is probably suitable for market stall goodies too - put it in a lovely jar with a neat bow and add the cheese platter suggestion. Give extra jars to friends. They'll appreciate it. Lots.

Ingredients

• 1.5kg/3lb firm pears
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 4 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons five spice powder

Steps

1. Wash the peels before beginning.
2. Peel and quarter the pears. Remove the cores. Keep the peel and trimmings.
3. In a heavy-based pan, place the pears. Pour over enough cold water to cover the pears.
4. Bring to the boil, then immediately reduce to simmer. Continue to simmer until the pears become very soft. This will take around half an hour, give or take a bit (keep an eye on it).
5. Using a slotted spoon, lift out the fruit. Leave the pears to one side on a plate.
6. Throw the peel and trimmings in the liquid and boil for 10 minutes.
7. Cut the cooling pears into small pieces. The shapes do not matter.
8. Strain the boiled liquid and remove the peelings. Press out as much juice as possible from the peelings before discarding them.
9. Measure the liquid and make up to 1 cup using cold water.
10. Return the liquid to the pan with the lemon juice and add the sugar and spice. Stir together well over moderate heat. Keep stirring until the sugar dissolves.
11. Boil the dissolved mixture rapidly. Test a few drops now and then on a cool plate. When these drops form a jelly, add the pears back in.
12. Boil rapidly until the jam thickens and turns into jelly when tested on a plate. The pears should be golden and transparent.
13. Cool the jam a little in the pan removed from the heat.
14. Pour the jam into clean, sterilised jars; seal and cover once cooled. Store in the refrigerator.

Tips

* It helps to label the jars and date them.
* Wash the pears because you will be using the peel.
* Use a slotted spoon as it allows the liquid to pour back into the pan. Wooden slotted spoons are preferable as the wood does not react with fruit.

Materials

* Peeler
* Knife and chopping board
* Heavy-based pan suitable for making jam
* Cup
* Plate
* Jars for storing jam, sterilised properly

Photo courtesy of CW Buecheler's Flickr Photostream

Ecosourcing

Ecosourcing is about growing native plants using local seeds. When growing locally, the plants produced are much more suited to the narrow local environment and its specific conditions than the same species introduced from elsewhere.

One benefit of ecosourcing is the ability to maintain the widest possible diversity within species, rather than enabling a more generic overlay to take hold within a plant species. Any unique characteristics that belong to local variants of plant life will be maintained when ecosourcing is practised and promoted.

For the garden, there is increased suitability and hardiness of your plants that have been ecosourced. Encourage your local nursery to ecosource by explaining the benefits to your garden and the region you are in. Be aware that even in the same city, areas may vary between hill suburbs, beach suburbs and river flat suburbs, so keep this in mind when ecosourcing your plants.

Projects that concentrate on restoring flora to a region benefit greatly from ecosourcing as a means for bringing a place back to the way it once was.

Taken from my original writing on Ethical Living.

Dealing with Harlequin Bugs

Are Harlequin bugs having their way with your garden? They are a pretty bug but menacing, with damage in store for plants. However, before you reach for those chemical sprays that take no prisoners, think twice...




Steps

1. Avoid chemical sprays. Chemical sprays are indiscriminate and will kill all the predators of this bug. And, you will most likely discover that it survived even though its predators did not.
2. Be proactive. Put on the gardening gloves and start physically removing them. Go out early morning when you can catch them congregating and shake them off the plant onto a sheet of newspaper or plastic below. Pluck of any that hang on and toss them on the pile. Try popping or tipping them into a jar which is partially filled with methylated spirits; this will kill them quickly. Soapy water in a bucket also works well. Beware squashing them - they stink; hence the reason for wearing gloves.
   
3. Be patient. Their predators will eventually succeed but it is a cycle that requires patience. Within about 18 months, the balance should be restored to the garden and the harlequin bugs will be back under control.
4. Keep weeds under control. Healthy plants are more resistant to bug infestations. Give plants a better chance by removing competitors in the form of weeds. And keep all the good plants well watered and fertilised.
   

Tips

• Watch the brassicas. Harlequins like them. They are also partial to radishes and turnips.
• Consider using a garden vacuum as another means for mopping them up.
• Use a garden shovel or funnel to collect the bugs and tip them into the bucket or jar if you are squeamish.
• Soap spray can sometimes work if it contacts the bugs directly on the plant.
  

Materials

• Gardening gloves
• Plastic sheet or newspapers for catching the bugs
  
• Jar partly filled with methylated spirits, or a bucket of soapy water

*Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Quick fix for blender, mincer, processor blades

If you are in a pickle over cleaning sticky dampened blades with pieces of food stuck in hard-to-reach corners of the blades on a kitchen appliance, this old-fashioned remedy might be just the answer you're looking for.

