One of the lottie holders, Sandra, gave me two Sweet Potato slips that she had left over. I put them in 10 litre pots and set them on the shelf in the greenhouse and watered them occasionally. Whilst tidying out the greenhouse I harvested them. I was presented with a number of small tubers. Not enough for a dinner but it proved a point.
I am already working out how to get some big pots in the greenhouse along with everything else.
Monday, October 29, 2007
So much to do #2
I decided that the Tomatoes in the greenhouse were finished and needed harvesting and the greenhouse cleaned out. I thought there would be a few pounds of green Toms for chutney. The little basket I took for the Toms was over flowing after a few minutes. The beef tomatoes were planted late and did not have time to ripen fully. A dozen of them filled the basket. The Shirley's did well but suffered in the same way as the Beef Toms. Still there were twenty of them. Only the Gardeners Delight, cherry type Toms, ripened fully. But since they grow the bunches of twenty fruits long there are always a few that are green. I pulled up the vines and dropped in the council green bin. Their composting process should kill off ant blight spores. The contents of the grow bags went of the roof pf the shed. It is flat and is supposed to be a garden however it did not do very well this year. I am hoping the extra compost makes a difference to the soil structure for next year. I then braved the area under the staging where the spare and used pots and tray live. There are all manner of creepy crawlies that live under there as well. Having moved then shook out of the trays, being careful not to tread on the Toads, I managed to clear the greenhouse completely without any girly screams. A bucketful of Jeyes Fuild and boiling hot water sponged onto all the surfaces of the inside of the greenhouse and squeegeed off the glass made for a very sparkly greenhouse. Even a few days later it still had that special "L'eau de Jeyes" aroma. I sorted through the trays and discarded to worst of them. I even graded the plant pots so they all stacked nicely.
The one job I have to do in the greenhouse is two arrange a second stage and a shelf for the spring time assault of seed trays.
The one job I have to do in the greenhouse is two arrange a second stage and a shelf for the spring time assault of seed trays.
So much to do #1
So much to do and only a week in which to do it. Steve and I wound up the wick on the Apple collecting. We had a couple sessions of collecting Apples from a tame orchard and peoples gardens [with their permission] and other assorted hedgerows. We ended up with a little over a thousand pounds of Apples and a fifty pounds of Pears. Steve picked up the apple mincer and press on Friday ready for Saturday. At the appointed time Steve arrived with the mincer, the press and his stash of Apples. After some head scratching we worked out how the ratchet system worked. We put the Pears through first. They were so soft they hardly needed pressing. We pressed eleven litres from the pulp. We then set about halving apples to go in the mincer. If the apples are too large the mincer can not get a grip on them. Only a thousand pounds to go then!
H kept us supplied with tea and in between looking after us and running L around, helped with the chopping. At one o'clock we stopped for lunch. H rustled up soup from the best of the last Tomatoes from the greenhouse. Back to the toil. We got a system going that meant we could chop and mince the Apples whilst the press..erm, pressed. We stopped again at six for dinner. H had made a casserole from the Pork we had got a few weeks ago and, not surprisingly, Apples. There were Apple puffs to follow. Spot a theme? Nearly there. Only two hundred pounds to go. Another three press fulls and the jobs was done, apart from cleaning up. An hour later we were looking at our handy work: All the hire kit was wash and scrubbed as was the work area. Thirty gallons of Apples juice. A little over two gallons of Pear juice, one hundred of the best of the Russet Apples reserved for eating, a dozen Bramleys reserved for cooking and all the cake from the press bagged ready for the allotment. Cake is the pulp after it has been pressed dry. Steve swears by it for soil conditioning. I have put some in my compost bins to give them a kick start.
We are to have another go at Cider. It was not that special last year but we think we know where we went wrong. I am going to freeze some juice to keep it as juice. It ferments whether you want it to or not. And I will do a couple of demi-johns of Apple wine. I have fifteen gallons to play with. So thanks to Gloria, Richard, and those nameless people who discarded Apples along the Tow path and in the hedgerows and finally Steve for providing the impetus.
