tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27830132327901757112024-02-02T04:20:44.454+00:00Sometimes It's Plant-basedThis blog is about the finding, growing, planting, nurturing, choosing, using, cooking, preparing and ingesting of plants.Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09707661738889563273noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2783013232790175711.post-18422276096248861322012-08-02T22:25:00.000+01:002012-08-02T22:27:44.472+01:00My new planting system - all grown up!<br />
So I've given up crop rotating and even digging my veg plots now. After ten years, I was more than ready to see the back of it. I didn't mind the digging (until I realised how much damage it was doing to the soil structure) but never kept up with the weeding, didn't really enjoy the experience as a whole and the output wasn't worth the input.<br />
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This year, in early Spring, I covered the weeds in a thick layer of green and brown mulch and planted through that instead, the seedlings higgledy piggledy and close together, to mimic a typical weed plot. It was the end of May by the time the weather was consistently warm enough (night temps of 10°c and above) for me to plant out, so they were all quite big by then. But they still looked a little spartan planted out in the field beds, given that I was aiming to try to create leaf canopies to keep weeds down and moisture in, etc.<br />
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Here's the same bed at the end of May, again at the end of June, and finally at the beginning of August:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOe0vbM1BnT5Tsidka2i_ncI18pgTtooGjxd51TBhDb8JjF_1ItmbYd9UpnSsnI1Wx88pkyJJ9tgMWR3PzPgOpxBrgGZXOvNoqwXM0OxeBVSeAkd3fKNzNjE8qMUtBLtDVmKQG5GnItwl_/s1600/26+May+2012+059.jpg" ><img border="0" height="150" width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOe0vbM1BnT5Tsidka2i_ncI18pgTtooGjxd51TBhDb8JjF_1ItmbYd9UpnSsnI1Wx88pkyJJ9tgMWR3PzPgOpxBrgGZXOvNoqwXM0OxeBVSeAkd3fKNzNjE8qMUtBLtDVmKQG5GnItwl_/s200/26+May+2012+059.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMFtH3ke-75tie63Crr_BdXy-YhcOlgUJJ7w8icgNTvjgalC6ewh8VASygBsiyN6ks2BxNSM_IWUGAHYDippiL6xPYnbYAaYp3gxXHXhFgTYkDRnWfaM94q7F72V84-onV7h6_ydvERChG/s1600/25+Jun+2012+024.jpg" > <img border="0" height="150" width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMFtH3ke-75tie63Crr_BdXy-YhcOlgUJJ7w8icgNTvjgalC6ewh8VASygBsiyN6ks2BxNSM_IWUGAHYDippiL6xPYnbYAaYp3gxXHXhFgTYkDRnWfaM94q7F72V84-onV7h6_ydvERChG/s200/25+Jun+2012+024.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_EjAoP0sFIRiEpiA-dJS7rwN8STKpWpaJqSrzYOD5cIgwUYuWE_0YLaCkeB4x5kXVAiG0nHK1ecMoksB2H_Q4q2dFf30wXDS7F_0Wp-lSvTr56HPMWeTdvc4LSVP31gDne4YPEeVQVSY6/s1600/02+Aug+2012+058.jpg" ><img border="0" height="150" width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_EjAoP0sFIRiEpiA-dJS7rwN8STKpWpaJqSrzYOD5cIgwUYuWE_0YLaCkeB4x5kXVAiG0nHK1ecMoksB2H_Q4q2dFf30wXDS7F_0Wp-lSvTr56HPMWeTdvc4LSVP31gDne4YPEeVQVSY6/s200/02+Aug+2012+058.jpg" /></a><br />
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And another bed, on the same three dates:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFLs1LTc3K6P1o3heunhXnXy2NUHsKtweDjDdo41zGfu4UcwVL7jcaQ7uOh0nNJGt_3hTCybxvCehhFPPvDzykxrsqZlzoBLRWhABZiFa9wj99peKE0fHgE2owBdZCBzqERIAVddHwPjkD/s1600/26+May+2012+061.jpg" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="150" width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFLs1LTc3K6P1o3heunhXnXy2NUHsKtweDjDdo41zGfu4UcwVL7jcaQ7uOh0nNJGt_3hTCybxvCehhFPPvDzykxrsqZlzoBLRWhABZiFa9wj99peKE0fHgE2owBdZCBzqERIAVddHwPjkD/s200/26+May+2012+061.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBBhu9mdgns7ddR6_xCFJVll_eyFF7i2jIk9XkiVDfCx4uDYjal7fNChKaefhfa-IhrFtDhl3xOaWrARdipycNZc3owTg5sfgFrfkRyec1mZIb6_ZdyOlURGH-C9aLVgbEgx_EN05CFW0Q/s1600/25+Jun+2012+011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="150" width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBBhu9mdgns7ddR6_xCFJVll_eyFF7i2jIk9XkiVDfCx4uDYjal7fNChKaefhfa-IhrFtDhl3xOaWrARdipycNZc3owTg5sfgFrfkRyec1mZIb6_ZdyOlURGH-C9aLVgbEgx_EN05CFW0Q/s200/25+Jun+2012+011.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihubf5kbagsoUO_Bh3XhnY4Aw0ssWpsmUlS599FmzeEKoI3jemoMQNRtbBosZyoGYFrwfDwEcJh-qXGDpITMo6Zs8SUv4whx2ovRliyM5Mh1XcbyHfz7Dc8cQaiPU8aQn866Zg2ACq3R7a/s1600/02+Aug+2012+064.jpg" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="150" width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihubf5kbagsoUO_Bh3XhnY4Aw0ssWpsmUlS599FmzeEKoI3jemoMQNRtbBosZyoGYFrwfDwEcJh-qXGDpITMo6Zs8SUv4whx2ovRliyM5Mh1XcbyHfz7Dc8cQaiPU8aQn866Zg2ACq3R7a/s200/02+Aug+2012+064.jpg" /></a><br />
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And we've got two more like that. So the system worked: the plants grew really well in such competition with each other, and the weeds didn't get much of a look-in.<br />
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I've really enjoyed the veg beds throughout this season, for the first time in years - I'm even inspired to build more veg beds now! Cropping has been little, varied and often instead of bigger harvests of a more limited range, which I never did quite manage to get properly on top of in the past. I've let things flower and seed, knowing I won't be digging up and fully replanting the beds in the next few years, so the seeds that fall will stand a chance of propagation next year, and will keep the gaps filled with extra seeds and plants as I go along.<br />
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I'm not quite sure how the beds will fare in Winter. I need to think urgently now about plants for that time.Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09707661738889563273noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2783013232790175711.post-78213993860164625702012-05-01T11:27:00.000+01:002012-05-01T11:37:43.284+01:00It's Spring again.. technically.... although we've had some near freezing temperatures here, <i>and</i> snow, <i>and</i> days and days of relentless rain. Even this May Day, it's still raining, although at least the temperature has risen a bit.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUlun-lTJqTp8HXR12_gV7AplqEuVL6yHOr-vUemzeOE56DrB5Y4l9fXOUXXwqN_ylN43hmdqF9LQcpuum1muMl9jkwH3nt3Tgp71HhfYDim1V26icGUIgWEzcRqEy39JTfviBnz4ZKflv/s1600/26+Apr+2012+105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUlun-lTJqTp8HXR12_gV7AplqEuVL6yHOr-vUemzeOE56DrB5Y4l9fXOUXXwqN_ylN43hmdqF9LQcpuum1muMl9jkwH3nt3Tgp71HhfYDim1V26icGUIgWEzcRqEy39JTfviBnz4ZKflv/s320/26+Apr+2012+105.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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And Spring time is really when I focus the most energy on my four little raised, terraced, deep-soiled food growing beds. I am very good at planting. Less good at weeding and hopeless at harvesting - in fact purple sprouting broccoli is my favourite crop because I'm harvesting it when I'm out there planting everything else, so at least it gets done.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjt9VGGiKhJjB55SfJWLfL88tiI0mlpyR6kVSEsxcxPoS9aSnsJLr8DjKFXuAn_-sqwZLJG-Adkzswu2DibRcYqZl8WUeRzYjsPpgz3hRs0wK5zQra8S96GLmghmGKKK6Qt4O4Lm9fdWu2/s1600/26+Apr+2012+083.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjt9VGGiKhJjB55SfJWLfL88tiI0mlpyR6kVSEsxcxPoS9aSnsJLr8DjKFXuAn_-sqwZLJG-Adkzswu2DibRcYqZl8WUeRzYjsPpgz3hRs0wK5zQra8S96GLmghmGKKK6Qt4O4Lm9fdWu2/s320/26+Apr+2012+083.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I'm not quite sure what happens in Summer and Autumn - except life, children, friends, house and so on. I certainly don't manage to keep on top of weeding and harvesting the veg beds. I always intend to, but never quite manage it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9-HAdS3vjBQkO0z4Ag_XX-Xrrg7R4BS9sV1T44dG0oA_m2LukePahMaYqhbw-9US-SYU69XsLiJyzuLKFKAM4rz_FI68IPoGWWars_ShBRLHa_ZVWRVEZYNC2s47F61td2wZa77v-z-nD/s1600/26+Apr+2012+096.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9-HAdS3vjBQkO0z4Ag_XX-Xrrg7R4BS9sV1T44dG0oA_m2LukePahMaYqhbw-9US-SYU69XsLiJyzuLKFKAM4rz_FI68IPoGWWars_ShBRLHa_ZVWRVEZYNC2s47F61td2wZa77v-z-nD/s320/26+Apr+2012+096.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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It's lucky I've got some determined and intelligent friends, who have the solution to the problem and know how to persuade me to implement it! (Mainly just by talking about it and being inspirational.) I've been making some gradual changes over the past few years, and undergoing some stark realisations. Firstly, that un-dug soil is very, very different to soil that is dug.<br />
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I first noticed this in some of the five-gallon plastic pots I've had on the driveway for the past few years. They're too big and heavy to empty and refill with soil every year, so they have actually (eventually) just been weeded and replanted with a complete mixture of things:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdNknHQ0LdCPd0BTPgNVuKirGlw8Se-vf0aUf8WmD24LCZW4j2Rn_Zjc5DS_rEaIOTZDDK7opkkrQlWCGiRRhIVG-FKoobYEAjeC8rsPn5-4tN91aPsaqJX4WiaRgQrLr7QBQFA0NptwNZ/s1600/09+Apr++2012+012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdNknHQ0LdCPd0BTPgNVuKirGlw8Se-vf0aUf8WmD24LCZW4j2Rn_Zjc5DS_rEaIOTZDDK7opkkrQlWCGiRRhIVG-FKoobYEAjeC8rsPn5-4tN91aPsaqJX4WiaRgQrLr7QBQFA0NptwNZ/s320/09+Apr++2012+012.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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And when I plunged my hand into the soil to plant something, it felt like another substance to the regularly dug-over variety in the field. It felt <i>alive</i>, and had <i>integrity</i>, for want of a better explanation. (These pots also rarely need watering.) It was this that made me finally realise, after years of reading no-dig theories (and thinking: "Yes that's OK for other people, who have the time to pull weeds out..") that I have to stop digging the soil in my field beds.<br />
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Instead I've laid compost on top of grass clippings: <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpKeSP9WabHQsGKf_1jSaH9bMUQDVXWrkR3f-JYdk0NpFDUrfRsarDSjyvMcE_WEt4ffT0BMKfE4b9ZtlOhv4NBUPy0VQgk8OpEBpCj62zoIJhcYuldt3F8PC2S87ovyB1R0DxCIK09_fx/s1600/26+Apr+2012+076.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpKeSP9WabHQsGKf_1jSaH9bMUQDVXWrkR3f-JYdk0NpFDUrfRsarDSjyvMcE_WEt4ffT0BMKfE4b9ZtlOhv4NBUPy0VQgk8OpEBpCj62zoIJhcYuldt3F8PC2S87ovyB1R0DxCIK09_fx/s320/26+Apr+2012+076.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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And my plan - when the weather is warm and dry enough and my seedlings are big enough - is to completely fill the ground with plants - one hundred plants for every square metre. And I plant in 20 sq m, so that's 2000 seedlings going in this season (or next, at this rate!) - the aim being to keep the soil covered to keep the weeds out. Every time I remove a plant, I'll replace it with a plug of compost from the bins, and probably with another plant. The idea is that I never have to dig again, or weed much, or do another huge planting or glut harvesting session. Instead, the beds are kept constantly full, the soil constantly covered and replenished, and not unduly disturbed so it can be allowed to develop that natural, integral structure it needs to be really healthy. I think it might be a gardening system that actually fits with the way we live our lives, as well as being better for the soil and the plants. <br />
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Here are some of the seedlings, taking over our garden room. (I will try to remember to post an update and let you know whether they all get planted and if the system works!) :<br />
