How to make raspberry wine

Was checking out the news on That Roundhouse and saw this video. Lovely stuff. I can only dream of having a space to grow so many raspberries I don't manage to eat them all before getting to do anything else but still, dreams are good... ... ...

EU ban on barren battery cages

In 1999 the EU agreed to a ban on barren battery cages, giving a generous 12 year period to Member States to prepare for it. This ban is due to come into effect in 2012 but there are still doubts that it will actually happen, in particular because Poland maintains that as they did not join the EU until later, they have not had as much time as other countries to prepare - a very disingenuous position given that it was still public knowledge and they could easily have been making preparations while doing everything else they needed to become a Member State.

Compassion in World Farming has been running a campaign to try and make sure that the ban does come into full effect as planned. If anyone is living in Europe and feels stronlgy about this, you can send off a message from here to the Polish Prime Minister and Agriculture Minister. I'm never sure that petitions and online letter-writing campaigns such as this really work (I tend to be of the opinion that no politician really cares what I think) but it will take a few seconds of your time and may do something. Of course, it is also important to vote with your purse and not purchase cage-based products to avoid mixed messages. :)

Trademarking urban homesteader

Just saw this story about the Dervaes family, who have inspired so many people with their life and path to freedom website. They have applied, and from what I understand on the second round also received, a copyright on the phrase "urban homesteader". I've only read a small amount so far but here is a link to Mrs. Mac's post which has a few links in it, most of which also seem to have further links. One comment I read on clicking through is that so far they are also restricting, or attempting to restrict, a couple from marketing their book called Urban Homesteading, which I find shocking as well. Shame on them. It just seems to defeat the whole purpose of what they seemed to have stood for for so many years.

The two ronnies - Fork handles

QI: The audience corrects Dara O'Brien - BBC comedy with Stephen Fry

The Mitchell and Webb Situation - Farming

This makes me laugh and nearly cry at the same time. For such a simple little sketch I keep finding layers upon layers of thoughts welling up in me. Mostly ending with something along the lines of "don't be so silly, it's just a comedy skit" - but the best comedy is often that which makes you think. What bothers me perhaps, is that lots of people might see this and not think about it at all. Which leaves me pondering if it's worse that there are so many people like that, or, that I may be attaching too much thought to something not intended to be taken at all seriously.

Lifestyle Nutritionists

Hard to know what to post after last Thursday, so I'm taking the easy way out and may just post a few silly videos and links for a few days.