Growing, growing, growing...

The green bug has definitely got me and I have been buying some amazing wooden planters and some bags of soil and so many different types of seeds as I am very passionate about minimising food waste but also being more environmentally aware and safe.

I bought a big compost bin and since starting to use, we have been amazed that out black bin has not been full once!

I love that this is something I am learning with our 4-year old daughter and I am hoping this will help her care for her surroundings too!

It is a beautiful thing seeing what we have sowed come to life and nurture them to carry on growing. A bit like with kids ha!

I am very aware that we have a lot to learn and will need to space our seedlings out but the fact we have anything actually growing, is just fantastic!

I am also hoping that by growing these little green things, it will prompt out kids to try more and more different things and actually enjoy the fruits (or vegetables...) of their labour!

I am desperate to also have some chickens but hubby put a stop to that. For now...

What is the one thing you have found easiest to grow?

Any hints and tips for us?

I am enjoying this so much and even ended up buying myself a pear tree as a treat lol

I have also started to use projects such as Too Good To Go app and Food Works, both of which are aiming to reduce food wastage and again, I am hooked!

Food Works is a local project to Sheffield but you can go and buy a box for £1 + preferred donation and you usually get a few fridge and a few freezer items as well as a box of ambient items and fruit and vegetables that would have gone to landfills if it wasn't for the project collecting and distributing these out. I have even salvaged some beautiful cut and planted flowers from there too!

The app is just a different game altogether.. It can get very addictive as you have to be on it at certain times to ensure you get your Magic Boxes... This app has businesses including supermarkets, restaurants and bakeries to name a few, upload their surplus stock at the end of the day and you can buy these at very cut price to save from being wasted. My favourite one so far is definitely the Magic Box from Morrisons. You pay £3.09 and you get at least £12 worth of produce. Mainly fruit and vegetables but we have also got a celebration cake, nuts and cheese in the past too. It's almost like Christmas as you never know what you will receive!

So baring all this in mind about reducing food waste, I wanted to find a way of not having my freezer full of bags of fruit, berries and vegetables. And this is how my Oddlies section on my website was born!

I make jam and do sometimes the weirdest combinations as I love finding out new flavour combinations but also make the classic ones that everyone loves.

I have just today made some Rhubarb and Strawberry jam and a few days ago I had Blueberry and Nectarine jam on the hob.

All of these are available on my website and keep an eye out as I have a feeling I will be adding herbs in the future to some of my jams.... Strawberry and basil jam anyone?