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<br />Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09707661738889563273noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2783013232790175711.post-85195785426578459792011-04-21T20:40:00.027+01:002011-04-22T09:59:55.228+01:00Before.... and after! (Spring planting)I nearly didn't do any planting this year. Every time I went out to the field, I was focusing on <a href="http://offgridness.wordpress.com/">the house build</a> and the veg beds were running wild, apart from some very tasty broccoli that I planted last summer: <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg1JRvhd096scnAIiIJkcrMwwXIcVTVzQbWWwgsrl7MFCssaWAtzR64oZy4fJpqjg_XYRgppMhr9IsOEM2TctuCpzZjer-9Bv9r6931ak2CLNSLpvVWyRVwVqlEKugcrT9uHL02ILWRF5u/s1600/21+Apr+2011+024.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg1JRvhd096scnAIiIJkcrMwwXIcVTVzQbWWwgsrl7MFCssaWAtzR64oZy4fJpqjg_XYRgppMhr9IsOEM2TctuCpzZjer-9Bv9r6931ak2CLNSLpvVWyRVwVqlEKugcrT9uHL02ILWRF5u/s200/21+Apr+2011+024.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598286637531852210" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />And of course the ubiquitous rhubarb which grows all by itself so magically: <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8OOjqppfj5vPHdJY-itJBHnlWJvzRTXQzCZGTcrPlXXP554ja2B78vmYj-L3-ZP4Hvu3qwkDXD7S0YmwIf5GIXCmStLEIp_PIQ4GHlsMNX2mf6_ZuAq-jgMw9fd9OOCAZLzzpzN1xaNcY/s1600/10+Apr+2011+135.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8OOjqppfj5vPHdJY-itJBHnlWJvzRTXQzCZGTcrPlXXP554ja2B78vmYj-L3-ZP4Hvu3qwkDXD7S0YmwIf5GIXCmStLEIp_PIQ4GHlsMNX2mf6_ZuAq-jgMw9fd9OOCAZLzzpzN1xaNcY/s200/10+Apr+2011+135.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598287993587381762" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />But then a beloved gardening friend said she'd like to come and see how we were doing, which spurred me on to start <i>doing</i> something! And here's the result.<br /><br />Bed four was full of red cabbages that had gone to seed. I wish we'd harvested them and used them/ given them away, but when that needed doing we were definitely <a href="http://offgridness.wordpress.com/2011/03/20/supermoon-equinox-partay/">otherwise engaged</a>. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2O8v9DMbtutRUim9VWNT3O_Mp7SLOfXpkPmEwVLk-NK3OFqWoRknQZ4HsA0iIDV9xc2E-wJNRvYOeaOJRwZ7aqOqhtOO63tK_WrnPHI0GC3B1X7sNfaJ6Jkp7Ag8RoWjKB7VK7WY5CVNN/s1600/21+Apr+2011+015.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2O8v9DMbtutRUim9VWNT3O_Mp7SLOfXpkPmEwVLk-NK3OFqWoRknQZ4HsA0iIDV9xc2E-wJNRvYOeaOJRwZ7aqOqhtOO63tK_WrnPHI0GC3B1X7sNfaJ6Jkp7Ag8RoWjKB7VK7WY5CVNN/s200/21+Apr+2011+015.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598290725456442706" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />So I got the fork in and pulled everything out, then fed it with wood ash/ compost and planted some peas and beans. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlSe-u3zbDLeOr7Ozv6H9_34uAGfwbXbv2xEFKHWApTZmexNFdARfmxOZuAEFjzGAKJ1BKxIXcY9B_kRi71z9rXEvxv_1BaAzkuCKPFqC__BNpe6QMQFqcrqUhG77cXd1eysRETBpTTllk/s1600/21+Apr+2011+016.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlSe-u3zbDLeOr7Ozv6H9_34uAGfwbXbv2xEFKHWApTZmexNFdARfmxOZuAEFjzGAKJ1BKxIXcY9B_kRi71z9rXEvxv_1BaAzkuCKPFqC__BNpe6QMQFqcrqUhG77cXd1eysRETBpTTllk/s200/21+Apr+2011+016.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598296668043421650" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I built these deep beds into the hillside when I was pregnant with my fourth child nine years ago, and have never regretted it. I had visions when I was doing that work, of her running around the pathways in future years, playing while I worked. This does happen, especially now she's got a younger sister to run with, but it took a while!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLuXqZ-0cEksZ1REm3JqmYwAnaEjO-2XVKv_C8vh4PU_M_cCSsZqx5Zac2oYidvRzjv3Isr7ryADl_GusVLmwzJinTr67cNH1xSOdztUcgmBPs-h_Dgj25K5Ij-NoKDrxKi8OObclY9I-f/s1600/Running.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLuXqZ-0cEksZ1REm3JqmYwAnaEjO-2XVKv_C8vh4PU_M_cCSsZqx5Zac2oYidvRzjv3Isr7ryADl_GusVLmwzJinTr67cNH1xSOdztUcgmBPs-h_Dgj25K5Ij-NoKDrxKi8OObclY9I-f/s200/Running.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598299386038746258" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Mostly the beds are good because I hardly ever have to stand on them, so the soil doesn't get compressed, and because of the hill they're at table-top height for working when you stand on the lower path. I also find them to be a manageable space - any bigger and I'd feel overwhelmed by the size of the weeding/planting/digging jobs involved. I get overwhelmed anyway, but at least with beds this size (roughly 10ft x 2½ft) no job is going to take longer than an hour or two, however intense the work. In theory, it means I can keep up with jobs like weeding. In practice it means I sometimes do! The main drawback to these beds is the slugs that hide/breed in the walls. I'm thinking of mortaring the stonework to both stabilise the walls and to give the dreaded slimy things fewer hiding places. Last year they ate all of my peas and beans! It's just too far from the house for me to be constantly monitoring them and picking them off, and I won't put poison down. <br /><br /><br />Bed three on the left in this picture contained onions last year: <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw7UI8MhCJZ5hDwO96faO79_Ayq3pcBFn9fRf_7keA4JKT1SezUwskzKnkMKf5GSSzOaQdXQsIQi0zYmwQ1YL_PnOL4QimSLlTWlDKEJ9445uXYVGvRzB_mWruNErKt6VEEwiY5cWPRuy3/s1600/21+Apr+2011+017.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw7UI8MhCJZ5hDwO96faO79_Ayq3pcBFn9fRf_7keA4JKT1SezUwskzKnkMKf5GSSzOaQdXQsIQi0zYmwQ1YL_PnOL4QimSLlTWlDKEJ9445uXYVGvRzB_mWruNErKt6VEEwiY5cWPRuy3/s200/21+Apr+2011+017.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598304024020266418" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />It's dug out now, fertilised with composted manure and planted with potatoes. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEoygxsMG7egrnHJS4oGIZvuEiTe-cF8og8Zad-Cqg2hZ2dfGs6pck06pg4cETgNomumxKFGPGSh4tN9AWgOKrh-v7OScSwQLjA7zG8Wx4f966XypzD9e73YSqk0WWOaUv2ABWMfdUMDUd/s1600/21+Apr+2011+021.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEoygxsMG7egrnHJS4oGIZvuEiTe-cF8og8Zad-Cqg2hZ2dfGs6pck06pg4cETgNomumxKFGPGSh4tN9AWgOKrh-v7OScSwQLjA7zG8Wx4f966XypzD9e73YSqk0WWOaUv2ABWMfdUMDUd/s200/21+Apr+2011+021.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598305063896475074" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Not <i>seed</i> potatoes though. In previous years I've bought those and carefully chitted them in egg boxes on windowsills. Then one year I planted some extra that I had in a veg basket from the supermarket, which were starting to sprout and they grew just as well as the seed potatoes I'd bought. So this year I've just used the kitchen surplus and haven't bothered with seeds at all. This year is all about efficiency for me, about which more later.<br /><br />I think this one is my favourite. This year's leaf bed (number two): <br /><br />Before...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgludIYVIxin7qMw-fkP4vOq2ZmdH7gO8rK8tKE6JD8e2HilY44Dy66bSJapR-XgjQhiKkImdEBZXj6cYBn3eQBrUGBk9F93nq4MmZa8sviOtT3ijETqbBlmK-aOQ4XJGolyudD_0b7R63i/s1600/21+Apr+2011+036.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgludIYVIxin7qMw-fkP4vOq2ZmdH7gO8rK8tKE6JD8e2HilY44Dy66bSJapR-XgjQhiKkImdEBZXj6cYBn3eQBrUGBk9F93nq4MmZa8sviOtT3ijETqbBlmK-aOQ4XJGolyudD_0b7R63i/s200/21+Apr+2011+036.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598125034067080626" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />And after:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjpZl056U5IjBbCTg0WnJYEzXNEfnEGPG_dPUuV4-YXOYSFSL4OgbvtXiALKbIB8-SjfYhzN51RX8eFuC7dz9m3GxRFR5As-veqoHPf301FvJEo-4uxq9cBvBfNcNhXqR_1TNxlHu-AigM/s1600/21+Apr+2011+055.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjpZl056U5IjBbCTg0WnJYEzXNEfnEGPG_dPUuV4-YXOYSFSL4OgbvtXiALKbIB8-SjfYhzN51RX8eFuC7dz9m3GxRFR5As-veqoHPf301FvJEo-4uxq9cBvBfNcNhXqR_1TNxlHu-AigM/s200/21+Apr+2011+055.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598125623913316146" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Those are some Brussels sprout seedlings in front and I've seeded more broccoli behind, because we've enjoyed that so much this year and it was so easy to grow. It's fertilised with the contents of one of the kitchen compost bins - the one that was filled last year and has been left alone to break down since then while we filled the other one this year. After a year of being left alone, the contents are black, crumbly and odourless. Also because of where they are and the crop rotation system I use, the bin I'm emptying is usually right next to the bed it's scheduled to feed - which certainly makes things easier!<br /><br />Something else I did this year was make creative use of our council wheely bin. They delivered it in all its glory and at first I didn't know what to do with it. I certainly don't want to be worrying about what day to put my rubbish out and so on, or dragging the big ugly thing around the driveway all the time. In days gone by when we used the rubbish collection service bags would get torn and rubbish strewn, so we haven't used it for years, preferring to take it to the recycling centre ourselves when we're driving past. (Did you know that you <i>have</i> to have a car to do this and that according to the rules, you're not allowed to use the recycling centre as a pedestrian? Monstrous!)<br /><br />But then I realised I was short of a big container in which to make my <a href="http://www.nettles.org.uk/nettles/activities/nettlemanure.asp">nettle plant food</a>. Stinging nettles contain a lot of nitrogen as well as sulphur, magnesium, iron and other minerals. And our field has lots of them. I use them fresh myself as a tea to help keep anaemia at bay, but in the course of land clearing I pull far more than I can use that way and hate leaving them to 'waste' on the dry midden. So last year they all went in the council bin, and I left the lid open so that rain water would collect in there too. (Beware: this concoction gets very smelly! It was useful to be able to shut the lid sometimes!) <br /><br />Anyway, after about nine months of mashing, here it is: <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivaUajL4UTuoSZADIcwVAEWxSF6oEarSm1Q-Ma-82Mcx15XCPypihE3lmpYdtZZ3WtudGD1TTO28LaWUXNyFFNOWhDJexITXiUoQscFDuXRmrLqyYNElmwDvuHmJdmwZUKZ0FZ8e1Y0ciS/s1600/21+Apr+2011+039.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivaUajL4UTuoSZADIcwVAEWxSF6oEarSm1Q-Ma-82Mcx15XCPypihE3lmpYdtZZ3WtudGD1TTO28LaWUXNyFFNOWhDJexITXiUoQscFDuXRmrLqyYNElmwDvuHmJdmwZUKZ0FZ8e1Y0ciS/s200/21+Apr+2011+039.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598311244649000738" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />No way did it need nine months - about three weeks usually does the job - but I was only ready to use it this week and I don't think the extra mashing time did any harm. I fished out the solid stuff and put it in a wheelbarrow. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgig11YLmGdAId3hUvJK5j_F_BKNr5b-0-dwxcTdezgUUjFsKFb1aylJp6rSrOsWlNmKEi5VGB93eDEW1mq9guYs8V-Pz9papNEOpIfOboSo_ZKeu2t-ZfezOOQ8vAnzL4cbz3NBNCKYesF/s1600/21+Apr+2011+044.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgig11YLmGdAId3hUvJK5j_F_BKNr5b-0-dwxcTdezgUUjFsKFb1aylJp6rSrOsWlNmKEi5VGB93eDEW1mq9guYs8V-Pz9papNEOpIfOboSo_ZKeu2t-ZfezOOQ8vAnzL4cbz3NBNCKYesF/s200/21+Apr+2011+044.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598313407713819666" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />And used it to top off the second kitchen compost bin (the one we've been filling this year):<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNEmt-ICIISYYKymMBjaSUEN0L2UxGMaXV-D9QMI2dl3rKgh2GLRaPbnm_XjR6k93Emq4gTck21F2Y3hAd5uD80twcjRHuRzCInIO4MbpKNfmyiRWQrjNxHqYgnNCOBBiCN0ted0EKO0Df/s1600/21+Apr+2011+045.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNEmt-ICIISYYKymMBjaSUEN0L2UxGMaXV-D9QMI2dl3rKgh2GLRaPbnm_XjR6k93Emq4gTck21F2Y3hAd5uD80twcjRHuRzCInIO4MbpKNfmyiRWQrjNxHqYgnNCOBBiCN0ted0EKO0Df/s200/21+Apr+2011+045.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598316120696590530" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Then that bin was put to bed for a year. (We need stones up here - the wind blows plastic bin lids away. And the bins themselves, if they're not weighed down with stone.) <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgQknKtO2BvieLcTfbdAMEebaJrhKSzAREcoYJS-3Blq2eLA35PZQd-1aT_C0b4Eq2OjA-TkicIbb_rlx8mMV2CM14xk1dXVoctMSuq-dBs1DZke9Hei725NDVBxp6NbOp0llH-TapWO4w/s1600/21+Apr+2011+047.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgQknKtO2BvieLcTfbdAMEebaJrhKSzAREcoYJS-3Blq2eLA35PZQd-1aT_C0b4Eq2OjA-TkicIbb_rlx8mMV2CM14xk1dXVoctMSuq-dBs1DZke9Hei725NDVBxp6NbOp0llH-TapWO4w/s200/21+Apr+2011+047.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598317389267219890" /></a> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I used the remaining 'tea': <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqsZsXAJWx1CXauOtM2usCtXnsFMe6YOYNzCw2rTs0ou450bDQEI19-aJdmuCaRZo80H6xr0nm523VHN0IMlKT6MpCVcJ6bAd93HTJTcCQwAjA1tHTc9ZHgq4TKMYteFjDv-b2HB8PUfOG/s1600/21+Apr+2011+048.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqsZsXAJWx1CXauOtM2usCtXnsFMe6YOYNzCw2rTs0ou450bDQEI19-aJdmuCaRZo80H6xr0nm523VHN0IMlKT6MpCVcJ6bAd93HTJTcCQwAjA1tHTc9ZHgq4TKMYteFjDv-b2HB8PUfOG/s200/21+Apr+2011+048.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598317887535965490" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />to water in the peas and beans I'd planted in bed four. I don't think any other seeds would take such a strong feed, but for peas and beans it's probably exactly what they needed. There's some left: I'll dilute it down and use it on bigger plants. I loved the efficiency and relative ease of this: we have no water supply in the field, so in previous years I've had to carry buckets of water from the house with which to irrigate seeds. This was <i>so much</i> easier. I've got plans for collecting the run-off from the new house drainage and channeling it to the crops, or at least keeping it stored in the field for filling buckets, but meanwhile the council bin will do the job well enough. <br /><br />Finally, the other half of bed one - the one with the broccoli - needed digging and planting. Here it is - I've just put some beetroot seedlings in there for now. Might transplant some carrots and onions across later, which I'll probably start off in peat pots on the driveway near the house. They need more fussing over than they'll get in the field. