Basking in the sun at lunchtime – on our very original new bench!

The rain came and went early today. Though a little overcast, our timing was perfect for basking in the sun at lunchtime – on our very original new bench! Thanks to Pam and Richard for making and delivering such a unique design!

Quite a range of activity today. Storm Floris had not wrought too much havoc, but we did have to re-net the sweetcorn bed – a task requiring patience, ingenuity and a garden hoe. We also gathered a windfall of Discovery apples, just on the right side of ripeness.

Most of the Victoria plums had clung on for dear life. The first will be ripe for harvesting by next week, so we spent some time wrapping the tree in enviromesh to deter plundering blackbirds (though in the spirit of share and share alike, they’ll still have access to the topmost fruit). This year, the boughs are heavy with plums so harvesting a first crop will take some weight off. Thinning also helps prevent the introduction of disease, either via nesting insects or from poor air circulation. We’ve sourced some recipes for pickling under-ripe plums but have also found that fruit picked over the past few weeks have continued to ripen up at home.

The beetroot is growing nicely this year, but we’ll leave it in the ground for harvesting at The Caley’s “Harvesting and Storing” workshop at Bridgend in a couple of weeks’ time. We pulled some carrots, leaving more space for the remaining ones and may manage a second sowing as the soil is warm, and daylight is still on our side.

Our purple sprouting broccoli has got ahead of itself this year, and is in danger of bolting, so we’re picking already – possibly due to an especially hot Spring? The weather may have impacted on the broad beans too. We picked the last of these today. Many pods were stumpy, with just one or two big beans inside – still lovely pureed with roast garlic, olive oil and lemon. The bean baton’s now passed to the dwarf French and runners. We found a giant one hiding amongst foliage – so good to start harvesting while they’re young and juicy. Red and white onions have been brilliant this year – perfect, shiny globes. Within minutes of receiving our new bench, the old one had been turned into an onion-drying station.

We remembered to harvest some lovely iron-rich spinach which is thriving as are the redcurrants. We picked a couple more punnets but will leave them now for the Harvesting Workshop, where we can pick the remaining crop, share recipes and perhaps sample some jelly, a perfect way to “store” redcurrants.

Jobs for next week: Harvest early tatties (Nadine) keep an eye out for blight on the main crops; cut some shaws back in preparation for lifting; harvest some plums; weed and cut the grass (remember to bring petrol!)