Monday 31 July 2017

Harvest Monday - summer bounties and a Norwich stroll

Whew, the harvests are cranking up a gear. I've lifted the first beets....my best for years. These were multi-sown at home (several seeds in one module), then the whole modules planted out, with no thinning. So when the beets start getting sizeable, you harvest the bigger ones and leave the smaller ones to grow on...simple really, I don't know why I've never tried it before. These particular ones are growing under a wigwam of climbing French beans. I've done three sowings of beets, and just planted out the last lot today, so will hopefully have harvests over a long-ish period.
The beet tops are good for eating too, like chard or spinach.
Talking of chard, there's been plenty of that too.
In the back garden, the sugar snap peas had started to get mildewy - we'd already had some but then I decided to clear the lot....not a bad amount.
The cucumbers are really going for it...loads of crystal lemons, marketmore etc. One day I had 17 in the fridge....so plenty of them to snack on. And the courgettes are steadily cropping too. The plant in the back garden doesn't produce many (plus they're quite small fruits, possibly as it's too shady) but on the open allotment they're much more healthy.
Also in the back garden, the runner beans are properly getting going.
And in the lean-to the tomatoes are looking good, and a nice variety of flavours.
I have a few dwarf French bean plants on the plot, uncropping various plants (corn, kale) and some of these are starting to produce too.
...some of those cukes etc. I'm stockpiling the gherkins, to make fermented pickles in a big batch (I'd meant to do it today but didn't get round to it).
Earlier in the week, a vegetable Ood made an appearance (Dr Who).
We enjoyed a nice roast yesterday (and leftovers today). Oh yeah, I lifted the red onions this week too - they're drying in the allotment shed.
I roasted the beets at the same time, and am going to make a hummus with them (slow-cooked a big batch of chickpeas today to add to them), so that's one to make tomorrow too.
The other day we had a more healthier looking meal
On the fruit front, there are masses of blackberries, we've picked tubfuls, and added them to the freezer (I've eaten lots whilst picking too...well, you have to don't you).

I accidentally knocked a couple of apples from one of the dwarf trees (whilst trying to duck under a low branch to get at blackberries!). They're not quite ripe, so I'll probably actually cook them with some blackberries...classic combo.
The apple tree which I moved this winter has had quite a lot of fruit on it (variety Katy maybe?). But the fruit was damaged - not sure if this was because the tree rocked around with all the high winds (despite me staking it). But even the damaged ones have edible bits. I hadn't realised how early these ripened, as the tree was tucked away a bit....this explains why most of the fruit had usually dropped off by the time I noticed it. Now the tree has a lot more space and is more prominent. In fact this year is the best harvest I've had from the tree (there were a few more apples as well as the ones below) despite the damage, so it was worth moving it. Hopefully next year it'll have settled into its new position more as well (I probably shouldn't have even let it fruit this year so it strengthened up).
Nice chopped up with breakfast anyway
The other week I mentioned we were going to an open garden in Norwich, but it rained heavily. Well, this weekend we thought it was open again but when we walked over there it turns out we got the dates mixed up. Whoops again. So instead we had a nice walk around the cathedral area.....past Cow Tower pond with the cathedral in the background. There was a song thrush cracking snails next to the pond - could do with one on my allotment.
There are actually two peregrine falcons in this photo (get your magnifying glass out) - one on a nobble at the top of the tower, and one plucking a dead bird on the nesting platform
And the River Wensum looking lovely in the sun, with canoeists enjoying the still water

Well, this week I need to think about what to sow next, so I've got some veggies to plant out for the Autumn, replacing tomatoes etc in the lean-to. What do you usually sow now?

 

Thanks for reading this week, I'm linking in with Harvest Monday, kindly hosted by Dave at Our Happy Acres

 

16 comments:

  1. I'm always envious of your berries, what a haul! And the rest of your harvest as well ...

    I do love beet greens but I've had little success with beets lately and haven't much to pick from.

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    1. Thanks Susie. Yep I need to do another big berry harvest, probably tomorrow morning before lightning storms are due. I'm cutting someone's huge hedge today so won't get chance,

      I didn't have a much with beets in recent years but the module method has been really successful. I think that when I direct sowed them in previous years I'd just forget about them and not look after them. Also I have more planting space now I've sorted the beds out so feel a bit more organised / can fit more in, rather than a piddly short row of beets squeezed in somewhere.

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    2. Wow, what a terrific harvest this week! We have had a disaster with most of our beet thanks to the attention of rats, so it is great to see someone with such luscious roots.

      Here, I have recently sown mooli, turnips, last week sown perpetual spinach, coriander (for leaf) bok choy, pak choi, Florence fennel and... beetroot... with spring cabbage, winter lettuce, red mustard, early variety of peas to follow in modules, and overwintering carrots in a big box

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    3. Thanks Kathy, fortunately we don't seem to have much of a rodent problem on the allotments, although occasionally someone spots one.
      Gosh, you've been organised. I've started a little pile of seed packets but not sown anything yet.

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  2. Lovely photos from Norwich. Great harvests, well done you. I really like those cylindrical beets, they seem to peel very easily. I grew crystal lemon cukes this year too, as well as the normal varieties. They're always very prolific aren't they. CJ xx

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    1. Thanks CJ. Yes the cylindrical beets are cool, I love how much they poke up above the ground. The crystal lemon cukes are very prolific! I haven't been to the plot since Tuesday, so who knows how many are waiting? Also I hope everything's survived these strong winds.

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  3. Yum! Those berries are perfect! I finally got around to cleaning up one of our rows that was overgrown with grass and weeds - I'm hoping that next year, we will finally get to pick some.

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    1. Thanks Margaret, There are so many berries! Fingers crossed for next year for you. I have them acting as my boundaries so they don't really take up much plot space. And also add some weather protection. The sparrows love to hop around in them too.

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  4. Wow, the harvests really are coming on in earnest!

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    1. Thanks Michelle, We had mega strong winds yesterday so hopefully most of the plot escaped unharmed and the harvests continue :) I'll find out later....

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  5. A very prolific harvest, you have to love this time of year. I sowed some pak choy a couple of weeks ago which can still be sown now. We also sowed some peas last week which we may get a late crop from.
    Peregrines nest on Wakefield cathedral tower too - the pigeon population has consequently shrunk.

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    1. Thanks sue. Oh yes I think I have some oriental leaves I could sow.
      Heh yep I suspect our pigeon population has gone down too.

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  6. What a bounty of veggies and fruit! Your beets and chard are lovely. I wish I could develop a taste for them.

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    1. Thanks Dave. Yeah it's quite an earthy flavour. Sometimes I find chard a bit strong but is nice mixed in with other things.

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