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihnWeC1JJoqOXR6Q8JmxzFVYpDg2gOh-W163w1CtpdFaYLhftk34uPkZfUS0PzTLy7w25klutAoWlRqjIH6dtbKoXwVxZJUQFhP6wNezgLdVkwa2TVzrlG3uyNVuQCrNA_DPx9XjmWZA_b/s1600/21+Apr+2011+053.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihnWeC1JJoqOXR6Q8JmxzFVYpDg2gOh-W163w1CtpdFaYLhftk34uPkZfUS0PzTLy7w25klutAoWlRqjIH6dtbKoXwVxZJUQFhP6wNezgLdVkwa2TVzrlG3uyNVuQCrNA_DPx9XjmWZA_b/s200/21+Apr+2011+053.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598321387727886114" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Beds one and two look like this now: <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiJnIPp8KEq8slqeZb36CTpU6REm-a12qMUBvXqAZuFFuwDXoJZE-LiuACZrEffXbyu_V5zdzbkG3r-P4fpHCXXamQs4diYBRYbqs2UOrO57ROEYLXWKb2ZfAUIcLgS2vj3BdraEULO0rK/s1600/21+Apr+2011+054.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiJnIPp8KEq8slqeZb36CTpU6REm-a12qMUBvXqAZuFFuwDXoJZE-LiuACZrEffXbyu_V5zdzbkG3r-P4fpHCXXamQs4diYBRYbqs2UOrO57ROEYLXWKb2ZfAUIcLgS2vj3BdraEULO0rK/s200/21+Apr+2011+054.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598321996523213218" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />and I just need to mow all the paths today. And the play area over there... <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig4yD77fdvnNroySHJwuQ1Szk53-bKmBx6jgvAY6ZSgCxMmSeeEbLDxNRTQuDRzRqN32rQoPYQFkd0L6frXYAnW76zpoMNWcRKNk1DYvbILq8dWaGRav7JRz0zGBELYFqgmjXNzICjwu9f/s1600/22+Apr+2011+005.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig4yD77fdvnNroySHJwuQ1Szk53-bKmBx6jgvAY6ZSgCxMmSeeEbLDxNRTQuDRzRqN32rQoPYQFkd0L6frXYAnW76zpoMNWcRKNk1DYvbILq8dWaGRav7JRz0zGBELYFqgmjXNzICjwu9f/s200/22+Apr+2011+005.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598325859834713650" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />And the sitting area here...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxzAAawbBHyqFMiu2Us4azwZ64wwuT7J_aXMIFqkcbj5FWwx0qBuzH5PUdrE_4rHCnhCF5NfcBvdIVmIy1EsmRv74-KM8rYnW1rL49uvhjpBn4iXX0QzBX1qvK40VIYHvcXHmbKlBSXtcQ/s1600/22+Apr+2011+001.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxzAAawbBHyqFMiu2Us4azwZ64wwuT7J_aXMIFqkcbj5FWwx0qBuzH5PUdrE_4rHCnhCF5NfcBvdIVmIy1EsmRv74-KM8rYnW1rL49uvhjpBn4iXX0QzBX1qvK40VIYHvcXHmbKlBSXtcQ/s200/22+Apr+2011+001.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598326642931362418" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />And the little garden here...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy_sG4caeVNfl6izzO3gbgkuvt36BXHaA9S9EU-xMmyriyVJIk9rUME8kC04qwddANuOW_ZEp5Rl5-ev5psZARzG3J9YAvXTGeoOp2TofFJnd2ow9Uzp0zKPgUNHrJlV3GWVg4nn5oSzw3/s1600/22+Apr+2011+008.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy_sG4caeVNfl6izzO3gbgkuvt36BXHaA9S9EU-xMmyriyVJIk9rUME8kC04qwddANuOW_ZEp5Rl5-ev5psZARzG3J9YAvXTGeoOp2TofFJnd2ow9Uzp0zKPgUNHrJlV3GWVg4nn5oSzw3/s200/22+Apr+2011+008.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598327462571851650" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />And, and, and.....Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09707661738889563273noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2783013232790175711.post-84069768433416132382010-10-08T19:09:00.005+01:002010-10-08T19:20:03.394+01:00To keep us warm this winter<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRrWbQXnXJ2LhRK6XDbBNwCRA32dngzSchAGky32jgSp2UB5ehTAFguZ6W2yR4y8xPSx_dNWZqn_-A9Hc6BxcdaA12FlAn1ImSrXXORx-XqJE2kJXqxpirtdqGOtrlgn53Vi_jS9oYJQs4/s1600/08+Oct+2010+020.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRrWbQXnXJ2LhRK6XDbBNwCRA32dngzSchAGky32jgSp2UB5ehTAFguZ6W2yR4y8xPSx_dNWZqn_-A9Hc6BxcdaA12FlAn1ImSrXXORx-XqJE2kJXqxpirtdqGOtrlgn53Vi_jS9oYJQs4/s320/08+Oct+2010+020.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525739744146029138" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />A chilli plant from my dad's allotment. :)Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09707661738889563273noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2783013232790175711.post-30438327003592990192009-06-22T12:37:00.013+01:002009-06-22T18:55:26.762+01:00Midsummer growthWell, the broad beans are doing well (despite the slugs' best efforts):<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD71EICRC24ljLkbAnnVo7Ss9CqTzNdlwI2SVHOI07qgODWvLaBzvtnGQgcQCMSuybIRxWyBylaH1Rmb6TeorfSekmIazO3YGMNTcVFQHFKmQx4LsqZgV8U0ZeFeR_mhLHSP_a6IP29qLt/s1600-h/18+Jun+2009+002.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD71EICRC24ljLkbAnnVo7Ss9CqTzNdlwI2SVHOI07qgODWvLaBzvtnGQgcQCMSuybIRxWyBylaH1Rmb6TeorfSekmIazO3YGMNTcVFQHFKmQx4LsqZgV8U0ZeFeR_mhLHSP_a6IP29qLt/s320/18+Jun+2009+002.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350116650734340994" /></a><br /><br />As are the potatoes, which I <i>think</i> I've now finished earthing up:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiVFDET9zZBqu8SsHWGqjI8sUu0-3CGFESY8Daoqe8JFVLyH_huuL34NbFQHU1LBsR1_TSo0wtlbAyqe_wzNFFxGmbTD8-6VQbi_SlLLDgCiTTs2gcaUhUNVFWLQrs7xSRTljVQCoW04BD/s1600-h/18+Jun+2009+004.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiVFDET9zZBqu8SsHWGqjI8sUu0-3CGFESY8Daoqe8JFVLyH_huuL34NbFQHU1LBsR1_TSo0wtlbAyqe_wzNFFxGmbTD8-6VQbi_SlLLDgCiTTs2gcaUhUNVFWLQrs7xSRTljVQCoW04BD/s320/18+Jun+2009+004.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350117110060617378" /></a><br /><br />And the cabbages:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaBViLCgcRtE3ioEXJ6KewRo6mCQPKYSsUvCeLNbDUOsSMAMOd1spFFqFkdAli2d1iwieM0ZSCntaTtmnlCeGIGBW-cG6eWsrYkE8E92GCYKkUuMrr0ROcKF9yrqWmYn8gSbc_ZWvycGSt/s1600-h/18+Jun+2009+019.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaBViLCgcRtE3ioEXJ6KewRo6mCQPKYSsUvCeLNbDUOsSMAMOd1spFFqFkdAli2d1iwieM0ZSCntaTtmnlCeGIGBW-cG6eWsrYkE8E92GCYKkUuMrr0ROcKF9yrqWmYn8gSbc_ZWvycGSt/s320/18+Jun+2009+019.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350123934949676962" /></a><br /><br />but the peas and the carrots didn't appear this year at all. I don't know why this is, but I know other local gardeners have had the same problem with theirs. Slugs have eaten all of the cauliflowers, but gardening organically without living right on-site is bound to result in some of those kinds of casualties, I think. Two fields away is just too far where slugs are concerned, but perhaps we could have done more with beer traps etc. <br /><br />In the field I didn't have space to plant pumpkins, garlic, asparagus or artichoke, which I plan to remedy in time for next year by making some new terraced raised beds. <br /><br />In the garden room, we've got cucumbers:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSVxGUB1hcM4tyefrWadiBnpUJ6YkhwiUeIXbXnUo_ickKV8pzqrbic-wScava_7SjQwkKqbowMr9jTclK55YOJBxz7GwBB0S_19CZSWR7ZRpnaYH6pZKxlUS9gmGdNMSlyZLKqxXrJfSw/s1600-h/22+Jun+2009+047.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSVxGUB1hcM4tyefrWadiBnpUJ6YkhwiUeIXbXnUo_ickKV8pzqrbic-wScava_7SjQwkKqbowMr9jTclK55YOJBxz7GwBB0S_19CZSWR7ZRpnaYH6pZKxlUS9gmGdNMSlyZLKqxXrJfSw/s320/22+Jun+2009+047.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350131671182709362" /></a><br /><br />And tomatoes, setting nicely:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYo3Lxi49vIsoqffqGEA019vB0amnt9kij8mrdiTQgepftv8GHpEiyMFOY1HNPtxX2S2MshLqlHAXeDNW-vJ8VEXFn_YA3u1Pt4h6CBZ3EYAdKBJz3H6zodXnrUvN7TNFPi7u8C8iZTLmQ/s1600-h/22+Jun+2009+049.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYo3Lxi49vIsoqffqGEA019vB0amnt9kij8mrdiTQgepftv8GHpEiyMFOY1HNPtxX2S2MshLqlHAXeDNW-vJ8VEXFn_YA3u1Pt4h6CBZ3EYAdKBJz3H6zodXnrUvN7TNFPi7u8C8iZTLmQ/s320/22+Jun+2009+049.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350132547336669298" /></a><br /><br /> - both of which are getting a lot of liquid feed at the moment. <br /><br />And some squash/pumpkins (not sure which) waiting to go outside:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi59iuxQC0SNzshGT6mhlKDlXBQ6tqEbePuM9W9KsVDRcIFCIekivBPKb4qIPt6_X4kzgQ-75E2qqBKRGnRNl65wLmBGnrnZMwP37VDQzTZurkPup_jjfjnEVaWrPZo0ivf3vFPGz6C3_R8/s1600-h/22+Jun+2009+050.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi59iuxQC0SNzshGT6mhlKDlXBQ6tqEbePuM9W9KsVDRcIFCIekivBPKb4qIPt6_X4kzgQ-75E2qqBKRGnRNl65wLmBGnrnZMwP37VDQzTZurkPup_jjfjnEVaWrPZo0ivf3vFPGz6C3_R8/s320/22+Jun+2009+050.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350133294625534786" /></a><br /><br />I'd have liked to have got some aubergines in there as well this year, but space and time didn't allow for it. Hopefully next year they will. <br /><br />On the drive there are more pumpkin/squash kind-of-things:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxOQCvRqW_mML7I-NkpTBSgcEHJsjr1YKew7E0-U30ax8n0Of0vclQcvHKWA1Zn0r2xPktJOPurzk9YCZqE1uA04c-UNr1Gda_XhGX37gw_xzkZ1aNl22WiBcQSXZsy4SWzrCBPxYtKdpn/s1600-h/22+Jun+2009+044.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxOQCvRqW_mML7I-NkpTBSgcEHJsjr1YKew7E0-U30ax8n0Of0vclQcvHKWA1Zn0r2xPktJOPurzk9YCZqE1uA04c-UNr1Gda_XhGX37gw_xzkZ1aNl22WiBcQSXZsy4SWzrCBPxYtKdpn/s320/22+Jun+2009+044.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350134339314233234" /></a><br /><br />I'm not quite sure how big these are going to grow, or where we'll put them if they grow beyond a certain size but I don't think they will, in pots. <br /><br />Also strawberries, which are now struggling to find enough sunshine to get ripe:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGn_kZNHkUAw1Si6oYCo26Vvgp7xYXYDY2K05VPPJWkcNZ4A0ONxnZvElR_K0zuXWtgvl9W3qrG4_ostMavzNIWS1C0W5l8BLSFJrSeM8B-l-WxKIfxbjQGIvXDVOI4tX_rK-uCsTisT7w/s1600-h/22+Jun+2009+045.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGn_kZNHkUAw1Si6oYCo26Vvgp7xYXYDY2K05VPPJWkcNZ4A0ONxnZvElR_K0zuXWtgvl9W3qrG4_ostMavzNIWS1C0W5l8BLSFJrSeM8B-l-WxKIfxbjQGIvXDVOI4tX_rK-uCsTisT7w/s320/22+Jun+2009+045.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350135059422435506" /></a><br /><br />And the usual old dustbin full of potatoes:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn3FnFSFZVXjTDRobRHTO9pIkl9DtuzzjkfCahjbdTa6Z7ftMG1PKoBnLnQy6uSDU5TtyLrWGQxoRYDKOUNl6enpCaCUt4oqA_HF2VJWoppKTNCbnhbKPmhE9126FZWQkBtz_5uBEE9mAw/s1600-h/22+Jun+2009+052.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn3FnFSFZVXjTDRobRHTO9pIkl9DtuzzjkfCahjbdTa6Z7ftMG1PKoBnLnQy6uSDU5TtyLrWGQxoRYDKOUNl6enpCaCUt4oqA_HF2VJWoppKTNCbnhbKPmhE9126FZWQkBtz_5uBEE9mAw/s320/22+Jun+2009+052.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350136770080106258" /></a><br /><br /> - which I've actually planted up properly this year, layer by layer, so hopefully we'll get a better crop than we got <a href="http://sometimesitsplantbased.blogspot.com/2008/10/one-potato-two-potato.html">last year</a>. Actually, all of the crops should be better this year because we've put so much more effort in. <br /><br />We've worked out a good watering system for the field, with the help of a kind neighbour's hose pipe and water supply and everything on the drive and in the garden room is having good care taken of it too. The only problem for the crops on the drive is the wind, which gets channeled through there in a kind of tunnel effect, between the house and the garage. <br /><br />The key thing is to plant lots, I've found, so there are always more to take the place of the slug-eaten and the wind-blown.Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09707661738889563273noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2783013232790175711.post-51104246458745429952009-05-03T08:45:00.013+01:002009-05-03T17:00:43.098+01:00Planting out- is mostly what I've been concentrating on in the field for the past few weeks. <br /><br />The beans sprouted, but so did the weeds around them and I realised that plot needed thoroughly digging over, so had to pot up the beans and do that! This is the end result, with marigolds as good companions: <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil3_DyRGQztZKMDnGC5HNxRUDSzccY24eHJQoO-EAHVY9ma2-XLpENuh-9V5u_9AyJGweBSOMvZFv1xrXPxSw1WUbZ5s-aoUEmcuOoAF1ow2eUtDOl52v6qSZAkyI_VHW5AoFdXkd-q9vf/s1600-h/03+May+2009+006.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil3_DyRGQztZKMDnGC5HNxRUDSzccY24eHJQoO-EAHVY9ma2-XLpENuh-9V5u_9AyJGweBSOMvZFv1xrXPxSw1WUbZ5s-aoUEmcuOoAF1ow2eUtDOl52v6qSZAkyI_VHW5AoFdXkd-q9vf/s320/03+May+2009+006.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331512996235308226" /></a><br /><br />There are peas planted in there too, and hopefully enough support and protection for them and the beans. I only grow broad beans, because I find them the easiest to grow and the tastiest! I'm not a runner- or French-bean fan at all, and I don't think the children are either. <br /><br />The other beds are looking too boring to post photos of, but two are dug and planted (potatoes in one and carrots, onions, leeks and beetroot in the other) and bed no.3, the cabbage patch, is still to dig over and plant. The brassicas are doing well in the garden room, meanwhile:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdYDhqmvcPx8Hgjzfc_OQ8Di7_84vIU8bduJAlrd4wT36Lg6-6o5Gjy2OLGsbvyggTf5CUAUnBHlV63yHkOSiZ-gVQcYBSyj96g9lrVFO3oSxniw7F90zNFHdhTiVZ-DbwxASYCWFnoPt2/s1600-h/03+May+2009+038.