July allotment recap (1 of 2)

It's official, July in Northern Ireland sucked, it was the worst since 1993 - the good old BBC News has the story here.

But still we struggle on and heck, it makes you appreciate those sweeter moments of sunshine and the sparkle off the plants....We're due more rain today sadly but at least not as bad as the weekend when the thunder and thick rain (each drop like a bucket of water being chucked down by the angry sky Gods) caused us to abort our time at the allotment and run."Run RUN! grab everything, take the dog!"

For this July allotment recap, my photos seem a bit odd, but obviously I only took ones when it was actually sunny! Most are from the weekend past but here are a few from the 13th when the heat was too much for Toby -  hiding under the potato buckets...

And Andrew lifted the garlic and got it drying on the bench :)

*** Anyway Saturday on the plot ***

Ok, it was our own fault, there's no denying it; the plot was coming down with weeds. However, we were in the mood to destroy and reclaim so things started off well.

This first bed with the legumes in it is giving me a little heartache. The climbing beans are doing well and we've had a good few dinners with them included so far.

The dwarf borlotti are happy enough but the broad beans - oh dear. They are not happy, not even the ones that were directly sown and seemed happier and stronger a few weeks ago. We had to pull some of worst ones out and saw that they hadn't even spread their roots out into the ground; they were barely in the ground. Plus those that were doing OK and had beans have had them eaten by birds or slugs or any one of the damned pests we have in our field. It's not looking good, apart from the one above which is only slightly damaged.

The sweetcorn and squashes are looking great though. I just love taking photos of them, such texture, colours and oh, those twirly tendrils. So much detail to get absorbed in and be in awe off.

Things were going great, I even spent 30 mins at the plot alone! But when Andrew had just got back from the landscaping shop with wood for a new path we were confronted with this! Thunder and downpours galore; we had quickly pack up everything, grab our potato harvest (which was great but I didn't get to photograph it) and to run to the car. Soaked.

The rest tomorrow, my loves
Carrie

Squash Harvest from 14b

The plot of shame (aka 14b) has had some good wee harvests over the year so far, it can not be denied. We got a good load of rhubarb, gooseberries and many bunches of flowers. Had we been more proactive there were also red currants and artichokes but still...

The latest crop came in the form of some very lovely winter squashes - Crown Prince, the blue/grey skinned ones, two Sweet Dumplings and a juvenile Butternut Squash

I'll share what we do with them when the time comes but for now they are simply resting and hardening off in the shed.

Apart from that I cut myself a bunch of rudbeckias and did a lot of weeding. Andrew took down the string bean wigwam and composted the remains - he loves composting; the compost heap is already heating up!!

We stayed until the sun was going down, the plots so still and quiet, eerily so if it hadn't have been for that sky...

*****

We were there last night for a walk and saw teenagers camping there at the bottom of field B. Not so sure that is allowed! We also spoke to Jim and he was telling us there has been some upsetting trouble around - kids lifting prize pumpkins and smashing them on the roads. It makes me feel sick to think that that simple joy of growing the biggest orange-ist pumpkin for your kids could be destroyed in seconds - people can be so cruel.

Anywho, not much of a post but really, it's all been weeding and that isn't terribly exciting to write about.

Love and big hugs
Carrie x

Joie de Vivre (part 2)

So where did we leave off yesterday? Ahh yes, sweet little Rylee's Birthday party was all finished (nap time) and we were returning to the plots.....

Mamma G and Anne arrived shortly after, with their own empty bags, hahaha - time to get some of our potatoes; we love to share our bounty. The whole bed was dug up and honestly we have never had a better yield from potatoes ever! The Red Duke of York were lovely, all knobbly and such a gorgeous colour; remember they were super cheap from a discount store so - result! But oh my the Sharp's Express were a knockout, I have never seen such prolific spuds, large ones too, suitable for baking, but really they are suitable for everything (we like them roasted, simply boiled and pan fried or mashed. They're the best all rounder spud out there in my humble opinion (and I don't even like potatoes that much!)

all from 2 plants!

