We have lambs…
And we have daffodils…
Did I mention we have lambs?
It must be spring soon!
Now I have been thinking about my potatoes. I have four varieties, as per usual, although my technique for selecting them has been a little different from usual. Normally I go to the garden centre and get one that can be harvested in time for Christmas, in 100 days from planting, then one that is due out in 110 days, then another in a 120 days and the last lot due out in 130 or 140, which satisfies my gardeners sense of order and control.
Then we would eat them in order – first out, first into our tummies. But then I accidently discovered last year that Ilam Hardy made awesome chips and when roasted, but a bit average when boiled and mashed. I just thought all potatoes were just one of those average staples in our diet that weren’t that special, but was a great filler for the bellies of growing boys. How wrong was I?
It turns out that each has their own special thing that make them magic. So this season I spent ages in the garden centre looking at the growing times – because it would seem I am a bit of a control freak in the garden, but also how best to cook them.
So I settled on Jersey Benne as my 1st Early – which are perfect new potatoes for Christmas and go for silly prices per kilo on Christmas Eve. These are a waxy potato, good for boiling, salads, casseroles, soups, and mashing that should take 90 – 100 days.
Then I chose for my 2nd Early / Main my favourite Ilam Hardy which are a floury potato, ideal for mashing, baking roasting, chips and wedges. Yummo! These should take 120 days ish.
And Karaka which are a great all round cooking potato with excellent flavour and a high yielder. I was drawn by the high yield bit. These can take about 140 days.
And finally as a Main Crop Agria which is also a high yielder and is a floury potato, suitable for boiling, mashing, baking, wedges, and great for chips.
And if they don’t work out for me then next year I will choose different ones. There are loads to choose from – I may need a bigger garden…
Come again soon – 11 days until it is official!
Sarah the Gardener : o )
Gorgeous Sarah .. aren’t they just beautiful. I meant to say yesterday (I’m a twit) when you chit your spuds, dip them in seaweed fert with water weekly, this helps them on their way. Don’t you just love all the spud varieties? Kowiniwini is a lovely variety too – roasts beautifully.
Hi Julie.
Ok, I understand now. I have never heard of them done like that – I may have to give it a try as last year I got blight and so will do anything to avoid that. I was considering dipping them in a copper fungicide before planting them just to make sure.
There is so much more I have to learn about the different varieties of spud – maybe I could extend my garden just a little and plant some Maori potatoes…
Cheers Sarah : o )
We like to eat baked potatoes, especially when it is just me and James. We have been purchasing Yukon Gold. They have a buttery flavor and need less of the real butter when fixing up the baked potato. Just a hit for future thoughts. Love those little lambs. Those always were my favorite farm animal.
Hi Lucinda. We don’t have that variety of potato here but I have seen many people in the north rave about it so I kind of wish we did, because I’d love to try it.
The lambs are so cute. I think they are smaller than the chickens at the moment. It is hard to imagine how big they will be by Christmas.
Cheers Sarah : o )
Aw. They’re gorgeous!
Hi Jen. They are the sweetest little things, but just like babies you have to watch them. They have wriggled through the smallest of gaps in the fence twice so far…
Cheers Sarah : o )
Reblogged this on Linda's wildlife garden and commented:
Awesome update thank you for sharing have a blessed day
You have a pair of cute lambs there…… which means winter is just around the corner ⛄ 😉
Hi Elaine, I didn’t mean to remind you of your impending autumn with my spring excitement – although you do have tomatoes! I still have months to go before I get to taste delicious fresh tomatoes!
Cheers Sarah : o )
Sounds yummy! Lovely to see the lambs and daffodils considering in my part of the world we’ve got another six months to go.
Hi there. It doesn’t seem that long ago that I was in your position, sad to see the end of summer and looking longingly at northern hemisphere daffodils.
Cheers Sarah : o )
Makes for an intetesting world!
11 days!! 🙂
Hi Wendy.
I’m super excited. This has to be the best time of the year. And the boffins have said we are to have the longest extended period of sunshine without rain since June. (I’m choosing to believe them this time because it suits me!) I foresee a weekend in the garden!
Cheers Sarah : o )
Oh really, well that all sounds good and a good plan for you!!!!! 🙂
o_O
Geez they are cute!
Hi Virginia, they are really sweet, but going out in the cold and dark of night for the last feed of the day isn’t so cute!
Cheers Sarah : o )
No that isn’t a plus!
Lambs! 😀 I remember chasing lambs around the hills growing up. Tiny, but much faster than one might expect. Nothing more joyous than a lamb playing though.
Hi there. We thought we had it all sorted with the fencing as each year we had reactively up graded it, but they are still so small that they just slip through the tiniest gaps and get out. They are so full of life! Cheers Sarah : o )