Sunday 16 September 2012

Allotment harvest and garden work.

Didn't really know how to title this post..maybe I should have just called it, 'What a wonderful weekend'..because it really has been!!

Saturday dawned bright and clear and the chill to the air soon was chased away by the shining sun so I went down the allotment to get some much needed work done. Well that was the plan but in actual fact I spent my time up there harvesting produce and at times having a chat with a few allotment neighbours and sharing produce and tips.

I think this is one of the pro's of having an allotment..the fact that there are people around with whom to chat tactics and swap veggies so that you can try something you haven't grown yourself.

The shop was also open and I bought a big bag of plum tomatoes so I  can make some soup as mine haven't been great this year and I still have no ripe tomatoes outside...thank god for those on the plot with poly tunnels!!

So here's a few pictures of my harvest.....

ruby chard


 I harvested some ruby chard..these plants were given to me by someone down the allotments and they have done quite well though I had let these leaves get a little too big.

baby carrots, rhubarb


My carrots were planted in a tub and have done well..you can't beat the smell of freshly dug carrots, these will be savoured as those sown in the ground didn't germinate..the rhubarb is growing again!!
runner beans...big and small



 The runners beans are still producing well and I am still hoping to get plenty before the plants die off...I still have flowers growing too but I think that is probably being a little too optimistic!!
peppers, french beans, courgettes, marrows, cucmbers, potaotes


This is a great collection and I feel like I really got a decent harvest today for the first time this season. Don't get me wrong I have been bringing things home weekly now but never in abundance until yesterday!



As well as all this I harvest some more baby-corn and plenty of raspberries. I am finding the baby-corn a little restricting in the cooking department and struggling to come up with ideas other than stir fries and that sort of thing so if any of you have done something else with it I'd love to know.

Today was spent in the kitchen and in the garden...Sunday lunch was extra nice with so much home grown produce on the plates but there was also a bit of a kitchen disaster which I will tell you about later in the week.

I was hoping to get down the allotment to do a bit of hoeing but sat and rested for an hour with my book before going into the garden this afternoon to give it some much needed T.L.C. My bird table had started to rot away so it was sawn up and replaced with a new one and I got the lawns cut, tamed a few bushes and pulled up  plenty of weeds and the mesembryanthemums which had past there best. I know I have moaned about the dark nights coming but I'm kind of glad of it tonight...there is so much still to be done that if the light hadn't waned as the sun started to set I think I would still be out there now getting things sorted...I guess the changing of the seasons does have some good points after all!!

Hope you've all had a great weekend too.
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16 comments:

  1. Glad you had a good weekend.

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  2. It sounds like a lovely weekend. I'm so pleased that we've had a little more nice weather, it got so cold last week. That's a great harvest. My courgettes are just starting to really get going now, I can see I'll be giving them away before long.

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    1. It is nice when we randomly get a little warm weather...though i am hoping for more.

      Don't give those courgettes away Jo..there is so much you can do with them!!

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  3. your weekend sounds so homey and comforting!

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    1. I guess it was really...no better way to spend time away from work than in your garden and with your family. xx

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  4. Dear Tanya, It sounds to me like you had a nice weekend. Fresh air, working in the garden and cooking. We do have to count our blessings for these beautiful days.
    I too feel that the earlier sun set is welcoming. I don't miss the humidity and long hot days of the summer.
    I wanted to mention that you may use any peanut butter you like in the banana cake and also any pan you like. I like the look of a bundt cake and have been using the pan since I purchased it about a year ago.
    Take care my friend. Blessings, Catherine xo

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    1. I might not miss the humidity and hot days if we'd had some this year Catherine.
      Thanks for the peanut butter tip....and the pan....now I can give this recipe a go!!

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  5. What a absolutely splendid weekend! ...well, with the exception of the kitchen mishap. I'm glad to hear though that most of it was relaxing.
    It must be so lovely to have all that homegrown veggies nearby! :)

    Thank you for stopping by and commenting! I hope your week is as lovely as your weekend.

    xoxo,
    Tammy<3

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    1. Thanks Tammy...and the kitchen mishap wasn't so bad...you only learnt through your mistakes...and through those can help others to not make the same ones!!

      The veggies are great...you should try growing something yourself.

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  6. yum!! beautiful harvest!!! isn't it just so fun?! enjoy.
    tonight we are having spaghetti squash with tomatoes zucchini and peppers and basil...all from the garden...i think that is as good as it gets! soo fun!!

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    1. It's so good to be able to produce a meal with ingredients that you have grown yourself...I bet it was delicious!!

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  7. I am envious of you. I had plans for my own vegetable garden for this year, but I just couldn't do it. I'm getting started on my planning for next year a bit early though. I have a pretty good sized piece of land to do it and it's ready to go.

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    1. Glad you're going to have a go at growing your own Ratty...it really is a great sense of accomplishment...and will also give you new reasons to get your camera out.

      It's never too early to start planning!

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  8. Impressive harvest you've got there :) Did you grow your peppers outdoors or in your greenhouse? And I love the idea of an allotment 'store'...everyone always has a little too many of one type of veggie.

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    1. I grew the peppers in the greenhouse Tanya...I found they didn't do so well outside..although this is the first year they have really achieved a decent size for me but they are quite late.

      Maybe you should put forward the idea of an allotment store to your site...you do have that lovely communal shed...and anything we collect form donations of plotters goes to improvements on the site.

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keep it clean...keep it relevant...I look forward to reading your comments!!