Friday 8 November 2013

Oops!

It seems that I can't manage to multitask in the wee small hours of the morning. After a church ladies with babies group meeting, I have been reading the bible instead of thinking about the garden and blogging. Which is a good thing. Apart from neglecting the garden. Hm. And still lacking on the photo front. Hmm.

Quick update:
Still eating courgettes
Eaten Coxes Orange Pippin apples, first production by tree planted 2011 - Toddler loved choosing her own
Eating cabbage (and trying not to think about slugs)
Curing pumpkins - tiny, very small and reasonably sized
Planted red onions and garlic in Bed B
Dug over Bed D, leaving wild pansies, and applied old compost

Had an exciting trip (in car! Husband away) to pick up cooking apples from a lady's backgarden. She advertised her bumper crop on freecycle so we got permission. Making lots of stewed apple for crumble and apple puree in preparstion for weaning. Found a recipe for apple peel cider but probably won't bother.

Came home from the post office depot via a walnut tree that had shed its load, so dyed my hands then some gloves getting the husks off. Not very large nuts but suitable for cooking. Fortunately the folks came back from France via a tree whose walnuts were immense.

Toddler enjoys these outdoor pootles, it gives us something to do, and Reginald is fine in a sling.

This multitasking means staying awake longer. Better resign myself to not keeping track of the garden until I have a spare half hour in the day. Pah!

Thursday 19 September 2013

Jelly

It took five days to get from picking to processing the crabapples, but 'twas done! We got seven jars of jelly that surprisingly set. One jar for the neighbour whose tree it is; one jar for Toddler to test with grandparents; one jar for Grandma and the Great Aunties; one jar for Granny the Jam Queen (who decreed it worthy of eating); one jar exchanged for marrow marmalade at another food swap; one jar started by us; one jar in the cupboard.

On the subject of eating, we had a Nigel Slater recipe to use up some cabbage and carrots. The cabbage have managed to hang on to their little hearts, so we're eating them.

Yesterday I relinquished the elderberry wine making due to lack of time (8 loads of washing on one non-rainy day to clean off baby sick and Toddler mud!). Instead our elderberries got turned into biscuits and cordial. The biscuits are soft like cookies and taste yummy, plus have got to be healthy despite the sugar. Rather pleased.

And how would we know what to do with all these things if the internet didn't exist? Thought we had a lot of recipe books but none of them have these in. This tablet thing is great! Husband gave it to me for Christmas, being a gadget man, and I wasn't too overwhelmed. I've been converted coz it's brill.

Yep, it's all about the eating at this time of year. Although in the back of my mind are thoughts about whether to sow seed from a bolted onion now; what to do about the moving of Bed D; the need to write down with a diagram this years' planting; the netting on Bed E being too large hole-wise; where to insert brassicas into the rotation; and other small ponderings. Mostly I just want to eat cake though (hey, it's a necessity for this milk producer!). And thus ends another 4am burping sesh.

Thursday 5 September 2013

Following the foraging fashion

As all those in touch with the zeitgeist will know, middle class foraging is where it's at. Yer man Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall seems to be leading the charge in front of the cameras (Husband loves the Bread book). At any rate, it's his fault that we've stripped the neighbour's crabapple tree, eye every passing shrub for signs of sloe, have filled a freezer drawer with blackberries and are planning to attack the rowan trees lining a military range. All because of Googling 'elderberry wine', for when one has an elder and Mum P unearths a carefully labelled demijohn (circa 1985), the signpost can't be missed.

Well, all things seem possible at 2.30am (not so much at 4.30am) when on burping duty . So crabapple jelly is slowly being processed (two days so far due to Reginald's required upright position and my subsequently having no spare hands). Elderberries have been picked by Husband, despite the best efforts of Toddler and pigeons to scoff the lot, and more located beyond the garden. Much like successfully growing runner beans, it's oddly exciting to be able to eat these things. It's sustainable, local and free. Might start eating insects next (Google again)! All in keeping with the Institute of Our Lady of Mercy's 2008 Act of Chapter 'Reverencing the earth and its people', which rang bells with me as it summarises the purpose of my meagre attempts at sustainable living.

