And that's shallot.....

Who says the old ones aren't the best?!

Not true however, as we still have a long way to go and so much more to plant, harvest and enjoy.

We had a very quick visit this evening.  Last weekend wasn't particularly conducive to spending time outdoors, especially since I was also full of cold and Phil was helping his brother to move house.  So we went this evening just to check that everything was still OK....and decided to harvest the shallots.  We also managed to find a few decent sized turnips and I thinned out a few of the swede as well so next week's stew will be very tasty!

Today's harvest - shallots and a few other bits.

We do aim to return at the weekend as everything is now growing very fast, including the weeds which are now positively rampant!  The grass paths need taming and the pea shoots we grew are now so big we need to put in supports so they can grow as full pea plants!  Let's hope the rain holds off for a day on Sunday so we can get it all done....

NOM! NOM! NOM!

Wasn't sure if we were going to make it down to the allotment this week as the weekends been a bit busy. Yesterday we were down at Lympstone so that Mary could abuse herself over a 17k endurance run, and she's still suffering today. Then this morning I went off for a couple of hours fishing as the new season started yesterday as well.

Anyway, we finally made it down there and were very relieved to see that the allotment site hadn't ended up over the rainbow with all the high winds we've been having. In fact it looked positively blooming to be honest.

As Mary was suffering with some pretty good aches and pains I took a chair down for her to relax in and be Director of Operations. I then set to and pulled up the remaining broad bean plants which she then stripped the last of the beans from.

Next it was up with the garlic and then I laid a bed of straw down to leave the bulk of the bulbs to dry on . A few that split when they were lifted came home with us for use over the coming weeks. By which time the remainder will be dried and stored.




The pea plants which had struggled so far are really coming into there own and we now have no caulis left on the allotment as I picked the last one this morning. We've also started lifting potatoes. Nothing major crop wise but they taste fantastic and we grew them ourselves.

Then final harvest of today was the strawberries. I think this is the third lot we've had from our plants and I know there are still many more to come. I have to admit that they taste fantastic but it is a great shame that I recently discovered that I may be lactose intolerant so this weeks crop will have to be eaten without the usual lashings of cream. Still taste bloody good though!

Next week it will be all three of back on site and there will be some major weeding and tidying up to be done, as well as more picking to be carried out. Hopefully we will be starting to do some pickled onions with our own shallots.

You win some, you lose some.

What a difference a couple of weeks can make. A fortnight ago we were sweltering and couldn't drink enough water. This week we were in danger of either being blown over the rainbow into the land of Oz or having to build an Ark and take in two of each animal (except maybe the Welsh!).

I had intended to spend this morning fishing but after arriving down at Sandbanks there was the distinct possibility of me needing some ruby slippers to get home again so I gave that up as a bad idea and went home so that we could all head off to the allotment.

Things there are a little bit odd at the moment. We are either succeeding beyond expectations or crashing and burning. 

Successes - Purple sprouting broccoli; what a marvellous and tasty veg. Cauliflowers; we seem to be the only people on the allotment site that can grow them, pure beginners luck. Broad beans; so sweet and tasty it's untrue. Strawberries; there is a god and I reckon he loves strawberries.

Failures - Carrots; but then to be fair no one seems to be having any luck this year with carrots. Tomatoes; I don't think we're going to be getting any this year, the slugs seem to be enjoying the plants though!

Meanwhile back in Nigel we've had a nice few potatoes out of the potato sacks. Nothing spectacular but enough for a few meals. We've still got three pots worth of spuds that have so far managed to avoid the ravages of the slugs and snails (if they weren't such good food for other animals they wouldn't be coming on the Ark either, they could stay with the Welsh!).

I think the chillis might just be a bit of a fail as well. The plants have grown brilliantly and flowered but so far no fruit. They have been smothered in greenfly though (another candidate not to make it on to the Ark at this rate). We've given the plants a bloody good washdown and some food and will be trying to pollinate with a small paintbrush if there's no sign of fruiting in a weeks time. Please keep everything crossed as I love my chillis (not as much as I love my wife though x).

Anyway, I have dinner already prepped for tomorrow; chicken with herbs, garlic and onion, potatoes, peas and beans. Do you know what? Forget what I said earlier, when you're eating fresh homegrown fruit and veg it's all a victory!