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  1. Tantalus

    Hand Forged Bearded Axe

    Very nice work. How well does it shave ??
  2. Tantalus

    Tengus New Stick

    Having seen the results of their work in Germany after they were reintroduced I don't really think we are prepared for them here, but I do have a soft spot for beavers. Perhaps because of the stick the kids found and gave to me. My advice, put a tag on it and store it somewhere safe. Maybe in 20...
  3. Tantalus

    Tengus New Stick

    Nice, couple of the kids in Germany gave me one like that, kept it for years.
  4. Tantalus

    What did you forage today?

    The roots or the salad? Stuff grows like a -wait for it...- weed. Collecting a few pulled roots in autumn and putting them in some sandy soil, they are pretty much guaranteed to come into leaf at the very first signs of spring. If it is roots you are after instead then pulled weeds from now...
  5. Tantalus

    What did you forage today?

    Pot them in sand with a bare minimum of compost they will do fine - they always do. The sand will just make it a doddle to harvest the roots. Always wanted to overwinter some at the allotment in a cold frame and get the very first "salad" in "spring".
  6. Tantalus

    Rats on the beach

    A fire. A small terrier to accompany you perhaps? Only really feasible if you intend to stay for a longer period in the country. They dont need a lot of looking after, if adopting a stray one though invest in worming and flea treatments and possibly a vet visit for a health check and a few...
  7. Tantalus

    All poultry subject to compulsory registration

    All seems a bit like shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted to me. After bird flu entering wild and migrating bird populations there is little can be done to contain it in any meaningful way.
  8. Tantalus

    Wood ear mushrooms

    Not really trying to alarm, just suggesting that being sensible is wise. A transatlantic flight for example gives a dose of radiation that a working radiographer would suit up for. Once in a while is probably fine (just like the occasional x-ray) but don't go overdoing things.
  9. Tantalus

    Wood ear mushrooms

    https://www.newsweek.com/wild-boars-radioactive-germany-nuclear-testing-1823440 Much of this is suspected to be linked to the boars eating truffles that have concentrated the Caesium https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/08/230830131130.htm
  10. Tantalus

    Wood ear mushrooms

    They also claim powdered rhino horn has "medicinal benefits" in parts of Asia. Genuinely though, it is wise to be wary of overdoing your intake of wild fungi from these islands, their vast (sometimes measured in square miles) network of mycelia is very good at absorbing all sorts of heavy metal...
  11. Tantalus

    Wood ear mushrooms

    There are many internet claims, not all of them turn out to be true.
  12. Tantalus

    LAGUIOLE

    A day trip to France and have a look at them in person?
  13. Tantalus

    LAGUIOLE

    About the only one I know of that is non locking and under 3 inches is the Le Thiers Compact model from Coutellerie Chambriard. https://www.coutellerie-chambriard.com/en/ Carried one for years but sadly misplaced it one day sitting on a bench in the woods, when I went back it was nowhere to be...
  14. Tantalus

    Spring has Sprung - 2024

    Not sure we are there quite yet here in the Borders, the daffodils are barely out. I did spot a toad hopping around last night though, thankfully before the dog saw it.
  15. Tantalus

    Pocket Dump

    Dog biscuit crumbs mostly, and a pound coin for a trolley.
  16. Tantalus

    Optimus 99 or 8R?

    I just never trust a petrol stove entirely, especially if you need to cook something for a bit longer than say just boiling a kettle. The prospect of the tank overheating and then venting while the stove is lit, in an enclosed space terrifies me. Much happier with paraffin / diesel versions...
  17. Tantalus

    Knife Lore and other old customs

    A few to add. Give a gift of silver to a baby. Never look at the new moon through glass. Don't bring hawthorn into the house, ever.
  18. Tantalus

    EDC lighters or firemakers

    As a smoker I always had a lighter or matches, quitting meant giving up my zippos until I discovered the butane inserts. Now it goes everywhere with me again in that little jeans pocket. No idea how much gas is in it now though ... Would be confident lighting a fire with a ferro rod and they...
  19. Tantalus

    Jerusalem Artichoke

    On the topic of Skirrets... has anyone else come across Scorzonera? I used to eat them in Germany where the roots were boiled in vinegar water. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwarzwurzeln
  20. Tantalus

    Natural hydrology - flow control.

    Just let the stream do its thing and the grasses will come. Birds, passing animals and the wind should carry seeds in. The ones best suited to the bank will thrive, and the others will get crowded out. I suppose if you really really want to poach some from somewhere, a dog and a doggy bag are...