SHARE A SKILL

Just a little more on sharing skills & to encourage everyone not to be backward in comming forward.
Ever thought it would be nice to learn a new skill like catching a fish & gutting it, making pasta, bread, tomato sauce, cake, drying fruit, jam, beer, wine etc. Many of the skills we have we take for granted, yet someone out there may be eager to acquire that same skill. You may also be reluclent to have a whole tribe of onlookers watching your every move Some jobs an extra pair of hands would be handy with a bonus of learning e.g. sauce making Some skills would need a few sessions e.g. wine/beer making.
What I think workes best is people putting up the skills they would be interested in acquiring.
So if you have a skill you would like to acquire or one you’re willing to share add the skill or wish list to the page.
Here are a few examples to get you thinking
*Last year I shared the ‘skill’ (I didn’t see it as a skill just something I did) of planting, growing, harvesting & plaiting garlic over the season with a gardener down the road who wanted to grow garlic but did not have the confidence to start. After dividing up the garlic & planting it in my garden she had some to take home & plant so to follow the process through the season, & to save some which she planted this year.
**Another way to use this is if you have a big job like making big compost. Someone may be interested to learn & experience your methods therefore giving you a hand. At our place we do this with the annual goose processing.
***Maybe you want to install a rainwater tank or build a new garden. Others may offer to show you how they went about it.

Now Kate wants to know how to make my bread rolls. Since I make bread every 7 or 8 days . (we don’t eat fresh bread every day & the bread gets better with age) We arrange a half day suitable for both, Kate brings along a large bowl and a jar that holds 3 cups & can be put in the fridge. We prepare the sourdough starter and while its growing we can make some yeast bread rolls (as they only take a couple of hours) when the starter is ready we can make the sourdough mix & leave it to rest then knead & then Kate can take some home, make into rolls & bake as its best left overnight to develop before baking next morning.(she would also have some nice yeast rolls to take home as well) If it sounds complex, its not, it does have along timeline but you can go out into the garden or do anything else you need to at the same time. And sharing such a skill is fun.

I say

‘Learning a new skill is only a matter of asking’

Kate’s story reminded me that at when I was around 10 years old I used to follow my father around asking him to teach me how to milk the cow. My mother said I was mad & would regret it. He did teach me, I then had to do it every morning .Some days it was hard –frost, mud & bucket kicked over .......….but I never regretted learning this skill.



This photo sort of sets the scene. I got my sisters to pretend they could milk the cow also. This is the first photo I ever took when my father gave me his Brownie Box camera in its own leather case. How things have changed!