Rosher.Net

The forage frenzy continues unabated! As the summer moves inexorably toward equinox and the birth of autumn, the newly purchased (solar powered) freezer is full of cooking apples, raspberries, blackberries and pretty much anything that can be frozen for laters… There are runner beans and broad beans and sliced and diced courgettes in the other freezer and there’s barely enough room for ice cream. There’s always room left for ice cream. On the table there are more eating apples than one would normally expect to see, but I’m eating ’em! Not far from us is a field alongside a railway line where once apple cores were tossed from carriage windows… some grew. 🙂

However, with the move toward Autumn it’s clear the summer Sunshine peak has passed. We generated 396 kWh in August, which is way down from 549 in July. We haven’t managed to break the 25kWh target in any one day thus far, and probably won’t now for 2014. But 24.9 kWh (9th July) was pretty close.

There’s a change in the consumption and generation mix this month, as Janet relaxes into post-teaching bliss. More of the generation is being used with her at home – sensible planning of washing machine and dishwasher, and much more middle-of-the-day cooking. As the generation has been used, and the weather has changed so dramatically, I’ve noticed the solar diverter has not kicked in quite so often and we’ve had to bump the gas boiler for a bit of assist with the hot water on occasion. But it’s all good – a lot of the mid-day use has been for making jam and marmalade and quiche and cake… in the main from forage and garden produce. Free food? Nearly. Did I mention the Sloes? Millions of ’em. If only I could find a Gin well…