Nancy Reading

Having finished the nappies and extra cloths (and washed them), I did have a go at some wool soaker covers. Not having a baby to practise on, I'm not sure whether the sizing will be close enough. I used Rita's Rump Cover pattern as a starting point and tried to insert ribbing from the cuffs, collar and waistband to act as the elastic for the back and leg holes. I'm not sure whether I got enough stretch in to be reasonably effective. Anyway, they cost nothing, didn't take long to make and used a couple of scrap jumpers I'd been hanging onto for too long....

Nathanael Szobody wrote:you always have the option of throwing in sea salt as well.

Living by the coast I could use sea water as the liquour.....

Sympathy here - I must admit I never do hot composting, although the idea of weed and pathogen free compost is appealing! Let us know how it progresses.
I think tumbler compost processes would probably make turning most easy.

source

I think in most areas they are grown, they are fine harvested in the first year. I do often leave them another year, but my area is a little cool and wet for them to do well.
If you want to increase your stock, replanting the tubers with increased spacing won't do any harm.

Anne Miller wrote:Maybe this is something to consider selling in your shop?

Oh we stock it, but I usually use it by the teaspoon not the cup!

I cook without baking powder and with baking soda instead because baking powders dies before I can use it.

Yes the baking powder mix or self raising flour have a much shorter shelf life than the separate ingredients....I think it's a good idea to add them at the last minute.

Thank you both!

M Ljin - I've not made pretzels either, so either way it is an experiment! I do have a wood fired stove, so have access to known wood ash....

Anne - baking soda appears to be the same as bicarbonate of soda in the UK. I went down a rabbit hole checking; I wonder why it is called bicarbonate of soda, when there is only one carbonate to sodium? ( NaHCO3 )  So that is also an easy thing to try...

I may try the wood ash first as that saves buying large quantities of baking soda, and then nothing much to do with the waste liquid. As I have very acidic soil, I don't think either will do the garden much harm when diluted.

I think this month it would be deer rutting moon. They seem to have started calling early this year.

I've got a recipe to try (pretzels) that has "food grade lye" as an ingredient. This isn't something I've come across. I gather it is Sodium Hydroxide solution, which seems a bit unlikely (as it is also a drain cleaner), but I guess it comes down to concentration and dosage.
Can I make this, or something else that will do the same job? Or will I need to find an online supplier for it?

Well I left the sheets single thickness in the end, and just did a single fold and zigzag to finish the edge - I did leave the original seams in most cases and didn't turn over the selvedges to make it quicker. I've finished what I hope will be enough flat nappies for them, and made some slightly smaller cloths from the bits of sheet that wouldn't make full squares. They can be used as additional padding and burp cloths etc.
I've also found a rather motheaten wool blanket which I think will be useful for soaker pads. It is mostly in quite good condition. It probably isn't stretchy enough to make a cover from though, and is a bit pink! It should wash fairly well, so I haven't felted it yet. I gather the wool is more absorbent  before it is felted and becomes more water proof after it is felted, so the use may change as the pads get washed.