I shall dare to mention that as well as using cloth nappies and wipes, I've printed off a template for making cloth sanitary towels with offcuts so that I don't have to buy more (previously had them shipped from Canada, although the UK market appears to have caught up these days). Apologies to any relations who may now wish to disown me! But if I manage to create a decent pad, then Days for Girls need them as a necessity, so no avoiding the issue. And on that note, this early morning ramble shall cease.

Monday 26 August 2013

Food Swap

About a month or so ago, a friend hosted a food swap at her house. Six of us turned up and it was lovely lovely lovely. I took elderberry champagne (made from the bush in the garden), a tonne of lettuce and rocket. I returned home with bread rolls, cake (I ate the biscuit there), two green courgette plants, two cape gooseberry plants, radishes, broad beans, green tomato ketchup and a jar of chutney. Aren't people clever!

Now there is another swap being arranged for September, at peak picking time. Unfortunately our garden is not offering much in the way of picking, or it seems that way. I keep watching Gardeners World on telly and feeling somewhat glum about our garden in the light of their amazing creations (where on earth do they find time?). It is not a good mindset. Positively, we are eating courgettes of both colours, raspberries, carrots and potatoes, which is a whole heap better than nothing. But I am still in a quandary over what to offer at the upcoming food swap. Husband's beer is still flat despite resuscitation attempts (he blames to ancient barrel seals), so can't take any. The blackberries round the corner might hold the answer. In muffin form.

Ooo, on the subject of blackberries, there's a pear tree and a grape vine growing outside the local school. This year we shall be foraging without shame! (But keep it under your hat or my food swapping pals will be swiping the harvest!)

It having now been half an hour since Reginald fed and been upright, I shall risk putting him down to sleep. It's 02.30 and bed calls.

Tuesday 20 August 2013

Reginald makes his debut

At ten days past his due date, Reginald decided he would be born. Surprisingly, he did actually turn out to be male. I have until registration on Wednesday to convince Husband that Humphrey as a third name would be simply smashing.

All has been fairly quiet on the garden front. This evening (rather, yesterday - time flies when holding a reflux-y baby upright at odd hours) we ate the first and only cabbage with a heart. The outer leaves were lace, the middle layer contained many many slugs, but the wee heart was perfect.

On the subject of slugs, the other evening Husband spotted a large hedgehog in the garden. Hurrah! Might explain the mysterious poo on Bed A and the lack of slugs (other than under the netting). Haven't seen a hedgehog for years, so very pleased to have a local. Husband got excited and went to get a camera to capture the moment. Of course the hog had scarpered by the time he returned. We will have to be really careful about using any slug pellets. Although I only put a few in the netted bed when plants were just getting established and haven't since, there's still a niggle of guilt. What if Mister Hedgehog had ingested some?

We are eating raspberries, a few courgettes, strawberries and blueberries (well, Toddler is), potatoes, carrots, the two cucumbers and a cabbage. We are not eating French beans. Next year I am growing runner beans, which are far less fussy, even though Husband isn't a big fan. Stick 'em in stews and he won't notice.

Right, is it safe to put the little chap down without more sick? Need to get a sling for daytime wearing as the Ergo infant insert really doesn't seem comfortable for him. I digress. Zzzz...

Thursday 1 August 2013

Ah ha!

In the process of making our 2012 family album, we came across this photo of the garden taken from scaffolding up to fix the pointing:


September 2012
We've got rid of the bed where the path now is, and the box lumps went to form a hedge between the square bed and the lawn. Otherwise it's pretty much as is, with some further alterations planned for autumn/winter 2013.

Monday 29 July 2013

Waiting...

