Know how

Article categories

Grow your own

Whatever the scale of your ambitions or plot you'll find something useful here.

Make your own

Reduce your footprint by making your own, from knitting to soap-making to adorning your home.

Livestock and pets

Find out about rearing livestock from the farm to the garden, and doing the best for your pets.

Energy efficiency and construction

Discover how to adapt, change and even build your own home to enable you to tread more lightly upon the planet.

Cooking, preserving and home brewing

From the home brewery to ambitions of chefly grandeur. Find out how to do it all here and really taste the difference.

Wild food

Subsidise the larder in a sustainable way. From fishing, to shooting, to foraging safely, find it among these articles.

Conservation and the environment

Conserve our world for future generations. See how you can help in these pages.

Marketplace

From shopping with a conscience to building your own enterprise. Find advice and encouragement among these pages.

Everything else

Sometimes the diversity of downsizing can throw up an unusual topic.

Editorial

Past editorial items from the downsizer front page.

You are here: Home arrow Articles arrow Editorial arrow Summer 2010

Print

Editorial Summer 2010

Written by Bernie-Woman

Well Summer is upon us and so far the weather has been kind.

For those who spent the Spring busy on the plot then now is the time to start enjoying the fruits of your labours - literally! Behemoth's articles on what to do on the plot in August and September give advice on what we should be sowing now for even more bounty come Autumn and Winter, as well as giving us tips on general care to ensure plentiful cropping. And if you need a few ideas on how to cope with a courgette or marrow glut, then take a look here. Our recipe database has many other ideas on what to cook from plot to plate.

Of course the garden would be nothing without the honeybee and if you fancy having a go at the craft of beekeeping then visit The Apiary section of the forum for fantastic tips and advice.

If making things is your thing then there are some great tutorials on making jellies, wine or fruit liqueurs, while Erik's article on dram-making has some really unusual recipes using foraged ingredients. For those who want to have a go at making something you have never made before then look no further. Our members can offer instruction and advice on everything from making lavender wands, dishcloths to a tandoor oven in your own back garden.

For more ideas or to just join in the fun, don't forget to visit our forum.