H kept us supplied with tea and in between looking after us and running L around, helped with the chopping. At one o'clock we stopped for lunch. H rustled up soup from the best of the last Tomatoes from the greenhouse. Back to the toil. We got a system going that meant we could chop and mince the Apples whilst the press..erm, pressed. We stopped again at six for dinner. H had made a casserole from the Pork we had got a few weeks ago and, not surprisingly, Apples. There were Apple puffs to follow. Spot a theme? Nearly there. Only two hundred pounds to go. Another three press fulls and the jobs was done, apart from cleaning up. An hour later we were looking at our handy work: All the hire kit was wash and scrubbed as was the work area. Thirty gallons of Apples juice. A little over two gallons of Pear juice, one hundred of the best of the Russet Apples reserved for eating, a dozen Bramleys reserved for cooking and all the cake from the press bagged ready for the allotment. Cake is the pulp after it has been pressed dry. Steve swears by it for soil conditioning. I have put some in my compost bins to give them a kick start.
We are to have another go at Cider. It was not that special last year but we think we know where we went wrong. I am going to freeze some juice to keep it as juice. It ferments whether you want it to or not. And I will do a couple of demi-johns of Apple wine. I have fifteen gallons to play with. So thanks to Gloria, Richard, and those nameless people who discarded Apples along the Tow path and in the hedgerows and finally Steve for providing the impetus.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Busy doing Something
It has been a busy weekend. Most of Saturday was taken up with an Autumn Spring clean of the shed. I took everything out of the shed and painted the inside walls white. It has made a huge difference. It feels bright, clean and somehow it feels larger. The shed was swept and hoovered. The fridge that lives in the shed was taken out and cleaned inside and out ready for the next task, another ham. Whilst looking for something in the garage I found a set of assorted brackets on a card. Two of them were just the job to hang the brolly for the table high up on the wall. The worktops got a good scrubbing. Then it just a matter of getting everything back inside. I had a sort over the contents of the shed a decided that somethings could go down the allotment and other thing were only good for the bin.
On Sunday following a leisurely breakfast I set about fixing the eight new brackets that are to carry the two new shelves. That required the shed to be partially emptied. At least the paint was dry. Once they were fixed I cut the shelves from a piece of chipboard I have been saving in the shed. Now I have shelf space for thirty bottles of wine. It sound like a lot but I have seven demi-johns a brewing. Each demi-john yields five standard wine bottles. A quick count on the fingers shows I still need more space. I could always drink some of the existing bottles of wine just to make space. Whilst I had the circular saw and drills out, I cut up and fixed the last big piece of the plywood I had been saving to make closures to finish off the door entrance to the shed. I just need a 12 inched deep piece of wood to finish the threshold step.
After a nice lunch made by H and went to the lottie it fit the hinges I had bought. The hinges were to go on the big compo bin and the wormery. After some effing and jeffing, trapped fingers, dropped lids, dropped screws and assorted scratches and scrapes both set of hinges were fitted. Bloodied but victorious I went home.
It is Monday. I have the week off. H & L are off to Derby to find a dress for Rolfs's wedding. I slipped off to the lottie again. I found a couple of battens that will come in handy as props to keep the newly hinged lids open. I cut a angle on one end and a notch on the other. Now end each end fit neatly onto it's seat and does not slip. The lids are heavy. The last thing I need is a whack on the back of the bonce from a falling lid!
I had a chat with Roundup. "Roundup" is a nick name for David G, one of the allotmenteers. I have plenty of time today so I can listen to his tale of woe. Today I have the whole day stretching out in front of me. When Dave left and had the place to myself. I put on my Ipod, mellow play list, and set to on the ex-pea bed. There is something very satisfying about taking an weedy, untidy patch and turning it into a level, fluffy weed free seed bed. After emptying the wheelbarrow a couple of times and having a few brews I got to the end of the bed. I had collected a five 6x1 tanalised boards from Coalville on Saturday morning, one of these was to form the end of the bed or the edge of the new path, depending on your point of view. By the time the bed was finished it was 4.30pm. The weather has definitely turned colder but the Sun still managed an appearance although lacking the warming power of the summer. It was still warm enough for me to raise a sweat whilst working. The frosts of the last week had killed off the meager squashes. I got on butternut squash but it is too immature to eat. I also got two winter squashes. They look the part although they are only the size of a football.