We have been waiting for promised rain storms that never came (don't count about 6 drops), for the beans to grow, and for Reginald to arrive. Fortunately the rain did finally come when the weather forecast said it was to be sunny, so the water butts are filling up again and the garden is less parched all over. The French beans have produced exactly three beans from one of the five plants, but maybe the rain will help (although not today please, as there are towels drying on the line). Baby number 2, aka Reginald, is due in three days and showing no sign of wanting to emerge.

Anyhoo, I am really writing this entry because the computer is on and, since I've now finished work, it seems a good time to try putting photos of the garden up on the blog. Only taken two years to update the images! Oh dear, there are quite a few to chose from. This could take some time and Father-in-Law is coming over now-ish to investigate thesaurus construction (I got stumped by facet analysis over two years ago). He is supposed to be being good and recovering from a heart op, cue wanting really mind numbing things to occupy him on the computer!

Husband and Dad L making path in May - only took 3 years to decide the route.
The soil and turf removed for the path were used to level the lawn, cue patch of earth next to slide.
Toddler making bird scarers with cds at the start of May. Herbs growing well against wall. Beer barrels in background.
Okay, I ought to take some more recent photographs of the garden showing the brassicas prior to their consumption by millions of cabbage white caterpillars; the growing plum and apple trees; the strawberries; the raspberries beautifully netted (proof against a proud Daddy Blackbird showing his offspring how to leap up and eat them); the box lumps moved to become a hedge; and the soon-to-be-moved Bed D with really really small yellow courgettes growing well (why are they so small though?). I will not take photos of the sunny flower border because it's fairly awful. The shaded woodland border looked great in spring but doesn't look much now.

Right, to hang more washing out to taunt the skies.

Sunday 7 July 2013

What we have eaten

So far this year (from March):
rhubarb
raddish
lettuce
rocket
potatoes
chives, rosemary, sage, thyme
and one eensy weensy yellow courgette (picked for Toddler's tea coz it matched the yellow pepper)

Wednesday 3 July 2013

Yikes! Where did June go?

Oh dear, I seem to have missed June as I believe it's now July. We did go on holiday to Pembrokeshire, Wales, for a week (as per last year, kicking ourselves that it wasn't two weeks). Otherwise we must have just been doing the usual playgroups, shopping, working, cooking, growing thing. Anyhoo...

The garden is looking good. It likes sun and rain. We all like sun and (a reasonable amount of) rain. We've been eating lots of rocket which self-seeded two years ago and hasn't let go since. The lettuces are happy. The onions are mostly surviving the mystery defecating beast. The French beans have decided to honour us by emerging from the ground. The two courgette plants really do have wee yellow blobs on them. The cucumber plants are alive, as are three pumpkins. The strawberries are going great guns. The potatoes will be tested this week. The carrots, parsnips, celeriac, cabbages, broccoli and sprouts are growing (although the brassicas may not actually hearten up, but hey ho).

The leeks are still a disaster. How?! They are surely one of the easiest...grrrr...stupid books with trendy ideas...

Questions:
Is it too late to sow squash seeds (yep, killed the seedlings in pots)?
Should I bother putting the rubbish module leeks in the ground?
Where should the extra pot of thyme be planted - will it make someone a happy companion?
Can I be bothered to crouch on a plank to sow chard?
When will I weed Bed E?
Is neat toddler urine okay for onions or is only fermented beery old man wee acceptable?

PS Four weeks one day til due date.

Monday 20 May 2013

Panic seed growing

The full title of this entry should be 'Panic seed growing and the resultant confusion of excessive numbers of pumpkins' (and cucumbers, courgettes, squash, lettuce, cabbages). I erred on the side of caution and planted two of everything in case the old seed didn't germinate. Then I planted some more as nothing seemed to be growing in the cold temperatures.

Now I am loathe to discard any of the wee planties, their having been obliging enough to put in an appearance. What to do? I'm assuming that the squash won't like my 'get on with it or die quickly' approach to life in the back garden, or most of the others, so should I freecycle the excess? But surely if they were given a chance...

Dunno. Will pot on and avoid the issue for a bit longer.