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdYDhqmvcPx8Hgjzfc_OQ8Di7_84vIU8bduJAlrd4wT36Lg6-6o5Gjy2OLGsbvyggTf5CUAUnBHlV63yHkOSiZ-gVQcYBSyj96g9lrVFO3oSxniw7F90zNFHdhTiVZ-DbwxASYCWFnoPt2/s320/03+May+2009+038.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331543429101060722" /></a><br /><br />- as are the pumpkin/squash seedlings, of which I have planted far too many - before reading that they need up to <i>four feet</i> of space each! <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyFeolLB8yqVo190kGmcaelb27BnWzRg9kl2MVOnNF0Qj1gcyUuGwuLrIZvs5_s2kTD_WB6tm7Cqm7rdnACRKyzDVlCJCDrZ5tn_tVy6C3_nZT5Eo739sKKyCBXu-so1tVstWK6Jr8aJco/s1600-h/03+May+2009+035.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyFeolLB8yqVo190kGmcaelb27BnWzRg9kl2MVOnNF0Qj1gcyUuGwuLrIZvs5_s2kTD_WB6tm7Cqm7rdnACRKyzDVlCJCDrZ5tn_tVy6C3_nZT5Eo739sKKyCBXu-so1tVstWK6Jr8aJco/s320/03+May+2009+035.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331536897039305714" /></a><br /><br />So I'm creating another terraced, raised bed - at least one more. I've got to somehow turn this bit of hillside:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL9amUeAU_UMU8wWCW-cwMwkfzv4jO-5jCtt2ADyjeinn3w6v3CfGo0lH7BvpLJfsun9XMUHQD3NAhGLqeykSFpCRFVuWVLQJfPZvs6ZsFgAmc0Ssl5dxsn2UJOpi3TWsWsDRMiUb_2iW8/s1600-h/03+May+2009+001.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL9amUeAU_UMU8wWCW-cwMwkfzv4jO-5jCtt2ADyjeinn3w6v3CfGo0lH7BvpLJfsun9XMUHQD3NAhGLqeykSFpCRFVuWVLQJfPZvs6ZsFgAmc0Ssl5dxsn2UJOpi3TWsWsDRMiUb_2iW8/s320/03+May+2009+001.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331517110747106082" /></a><br /><br /> - into something that more resembles this bit:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYShiUoYPVRn71ssUlSPRo1XVPi6z9TecksrxXYo0JYQTcAWfegIx5YAtT79dYU_C7Wua98tJYsAPF1crDso7m8BNC7p9l6HbQLPm0JNVAb2Y2q3TXODcwAXV9gA8m2FCpQ7ayVX-Rxa6w/s1600-h/03+May+2009+002.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYShiUoYPVRn71ssUlSPRo1XVPi6z9TecksrxXYo0JYQTcAWfegIx5YAtT79dYU_C7Wua98tJYsAPF1crDso7m8BNC7p9l6HbQLPm0JNVAb2Y2q3TXODcwAXV9gA8m2FCpQ7ayVX-Rxa6w/s320/03+May+2009+002.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331517671784541426" /></a><br /><br />And this bit: <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHGSMJQdKDgvYd7bhGnGbJX6Gxdjl3OQmxbGN3LQvHRZo4Vtm2_xcQxducVOAbqleiGeM8VeatI8TuP74233Gqac35Nk5bb-UoCL5IwofXtVTVpwd9hjwvWm7t0UK5Pwh4ZzShy10OEYtU/s1600-h/03+May+2009+003.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHGSMJQdKDgvYd7bhGnGbJX6Gxdjl3OQmxbGN3LQvHRZo4Vtm2_xcQxducVOAbqleiGeM8VeatI8TuP74233Gqac35Nk5bb-UoCL5IwofXtVTVpwd9hjwvWm7t0UK5Pwh4ZzShy10OEYtU/s320/03+May+2009+003.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331518023125122722" /></a><br /><br /> - though I'm not sure how quickly that will happen! I'll hopefully have something ready for at least some of the seedlings before they die, anyway. <br /><br />Back in the garden room, we've got chilli peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers growing:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEZqBmjt8QFGoo40e_BGcpw24mh98brtNw8EjHo9uhc4Lq2VoNGPPlwUBik-CRNOgflOG4Q_2gW0wo757_Ddjp1XZQi8NJqsZV4Kwhv6cDG61JcY2FOAa8jffaHvz0kKpY4biEUo-ihLGn/s1600-h/03+May+2009+039.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEZqBmjt8QFGoo40e_BGcpw24mh98brtNw8EjHo9uhc4Lq2VoNGPPlwUBik-CRNOgflOG4Q_2gW0wo757_Ddjp1XZQi8NJqsZV4Kwhv6cDG61JcY2FOAa8jffaHvz0kKpY4biEUo-ihLGn/s320/03+May+2009+039.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331539285086551538" /></a><br /><br />Those little frog things are supposed to supply a steady feed of water for the ever-thirsty cucumbers, but they don't work very well.<br /><br />We've got potatoes growing the the old dustbin as usual, and strawberries in the old bathtub:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwZoZriVC8eIwyUuPr3yP9pJRitCPYC7Voa2duMdpImqPfAdggKHZjiT7sEBtpcm0mI7GsnV7oZk09-zyTOeH0Pk0fmbsag81PygHcGsyziTxkAGzdmCB-3l8l4WMy0rLR_cUE5mOHzUQY/s1600-h/03+May+2009+041.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwZoZriVC8eIwyUuPr3yP9pJRitCPYC7Voa2duMdpImqPfAdggKHZjiT7sEBtpcm0mI7GsnV7oZk09-zyTOeH0Pk0fmbsag81PygHcGsyziTxkAGzdmCB-3l8l4WMy0rLR_cUE5mOHzUQY/s320/03+May+2009+041.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331542167021551122" /></a><br /><br /> - which are probably just about ready to have their straw laid under them.Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09707661738889563273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2783013232790175711.post-78951855636835044752009-04-14T09:41:00.007+01:002009-04-14T10:20:18.455+01:00A good saladI made a good salad the other day - all wild field produce again, just from some <a href="http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/s/sorcom64.html">sorrel</a> (<i>"Culpepper tells us: 'Sorrel is prevalent in all hot diseases, to cool any inflammation and heat of blood in agues pestilential or choleric, or sickness or fainting, arising from heat, and to refresh the overspent spirits with the violence of furious or fiery fits of agues: to quench thirst, and procure an appetite in fainting or decaying stomachs: For it resists the putrefaction of the blood, kills worms, and is a cordial to the heart, which the seed doth more effectually, being more drying and binding..."</i>):<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7bjhucObB0FzWmFCPIvnyc0L5eaRwsJ7_qRJGOxFUfx3Jt1Vs3G0YIGEeJWSO-CiTEm_mil779HTBROumksl6uZGnYUIpw2ZEkV3nicKcty3BAxlsCrji5qxoiBF6ABaQ2lOKcdS0DVI7/s1600-h/13+Apr+2009+031.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7bjhucObB0FzWmFCPIvnyc0L5eaRwsJ7_qRJGOxFUfx3Jt1Vs3G0YIGEeJWSO-CiTEm_mil779HTBROumksl6uZGnYUIpw2ZEkV3nicKcty3BAxlsCrji5qxoiBF6ABaQ2lOKcdS0DVI7/s320/13+Apr+2009+031.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324465872453867778" /></a><br /><br />plus some young shoots of <a href="http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/w/wilher23.html#ros">rose bay willow-herb</a> (<i>"The roots and leaves have demulcent, tonic and astringent properties and are used in domestic medicine in decoction, infusion and cataplasm, as astringents"</i>):<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzqnKY-XfMbXSyTf0PbYw3fW8_yssH4BSi2OWFiYc7wQpjhIT4ukiLNfiimCFWZFwPaEux6i9l5FA7alMh3dR2q2qMAxZz_ZUEKhoS5YTEzo7hx3Ny5XXLpP7m6wuSr_u8dO7aSIZt8cRw/s1600-h/13+Apr+2009+033.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzqnKY-XfMbXSyTf0PbYw3fW8_yssH4BSi2OWFiYc7wQpjhIT4ukiLNfiimCFWZFwPaEux6i9l5FA7alMh3dR2q2qMAxZz_ZUEKhoS5YTEzo7hx3Ny5XXLpP7m6wuSr_u8dO7aSIZt8cRw/s320/13+Apr+2009+033.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324467967317983410" /></a><br /><br />And some young <a href="http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/d/dandel08.html#par">dandelion leaves</a> which are a little too bitter for my taste, even this early in the season, but ok when mixed with the sweetness of the sorrel. Anyway, the whole thing was very good, dressed with some extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and black pepper. <br /><br />I was starting to clear our carrot patch:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtWf8FWjq7CQwl6gmWD-_ByBtUpSa3q5Jcox3sTl0-rECXQXamYKHPqiBd6_8s6b3gguWXKAlT6TW3pMO3U6fvRAJoC79AIUCgcqHf0ex-M3t-Eaa3_cTX59bjj85hP3t_MGW29QUTcwkz/s1600-h/13+Apr+2009+020.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtWf8FWjq7CQwl6gmWD-_ByBtUpSa3q5Jcox3sTl0-rECXQXamYKHPqiBd6_8s6b3gguWXKAlT6TW3pMO3U6fvRAJoC79AIUCgcqHf0ex-M3t-Eaa3_cTX59bjj85hP3t_MGW29QUTcwkz/s320/13+Apr+2009+020.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324470416721844034" /></a><br /><br />when I got sidetracked by the herb-gathering, so of course we had to have some roots for <a href="http://sometimesitsplantbased.blogspot.com/2008/06/dandelion-coffee.html">dandelion coffee</a>:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMzcQpdd0O2v5TUncKMG5mU7k0JuFfeLCP6JEWEpRhvUk7_9uRqy8ILjFQogNVbdHDqL_qXBDp8_bUTt3cfnHd6ifFcfqoozM4_atL19N6vEUQv37GlFQ3YG8hPgjWFaYOnqtD05yX439n/s1600-h/13+Apr+2009+023.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMzcQpdd0O2v5TUncKMG5mU7k0JuFfeLCP6JEWEpRhvUk7_9uRqy8ILjFQogNVbdHDqL_qXBDp8_bUTt3cfnHd6ifFcfqoozM4_atL19N6vEUQv37GlFQ3YG8hPgjWFaYOnqtD05yX439n/s320/13+Apr+2009+023.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324471419313513074" /></a><br /><br /> - which tasted much better this time. I roasted the roots longer and slower, and used more of them. <br /><br />Well, the carrot patch still isn't dug, because of a certain tiny (but very healthy-looking) willow sapling:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVL7QjoLr45xZxwQT7L8aoQoni8SAAK-B6abGu-BROboeL3tzq9U7yp_9k-akpiQqMnRcLp14Q1GddcCti2nQtKKeQxV4DsvCR5xOuuXm_TOtOrOaFtYsivxFwzD2k9N81aoh_HbJHLwS5/s1600-h/13+Apr+2009+063.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVL7QjoLr45xZxwQT7L8aoQoni8SAAK-B6abGu-BROboeL3tzq9U7yp_9k-akpiQqMnRcLp14Q1GddcCti2nQtKKeQxV4DsvCR5xOuuXm_TOtOrOaFtYsivxFwzD2k9N81aoh_HbJHLwS5/s320/13+Apr+2009+063.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324474198746952690" /></a><br /><br /> - that seems to have decided to make its home in there. I wanted to move it, not kill it (willow being so <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willow#Uses">useful</a> and all) so I looked around for a better position for the new tree, and found one right in the middle of a huge bramble patch. So I decided that the brambles also needed moving and the sapling transplanting <i>before</i> I could dig the carrot patch (still with me?!) and you can see some photos of that over <a href="http://offgridness.wordpress.com/2009/04/14/there-i-was-a-digging-this-hole/">there</a>. <br /><br />Next job: carrot patch. Really.Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09707661738889563273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2783013232790175711.post-47687611582318077162009-04-07T06:36:00.004+01:002009-04-07T08:32:39.181+01:00Field to table - already!We managed to make a whole meal the other evening, from food we'd picked ourselves. (Well OK, we had to add bought potatoes, stock cubes, sunflower spread, flour and sugar - but the main ingredients were ours!)<br /><br />First, the ubiquitous <a href="http://sometimesitspeaceful.blogspot.com/2007/05/nettle-soup.html">nettle soup</a>:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihbWpegH3igIFCzMU7CqNrjUAz7DNJSkIDXcAv3zK6CRwNYpoqnVEC6ihmbCnuu0wX8YAOTKPYOes0nUQQtTid1Wk-Pasw2eIkh5ALixlBRL7lbTmnbh4ZmqELpss3BZC46VEgkimC2SVo/s1600-h/Nettle+soup.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 107px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihbWpegH3igIFCzMU7CqNrjUAz7DNJSkIDXcAv3zK6CRwNYpoqnVEC6ihmbCnuu0wX8YAOTKPYOes0nUQQtTid1Wk-Pasw2eIkh5ALixlBRL7lbTmnbh4ZmqELpss3BZC46VEgkimC2SVo/s320/Nettle+soup.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321847530344716594" /></a><br /><br />Next, rhubarb crumble. I've been looking forward to this for weeks, ever since <a href="http://sometimesitsplantbased.blogspot.com/2009/01/red-shoots.html">the tiny corms appeared</a>:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDpVm49scVihNHbQ3WVQZcZgzwYctq4D5nVlyHwPYqaGxykyUrj4CHH_5hBuSyVh8Ps6KRYlBnAEicz-sbMEay9unEqy0vQ-DVR_9uQA6JvV4yCfKt3RlXL-qiR5RldQ6Qu0OzwiM1HQDm/s1600-h/Rhubarb.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 75px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDpVm49scVihNHbQ3WVQZcZgzwYctq4D5nVlyHwPYqaGxykyUrj4CHH_5hBuSyVh8Ps6KRYlBnAEicz-sbMEay9unEqy0vQ-DVR_9uQA6JvV4yCfKt3RlXL-qiR5RldQ6Qu0OzwiM1HQDm/s320/Rhubarb.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321848883199972466" /></a><br /><br />It's just a pity we haven't found a custard tree yet. Still looking..Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09707661738889563273noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2783013232790175711.post-56203218514080307862009-03-28T06:21:00.006+00:002009-03-28T06:52:01.045+00:00Potting on...... is very therapeutic. When the baby went for her afternoon nap yesterday I left one of the teenagers listening out for her and then went to shut myself in the garden room with a radio, a flask and my laundry basket full of seed paraphernalia (<a href="http://www.gardeningdata.co.uk/soil/john_innes/john_innes.php">John Innes No.1</a>, a box of seeds, canvas gloves, a little trowel, some tiny pots, a water spraying bottle, etc.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpTkJIioPSN8gtFZ3Jg0v7MmJ2fCd6hyphenhyphenZLKrhnqBWPp-w5XZS8U5SJlbI3Xzots5wPj_3GfDaXUQHAIETravhnUrne_izbehhCedFWOMS3Tu9Hip9-Vuck-HAhjCqrwt-snhNHFuQql_Ud/s1600-h/28+Mar+2009+017.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpTkJIioPSN8gtFZ3Jg0v7MmJ2fCd6hyphenhyphenZLKrhnqBWPp-w5XZS8U5SJlbI3Xzots5wPj_3GfDaXUQHAIETravhnUrne_izbehhCedFWOMS3Tu9Hip9-Vuck-HAhjCqrwt-snhNHFuQql_Ud/s320/28+Mar+2009+017.