The next job to tackle is either the other boards to create the other side of the new paths or weeding the ex-pumpkin patch. Upon reflection I think the pumpkin patch needs dealing with first.
Other things that have occurred. The Pea Pod Burgundy has stopped bubbling. Time for the first racking. Just as well I have space in the shed. My seed order from Kings had arrived. I am going try to plan my sowing for 2008.
On Sunday following a leisurely breakfast I set about fixing the eight new brackets that are to carry the two new shelves. That required the shed to be partially emptied. At least the paint was dry. Once they were fixed I cut the shelves from a piece of chipboard I have been saving in the shed. Now I have shelf space for thirty bottles of wine. It sound like a lot but I have seven demi-johns a brewing. Each demi-john yields five standard wine bottles. A quick count on the fingers shows I still need more space. I could always drink some of the existing bottles of wine just to make space. Whilst I had the circular saw and drills out, I cut up and fixed the last big piece of the plywood I had been saving to make closures to finish off the door entrance to the shed. I just need a 12 inched deep piece of wood to finish the threshold step.
After a nice lunch made by H and went to the lottie it fit the hinges I had bought. The hinges were to go on the big compo bin and the wormery. After some effing and jeffing, trapped fingers, dropped lids, dropped screws and assorted scratches and scrapes both set of hinges were fitted. Bloodied but victorious I went home.
It is Monday. I have the week off. H & L are off to Derby to find a dress for Rolfs's wedding. I slipped off to the lottie again. I found a couple of battens that will come in handy as props to keep the newly hinged lids open. I cut a angle on one end and a notch on the other. Now end each end fit neatly onto it's seat and does not slip. The lids are heavy. The last thing I need is a whack on the back of the bonce from a falling lid!
I had a chat with Roundup. "Roundup" is a nick name for David G, one of the allotmenteers. I have plenty of time today so I can listen to his tale of woe. Today I have the whole day stretching out in front of me. When Dave left and had the place to myself. I put on my Ipod, mellow play list, and set to on the ex-pea bed. There is something very satisfying about taking an weedy, untidy patch and turning it into a level, fluffy weed free seed bed. After emptying the wheelbarrow a couple of times and having a few brews I got to the end of the bed. I had collected a five 6x1 tanalised boards from Coalville on Saturday morning, one of these was to form the end of the bed or the edge of the new path, depending on your point of view. By the time the bed was finished it was 4.30pm. The weather has definitely turned colder but the Sun still managed an appearance although lacking the warming power of the summer. It was still warm enough for me to raise a sweat whilst working. The frosts of the last week had killed off the meager squashes. I got on butternut squash but it is too immature to eat. I also got two winter squashes. They look the part although they are only the size of a football.
The next job to tackle is either the other boards to create the other side of the new paths or weeding the ex-pumpkin patch. Upon reflection I think the pumpkin patch needs dealing with first.
Other things that have occurred. The Pea Pod Burgundy has stopped bubbling. Time for the first racking. Just as well I have space in the shed. My seed order from Kings had arrived. I am going try to plan my sowing for 2008.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
It's a worms life
The weather is holding out. Still not too wet. A few showers during the week has kept the soil at the lottie damp and loose. I went to the lottie on Saturday morning. It was really misty to the point where it almost rained. It was dry enough for me though. I move the black compost bins to give me access to the big compo bin. I set about the bin with wood, nails, bolts, hammers and screw drivers and after about an hour of freestyle joinery I had a wormery.