Steps

1. Make sure that the blades are moist - this method is for removing moist particles.
2. Run a piece or two of dried bread through the blades. Stale pieces at the end of the loaf are excellent for this purpose.
3. Dispose of the crumbs into your compost pile. Check the blades - they should be nicely cleaned of any sticking pieces, making washing them a total breeze!

Materials

• Stale or dry bread
• Blades (blender, grinder, processor etc.)

*Photo courtesy of Redjar.

Simple Eggless Cake

Looking for a way to make a great cake without eggs? This is a neat old-fashioned recipe and you will likely have most ingredients in the pantry already.

Ingredients

• 1/4 lb butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup fruit and nuts of choice, chopped finely
• 1 grated lemon or orange rind
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons mixed spice
• 2 cups flour, sifted
  
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
  

Steps

1. Put all ingredients except for flour and baking soda into a saucepan. Boil for 5 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and allow to cool right down.
3. Add the sifted flour when the mixture is nearly cold and the baking soda. Mix in well.
4. Pour mixture into a loaf tin/pan for baking.
   
5. Bake in a moderate oven (350ºF/180ºC) for about one hour.
6. Remove from oven and cool cake on a wire cooling rack. Ice if wished when cool.
   

Tips

• Substitute the butter for vegan margarine if you would like a non-dairy version of this cake.
  

Materials

• Saucepan
• Wooden mixing spoon
• Baking pan, loaf shape; line with baking paper/parchment to prevent sticking
• Wire rack for cooling
  

Apple, Banana and Citrus Jam

This is a delicious jam with an interesting combination of fruits that can often be spotted getting a little too old on the kitchen counter. It has a lot of sugar (beware!) which ensures that this keeps well.

Ingredients

• 3 large cooking apples
• 3 bananas
• 2 lemons
• 2 large oranges
• 5 cups water
• 4 cups sugar

Steps

1. Peel the apples and core them. Cut into square pieces approximately 2.5cm/1" diameter.
2. Peel the bananas and slice.
3. After washing the lemons well, slice them very finely (including the peel).
   
4. Cut the flesh of the oranges into small cubes
5. Place all cut ingredients into a large pan suitable for jam making.
6. Add the water and leave to simmer for around 2 hours, checking regularly.
7. Add the sugar and simmer for another hour. The jam is ready on thickening.
   
8. Bottle and seal as usual.

Materials

• Chopping board and knife
• Large cooking pan
• Stirring spoon (wooden)
• Sterilised bottle with seal
  

*Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Vegetarian Sausages

While there are many versions of meatless sausages available on supermarket shelves these days, they can be quite pricey. This recipe is for a basic meatless sausage recipe which you can play around with and adapt to your own tastes over time by adding spices, fresh herbs, veggie pieces etc., once you are used to making the basic version.


Ingredients

• 1 cup soaked and cooked dried peas, beans, lentils or lima beans
• ½ cup dried breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup fat, e.g., olive oil, macadamia nut oil, butter, margarine
• 1 egg (or use egg replacer if preferred)
• ½ teaspoon crushed sea salt
• 1 teaspoon sage, dried
• Flour to roll sauasage in

Steps

1. Mix all the ingredients together.
2. Take small handfuls and shape into sausages.
3. Roll each sausage in flour.
4. Fry in olive oil.

Tips

• Serve with sauce or chutney to bring out the flavours and to add moisture.

Materials

• Mixing bowl
• Mixing implement
• Floured board or clean workspace
• Bowl for flour
• Frying pan/skillet

Reference
Article sourced from public domain materials: C. Houston Goudiss and Alberta M Goudiss, Foods that Will Win the War and How to Cook Them, 1918; public domain resource - this eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at Gutenberg.

*Photo courtesy of Ewan M.

Banana Marmalade

Banana marmalade is a delightfully different kind of marmalade that your grandmother might have made. This recipe originates from an old New Zealand booklet called "Enquire Within", dating somewhere back in the 40's by the looks of the images and the corsets... Anyway, it's a good recipe, so enjoy the outcome.

Ingredients

• 2 lb bananas, after peeling
• 2 lb sugar
• 2 lemons, juiced and grated (juicing before grating is a much easier experience)

Steps

1. Cut the bananas into thick rounds about 1/2"/1.5cm thick.
2. Put the banana slices, sugar, lemon juice and grated lemon rind into a double boiler. Cook until the sugar dissolves.
3. Put the cooked mixture into a preserving pan. Bring to the boil gradually, stirring constantly. Skim off any scum that froths up.
4. Continue to boil fast, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes thick and sets.
5. Pour into a suitable glass container for storage. Seal. It is best kept refrigerated after opening and used within three months.
   

Materials

• Knife and chopping board
• Double boiler
• Preserving pan
• Wooden spoon
• Jar for storage, sterilised