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318122141956310994" /></a><br /><br />It's really just the brassica that I'm bothering with potting on, because that's the only crop family that likes to have its roots disturbed on a regular basis. So I had some cabbage, cauli and brussels seedlings<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisFMHNC9vWLAQszu4rPPUzdAZatECh1aETCaUZceRPf3oP1FbL3Jr5oafQMdpRHuUFquvNI7CJ8f1jv1_wNnqGF1dcYFORSpRlyrT-_F2GCG7q9HuB-bTJTDPn1HTqmpA1pcjJBg-ubYzK/s1600-h/28+Mar+2009+002.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisFMHNC9vWLAQszu4rPPUzdAZatECh1aETCaUZceRPf3oP1FbL3Jr5oafQMdpRHuUFquvNI7CJ8f1jv1_wNnqGF1dcYFORSpRlyrT-_F2GCG7q9HuB-bTJTDPn1HTqmpA1pcjJBg-ubYzK/s320/28+Mar+2009+002.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318122450108234898" /></a><br /><br />to move up a size:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPbvvyo7z9RSNlbxumCoL3zTSdNH5GfEApMITco6FcAWmNpzpdmZEwjptJmq_VWXT2Z6fGvrboYRGAuGp9vIw6VWaOqITWVycQyNEFbjgXFKJBBAMjbVDWgfIzjtJYuHsywnEHdtenRbjA/s1600-h/28+Mar+2009+020.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPbvvyo7z9RSNlbxumCoL3zTSdNH5GfEApMITco6FcAWmNpzpdmZEwjptJmq_VWXT2Z6fGvrboYRGAuGp9vIw6VWaOqITWVycQyNEFbjgXFKJBBAMjbVDWgfIzjtJYuHsywnEHdtenRbjA/s320/28+Mar+2009+020.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318122701330594466" /></a><br /><br />I must be getting old, for such a job to give me so much pleasure. <br /><br />Anyway, then I just stuffed new seeds back into their places, shock horror. Is that the gardening equivalent of being a slutty housewife, I wonder? Sweeping all the dust under one's sofa? If so, guilty as charged. These plants should consider themselves lucky I'm going to the trouble of potting them on. I'm certainly not about to throw trays of good compost away and sterilise everything to start again with the next lot. <br /><br />Oh dear, perhaps horticulture isn't my forté after all. Well, I've always been a bit hit and miss with it all. The main thing, in my opinion, is that it should be rewarding and enjoyable. When it starts being a pain in the neck, it's gone too far I think. <br /><br />The tomato, courgette and butternut squash seeds aren't doing a thing yet. I think it must be too cold out there for them to germinate, so we'll just have to wait for the weather to warm up I suppose, because to try and heat our garden room would be like heating the sky.Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09707661738889563273noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2783013232790175711.post-18993118332015267502009-03-17T08:29:00.005+00:002009-03-17T08:53:39.939+00:00Planting progressSo far we've got tomatoes, cucumbers, courgettes, spring onions, cabbage, cauliflower, beetroot and brussel sprouts planted indoors, in the garden room. (The garden room is the back two-thirds of our old Grimston garage, with a new[ish] perspex roof and doors, the back of which opens out into the little garden behind, hence its name.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Z-roHOidD2DNpmCdpyMSXL1W6D4w4zB5HP1b33vOE9OQcExt_H0g3fhr7jw5aUHXIc_lNdrwZ_Qalm0AdKR80b80OuVJY3EYkF-hSx8jUUAQk1IzdkOcx9-inrwnotOFJTZ33x5l3oCJ/s1600-h/seeds.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 112px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Z-roHOidD2DNpmCdpyMSXL1W6D4w4zB5HP1b33vOE9OQcExt_H0g3fhr7jw5aUHXIc_lNdrwZ_Qalm0AdKR80b80OuVJY3EYkF-hSx8jUUAQk1IzdkOcx9-inrwnotOFJTZ33x5l3oCJ/s400/seeds.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314072776708612002" /></a><br /><br />The cabbages have sprouted already! We're just running out of space in there now, because it has to house so much else besides plant pots: <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaZbFOUDsJqlwggM0Lk15YXqyay141qQrLgDFtAENYSFgF_CgibLIy6kg4meSLWFrBukvPasCprZ3x_gKB25S5EGKtwUzSgrgou4t5DPq1q_3LpvZnue1xCgrhoBO50XN8bUv14y5e9dPC/s1600-h/garden+room.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 312px; height: 238px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaZbFOUDsJqlwggM0Lk15YXqyay141qQrLgDFtAENYSFgF_CgibLIy6kg4meSLWFrBukvPasCprZ3x_gKB25S5EGKtwUzSgrgou4t5DPq1q_3LpvZnue1xCgrhoBO50XN8bUv14y5e9dPC/s400/garden+room.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314073457922707266" /></a><br /><br />We also put a raspberry cane in <a href="http://sometimesitsplantbased.blogspot.com/2008/05/little-corner-of-hippy-paradise.html">the old bathtub</a>, to go with the strawberries already in there:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjMDjjCn9DbEAMmIOL1l7t-3WeF8ZWkQBrPoX4MMxHZgGXQOfdSTTb5VloKLVwx84WAlNv-p4IhN1PaQIMnUW_gUXxOkotdzuHRbIesL8e0V2c79_fl6a-teqjqPYjo2_0V2cpdH5sUYwU/s1600-h/bathtub.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 107px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjMDjjCn9DbEAMmIOL1l7t-3WeF8ZWkQBrPoX4MMxHZgGXQOfdSTTb5VloKLVwx84WAlNv-p4IhN1PaQIMnUW_gUXxOkotdzuHRbIesL8e0V2c79_fl6a-teqjqPYjo2_0V2cpdH5sUYwU/s400/bathtub.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314074488390656498" /></a><br /><br />And on the house windowsills we've got potatoes chitting, just waiting for the last of the frost (who knows when that might be..?) to go into the field, where we planted some much hardier broad beans with friends a couple of weeks ago. We'll intercrop peas with those, devote a whole plot to potatoes then plot three will take the leaf crops when we've done all the fussy potting on that they like so much. The carrot seeds, beetroot seedlings and onions will go straight into the fourth bed - <i>when</i> I've finished digging it! I'm terribly late with that one, but have torn a 'digging' muscle in my calf, so am putting it off for yet another week or two. I can't do much to condition the soil in that except add some sand and some bonemeal and hope for the best. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6DBWw0ioxrFVy8glpjYajQzhmhtQrjH-qEjoncwhdo5iOJRfKjcEyO4xjq2on5QgPFwgoA7By5pTil9QWCf5TrN9yRudk3o7aLp7YA7L1Ijz61ULlHdWifTsSCd6PHS_CMxkyUdJcMs0L/s1600-h/16+Mar+2009+036.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6DBWw0ioxrFVy8glpjYajQzhmhtQrjH-qEjoncwhdo5iOJRfKjcEyO4xjq2on5QgPFwgoA7By5pTil9QWCf5TrN9yRudk3o7aLp7YA7L1Ijz61ULlHdWifTsSCd6PHS_CMxkyUdJcMs0L/s320/16+Mar+2009+036.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314077064508055842" /></a><br /><br />Finally, I treated myself to some globe artichoke and asparagus plants, which need a special perennial bed building for them in the field. "Will you be able to protect them from the wind?" asked a visitor at the weekend. The short answer to that is "No." They'll have to take their chances, with everything else out there. Only the tomatoes, cucumbers, squash and whatever else is found space for in the garden room will be protected from that. We're nothing if not hopeful.Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09707661738889563273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2783013232790175711.post-17504011710574053382009-02-15T08:22:00.001+00:002009-02-15T08:24:55.944+00:00"If the law below is passed it takes away our our fundamental freedom of choice with respect to the food we eat."Dear friends<br /><br />If the law below is passed it takes away our our fundamental freedom of choice with respect to the food we eat. Please help to prevent this happening.<br /><br />Codex is due to be passed on 31st Dec 2009 and we have to stop this. If codex were to be passed then all nutrient supplements would be banned, which means that vitamins would be illegal in the same way heroin is illegal. This would not only would affect us, but would have a disastrous effect on developing countries. Also, all natural herbs would be banned and alternative remedies would no longer be available...anywhere!<br /><br />The pharmaceutical companies are behind this. Under codex it would also become law that ALL foods would have to be sprayed with harmful pesticides and ALL animals for food would have to be injected with growth hormones and antibiotics that then end up in our bodies. This is very real. Below is the link with all the information.<br /><br /><a href="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5266884912495233634&ei=IE9FSdO8BorMwgPNp93TCQ&q=codex+alimentarius&hl=En">http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5266884912495233634&ei=IE9FSdO8BorMwgPNp93TCQ&q=codex+alimentarius&hl=En</a><br /><br />Below is the petition. It takes 10 seconds! This is for our health and wellbeing and the health and wellbeing of our children and the planet.<br /><br />Please click on this link below...<br /><br /><a href="http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Vitamins/">http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Vitamins/</a><br /><br />Need I say Please forward?<br /><br />Thank you!Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09707661738889563273noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2783013232790175711.post-59603838305895324452009-02-03T11:49:00.007+00:002009-02-03T14:09:36.689+00:00Planting: I've finally got a planThis is our twelfth year of living here, and it's taken me so long to come up with a cohesive planting plan. The key, I think, is to try not to over-complicate the issue, and to keep each plant family in its own place, mostly within an annual crop rotation scheme, of course. <br /><br />The crop rotation we've had for a long time, ever since I built the four raised beds as stone-walled terraces into the hillside. They're a good size: big enough to get enough plants in; deep enough to allow fairly close planting, and yet narrow enough to not have to walk on them. Most of them are about 15 feet long and 3 feet wide, and I had to build them as horizontal terraces in the steep hillside because the sun comes from the back - i.e. the top of the hill behind them, so they need to grow on flat beds to make best use of it. I think they'd be starved of sunlight if I'd tried to grow them on the slope instead. <br /><br />We're 210m above sea level, on an exposed site, so water is essential, as is soil condition. And the land is in full shade from October to March, so the growing season is limited. I'm hoping there will be <a href="http://offgridness.wordpress.com/">roofs out there</a> by summer collecting water, so that I'm not having to transfer it all across both fields from the house in buckets. I think this has been our main problem with food production in years gone by. <br /><br />So the four rotating deep beds are quite easy to organise between:<br /><br /><b>Legumes</b>: (peas; beans) Deep bed #1 is almost ready for these. It got a bin full of well-rotted kitchen compost back in Autumn, and has been well-dosed with woodash, though I think it needs even more.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk_ZpnXNdTQ_ckjOoR_7dfGukCefsOE6YCMajn3phPZxHjva4s6nhSV6SFlxjnKw8n18769Yqd3auuaZysSc3208J02splSD6h_2f61HgdPwVtThmUAztnR6LIaLsmHmsrjO6Ma3ObHGiD/s1600-h/06+Oct+2008+013.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk_ZpnXNdTQ_ckjOoR_7dfGukCefsOE6YCMajn3phPZxHjva4s6nhSV6SFlxjnKw8n18769Yqd3auuaZysSc3208J02splSD6h_2f61HgdPwVtThmUAztnR6LIaLsmHmsrjO6Ma3ObHGiD/s320/06+Oct+2008+013.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298551334699564114" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><b>Potatoes</b>: These get their own bed because of their specific soil requirements (loads of manure, immediately before planting) and because we eat a lot of them. Deep bed #2 is ready for them, having been covered in about 6" of manure since Autumn. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipOrZ17GJCOnt_bVf3mKUQF-pYVMZNIV7K_FM0Um1r8wjBy2jmmUIQ3eWivNVgigczGsHpi65Cz7QsI6KEJY6r1v1OqGalvsikw_PnE9kcxbLt9VP7d0rFYI-oWIqLlBB6MSuWRB56AwQ1/s1600-h/24-oct-2008-010.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipOrZ17GJCOnt_bVf3mKUQF-pYVMZNIV7K_FM0Um1r8wjBy2jmmUIQ3eWivNVgigczGsHpi65Cz7QsI6KEJY6r1v1OqGalvsikw_PnE9kcxbLt9VP7d0rFYI-oWIqLlBB6MSuWRB56AwQ1/s320/24-oct-2008-010.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298559139923233666" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><b>Leaf crops</b>: (cabbages, brussels, cauliflower, broccoli). Bed #3 is for those, but it's nowhere near ready. I need to get hold of something with which to condition the soil there, as soon as possible; and<br /><br /><b>Root crops</b>: (carrots, parsnips, turnips, beetroot) will go into the 4th deep bed, which isn't ready either. It needs a lot of conditioning too, but even more carefully than the third bed, because manuring immediately before planting causes carrots and parsnips to fork. I'll be adding a bit of woodash and lime to this bed, and possibly something concentrated like blood and bonemeal. I wish I could get hold of some seaweed, but can't see how, without driving to the coast. Lucy sent me some green manure seeds last year, and I never did get them planted, though I really wish I had now. This year, Lucy! I will manage it, I promise. They're there in my seed box, waiting to be planted. <br /><br />I need to clear out the garden room in Spring and do an intensive <b>tomato and cucumber</b> planting session in there. It works like a greenhouse, with its clear perspex roof, and we've had a lot of success in the past when it's been used for this purpose though again, it's in the shade for all but the summer months so the timing is imperative. I've brought some seedlings on in a sunny house window instead, to go out there in the past. <br /><br />And for <b>strawberries and herbs</b> - the <a href="http://sometimesitsplantbased.blogspot.com/2008/05/little-corner-of-hippy-paradise.html">bathtub!