Yesterday evening, Beth and I went down the allotment and came back with this.
We shared it all out according to need and now I have loads of produce to enjoy. Just as my runner beans seem to be starting to give up, the ones at the allotment start flourishing so I will freeze most of them for another time while I finish off mine. They are still flowering (mine and allotment) but as the days get shorter and generally cooler, the flowers drop rather than setting.
The little red apples are redloves. Long standing readers may remember that I bought the little tree in memory of my Aunty May; it was in a container in my garden and never did well fruit-wise, producing five or so little fruit that dropped before ripening. Beth and I transferred it to the allotment and it's much happier, producing abundant apples for the first time. The one we shared as a taster yesterday was absolutely delicious.
The bigger apples are Coxes and the pears are WIlliams pears and they ripen off the tree so I have to keep my eye on them. No wrapping them up and forgetting about them.
Today I am debating whether to go swimming or not. I probably will, trying to find the slot between rush hour and school run when the traffic is more bearable.
Then I am picking Alex up for a 'good luck in year 2' meal at the Harvester at Al's request. I've been looking up the menu and there are things I can have without breaking the calorie bank which is good.
Then it is back home for tuition before relaxing for the evening,
It should be a good day, whatever the weather.
The raspberry comment made me chuckle. It was the same with Lily when we went for our walk at the weekend. She can spot them a mile off.
ReplyDeleteYour allotment has provided you with a lot of produce this year, it must feel very satisfying knowing you've grown it all yourselves.
Enjoy your lunch out. X
It's extremely satisfying, Jules. It makes the hard work worthwhile. We don't plant loads of anything because we don't need loads and next year we're hoping to widen what we plant adding broad beans and onions to the mix.
ReplyDeletexx
Ooh your allotment produce sounds so lovely! I am starting a small plot in the garden but probably too late in the season to plant any veg now? Hard to wait until Spring! A must be getting excited about being 'grown up'in Year 2! Have a great day.
ReplyDeleteIt is lovely, Frinny. If you have the space, you could start off with some over-wintering broad beans like aquadulce. They produce beans earlier in the spring than the ones you plans in spring and are really nice.
ReplyDeleteAl isn't Y2, he is second year at uni. He's 20! :-)
xx
Oh silly me! So sorry - I am obviously suffering from retirement brain! Broad beans sound good - thanks. I'll have a go at a few things and see what happens. X
ReplyDeleteThanks to seeing your mini sweetcorn pictures I found a packet at a boot sale and thought I would try them next year.
ReplyDeleteI was going to ask if you were planning to make any changes next year to the selection of fruit and veg you grow but you've already answered my question in another comment! So I'll just say I hope you have a lovely day, especially your meal with Alex.
ReplyDeleteYour produce is simply lovely - the taste will be far better than shop bought. Some of the varieties they have do not have much taste these days. Have a lovely meal - hope the weather stays fine. x
ReplyDeleteSue - they really are the easiest thing in the world to grow. I start them off three to a little pot and they always all come up. You plant them out like big corn, in blocks and I've only ever lost one to planting out. You pull off the corn as soon as the tassels appear, don't leave them or they go hard a woody, and they keep producing again and again for weeks. And they freeze well, just to cap it all. Oh - and they look really great on the allotment which is silly, I know, but satisfying to look at.
ReplyDeleteEileen, it would be easy to just rotate the same things but it's nice to try something different. Quite a lot of the ground is taken up with long term things - the raspberries and strawberries, the apple and pear trees and the asparagus, so there's not really a lot of extra room but I feel we could fit more in.
Viv, yes, the flavour is exceptionally good. There's just no comparison and I count myself very lucky.
We had a lovely meal and I managed to be happily very 'good'. Their chargrilled chicken is very tasty! :-)
xx