It is a little under four foot long and eighteen inches deep and wide. It is lined with a bit a old pond liner. I managed to find some planks to make a lid but ran out of fixings. I still had a bit of my allotted time left so I set about the lid onthe main compost bin. I had found a decent fence panel sometime ago and have been using it as an over size lid. With the extra time I trimmed the panel down to just the right size and reassembled the end batten. So now I have the lid the right size. The next job is the find some hinges to make opening the lid easier.
I had moved the black compo bins which meant I had the contents of the bins all over the floor. I repositioned the bins and re-filled them. It is quite amazing how much the contents have broken down. The dock root have still got quite away to go.
Sunday was drier. I got down the lottie for a few hours in the morning. I had the wormery from home in the car. I had a some potting compost that I had been growing Carrots in from home as well which I dumped into the new wormery as a base layers. Then I tipped in the contents of the old wormery. I had to re-layer the contents of the old wormery so that the top layers were still on top. Then just to make the worms feel at home I layered on the some new "food". Once the worms were installed I nail together the planks that make the lid. I found a a piece of spare carpet, cut it to size and it now covers the surface of the material in the wormery. Whilst I was knocking wood about I made a little shelf to carry the water butt. Where the butt was positioned made it awkwad to fill the watering cans. How it is at just the right height to fill the cans and to top up the butt itself.
Just to finish the morning off a dug over an eight by twelve foot area of the old pea bed. I took two wheel barrow loads of weeds to the black compo bins. Just as well the contents have rotten down! Another eight foot and the bed is complete. I am feeling quite chuffed as over half the of the plot is cleared.
It is a little under four foot long and eighteen inches deep and wide. It is lined with a bit a old pond liner. I managed to find some planks to make a lid but ran out of fixings. I still had a bit of my allotted time left so I set about the lid onthe main compost bin. I had found a decent fence panel sometime ago and have been using it as an over size lid. With the extra time I trimmed the panel down to just the right size and reassembled the end batten. So now I have the lid the right size. The next job is the find some hinges to make opening the lid easier.
I had moved the black compo bins which meant I had the contents of the bins all over the floor. I repositioned the bins and re-filled them. It is quite amazing how much the contents have broken down. The dock root have still got quite away to go.
Sunday was drier. I got down the lottie for a few hours in the morning. I had the wormery from home in the car. I had a some potting compost that I had been growing Carrots in from home as well which I dumped into the new wormery as a base layers. Then I tipped in the contents of the old wormery. I had to re-layer the contents of the old wormery so that the top layers were still on top. Then just to make the worms feel at home I layered on the some new "food". Once the worms were installed I nail together the planks that make the lid. I found a a piece of spare carpet, cut it to size and it now covers the surface of the material in the wormery. Whilst I was knocking wood about I made a little shelf to carry the water butt. Where the butt was positioned made it awkwad to fill the watering cans. How it is at just the right height to fill the cans and to top up the butt itself.
Just to finish the morning off a dug over an eight by twelve foot area of the old pea bed. I took two wheel barrow loads of weeds to the black compo bins. Just as well the contents have rotten down! Another eight foot and the bed is complete. I am feeling quite chuffed as over half the of the plot is cleared.
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
An 'Omage to Tom Good
Any body of a certain age in the UK will know of the comedy series from the late 70s called "The Good Life". Click HERE for the link to BBC Good Life page. When Tom Good's had friends round he always got out the Pea Pod Burgundy. It was supposed to be potent. As an "homage" to Tom I have started a Pea Pod wine. Whether it is a Burgundy or not is anyone guess. It is bubbling away in the dining room and is a vivid yellow. Lucy says you should not eat or drink anything that is fluorescent.
Seeing that I have a glut of football sized Beetroot a short rummage on Google came up with several recipes for Beetroot Wine. It is supposed to be ready in two weeks as well...result. I started in last night [08.10.07] and it was bubbling by this morning. It is also a vivid colour, Vermilion Red, like Cranberry. Watch this space for the tasting notes.
