As an urban allotmenter, with the dream of one day running my own smallholding, follow my successes, trials and tribulations on the allotment as I strive to become self sufficient. I hope you enjoy.
I said there was something magical going on today...
Get link
Facebook
X
Pinterest
Email
Other Apps
...as I collected my potato sacks to head up and lift my potatoes, one stray leftover had turned into a Christmas Bauble!
On the 29th January we got our three hens. We decided on three different breeds - a Splash Orpington, Crested Legbar and a Cemani. They would give us three different coloured eggs (blue, brown and white) and the Cemani is good winter layer (so I am told). Having been beaten by the weather, they spent the first week in the greenhouse while I finished building their house. That was actually quite good thing in the end as they gave the ground in the greenhouse a thorough weed, rake and fertilise ready for sowing. Having got them at 6 weeks of age, they were not yet ready to lay (usually 18-24 weeks old is when they start) but each day we still checked for eggs. I closed off the nest boxes at first so as to not get them into the habit of sleeping in there. This is a really easy habit for the chickens to get into, but a hard one to break. We don't want them soiling the nest boxes and eggs! Knowing that the day was getting close, last week, ...
I got home from work while it was still daylight today so took the opportunity to pop up to the greenhouse for a few minutes. Over half term, I sowed a number of different seeds and today I have seedlings! Both the 'All the year round' cauli and the basil have germinated in the greenhouse. True to it's name, this little beauty does grow all the year round! Nothing else poking through yet, but I remain confident. I pruned my sage back in passing too today. All the clippings in a carrier bag in the freezer so I'll still be able to use it for (mostly) sage and onion stuffing throughout the winter. On my onion bed, it's still a case of man vs. magpie. As quickly as I poke the sets back in, they pull them out. At least I can see that the sets have roots and shoots so it shouldn't be long before they hold their own and the magpies lose interest (fingers crossed). Anyway, the magpies have found a much more lucrative past time...flying into my bird feeders and shaki...
Someone told me this week, the reason vegetables are seasonal is so that you don't get bored of them. By the time they're back in season, you'll have had enough of a break and be ready to enjoy them again. I thought it was quite a nice way to look at things. However, I do think marrows may be an exception to this rule! I've been 'lucky' this year...the dry weather in May and June meant a lot of my squashes didn't make it so I haven't had the usual glut of courgettes and marrows from the plot. I know by this time in the year, some of you are regretting the decision to pop another seed in back in the spring. For an alternative stuffed marrow try this... Peel and cut marrow into 1" thick rings. Meanwhile fry off a red onion with some diced spicy chorizo sausage. Add a handful of peas, some mixed herbs and some cous cous and mix together to make the stuffing. Fill the marrow rings with the stuffing. Cover with foil and bake for an hour. Check ...
Comments
Post a Comment