The Downsizer Challenge?

Latest Articles

The Downsizer Challenge?
Page 1, 2, 3 Next

Downsizer Forum Index -> Site guidelines, Announcements, Problems and Suggestions

Shall we have a Downsizer challenge month?

Yup, it's fab, you're great Bugs, here, have a tenner and buy yourself a nice fruit tree on me

81%

[ 18 ]

Nah, crawl back under your stone and stop bothering us

[ 0 ]

Maybe, but I've got a better idea/suggestion

18%

[ 4 ]

Total Votes : 22

Author

Message

Bugs

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 05 10:15 am Post subject: The Downsizer Challenge?

OK, this is a fluffy idea at the moment, but I was just thinking about the dyeing post, and also in a vaguely related manner about baskets, and it occurred to me that a fun thing to do might be a challenge, where over a given time, say, one month, everyone picks an idea, suggestion etc, that they've seen on Downsizer (or elsewhere) but never got around to trying. Then over that month you have a go - and report back as you go along if you like, ask questions of people, etc.

There would be some people doing the same thing, and some people doing things on their own; some people would be able to consult "gurus", some people struggling by with Google and the library. The idea overall though, would be for everyone to try a new thing and have a reason for pursuing it, and for us to have lots of beginners reports on how they got on.

So I might make a foray in to the art of dyeing; and to pick at random from some recents threads: Jema could try some nettles or other wild foods (it would be especially interesting to see how his offspring take to the idea!); Jonnyboy could get on with stripping and preparing his veg patch); Treacodactyl could make a wormery (

); SparklyWellies could try a bit of sewing for pleasure; Moogie can investigate some DIY propagators; Gill_didsbury could make some potato breads and Wellington Womble can make some curries

I don't mean people *have* to do those things, I'm just picking out things people have said recently "must give that a go" or "have never been able to do that"!

Terrible idea?

Last edited by Bugs on Fri Apr 08, 05 10:26 am; edited 2 times in total

bagpuss

Joined: 09 Dec 2004
Posts: 10507
Location: cambridge

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 05 10:17 am Post subject:
great idea, can't promise I will actually get round to being involved but it may given an excuse for trying to make some bacon

jema
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28118
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 05 10:25 am Post subject:
Sounds fun, and you have even come up with a good one for me

boff

Joined: 23 Mar 2005
Posts: 354
Location: Still alive and kicking

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 05 10:34 am Post subject:
Im up for it (no silly duck today... something about orange sauce )

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 05 10:43 am Post subject:
I like the idea, but I think I'd be more likely to follow through if we were all doing the same thing. I'd love to try some dyeing, for example, but I really don't see it happening unless there were other people doing it at the same time.

jema
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28118
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 05 10:51 am Post subject:

Judith wrote:

I like the idea, but I think I'd be more likely to follow through if we were all doing the same thing. I'd love to try some dyeing, for example, but I really don't see it happening unless there were other people doing it at the same time.

That gets into the realms I think of an idea a month, because otherwise we would never all agree a theme. e.g. dyeing holds almost zero interest for me.

Jonnyboy

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 23956
Location: under some rain.

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 05 11:02 am Post subject:
Ok. Count me in

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42207
Location: North Devon

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 05 11:04 am Post subject:
I'm in. As long as I don't have to knit.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 05 11:10 am Post subject:
I've thought we could all try something at home but together on the site. My idea at the moment is to try and catch, clense and eat some garden snails! Then everyone can post up what they thought.

moggins

Joined: 24 Feb 2005
Posts: 942
Location: Gloucester

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 05 11:20 am Post subject:

Treacodactyl wrote:

I've thought we could all try something at home but together on the site.

My idea at the moment is to try and catch, clense and eat some garden snails! Then everyone can post up what they thought.

I have a huge supply here

I'd be up for it too, I want to try something that I could sit down in the evening with though, I spend far too much time on the computer after dark.

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 05 11:36 am Post subject:

I'm in the 'lets all do the same thing this month' thing. That sounds like a nice way to introduce people to lots of new things, and provide support for doing them.

My alternative suggestion is that we pick a new seasoal topic each month.

So for April it might be, say, excracting dyes.

For May it may be hunting Spring wild foods.

For June it could be catching, cleansing, preparing and eating garden snails.

July may turn out to be hot, so we could choose a shady indoor passtime like making soap/

August... That might be the time to be harvesting some new spuds, there's lots of cow parsley in full bloom and past it, nettles are overgrown, so lets call that for the moment the paper making month (maybe).

Pick a craft or activity each month to begin with and do what we can with it.

If it turns out really successful, pick two.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 05 11:56 am Post subject:

it's a great idea in theory, but I think in a lot of areas its already happening, naturally. Like Cab's foraging articles (they're great, by the way, cab) and people doing seasonal things and getting stuck, posting for help or results and lots of people of various abilities responding with suggestions. I don't really think a more formal approach would do this any harm, though.

I think if your going to do it, it needs to be someones (guess who that'll be then Bugs?

) responsiblity, otherwise it kind of stops happening so well. I don't think its a bad idea, I just think it happens all the time already, spontaneously, and if it aint broke.......

SparklyWellies

Joined: 24 Mar 2005
Posts: 88
Location: Oxfordshire

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 05 3:28 pm Post subject:
I think it's a great idea. Apart from the sewing bit, obviously.

snowball
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 6240
Location: swindon

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 05 4:47 pm Post subject:
Fantastic idea. Yes it happens anyway, but feeling part of this could inspire more of us to try sometning entirely new.

nettie

Joined: 02 Dec 2004
Posts: 5888
Location: Suffolk

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 05 4:51 pm Post subject:
yep I like it too

	Downsizer Forum Index -> Site guidelines, Announcements, Problems and Suggestions	All times are GMT Page 1, 2, 3 Next
Page 1 of 3

View Latest Posts