VegBox Recipes Blog

If you’re anything like me, you could have a bit of what I call my “Amazon habit”. I love books. I read all I can. There’s something about lying in bed with a book that beats my laptop screen any day.

I was recently brave (in my eyes!) and sold 50 of my books and gave away about 100 to charity. Yet my bookshelves are still groaning. I moved house in December and took more boxes of books than anything else.

“Try the local library!” I hear you cry. Well, where we used to live, the library rarely stocked anything on the topics that interested me. Whilst they could order books from other libraries, this cost me a hefty reservation fee and could take up to 6 months. We’re due to check out our new local library this week.

So I have frequently ended up online then waiting, eagerly, for the postie to call.

But it seems there is an alternative. A friend of mine recently told me about Green Metropolis. It’s a website where you can “reuse and recyecle” your old books by buying and selling, with a slice going to a green charity. Sounds like a great idea and I’ll be giving it a go soon.

I’m sure it’s not the only place doing this. Do you have any ideas or suggestions?

Thanks!
Clare x

It’s official – we’ve started work on the allotment.

Actually, I use “we” in the loosest sense of the term. What this actually means is I’ve started some work and Louis has been having great fun digging up my new seeds and being chased by me around other people’s immaculate plots!

So far I have learned that there’s “no point planting carrots ‘cos the badgers’ll get’em.” I’ve had this from 3 independent sources now, so I guess I have to believe it. Unfortunately the warning came after we had planted our seedlings, so we’ll have to see whether we can manage to be the first ever allotment members to succeed in a carrot harvest.

We have now planted rocket, lettuce, spinach, radish, spring onions and some early French beans (under plastic milk bottle cloches). I’m sure the other tennants are much amused by the string I’ve used to mark out the beds. But later in the season I’m hoping (delusionally) to reap the benefit of teaching my toddler where he can and can’t walk. Yeah.. Dream on!

This week, I’m hoping to start on peas and some more herbs. We’ve missed the potato and onion season for this year, so I’ll just have to learn that from the resident experts, ready for next year.

But it’s funny how a single comment can make you seriously doubt your sanity. This week it was, “Hmm… Interesting… So you’re planting seeds… I haven’t got any in yet. Won’t do for a while.”

Ho hum. That’s why I’ve got the allotment – to learn what works and what doesn’t – and hopefully to have a summer full of scrummy veggies.

Have any of you out there got allotments or veggie gardens? What are you growing this year? I’d love to hear from you!
Thanks

Clare

After 2 years of not-so-patient waiting, we’ve finally got a half allotment.

Officially, we’re still on the waiting list for a full allotment, but one of the guys who had two has decided he’d like to share one of his, so we can get started early. Thank you!!!

He’s such a sweetie – he’s even rotavated it twice for us, so I don’t have to spend days digging it over (very kind, given that I’m 6 1/2 months pregnant…).

So now starts the exciting bit. What to grow?

Timing is perfect, with the majority of summer and autumn crops needing planting in April and May. And I suspect our problem will be fitting everything in – some self-restraint might be needed?

The thought of my 2 year-old growing his own carrots and picking his own peas is actually quite exciting.

And, to be honest, given the drastic nationwide shortage of allotments, I feel priveleged to have one. Especially at £5 per year in rent.

So if any of you have any tips on how to get started with an allotment – what to do, which mistakes to avoid – please, please, please pass them on! I’d love to know.

Thank you!

Clare

What’s the hot thing to give up this year for Lent?

It seems that no longer are chocolate, booze and fags enough. It’s supermarkets.

Those embarking on a greener lifestyle are, apparently, committing to kick their supermarket habit from now till Easter.

“Why would they bother?” I hear you ask.

Good question.

Maybe it’s the fact that supermarkets seem to be controlling so much of our food chain? Maybe it’s the over-use of air freighting to ship in out-of-season produce? Maybe it’s a desire to eat more locally produced food and directly support the producers?

Whatever the reason, giving up on supermarkets requires extra effort.

Yet it can be so much more relaxing.

Getting a veg box delivered and topping up with products from the local farm shop might seem like a hassle, but it can be so much less stressful than an after-work slog round Tesco’s.

Let’s face it, does anyone actually enjoy pushing an oversized trolley with stubbornly wonky wheels round a crowded superstore and then standing in a queue for 10 minutes, only to find your loyalty card isn’t working?

But what do you think?

Is there any point in giving up your supermarket shopping? Why would people do it?

Tell us what you think and vote in our poll on the Veg Box Recipes forum:

http://forum.vegbox-recipes.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=63

Clare

If you’re looking for last-minute Christmas present ideas, forget socks and after shave. Here’s a round-up of some of the things you can buy your loved ones, to really make a difference.

Action Aid – Gifts In Action

The website is easy to use, with gifts split by price and by category.

They have ideas for everyone from “bathroom hoggers” to “chocoholics”, so you’re bound to find something to inspire. Prices start at £8 for cocoa seedlings and go up to £411, to train a midwife.

And for each gift you give, you’ll be sent an interesting gift card to give to that special person.

Unicef – Inspired Gifts

On their website, you can shop by type of gift, including education, nutrition and shelter.

Prices range from £10 to over £12,000 for an emergency vehicle!

Recipients of your Christmas pressies receive a gift card. You can choose which one, on the website, and they will print a personalised message inside it for you.

CAFOD – World Gifts

CAFOD’s website splits gifts into 3 price ranges an give you the opportunity to spend between £7 and £1400.

A gift that inspired us is “give a child soldier a new life“. A donation of £65 will help them provide food, shelter, skills training, trauma counselling and sports therapy for ex-child soldiers, and ultimately, aim to reunite them with their family.

CAFOD will send you a beautifully illustrated certificate, to confirm your gift, which you can give at Christmas.

Oxfam – Unwrapped

You can browse this site by price category and gift type.

This is perhaps the most well-publicised of the gift schemes.

Prices start at £5 for 2 text books for a school and go up to £1700 to create a whole classroom.

Your loved ones will receive a fridge magnet, telling them about their gift, as well as a gift card.

Ethical Gifts Go Corporate

This year sees more ethically-minded companies scrapping Christmas cards and making larger donations to gift schemes, instead. We think this is a great idea. Not only does it raise money for those who need it, but it also saves companies having to recycle the many tonnes of Christmas cards their staff have received.

Given the popularity of “gifts in kind” this year, don’t be surprised to find a mango plantation, a new toilet or perhaps a tonne of porridge in your stocking. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!

If you’re giving a green gift this Christmas, tell us about it in the comments!

Thanks

Clare