Seeing that I have a glut of football sized Beetroot a short rummage on Google came up with several recipes for Beetroot Wine. It is supposed to be ready in two weeks as well...result. I started in last night [08.10.07] and it was bubbling by this morning. It is also a vivid colour, Vermilion Red, like Cranberry. Watch this space for the tasting notes.
Compost & Worms
I have had a wormery at home for a few monthes. It is great but it has a big draw back. It grows Vinegar Flies by the score. I am not sure how these tiny flies contribute to the big picture but there loads of them. I keep the wormery in the back garden but still a few flies make it into the house.
One of the Plot holders, Martyn, was enthusing about a wormery during the summer so I think I am going to convert one the the compo bins into a wormery. The wormery needs to be shallow but with a large surface area. Imagine a big deep tray. I will need a insulated lid to keep the worst of the frost out. I figure I will use the area under the wormery as a compo heap and hopefully this will give some heat to the underside of the wormery. I just need a little bit of pond liner and I'm good to go.
One of the Plot holders, Martyn, was enthusing about a wormery during the summer so I think I am going to convert one the the compo bins into a wormery. The wormery needs to be shallow but with a large surface area. Imagine a big deep tray. I will need a insulated lid to keep the worst of the frost out. I figure I will use the area under the wormery as a compo heap and hopefully this will give some heat to the underside of the wormery. I just need a little bit of pond liner and I'm good to go.
Our Own Harvest Festival
H and I had our good friends the Peter's round for a long walk and then dinner on Saturday. Dinner was made up from the bounty from the lottie, the Pork we recently had in from the local butcher and Air dried Ham from the pig we had this time last year. There was even a bottle or two of the Apple wine from last years pressing.
I went to the lottie Saturday morning to dig up the veg for the table. Beetroot, Swede, Parsnip Carrot and Fennel. Only the fennel let me down. Five plants and no bulbs. Digging up the Fennel and smashing the stems ready for the compost bin was divine. I smelt of Aniseed all afternoon. The Potatoes, Onion and Garlic are at home, in the shed. I have beetroot of all sizes, tennis ball size to up to football sized ones. I tell you want I did with the big Beets in another post. I was chuffed that I had so many Carrot and on inspection there was only a little carrot fly damage. The Swedes were a bit of a mixed bags but I have loads to chose from.
We had Melon and Air Dried Ham to start, Pork Hotpot and roast vegetables for the main and poached sticky Pears for pudding. Julie brought a lovely box of home chocolates to go with the coffee. Alan & I were a little the worse for wear by th end, mainly because we had a head start by going to the Railway Inn on the way back from the walk.
Happy days!
I went to the lottie Saturday morning to dig up the veg for the table. Beetroot, Swede, Parsnip Carrot and Fennel. Only the fennel let me down. Five plants and no bulbs. Digging up the Fennel and smashing the stems ready for the compost bin was divine. I smelt of Aniseed all afternoon. The Potatoes, Onion and Garlic are at home, in the shed. I have beetroot of all sizes, tennis ball size to up to football sized ones. I tell you want I did with the big Beets in another post. I was chuffed that I had so many Carrot and on inspection there was only a little carrot fly damage. The Swedes were a bit of a mixed bags but I have loads to chose from.
We had Melon and Air Dried Ham to start, Pork Hotpot and roast vegetables for the main and poached sticky Pears for pudding. Julie brought a lovely box of home chocolates to go with the coffee. Alan & I were a little the worse for wear by th end, mainly because we had a head start by going to the Railway Inn on the way back from the walk.
Happy days!
When is the Sweet Corn Ready?
It is a question I am often asked. The received wisdom is to pull back the shelves of the corn and press your thumb into the kernels. If they bleed white juice, they are ready. If I did this I would have spoiled almost all the cobs waiting for them to be ready. I have a much smarter plan. Inspect the cobs as normal. As soon as you see mouse damage, they are ready. The mice alway tackle the ripest cobs first. This year was abismal for Sweet corn. I had a block of twelve plants and only got fourteen cobs. Usually I get four cobs per plant!
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