We were also able to give away some Scallions, garlic, peas and lettuce, spinach...

Whilst we had visitors Cecil turned up at the plot next door - we has done for a huge 3 bag harvest himself, he was going to be able to share it all with his daughter and daughter in law. We chatted briefly about how damn good that feels - to give good honest home grown vegetables to those you love.

Then all was quiet again on the plots, it was just myself and Andrew getting on with our tasks. The sun had gotten so strong that little Maggie had to go home to cool off, for us two there was a different solution - a cheeky ice cold beer to refresh us and give us the energy to carry on for a few more hours. Ahhh beer....

So I finally managed to clear 'the corner of shame', oh it felt a little like Christmas only better, lol. I loved taking on this area of utter mess and dumping that which can not be used, drying out animal feed bags which we use for collecting manure, drying out those ground sheets that were so important during all that snow and frost earlier in the year and throwing out dead, beyond dead, plants! I even met a frog :), saw one of the few ladybirds we have had this year and built a lovely slate bug resort :) Though as my camera battery was dying, there aren't any photos :(

the before and after

Andrew dug up the garlic - great bulbs again as always and planted 2 more squash plants in the now empty potato bed. Again, I need to take more photos but this was the best I could get. I had to turn the camera off and and on a few times to trick it into giving me a photo at all!

the garlic harvest

Lastly there was my awesomely terrible Pinterest fail of a sign for plot 14b. Lucky I can laugh at myself but this was horrendous, I giggled until I hiccuped...

top left: ruthiaudia.com   top right: ohsobeautifulpaper.com

We left the plot that night at 8.20pm, utterly aching and exhausted. I had to have a shower the second I got into the house and but not before I quickly scribbled down that it had been a good day. By the time that shower was over my depression had returned and I had the worst panic attack ever. I'd overdone it. But at least I have those memories and the knowledge that it is possible to lose oneself in Nature, let her take over my worries and insecurities for a while and just be at one with myself, my breath and earth on my hands and the sun on my back...

Namaste

A good boast at 24a; weeds out - plants in

Okay, okay, I was a bit ranty in the last post, sorry. Sometimes I think you just need to get some issues off your chest and I feel much better and much more positive now, so thank you for indulging me.

I am going to be much more cheerful this time as I have happy photos and good raves about 24a (don't talk to me about 14b, that is being tackled tomorrow!) After a bad start to the year things really do seem to have caught up and the plot is filling up rather nicely thank you :) I'll start off with the fruit arch (cause I am super duper proud of it) at the bottom of the plot. Oh my lordy! the trees are doing so well this year, I think they have finally established and we have apples, pears and for the very first time, plums all set and growing!!! I hope we actually get some of each, it's been an impatient wait so far. The arch is now covered and if we ever get a really sunny day ever again, this is where you'll find me, in the shade - pale and interesting is the look I'm going for (I simply do not tan!)

And up beside the fruit arch is the Summer Raspberry patch - oh my, they are so heavy with fruit, though not one is ripe yet... I'm tapping my toe waiting.. however they are incrediblly healthy and a metre away there are new plants growing in the main path which I had to rip out - they're like a weeds those plants! They and the Blueberries growing behind them are going to have to be made bird proof - I am not sharing them this year again, in fact I blasted well didn't get 1 blueberry the past 2 years, grrrr.

The Cherry tree  ('Stella') has loads of fruit this year too. It did last year though to be fair and then it all got a bit too warm one day and they all fell off, to say I was disappointed is an understatement, I remember just standing there staring at the ground with my heart in my throat (honestly, it's daft but I was tearing up). I am trying not to get too excited but it's really hard - for goodness sake I have a Cherry Blossom Tattoo, my photography bussiness is called Cherry Blossom Tattoo - I bloomin' love all things Cherry! (apart from Cherry Coke but that's just because I hate Coke)...

The Garlic!!! Happy??? Heck yeah! This time last year it was looking good but there was rust, this time, no rust!! They just keep getting better and better - 'Gault's Wight' I call them, but then I am a total geek :p (This photo is almost a month old now - they look so fabulous now, I can't believe I forgot to take a pic!)

