Processing and Storing

Last year was a bit of an experiment on my plot, plus I had to dig it over completely to get anything started. This year I've seen more of a normal turn of the seasons and seen my plan of crop rotation work in practice. Of course not all of being an allotment holder is about working on the plot, it's also about eating and processing everything that we grow! This year I've really had to think more about this as I'm experiencing the gluts of one type of fruit and veg coming thick and fast. From trying to imaginatively come up with ideas for storing courgettes to picking and bagging endless batches of peas, there are means and methods of storing this fresh bounty for the cold winter months. I'm really excited about opening up a bag of tiny fingernail sized broad beans to make pasta with feta when it's cold and bleak outside, or making a raspberry sponge pudding. Making such things seems like a ray of sunshine when the memory of summer has long since passed.

My mother has been nagging me constantly about using up all my tomatoes, and she has a point, I will be kicking myself if I didn't when I use up the last batch of sauce for pasta. Really, I think there is not a more beautiful sight than these plump plum and cherry tomatoes sauteing in garlic!

Preserve of the rich

I have been busy making jams recently, mainly raspberry as my harvest has been bountiful (yes bountiful,not bootiful as Bernard Matthews would have said) and plum. I also saw a recipe for cassis which I'm keen to try as I have a stash of my blackcurrants languishing in the freezer waiting for processing. Another idea I had this year was to try raspberry vinegar, as I saw it mentioned in an article in one of the Sunday papers recently, I think this is an excellent alternative to the bolt standard method of preserving. One of the problems I have each year is the distinct lack of available jam jars. A jam making session can easily fill 5/6 jars, which has left me with a quandry and a pile of overripe fruit. So I looked into buying some in bulk as I'm probably going to use them each year now. When cruising the internet, I found Harrod horticultural do a good range of preserving jars and labels at very reasonable prices. They are well work looking at if you are interesting in that sort of thing! I especially like the new Padova flasks which is what I will be bottling my raspberry vinegar in (as shown)

On the window sill

My mum pretty much always has something edible 'ripening' up on the window sill, whether it be a shop bought mango, some home grown plums or strawberries, there is always a treat on offer. It truly reflects the seasons too, and I may even post a regular piece to demonstrate the point.

So at the moment on the window sill is....

A homegrown cucumber from my aunty, and one from my allotment, some damsons from the roadside and a trio of figs from the front garden.

Thoughts on colour

"My garden is my most beautiful masterpiece." ~ Claude Monet

...and after a haircut

Plot trimmed and tidied

The shocking truth

Ok here it is, my rambling neglected plot!

How did that happen so fast?

Ostrich Feather Asters and the rest

My range of cut flowers was expanded this year, and it's well worth it when I turn up on the plot to see a riot of colour from the road. I must have saved quite a bit of money on the various bunches I have brought home, not to say I would have bought flowers anyway as I much prefer the garden variety. Here is a selection of what was on offer this year, forgive me for not providing names for all, I will refer back and update later!

Ostrich Feather Asters, wonderfully fluffy and decadent

Purple Larkspur and Queen Anne's Lace (with scent)

the allotment staple, sunflower

Ok so not a cut flower, but couldn't resist adding this Icelandic poppy

Long stemmed heritage sweet peas

August colours

Summer is fading fast on the allotment, sadly, the lush greenery of early summer has definitely now passed. There is still plenty of colour around though, and with plums and apples now found by the road there is more than enough to keep me cheerful!.

My sungold cherry tomatoes have been a roaring success this year and some of the marmande slicing tomatoes have done well too.

Plenty of Autumn Bliss raspberries, and wild strawberries

and I found this nice plump pumpkin lurking under a cabbage