</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-uOCi2eBOVbROeZKxL1LrB1Hsctl4bXmUy1uWAG1CiU91srvcJ5LmHbdJoFXFOFhKrkWTd6IYcj6PI51SKcBsqg0E_qm9sWfaZD1GfwndvTFOFnWDukHXfbSbE53H40bS6l7oxmfVA6W2/s1600-h/21+May+2008+006.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-uOCi2eBOVbROeZKxL1LrB1Hsctl4bXmUy1uWAG1CiU91srvcJ5LmHbdJoFXFOFhKrkWTd6IYcj6PI51SKcBsqg0E_qm9sWfaZD1GfwndvTFOFnWDukHXfbSbE53H40bS6l7oxmfVA6W2/s320/21+May+2008+006.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298557980358246562" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I'm going to have two of those on the driveway this year: there's another one out in the field, hiding behind the remaining old shed. <br /><br />We're still short of an apple tree. My neighbour gave me one a few years ago, but sadly it didn't survive the move. I think we might need to invest in one from a garden centre this year. <br /><br />I did treat myself to some asparagus and globe artichoke plants for this year though, and will need to build a new perennial bed somewhere for those. It will need to be another deep bed, smaller than the others, and with maximum sunlight. Near the bottom of the field somewhere, I think - that gets more sun than the top. <br /><br />And I'd love to build a root cellar, but I don't think we'll manage that this year, on top of everything else. <br /><br />One thing is certain though: this year we <i>will</i> produce a significant amount of our own food. I reckon we stand a good chance, now that we've got a proper plan.Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09707661738889563273noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2783013232790175711.post-16010414779078734202009-01-18T14:22:00.004+00:002009-01-18T14:29:02.453+00:00Red shootsSpring is coming! I know, I was the last to admit that summer was over, but look!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhajHm2FTwWyO0hzZyIePTkeDOoB6NiXPxaYkYnbp_zCsM1MJ3FdaTTi0J8H7z4ZWA0WaGe7PmnBLXiWA65wsfV1dD5sATt0DSXwDSxRy4vI1ZZZ-jJ0RRY9p1zid2VSys2ZddRjF8Couj9/s1600-h/18+Jan+2009+014.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhajHm2FTwWyO0hzZyIePTkeDOoB6NiXPxaYkYnbp_zCsM1MJ3FdaTTi0J8H7z4ZWA0WaGe7PmnBLXiWA65wsfV1dD5sATt0DSXwDSxRy4vI1ZZZ-jJ0RRY9p1zid2VSys2ZddRjF8Couj9/s320/18+Jan+2009+014.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292640067932424082" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Do you see that tiny spot of red on the rhubarb korm there? That's spring growth, that is.<br /><br />Just call me an optimist.Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09707661738889563273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2783013232790175711.post-30854679662948749822008-12-07T16:19:00.005+00:002008-12-07T16:45:05.980+00:00Jelly fungus- also known as "jelly ear", is mostly found on dead bits of elder trees, of which we have many. <br /><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auricularia_auricula-judae"><img src="http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/6761/jellyearod6.jpg" border="0" alt="Jelly ear"/></a><br /><br />The above is a picture-link to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auricularia_auricula-judae">the relevant Wikipedia page</a>. Below is my own, much less clear picture of the ones we found in our field yesterday: <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggu2QTjkmVS5-QiBH3nd1JQiSqxmlHXwHdNdw0KrU4vw7JbH4BmpYZvFJobeN3kNYJ2xDIAtr2UrjNb-Sw2ygQM8tzRH2WpPvjSfENayPUUL-DgnWb9kWopGY5-cMY1Q0W6ri2cuaFDLTO/s1600-h/07+Dec+2008+020.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggu2QTjkmVS5-QiBH3nd1JQiSqxmlHXwHdNdw0KrU4vw7JbH4BmpYZvFJobeN3kNYJ2xDIAtr2UrjNb-Sw2ygQM8tzRH2WpPvjSfENayPUUL-DgnWb9kWopGY5-cMY1Q0W6ri2cuaFDLTO/s320/07+Dec+2008+020.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277088500666769058" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Most years I harvest some of this delicious and nutritious food - it tastes great in stir-fries after it's been gently boiled for ten minutes or so to soften it. I've also sautéed it in butter and eaten it on toast. I think the taste is similar to that of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiitake">shiitake</a>, but a bit stronger.Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09707661738889563273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2783013232790175711.post-71869332471737257682008-11-16T08:29:00.003+00:002008-11-20T08:10:08.997+00:00Medlar fruit taste test<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinwqjkTmR62bKdAXteMbsstOx5DoeThVhtfoP6WAi3YD26drq50sH78f4upKB497wQ5A78Td20GgYJKiOA7aXKzDf-gemipWuKK7x4i-UjepKDy_pG80VsoCAuamP6HdITjn5IaR_b0d4m/s1600-h/20+Nov+2008+004.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinwqjkTmR62bKdAXteMbsstOx5DoeThVhtfoP6WAi3YD26drq50sH78f4upKB497wQ5A78Td20GgYJKiOA7aXKzDf-gemipWuKK7x4i-UjepKDy_pG80VsoCAuamP6HdITjn5IaR_b0d4m/s320/20+Nov+2008+004.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270648990582696514" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Back in early summer <a href="http://sometimesitsplantbased.blogspot.com/2008/06/tree-identification.html">I blogged about our Medlar tree</a>, though we still weren't 100% sure about its identification.<br /><br />It's bright red now (see picture above) - the leaves turn a beautiful colour, and there's quite a lot of fruit left on it. <br /><br />Anyway, according to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medlar">Wikipedia</a>, "Medlar fruit are very hard and acidic. They become edible after being softened ("bletted") by frost, or naturally in storage given sufficient time. Once softening begins, the skin rapidly takes a wrinkled texture and turns dark brown, and the inside reduces to a consistency and flavour reminiscent of apple sauce." <br /><br />We've certainly had frost now and we tasted the fruit again a few days ago and it is completely different! A really unusual taste, that's hard to define. But yes, not unlike apple sauce. It's a bit like eating sweets. <br /><br />I think that confirms its identity.Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09707661738889563273noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2783013232790175711.post-73258624223867505012008-10-07T13:23:00.008+01:002008-10-07T13:41:23.909+01:00One potato, two potato...etc..<br /><br />We grew potatoes in a dustbin in our front yard this year: <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga0gJOTCof9ySyya5Q95JKbdMgPBIwNl2RxT_GmiSbtrGoxzw4yT6iGhxhmwjOcdEtK76Sl308hiNWtuXZTXWlrzmUsoNeqmr5aCqZHX1166oe87ZAy1TNV0V-1cRuqR0_OvLivhRkDj_Y/s1600-h/26+Sept+2008+011.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga0gJOTCof9ySyya5Q95JKbdMgPBIwNl2RxT_GmiSbtrGoxzw4yT6iGhxhmwjOcdEtK76Sl308hiNWtuXZTXWlrzmUsoNeqmr5aCqZHX1166oe87ZAy1TNV0V-1cRuqR0_OvLivhRkDj_Y/s320/26+Sept+2008+011.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254386844116978594" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />and yesterday was harvest time:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhRYdC5YH0TuzA6RfSeBvDcFJjdJM3XQfurtHHDhPI8peCFKYoCcdXYy0ge-D9wSB0_zH1rx_DSP3suI-nEG-6sjdVW-2NWm-aSHj0jfmx_mOyfFf4rMPUfKXhNDRQ7WVUO9nmyTaihgZS/s1600-h/05+Oct+2008+013.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhRYdC5YH0TuzA6RfSeBvDcFJjdJM3XQfurtHHDhPI8peCFKYoCcdXYy0ge-D9wSB0_zH1rx_DSP3suI-nEG-6sjdVW-2NWm-aSHj0jfmx_mOyfFf4rMPUfKXhNDRQ7WVUO9nmyTaihgZS/s320/05+Oct+2008+013.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254387266839593042" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />There's something primevally satisfying about searching amongst the dirt for those little pale gold nuggets, isn't there? <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEineC2Zl8Aag8p11T-ie2YHvCX1x1cSoV5OABeo6OK9o2F7g3pbHVxN9Xkv6iFhSRFHKPj-Tx6ghQ9XQeutsaPFDl27-f4VAclGN2vmNtxQbtXUH2lWdV9TfQxzp-3t1Xi5-S1a97mWuYbT/s1600-h/05+Oct+2008+018.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEineC2Zl8Aag8p11T-ie2YHvCX1x1cSoV5OABeo6OK9o2F7g3pbHVxN9Xkv6iFhSRFHKPj-Tx6ghQ9XQeutsaPFDl27-f4VAclGN2vmNtxQbtXUH2lWdV9TfQxzp-3t1Xi5-S1a97mWuYbT/s320/05+Oct+2008+018.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254387675740014146" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Lyddie's not usually one for grubbing in the mud, but she absolutely loved it. <br /><br />We've had stawberries, herbs and tomatoes from pots in the front yard too, but we're planning to get serious next year and start growing in the field again. We'll have a water supply out there by then, which will make all the difference.Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09707661738889563273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2783013232790175711.post-88276122707886057132008-06-21T16:20:00.002+01:002008-06-21T16:26:38.681+01:00Re-post: The real free (healthy) health service - Dec 06Today's blog post was going to be another negative rant about the NHS, specifically the new Spine database, along the lines of 'NHS Consumes Itself', because there was a piece in the newspaper this weekend about <a href="http://society.guardian.co.uk/e-public/story/0,,1937302,00.html">Helen Wilkinson</a>, the NHS practice manager who was falsely labelled as an alcoholic in her medical notes, went to the House of Lords to have her files erased from the system and is now barred from using the service for which she works. The Daily Mail version of the story, an online copy of which bizarrely does not exist, concludes as follows: <br /><br /><i>"What of the trusting relationship between doctor and patient? Will that disappear when Tony Blair's Brave New World with its giant health computer is up and running? Helen, who has worked for the health service for 20 years, thinks so. 'Patients will begin to lie. They won't tell the truth if they have been sexually promiscuous, or overdosed on drugs or even smoked a few cigarettes. They won't want it on their records if they know those records will not be kept secret. I can see patients turning their back on the health service completely,' she explains. It is a chilling prediction, but one that Helen Wilkinson believes with all her heart."</i><br /><br />Well it's only a chilling prediction, in my opinion, because we have all been taught to believe that the only alternatives to the NHS are either expensive private healthcare or no healthcare at all. None of us can remember a time when we managed without a hierarchically structured, official healthcare system because we weren't alive then. Abdicating responsibility for our healthcare to the professionals is now so much the norm that many people simply would not accept there is any other way of living. <br /><br />So I think we need to start talking about the <i>real</i> free health service. The one in which you only have to invest a small amount of time and thought: no cash outlay, not even National Insurance payments. The one laid on gratis by our planet upon which, last time I checked, we really do still live although it's sometimes easy to forget this in our concrete and tarmac enclaves. <br /><br />But we are still part of the planet's natural systems, however much we try to divorce ourselves from them. We breathe locally produced air and most of us still drink locally produced water even if we don't eat locally produced food any more. The substrata of geological substances beneath our feet, unique to every locality, tries its best to create soil and plants in synergy with its animal (including human) inhabitants, who <i>are</i> (albeit unconsciously) constantly synchronising their own biological structures and functions in synergy with their home environments.<br /><br />What all that means is that nature provides the perfect medicine for all our ailments in the neighbouring vicinity. Free of charge. The irony is that instead of learning about and making use of this free medicine, we view it all as weeds and <i>we pay council workers to kill it with toxic sprays.</i> <br /><br />Glossing over this collective insanity, I'll move swiftly onto practicalities. To work with this system, you have to know and understand your local habitat. <br /><br />The land around here, for example, on a bed of hard stone and clay subsoil, makes for quite an acidic growing substance. The area is hilly, so we're subject to quite a lot of rain and chilly dampness in winter, so chest complaints are common. That the perfect medicine for our local typical ailments grows in abundance around here is evidenced by the old names of some of our towns and villages. The name Hebden comes from 'hip dean': the valley of the rose hips. Heptonstall was 'hip town stall': the dairy farming village where the rose hips grow. The places themselves became known for the lifesaving medicines that grew there. <br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/2697/689/1600/647325/rose%20hip.