We (and by that I mean Andrew) had a terrible time trying to get Sweetcorn to germinate this year but in the end we have enough and have planted them out 2 sister style ~ Sweetcorn and Squash (under plastic bottle cloches) together as is our way :) Fingers crossed, I do adore corn on the cob. There is going to be a huge squash bed over in 14b as usual but I'll talk about that some other time.

Spuds are still doing great - we had to keep the fleece at hand though but this weather is so messed up but if the earlies I dug up last weekend are anything to go by, we should have a great crop (I'm pretty sure they're 'Sharp's Express' here). We also have second earlies in too ('Estima') - looking healthy.

I thought this was interesting...on the left are leeks that were sown in March, on the right ones that were sown in April - can you see a difference?? If anything the newer ones are stronger and a richer, deeper green colour - just goes to show, you shouldn't worry about getting everything planted, nature will catch up, she has her own rules!

Well my lovelies apart from all that there are great hanging bunches of redcurrants on every plant, little healthy rows of turnips and parnsips and lovely looking lettuces and spring onions. Just don't mention carrots to us, it's a touchy subject......

I think I have waffled and boasted enough - I'm off for a nap :) xxxx

The hubby ventures forth to the lottie

I am still ill, this is week 4 we're into now and the phlegm just keeps on coming, the cough is really irrating and I am blooming exhausted! Saturday was a glorious Autumn day, the sort that really makes you want to be outside skipping; crisp with deep blue skies and sunshine galore. But of course I had to stay inside and fill a bin with used hankies :(

Andrew though ventured forth to the lottie alone for the first time in weeks as he too has been ill. I decided to badger him into taking photos of everything and then interogated him afterwards so I could feel I was involved. Thus the next few wee updates will come from Andrew but through me :)

Andrew went with the purpose of getting the Garlic planted and harvesting some delicious crops for dinner, we were in desperate need for a homegrown, homemade lottie soup to soothe our souls.

Here is the view of 24a when he arrived. I personally don't think it's too bad after so much neglect just a little weedy and that grass - ggrrrr. Look at those lovley leeks and the chard in the background!

Well I saw a photo of Andrew planting the garlic but I have to put my hands up - like an great big idiot I have deleted it. It was a good photo too, but here is one from after the event where Andrew got some prickily branches and placed them over the bed to try and keep the birds away. I guess it's not a huge stretch to the imagination to think there are garlic cloves under there *shy smile*

Here, this will cheer us all up - a glorious harvest (and my belly is full of these ingredients right now as we have just had our second day of amazing allomtent soup!)

1st Parsnips and Jerusalem Artichokes

 Borlotti Beans

 A beautiful Leek and a Crown Prince Squash :)

And just to make your mouth water even more there was also butter beans, garlic and beef shin - yum!

I shall return with more of the story, more photos, a wee chat about the compost and Andrew's plans and dreams for the lottie :)

hugs

Taming nature and pilfering on the plots!

Okay so I waxed lyrical about the joys of wild flowers in my last post and how beautiful and useful they are. Yes at the sides of the road a thistle, dandelion and long grasses make me happy but in my lottie, well they are nought but weeds.  Mr Titchmarsh sort of agrees with me, he once said that 'a weed is a plant in the wrong place' and boy did we have a lot of weeds to contend with on our return from France. I swear we could have lost Maggie in there!

There aren't any before and after photos but this one below. It's only a tiny part of 24a but it's all you are getting. Yes, shame was all encompassing when we saw our dear lottie plots for the 1st time, I couldn't even bring myself to take a photo, no, it was just too terrible. So think of this, but EVERYWHERE and you will get an idea of the horror, the horror.....

 

Only 'after' photos will be shared here and let's us forget about the 'before' ~ we are past winners of the 'Best Kept Allotment Award' for goodness sake!