Had the bright idea of following a book (The Allotment Book by Andi Clevely) suggesting sowing leeks in modules then transplanting in clumps. Tried transplanting a clump at the weekend, only for it to fall apart. Harumph! Will just have to wait for the roots to wind together a bit more and hope that the leeks don't get too big for the modules (aren't they supposed to like room to stretch out down below?). I find it much easier to follow the old Dig for Victory manual 'The Vegetable Garden Displayed' by the RHS, as it gives straightforward directions with no embellishments (like companion planting - that distracted me for a long time!). In looking for a link to the book, I've found an article by Monty Don about it. Will stop trying to be modern and return to that, minus the vast quantities of man-made fertilizers. Might even try getting to grips with the hoe, whose qualities have so far eluded me. Without the aid of a dissertation to write, there is a lot less time available for hand weeding.

PS. Still no photos coz it involves turning on the computer, which gets abandoned once paid work is completed for the day.

PPS. Looked up building a greenhouse online the other days and came across this amazing allotment (demonstrating exactly why my squash will be rubbish): AllAboutAllotments.com

Monday 29 April 2013

Live Below The Line

This evening I did some food costing whilst waiting for The Toddler to fall asleep. A friend is eating for £1.00 per day for five days to raise money for World Vision by living below the breadline as many people around the world have to, and she's had me thinking. What do we spend on food, how much does it cost to grow our own, and since the bay tree came with the house do I have to work out the cost of a leaf based on the mortgage or is it classed as free?

This evenings' meal of swede and lentil bake cost £2.23 for 6 people. (Oh, and some cherry tomatoes that I forgot to include in the cost as they sat on the sidelines.) Or Toddler, Husband, Reginald and me with some for lunch next day. I haven't included the cost of actually cooking the meal using gas and electricity. If we had grown the celery, onions and swede, what would it have cost? Cost of seeds/sets, manure, fertiliser? We use rainwater from 4 large butts. What about the cost of my time (Husband is too expensive!)? Hmm. 

Well, I guess that Live Below The Line is going to stay with me and Husband will just have to pick his least hated lentil recipe! ...can we grow lentils here? ...don't worry lovely, it's yellow-stickered beef in stew for dinner tomorrow.

And now it's dark so I can't do the measuring of Bed E required before bunging sprouts in. Will just have to get Able Assistant Toddler to hold rather than eat the tape measure tomorrow.

Sunday 21 April 2013

Still Sprouting!

So maybe a monthly update was a tad optimistic, as the Toddler formerly known as Baby Bean took over. Still, the pregnancy hormones have kicked in again and, whilst growing Reginald (due August this year; sex unknown), a lot of seeds are being planted and spring is in the air.

Apart from general soil improvement and plants settling into their beds, there hasn't been great change since the last post in May 2011. Until now. The Toddler's birthday weekend in April saw the foundations for a path being unearthed by Husband and Dad L. Mum L moved the amusing box globules. I dug over Bed B and applied poo. The location of a path has been hotly trodden for three years now, and the siting reflects the shape and size of the paved area. It has called for the demise of Bed C, which is no bad thing as the soil there was so poor that even with the addition of a compost bin's worth of good stuff resulted in one measly pumpkin last year. This leaves us with Bed A (aliums), Bed B (potatoes and strawberries), Bed D (legumes and cucurbits), and Bed E (roots, brassicas and cucurbits).

There you have it. The garden is still growing and the shaded woody border looks lovely this spring. Husband has suggested that instead of writing down when sowing and planting is done using pen and paper for filing in my garden folder, all that stuff goes in here. Not sure. I like pen and paper. But I guess he might actually look at this, being a smart phone addict! ;-)

PS. Am worried about the lack of compost on Bed E. The leeks were there until March and then it was too late to start turning the bed over before sowing carrots. What should one do?

PPS. Photos to follow. Took me an hour to log into this 'ere blog of mine, and now it's nearly 10pm (erm, way past bedtime; 6am getup grr grrrr zzzzzzzz).