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/2697/689/320/532255/rose%20hip.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />When you look around here in autumn and early winter there are indeed rosehips all over the place. The plants grow easily and healthily of their own accord wherever they're allowed to, each one producing thousands of natural (not plastic!) capsules of the perfect medicine to help people survive a Yorkshire winter. Full of vitamin C, the seeds of the Dog Rose are astringent, strengthening to the stomach, useful in diarrhoea and dysentery, allaying thirst, 'good for coughs and the spitting of blood'. Culpepper described them as being 'grateful to the taste and a considerable restorative, fitly given to consumptive persons, the conserve being proper in all distempers of the breast [lung disorders] and in coughs and tickling rheums.' The seeds were gathered and used as both food and medicine throughout the winter and the leaves were dried and infused in boiling water to make tea.<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/2697/689/1600/847478/nettle.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/2697/689/320/323876/nettle.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Nettles grow in abundance here as in so many places, much to my neighbour's annoyance. To him they're a scourge on the planet: to me they're an incredibly useful medicine and food. Gathered in the spring, they can be dried and taken as tea which is the perfect remedy for anaemia. Nettles contain a lot of vitamin C as well as iron, and our bodies need vitamin C to enable us to absorb the iron. This is why iron tablets alone (as commonly prescribed by the NHS) often don't cure anaemia and only cause constipation. Nature's truly free medicine does the job properly. Nettles are also helpful in gout and arthritis, again often ailments related to cold, damp climates - which is where the nettles grow! <br /><br />The chemical constituents of nettles include histamine, formic acid, acetylchlorine, serotonin, glucoquinones, many minerals including iron and silica, vitamins A, B and C and tannins. Its actions are astringent, diuretic, tonic, nutritive, stops bleeding, circulatory stimulant, promotes milk flow, lowers blood sugar levels, prevents scurvy. So this plant is the perfect natural cure for many of our local, common, niggly and more serious ailments and yet we call it a weed and choke it to death.<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/2697/689/1600/525559/dandelion.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/2697/689/320/809337/dandelion.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Dandelions, commonly growing here and throughout the UK, are nature's solution to the common problems of fluid retention and other urinary disorders. They promote bile flow and are mildly laxative and antirheumatic. They can also be used to treat boils and abscesses. <br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/2697/689/1600/486216/elder.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/2697/689/320/637127/elder.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>The Elder tree, which chooses to grace our hilltop field in great numbers, produces berries rich in vitamins A and C, which were made into wines and syrups and taken to prevent winter colds. Elder flowers are anticatarrhal and encourage sweating, so are an ideal treatment for feverish colds and flu. They are also helpful for hay fever, taken as a prophylactic early in the year to strengthen the upper respiratory tract before the pollen count rises. Topically anti-inflammatory, they are also used in skin creams and for chilblains.<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/2697/689/1600/117942/rosebay%20willowherb.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/2697/689/320/352948/rosebay%20willowherb.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>The Rosebay Willow Herb, which springs up in great healthy clumps here wherever land is cleared or changed, is very useful as a intestinal astringent. It has been recommended for its antispasmodic properties in the treatment of whooping cough and asthma.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/2697/689/1600/965420/plantain.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/2697/689/320/433244/plantain.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Plantain, which the Anglo-Saxons knew as Waybread, was used in first aid to treat bee stings. This poor plant, much maligned by lawnsmen, tries valiantly to grow wherever there is grass and if you look closely, it's very common. The leaves soothe urinary tract infections and irritations and ease dry coughs. They can be applied externally for healing sores and wounds. They are anti-catarrhal, useful in allergic rhinitis and gastric inflammations. The seeds ease and can cure the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.<br /><br />Within the square mile in which we live, there are also wild bilberries (natural antibiotics and a cure for dysentery,) red clover (a bronchitis and cancer remedy,) chickweed (helpful for eczema and skin irritations, the root useful for preventing heaving menstrual bleeding,) comfrey (traditionally called knitbone - containing allantoin, which encourages bone, cartilage and muscle cells to grow - both my mother and I have used this for broken bones and astounded medical staff by our rate of recovery) and hawthorn, which was traditionally used for diarrhoea, heavy menstrual bleeding and in first aid to draw splinters. In the last century hawthorn flowers were found to improve coronary circulation, reducing the risk of angina attacks and helping to normalise blood pressure. <br /><br />All this used to be common knowledge at one time, passed down from parent to child to help ensure the survival of our species. Food was used as medicine and medicine as food, both taken liberally from the local environment where nature was largely allowed to flourish as she saw fit. People saw themselves as products of their natural environment, dependant on and interactive with it in a way that we seem to have lost now. <br /><br />This is the real, effective, truly free health service in which, if our interest is rekindled by the NHS losing our trust we may look forward to a much healthier and happier future. A cheerful, altogether <i>un</i>chilling prediction in my opinion.<br /><br />7 Comments:<br /><br /> <a href="http://starchildsearching.blogspot.com/">Louise</a> said... <br /><br />Wow Gill, that is one brill informative post. I'll see what we have even here in the city...we have a lovely lane nearby called hawthorn that is lined with hawthorns, nettles, elders etc. Nature truly beats everything doesn't it :o)<br />3:41 PM, December 13, 2006 <br /> <br /><a href="http://knittingyogurt.blogspot.com/">Rosie</a> said... <br /><br />I have been letting the nettles and dandelions grow, but haven't used these, or any other herbs medicinally for a long time. I suppose it's down to the confidence of knowing you've got the right plant. <br />I friend of mine was recenly going to make something with rosehips when I pointed out that the ones she was after were from cultivated roses- I didn't know if you could use these. <br />I suppose the last wild foods we had were the blackberries and bilberries, but there's loads more out there. It's just so wild up here at the moment it's difficult to drag them all out to even find firewood ;-)<br />I like the idea, though- plants growing localy must be the right thing to have.<br />O, I know where I heard this recently- I was reading an Alison Uttley story last night (of Little grey rabbit fame), and also another story about blackthorn or sloe berries? Something about them ripening after the first frost and the tea/juice being good to keep the cold out? I'll have to go and find it now...I think it might be just what we need...<br />12:07 AM, December 14, 2006 <br /> <br /> Gill said... <br /><br />Lou, it's great that your Hawthorn Lane still has hawthorns on it! <br /><br />Rosie, yes identifying can be a problem but there are some great books to help with that. I don't think medical use of cultivated roses would cause any severe problems, but it probably wouldn't be as effective as the wild dog rose, just because the cultivated roses have been selectively bred for other purposes, so any remaining nutritional/medical value will be only there by accident.<br />5:44 AM, December 14, 2006 <br /> <br /><a href="http://knittingyogurt.blogspot.com/">Rosie</a> said... <br /><br />Ok, cheers, Gill, and thanks for this post- it's really got me thinking :-)<br />I think I had a bit of a revellation about Sloe berries and my homeopath has advised me to go with it ;-)<br />12:03 AM, December 15, 2006<br /> <br /> Lindsey said... <br /><br />Hi Gill, we just received a birthday card from the NHS this morning which I thought you might like to see. I've scanned and blogged ;)<br />9:49 AM, December 15, 2006 <br /><br /> Gill said... <br /><br />Rosie, did you blog your revelation? I'm fascinated! Off to check out your blog to find out ;-)<br /><br />Lindsey, will swing by yours too, you have me intrigued!<br />10:47 AM, December 15, 2006 <br /><br /> Rosie said... <br /><br />urm no, Gill, but I might do later if it still seems to be right ;-)<br />mm... off to see Linsey, too- intrigued!<br />11:47 PM, December 15, 2006Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09707661738889563273noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2783013232790175711.post-70737653014581704452008-06-16T07:27:00.005+01:002008-12-09T17:49:37.130+00:00Tree identificationWhat kind of a tree do you think this is? <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT40Lki1F_46tN34Y89ISCDmg6atSAMovw890_aws6JUnRNrLCrc7HYCdU7T3Qhk622sJ-NYN20JptITqrg0B3TZ1Fl37phO400sq5EEyWZQV3MD2hMmaGqNMzsFAyzbdQACrZ9Xg-HeU9/s1600-h/15+Jun+2008+016.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT40Lki1F_46tN34Y89ISCDmg6atSAMovw890_aws6JUnRNrLCrc7HYCdU7T3Qhk622sJ-NYN20JptITqrg0B3TZ1Fl37phO400sq5EEyWZQV3MD2hMmaGqNMzsFAyzbdQACrZ9Xg-HeU9/s320/15+Jun+2008+016.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212362266610240002" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I think it might be a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medlar">medlar</a>, but the fruits are only tiny so now I'm wondering whether I'm wrong.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf0bM8lIj4eDxx08AFsjO7ESjq7Kb2gztSd9jXYxkqSvIpTdRVtVzUqLqWsu9zTooJZ_OSt3M41lyzQAesygX3MVwx5L6Ux5EGi2txo7AEIm2-UpUZwzfe72O2OQ7R7WGKKGK-rmivCEWK/s1600-h/15+Jun+2008+015.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf0bM8lIj4eDxx08AFsjO7ESjq7Kb2gztSd9jXYxkqSvIpTdRVtVzUqLqWsu9zTooJZ_OSt3M41lyzQAesygX3MVwx5L6Ux5EGi2txo7AEIm2-UpUZwzfe72O2OQ7R7WGKKGK-rmivCEWK/s320/15+Jun+2008+015.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212362555852770610" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />If anyone recognises it, please let me know.Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09707661738889563273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2783013232790175711.post-5914600389030413772008-06-09T08:14:00.003+01:002008-12-09T17:49:37.428+00:00Cosmic supply company puddingWe've been clearing the land in our field to enable us to access the sheds we need to rebuild for our <a href="http://offgridness.wordpress.com/">off-grid project</a> and yesterday afternoon I was wondering what we'd have for pudding, as the fruit I'd bought to make crumble with had been eaten. Then I cleared the tall nettles and brambles from around a tree and found this <strike>little</strike> big treasure hiding behind it: <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2dOLKmjxuGhzsQKf9MsTN532QitRPgTzSnUkK7cAPSbI0Y65SMvbcI1Cbwxf6TUprYGg3iSi6u3gFFp8cf0xzl6HHy2XKfXQjDc7Aa9UsF4PlcLooXdtE4RjJms0PUt8RjxHyM9mfDPpO/s1600-h/Rhubarb.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2dOLKmjxuGhzsQKf9MsTN532QitRPgTzSnUkK7cAPSbI0Y65SMvbcI1Cbwxf6TUprYGg3iSi6u3gFFp8cf0xzl6HHy2XKfXQjDc7Aa9UsF4PlcLooXdtE4RjJms0PUt8RjxHyM9mfDPpO/s320/Rhubarb.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5209777780642005410" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Rhubarb crumble! Perfect.Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09707661738889563273noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2783013232790175711.post-85249073300359797222008-06-03T10:47:00.005+01:002008-12-09T17:49:37.724+00:00Dandelion coffeeWe dug up some dandelion roots yesterday to make coffee. A brilliant <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diuretic">diuretic</a>, dandelion root also stimluates the liver and cleanses the system. <br /><br />So we washed the roots, diced them and roasted them in a warm oven. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcj7UGYSsvfxE9INqIQzGOzb8g8Hf7rH11byxeWAfIDD6FwFflcSNCQNwNKe38XJUsrXVpbXOY0H4A0wW9de6chxMkeZUxmgSRrYLmZSotxupdYMsdhB0Kcz44koMmmMho6DcwHskplcSO/s1600-h/roots.