We were methodical in our attack, almost military, a 2 pronged attack, a pincher movement.... Andrew took on the right hand side, I the left, grass was cut and beds weeded like there was no tomorrow. We started on Thursday night and on Friday night we did the next 2 beds and here is the joyous aftermath - some path and 4 beds, one with very healthy celeriac, one with very healthy leeks and 2 clear ones. Thank you very much; *I hear applause in the distance as the plots themselves weep with joy*

However on our return to the Allotments on Saturday we discovered that our shears had been pilfered - shame on you, whoever you are!!! By mistake we had forgotten to put them in the shed overnight and someone took advantage yet again. I say again, as we also noted that very first night that one of our biggest and best Squashes had been taken whilst we were on holiday. Argh, the duality of allotmenteering ~ the community aspect of many people and conversely, the people, all sorts of people.

Saturday saw all the sweetcorn harvested (a mixed bag in the end) and the squash plants below them lifted; sadly no edible fruits there. Then onto the cut and come again beds where all those bolted herbs and lettuces were turfed on the compost heap. Plus Andrew bought these, my new favourite things in the world - new shears!! They are so sharp and have a cushion-y  bit and make a quick whooshing sound when they cut through the grass = happy Carrie.

 

All we have now up that end in the long beds is Scallions, some Rainbow Chard, Sorrel and these beauties (Pak Choi). I am hoping to get the rest of the plot finished today! Andrew has already moved over to 14b and worked hard but I haven't seen it, I've been focusing on 24a.

New plans for the space are afoot and I shall post those (with one of my fabulous drawings) and the finished plot taming story/photos next time, probably tomorrow night. x

*****

Thank you for all the comments on Wild Flowers; so happy that many people have wild flower borders in their area and like the idea (and practice) of seed bombing :)

A taste of summer in the depths of all this snow

So Andrew and Maggie were just 'talking' there about how they want it to snow more, hahaha. It's been snowing most of the day and we have had a mighty 3 inches (maybe only 2 but I want this to sound dramatic) - N. Ireland is in the grips of the biggest freeze in 25 yrs and if it continues in the same fashion over the rest of the month, one of our weathermen said it would be the coldest since records began (1910) wow!

So what is there to love about all this coldness apart from looking at the snow from the cosiness of the living room wrapped up in my blanket? I would really to prefer it to go away, it's pretty dull feeling stuck in the house at the weekend. However, I am loving this weather for one reason, one reason only - FOOD. Our squash, parsnips and scorzenera are seeing me through these dark, cold, dreary days when really all I want to do is go back to bed as soon as breakfast is over.

This utter beauty lasted us 3 weeks and goodness knows how many tasty dinner accompaniments. It was so sweet and we always roast ours - it makes it even better :) It has the fun name of  'Chioggia'.

The parsnips are amazing this year - HUGE and the extra cold = extra sweetness; they are so good that Andrew can barely get them out of the ground without them breaking in half. Okay the ground is dead hard but it's also because us Gaults have 'the gift' - it's fact - we grow good parsnips ;) No pictures as I don't want to make you so jealous that you come and find my lottie and steal them all, I'd understand why you did it but it would make be very sad and we wouldn't want that, would we.

A new and super exciting root veg grown this year was Scorzenera - yes, say it again, don't you sound posh!?? It's basically a black, long root that when you dig it up and peel it, cook it and stick it on a fork and into your mouth, tastes like parsnip! only not so parsnip-y. Yum

But last week I had a brainwave - granted, it does not take long for a wave to pass through my humble empty noggin but I think I hit upon a moment of shear genius - getting a jar of Lottie Strawberry Jam out of the cupboard and tasting a little of that sweet summer goodness. It has been a joy, I only allow myself a little every now and then to stretch the affair out but it is so worth it. :) What is a scone without a little teaspoonful of strawberry happiness ??? A sad scone - that's what.

Food = happiness in the winter :)

Ummmm, Squash Soup

'All pumpkins are squash, but not all squash are pumpkins' ~ direct quote from my Hubby.

