Some weeks ago we had a great deal of activity in the "cow parsley field" next door.
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| The baler |
Then yesterday our new neighbours arrived, we knew they were coming, in fact we put an order in for one.
We've been growing vast areas of mint for just that happy ending, pre-flavouring we call it!
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| The one on the right has our label |
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| The rest! |
The new fence
In fact the garden is looking pretty good.
We experimented with some vegetables this year, the Florence fennel and celeriac are doing pretty well, but carrot totally failed so we're trying again.Broad beans are beginning to show well and all the peas have been eaten.We've also had our first meals from the Charlotte's, the Pink Fir apple are looking good, they make great crisps by the way.
Fruit trees are not looking brilliant I think we have a disease, so a few scabby apples on both trees,the cookers looking healthier.
A few conference pears and not many Victoria plums.
Gooseberries though were very successful, apart from the usual crumble,we've made ice-cream and sorbet. Rhubarb is also coming out of our ears, not tried the ice-cream maker on that yet!
The otter
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| How Joe Public views the otter! |
Into the valley
Some of you may recall my stories with the above heading a few years back on Fishing Magic,
Into the valley, pioneering? Part 1
Well I'm awaiting a call back from the farmer in the hope that I can get back down to the pond and see how it has developed over the last few years. There were some cracking "crucian" carp at around the pound mark, it'll be interesting to see if they have matured and if they are in fact proper ones. fingers crossed, because if I can get down there I may well have a few early mornings and evenings to report on.
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| Is this a crucian ? |
Crack of dawn visit to the middle Trent at Hazelford tomorrow just for the crack!.
Our carrots are rubbish too - in fact we dug the whole lot up and made risotto and are going to replant with an autumn maturing variety. Courgetes are just starting, and tomatoes might catch up. Runner beans have mostly been eaten by slugs! Salad crops a disaster, but onions did brilliantly - weird old year isn't it. - Old wives tale says you shouldn't eat rhubarb after gooseberries are ready...... past it's best or some such I expect. Great to hear about your garden xx
ReplyDeleteWe fail with tomatoes Claire, no greenhouse I suppose and it's grim up north ! Loads of lettuce and radish.Our onions and shallots are good too.
ReplyDeleteCertainly is a weird year.I'm told carrots like to be dry to set them off, seems about right.
Thanks for the note about rhubarb,it may be an old wives tale but I've had enough anyway, more compost!!xxx