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcj7UGYSsvfxE9INqIQzGOzb8g8Hf7rH11byxeWAfIDD6FwFflcSNCQNwNKe38XJUsrXVpbXOY0H4A0wW9de6chxMkeZUxmgSRrYLmZSotxupdYMsdhB0Kcz44koMmmMho6DcwHskplcSO/s320/roots.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207602718360653058" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Then tipped them into the coffee grinder and ground 'em up:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi41xNKrm9n3azUAOnsBYkVN5uMRwKsfe_jCqfSun08PcyvW0tYyPJkF1qBmuJan_AHfRewKhqQwctPFzcG-6eh3LzpzW2W1WR-U8LGNdTarzUCl_pLBREz5bUSXsLBi9TXRN8Bb13EQbTu/s1600-h/grinder.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi41xNKrm9n3azUAOnsBYkVN5uMRwKsfe_jCqfSun08PcyvW0tYyPJkF1qBmuJan_AHfRewKhqQwctPFzcG-6eh3LzpzW2W1WR-U8LGNdTarzUCl_pLBREz5bUSXsLBi9TXRN8Bb13EQbTu/s320/grinder.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207602967468756242" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The thing is, I don't think we roasted them for long enough, because they got a bit ground up in the grinder and we ended up taking them all out and roasting them some more on a lower heat. Finally, we got grounds, then coffee, which I'm drinking now with rice milk. <br /><br />It's good stuff, easily as tasty as real coffee, but we needed more roots to make a decent amount. <a href="http://www.prodigalgardens.info/dandelion%20coffee.htm">This site</a> recommends a 5-gallon bucket of roots! That's some serious dandelion-growing.Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09707661738889563273noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2783013232790175711.post-41900401643230211042008-05-22T08:37:00.006+01:002008-12-09T17:49:38.807+00:00A little corner of hippy paradiseWhat do you do with your old bath when you have a new one fitted? Well, I'd been wanting a deep planter for the drive, in which to grow some herbs and small food crops that were more accessible from the kitchen than the field, so I couldn't resist: <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglZja9TRwIOtVujO008JGzMZTYSSghcwxZN0TQsGVUntj5WlHGGehXub2ryLprek_q04yeLSX62lhiz-Oiyri6j4u834evqjgg0DqCa_i3iD_dI5gfVNPNbXWX7W1fUj9B50isY8iJoehf/s1600-h/21+May+2008+005.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglZja9TRwIOtVujO008JGzMZTYSSghcwxZN0TQsGVUntj5WlHGGehXub2ryLprek_q04yeLSX62lhiz-Oiyri6j4u834evqjgg0DqCa_i3iD_dI5gfVNPNbXWX7W1fUj9B50isY8iJoehf/s320/21+May+2008+005.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203104319938677730" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The CDs aren't just to enhance its eccentricity. They're also to scare birds off the peas, which I'm hoping will cover the trellis at the back. To the left we've got mint, parsley and strawberries:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho2QHusC4ZCSo407KOyD_xD-uIrBl0frQbhrzC-WqGBfkk63f10ytiwwsmsPj7MERqjWownFhkwCRvhDVk_vjmohsvbXhb1Z7-qO4F7vZ9KaO2RERBWxiXiuqFEOhSd_2QsRTLUEw1ISfy/s1600-h/21+May+2008+006.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho2QHusC4ZCSo407KOyD_xD-uIrBl0frQbhrzC-WqGBfkk63f10ytiwwsmsPj7MERqjWownFhkwCRvhDVk_vjmohsvbXhb1Z7-qO4F7vZ9KaO2RERBWxiXiuqFEOhSd_2QsRTLUEw1ISfy/s320/21+May+2008+006.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203104899759262706" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />There are some peas and corander to the right..<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3jlIG5Ou32wYskSfxj529Y-2Nvt2GU8fBJ4IXnCJX0THXyaY7EaewDlrliMrHGvk1kDL-sJr0AS0HwKOa9iOlpNakqvcmnZkKCuP8MAiRKlLwqy0tTfQiIu2l3SUC8bu-SGlscTiqYnDU/s1600-h/21+May+2008+008.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3jlIG5Ou32wYskSfxj529Y-2Nvt2GU8fBJ4IXnCJX0THXyaY7EaewDlrliMrHGvk1kDL-sJr0AS0HwKOa9iOlpNakqvcmnZkKCuP8MAiRKlLwqy0tTfQiIu2l3SUC8bu-SGlscTiqYnDU/s320/21+May+2008+008.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203105488169782274" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />And I think this is rocket:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtHSqeIxmUg3NJLa3EOxBCPfKWoox99jXr8Om-MmReEPUTbyz7ccth_yO8ZGj5bzGWHVuGKoJSMEwmHzo2eveQdeIO2wTOjnCDIqON5XTsFujggeV0118SR2pfxIDI95gdYXZb3rAfnX8m/s1600-h/21+May+2008+009.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtHSqeIxmUg3NJLa3EOxBCPfKWoox99jXr8Om-MmReEPUTbyz7ccth_yO8ZGj5bzGWHVuGKoJSMEwmHzo2eveQdeIO2wTOjnCDIqON5XTsFujggeV0118SR2pfxIDI95gdYXZb3rAfnX8m/s320/21+May+2008+009.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203105737277885458" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> - though we planted so many seeds in there that we won't know what's what exactly until we can see, smell and taste it all. Which is half the fun! <br /><br />It makes me smile anyway, every time I look at it.Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09707661738889563273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2783013232790175711.post-82936178306918617772008-05-03T07:24:00.005+01:002008-12-09T17:49:39.444+00:00Planting querySeed packets rarely advise the planting of solitary seeds. The advice is usually to plant two or more, then select the strongest and thin out when they've become seedlings. <br /><br />What I want to know is this: do they give this advice because they expect some of their seeds to fail, or to do less well than others? <br /><br />Or... is it that seeds produce stronger plants <i>when they have to compete?</i><br /><br />I've got some pots of pea seedlings to illustrate my question: <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyk3Y2VPuf71MMw7OwyZpt830XH0yGAz_cbelmBIdLRqBJJN_CLkIihQxOpi4s4OAKul8qygiZfQr1Utnon0D5LglImChSCWCvdh9m7iy55xFFPwxxcoKUE4CCeTHHRa5z4L2zx5CkfhB3/s1600-h/02+May+2008+022.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyk3Y2VPuf71MMw7OwyZpt830XH0yGAz_cbelmBIdLRqBJJN_CLkIihQxOpi4s4OAKul8qygiZfQr1Utnon0D5LglImChSCWCvdh9m7iy55xFFPwxxcoKUE4CCeTHHRa5z4L2zx5CkfhB3/s320/02+May+2008+022.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5196035843320649474" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrT0YMm5prJqvUtjPnYkb5vxvpcWEZZaVzXx5_ty56HkQimtF97qyeb4Pv0QXhvhv4lEu70qb1E3rmhh5sgFYcYSrmNsvT2UvSZlgn1wr9YRfiBSjRJtUkaI6Jj6wcSgDuj4ZmJ8wsXBD4/s1600-h/02+May+2008+023.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrT0YMm5prJqvUtjPnYkb5vxvpcWEZZaVzXx5_ty56HkQimtF97qyeb4Pv0QXhvhv4lEu70qb1E3rmhh5sgFYcYSrmNsvT2UvSZlgn1wr9YRfiBSjRJtUkaI6Jj6wcSgDuj4ZmJ8wsXBD4/s320/02+May+2008+023.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5196036023709275922" /></a>Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09707661738889563273noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2783013232790175711.post-68875856133792000492008-04-21T22:59:00.003+01:002008-12-09T17:49:39.740+00:00Does anyone recognise this?Just on the off-chance? <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjfVz8lKTMucY0naYCmH634WEXLPjzwbkD7xyQsdlfqCDzWXrln31WunQ_iI16jwjnXFyIUdwUIExeqveLrxkrYtExNK8Wjk94TeNay40p8St3sO0-DjYIMfUSUuOfw26yEJevxgtluztN/s1600-h/nameless+plant.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjfVz8lKTMucY0naYCmH634WEXLPjzwbkD7xyQsdlfqCDzWXrln31WunQ_iI16jwjnXFyIUdwUIExeqveLrxkrYtExNK8Wjk94TeNay40p8St3sO0-DjYIMfUSUuOfw26yEJevxgtluztN/s320/nameless+plant.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5191821782800034178" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />It's a very low-growing plant and is sprouting out of a shady bank in our field. I want to put a name to it, but can't think what it might be.Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09707661738889563273noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2783013232790175711.post-11871389951136536682008-04-10T19:56:00.004+01:002008-12-09T17:49:39.911+00:00Well, we did *some* planting...Just flowers though, so far. Night-scented stocks in some window boxes:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhRA3kwpaDRLpcpsTmCvyqc8IOaPgnTNpEfljFtOYkGOPfmqkf6BfJ1hsKPXwZPvqcU_XaZ3eAp5OCGQylZOvhCqrQD_CX6oYQy-Mhji6cXDZArpjHWvsQ6gsAuLFL1da6F3TjLkgrguts/s1600-h/10+Apr+2008+044.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhRA3kwpaDRLpcpsTmCvyqc8IOaPgnTNpEfljFtOYkGOPfmqkf6BfJ1hsKPXwZPvqcU_XaZ3eAp5OCGQylZOvhCqrQD_CX6oYQy-Mhji6cXDZArpjHWvsQ6gsAuLFL1da6F3TjLkgrguts/s320/10+Apr+2008+044.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5187692834216634706" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />We're working out a decent planting place for the vegetables, still - if not more than one, including planting boxes. More on that later, as soon as there's more to tell! Hmm, I want to start harvesting seeds this year too. Anyone else do that? Have tried over the years but been let down by chaotic storage and labelling systems. Must try harder!Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09707661738889563273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2783013232790175711.post-47510608356395036042008-04-08T13:28:00.011+01:002008-12-09T17:49:41.141+00:00Frivolity and a pleaFirst, some pretty pictures of some stuff we planted earlier: <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUNkikPlVUz4CsXBxsbFrJZFUu6JtRZdBD93lvDqM9Y1Wk7y8I6BY1k7QDz9Ts07F9DvBW8FYHpszG5aWJvK8tJGxZkcvKbwKzJBtE8gEl9H-NGlsuhh1BUr71NNFpVNVhA5I7Rny2g4Cn/s1600-h/08+Apr+2008+025.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUNkikPlVUz4CsXBxsbFrJZFUu6JtRZdBD93lvDqM9Y1Wk7y8I6BY1k7QDz9Ts07F9DvBW8FYHpszG5aWJvK8tJGxZkcvKbwKzJBtE8gEl9H-NGlsuhh1BUr71NNFpVNVhA5I7Rny2g4Cn/s320/08+Apr+2008+025.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5186850574696771138" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />My ex-sister-in-law bought me these hyacinths and their pot for Christmas. Beautiful pot, no? I'm really looking forward to the flowers. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvWd_ybbFmQLrZOn4VN-QoW0llb2hnn58UF_WPPueve9EhketgWgg11LEg0AosCXpSvL8xN9YTRMa0iXKAdJtR41AfxNCuGYfiJTw6o_cN1WjeEScSTQLWjPV5O-xTwqjWiO_59tAsWbLm/s1600-h/08+Apr+2008+026.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvWd_ybbFmQLrZOn4VN-QoW0llb2hnn58UF_WPPueve9EhketgWgg11LEg0AosCXpSvL8xN9YTRMa0iXKAdJtR41AfxNCuGYfiJTw6o_cN1WjeEScSTQLWjPV5O-xTwqjWiO_59tAsWbLm/s320/08+Apr+2008+026.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5186850935474024018" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />And here's what we've got growing outside the front door: <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz3Gd5vJoRHS3mRpITzVM0_057Uz1AuLQjaDNz0836nQ45uC5-FXZLP8yMquhOXHT1xeFG4dnXTmvho-WdqsLZN6t5B4ER2Ctiu5uFmcUXRNbq3MQH1XF50CUnCW2a-lWMzlSbXok3tDer/s1600-h/hyacinths.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz3Gd5vJoRHS3mRpITzVM0_057Uz1AuLQjaDNz0836nQ45uC5-FXZLP8yMquhOXHT1xeFG4dnXTmvho-WdqsLZN6t5B4ER2Ctiu5uFmcUXRNbq3MQH1XF50CUnCW2a-lWMzlSbXok3tDer/s320/hyacinths.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5186851171697225314" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDx5ZT_rP9FB4TyEUaPFotx63BGLW5VjUF4JaOoO9TFioxJSkznFETxheIDyraMdJXLtkxfh2MD3U3xTo2KPlp2MuhkdCbBeIswUpJ31ucQkpHT2_94rOkSOmdk1hl6iO3vw6e7JlaGEsW/s1600-h/tulips.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDx5ZT_rP9FB4TyEUaPFotx63BGLW5VjUF4JaOoO9TFioxJSkznFETxheIDyraMdJXLtkxfh2MD3U3xTo2KPlp2MuhkdCbBeIswUpJ31ucQkpHT2_94rOkSOmdk1hl6iO3vw6e7JlaGEsW/s320/tulips.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5186851322021080690" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Enough frivolity! Here's the plea, for advice from anyone reading who knows more about gardening than I do. Because we want some pretty flowers, yes, but also some <i>food</i> this year. <br /><br />We're planning to put some potatoes in the field, but it's full of rabbits over there. Anyone know what other crops they don't like, besides potatoes? Because everything else I've ever planted over there has been eaten. <br /><br />We need to keep rabbit-tempting crops closer to the house really, and are getting some big wooden deep planting boxes for the driveway soon. So we've got all these old seeds, from years ago: <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYSCB6SkdtFoOmHBiZfZqC1I-Sh6fhMMuxdpWM4KROUwmt8CDFAvpWPsqLRkQbTwq_-hoAycW2E6lJd3rTDdiDigLCOUk13b3i5kH0P44i-vqhGScQj_bAgJv6ZG-mLUJcKxJ-wMopk3a7/s1600-h/08+Apr+2008+028.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYSCB6SkdtFoOmHBiZfZqC1I-Sh6fhMMuxdpWM4KROUwmt8CDFAvpWPsqLRkQbTwq_-hoAycW2E6lJd3rTDdiDigLCOUk13b3i5kH0P44i-vqhGScQj_bAgJv6ZG-mLUJcKxJ-wMopk3a7/s320/08+Apr+2008+028.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5186852232554147458" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Now please tell me: do seeds need using within a certain time frame? I'm sure I heard someone on Gardeners' Question Time the other day saying they actually <i>improve</i> with age. Some of those packets are 8, 9, 10 years old! What do you think, should I use them? And if so, which should I start off indoors first, before the planters are ready? I'm thinking, peas... courgettes, maybe...<br /><br />Root crops don't like being moved, right? Or is it that they do..? Sigh, I forget now. Will have to get some gardening books out..Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09707661738889563273noreply@blogger.com8