Well to me, he's the authority on cucurbits (the proper family name for such things) as he managed to grow some this year, hurrah! Last year was an unmitigated disaster, nothing grew for us from that family at all, which was a real disappointment as I had 50p on the fact that we would win the biggest Pumpkin Award. Luckily the person I had that bet with doesn't remember, haha, so my 50p is safe.

This year we (notice how when things go right, I write 'we', when they go wrong it's Andrew's fault) grew Butternut Squash 'Cobnut' and little 'Sweet Dumpling'. Here they are in all their glory, a good haul, compared to last year, at least.

The Squash is one of the finest things known to allotmenteering in my eyes; the flowers are lovely you can do the 'sisters' system with them, therefore they don't take up too much room and they're bloomin' gorgeous. I like them roasted, chopped up and put in the oven for ages with olive oil and salt and pepper, no, I LOVE them, my mouth is watering like crazy. Andrew is the best cook ever and he took this one stage further with a squash soup last week. I have begged him to share his secret recipe with us all here and he has relented.....

Andrew's Squash Soup

1 leek

3 or 4 cloves of garlic, to taste

2 medium sized home-grown squash of your selection, (sliced & roasted)

1 Litre of chicken stock

Seasoning, including a dash of cumin

Sweat, simmer, muddle and serve.

Thank you Andrew x

lots to share

I have to tell you about the weekend and week past before a whole new one begins. I don't know where the time has gone but it is Friday! and I am exhausted as usual. I don't know what I have been writing about that could possibly be more important than all the hard work and artistry that we did on the plots!

This, as you will know by now, is my flower bed in 14b. I ripped out everything that was tired and looking awful and now I just have the permanent inhabitants left and a few sunflowers still struggling on. So that means there is space and I can see where things are and where things can be planted for next year. I have loads of bulbs (they'll probably get started this weekend) but I also had 2 birthday present windmills and three arty rock mounds that Andrew and made (we stole the idea from a lovely garden in Brittany).

Then joy, my 1st blog birthday present was able to be planted out too, a sunny Coreopsis. Poor thing has just been sitting there for a month in a pot, probably not feeling wanted. It may even have thought I had forgotten about it or maybe life was just all about living in pots and feeling cramped and terrible. Well, no, I now had the space cleared for this little beauty to go into her home and be free to spread those roots and settle into life on the plot. Isn't she a darling?

Whilst doing this Davy walked past with the most massive of cabbages this girl has ever laid her eyes on. Boy was that a good plant, very firm in the heart and hardly a nibble in sight. He was taking it over to a lady friend's house - better than flowers, eh?

Then during the week I attacked the sweetcorn bed. All done for this year and we only had 2 fresh off the plant. Though to be fair both Mamma G and my sister-in-law have lots in their freezers for us that they rescued from the plot in the bad weather Northern Ireland suffered when we were in glorious France. If frozen sweetcorn is the price you pay for going on holiday at the end of August/start of September. It's one I am willing to pay!

In France we bought an adaza, we'd been finding it very hard to get one here and the on-line shipping costs for something so heavy were nuts. So we gave it a try and oh!, it's great. Unfortunately we were in such a tizzy of work I didn't take a photo but I'll post one soon. We also bought a bell for the shed. It's for me to ring when Andrew wanders off around the fields and inevitably gets chatting for a long time. I can ring it and get him back again - that's the idea, I have my reservations about it actually working. Men (especially once they become husbands) seem to have very selective hearing!!!

The one and only harvest of Borlotti beans took place last night and the vines were cut back too. I had really enjoyed them growing up the gates, I think we'll do something similar next year and the climbing rose will be there too. As you can see I really did like them there as a good lot of them are way past their best. Our first squashes were lifted too - so cute looking, I hope they taste well. We did a 2 sisters approach with them and the sweetcorn, growing them in the same bed, it worked really well.

Then just as leaving last night we picked our first leek of the season - pretty good. And Andrew went mad collecting brambles, it was infectious and soon I was in the hedgerows too. We got quite a lot! Jam making tonight, us over the bubbly saucepan and a glass of wine, uummm. x