Because technically scrumping is stealing fruit – particularly apples from an orchard. But not one to be hung up on a technicality, we went scrumping – in our orchard. Now the thing about our orchard is I planted it at the far end of our property so we would have a reason to go to the outer reaches of our land. Otherwise you just find … Continue reading Is it scrumping if it’s your orchard?
It’s not that I haven’t given them a loving home with the very best soil I could provide. I gave them everything and yet they have lashed out like insolent teenagers. Well the best way I know how to sort them out is to eat them! Although they do have an odd taste. I did a bit of research to find out what to do … Continue reading Argh – my Jerusalem artichokes have been trying to escape.
We haven’t had any rain in absolutely ages. In January we had 40mm of rain and while it felt like it was a wet and miserable summer only 10 rainy days were actually wet and most of it came from one day that had 23mm. February had 20 days without a drop and the other 8 days shared out 11mm between them! March wasn’t much … Continue reading I think I broke the drought!
A garden shredder would be nice, it would help alleviate the pain I am currently experiencing in my finger. Either that or some kind of gardening guillotine. The more I think about it the more the want becomes a need. I need a chopper. My mustard cover crop grew a lot faster than I had anticipated or maybe it is time has passed by a … Continue reading I want more things – fancy things…
Today is so lovely. It is hot, not height of summer hot, but warm enough to say “gosh, it’s hot out there.” The sky is blue but is dotted with clouds. However not enough to cling to the thought that the long sunny days are still with us. Feeling the warmth on my face with my eyes closed isn’t enough to create the false allusion of … Continue reading If I shut my eyes – I could so easily fool myself.
BANG – it’s autumn. It is like someone has just flipped a switch. I woke at my usual time, although admittedly for the last week or so I have been sleeping a little longer, and was shocked to find it dark and cold. This isn’t how it is supposed to be. We are supposed to be easing ourselves into the cooler weather, not confronted with … Continue reading I thought about putting on socks!
I have been doing this gardening thing all wrong. For years! A simple action, that I had been putting off for ages, to write on the bags of potatoes the best way to eat them, resulted in the most delicious crispy oven baked chips I have ever had the privilege of cooking and eating. Ordinarily my chip making endeavours would result in soggy chips that … Continue reading The penny just dropped – I need to garden like a cook!
Typical! With less than a handful of summer days left – today’s weather was awesome. One of those lovely blue sky days we have been dreaming about for months. The sun was shining, the birds were singing and the cicadas were cicading. I’m not sure if it was a one off or if it will be like it again tomorrow. To be honest I’m too … Continue reading Only four days left.
It was hot yesterday. The kind of heat that leaves you feeling sticky, grumpy and really lethargic. The sky was blue and the wind was far from a cooling breeze as its warmth did nothing to ease the discomfort of the day. But it didn’t start out like that, there was a heavy dew on the grass, unlike a few weeks ago when we awoke … Continue reading Summer can you please come again – I must have been out when you called.
Well I managed it. 10 jars of delicious tomato relish, and I made it in my new 20 litre preserving pot. I feel like a proper kitchen gardener now, not just the pretender I was before – using the largest pot I had that was probably more suited to a slow, stove top stew feeding a large family than whipping up a jam. There was … Continue reading “Ten red jars… sitting on my bench”
