Kale soup.

As promised, I have tried and tasted a kale soup recipe. It was quite easy to make, having said that, if I had normal sized carrots, it would have made things easier. At first sight, it looks 'healthy', but it taste anything but. The best thing about it for me is that I have grown all the vegetables in it, even the egg was from a friend from work who has a smallholding. I made it slightly chunky, more accident rather than design. I only have a stick blender and I missed some bits, but I think it added to the whole thing. All in all I think I will be continuing to grow kale next year.

So this is what you will need.

• 250g of kale
• 1 onion
• 3 carrots
• 3 potatoes
• 3 leeks
• 2 lts of vegetable stock
• 250ml 
• 1 boiled egg

1. Steam or boil the kale until it's tender.
2. Drain, allow to cool down then cut into strips.
3. Peel and chop the onions, carrots and potatoes. Cut the leeks into narrow slices. Lightly fry all of these vegetables until soft, then add the stock and season with salt and pepper.
4. Bring to the boil and simmer for 25 minutes.
5. Blitz with a blender and add milk and kale strips.
6. Serve and garnish with a chopped boiled egg.

You'll find the recipe in this book along with many
others

As I don't have any scales, I sort of guessed that I didn't have that much kale, so I adjusted the quantities of everything else according. I also totally forgot the milk. But it tastes great and recipes are just a guide aren't they? Till next time and thanks for reading.

Just pottering.

I went to the plot today in the car for the simple reason that I wanted to move last years bags of leaves to the plot. Eight sacks full, so walking there really wasn't an option. While I had the car loaded, I threw in a few fence posts and other bits that needed to be moved. I parked as close as I could and went to fetch the wheelbarrow. This is what I found when I got it out. I believe they are peacock butterflies. Rather than dump sack on them, I carefully moved them to the inside wall of the shed where I hope they'll be safe.

I realised that in my last post I didn't show the results of after the clear up. The courgettes are now gone due to the fact that the weather is starting to change and I don't think I'm going anymore this year.

Sorry for the shadow selfie

The tomatoes I managed to save from the blight are now sitting on my window sill and are now starting to ripen. Considering I they weren't properly planned for, it ain't too bad.

One of the reasons why I've got involved with 'Garden Connect' was to learn about different crops, growing and eating. The kale looks very healthy even though it's never had any netting to protect it from pigeons and I think I'm right in saying that I can harvest leaves as and when I need them without digging up the whole plant, but I want to make a start on clearing the bed. 

I have found recipe for a kale soup and today I dug up the ingredients for the soup I didn't already have. It does say only three carrots, these should be about right to make that up in weight. If it all goes well, I will share it on my blog. I don't need swede for the soup, having never grown them before, I just wanted to see what it looked like. Till next time and thanks for reading.

A change of plan.

So, my boss asked if I was available for overtime Thursday and Friday. I made arrangements so that I was, I planned to be working over 50 hours this week and then he tells me I'm not needed after all but thanks for the offer. A lot was said under my breath. Half of me was thinking 'How am I going to make ends meet?', the other half was thinking 'Lottie!'

Before the clear up

It's a half hour walk from my new abode. I suppose it could be worse. I had no plan till I got to the plot, but once I was there it was clear. No more pumpkins or marrows are going to grow, so the vines could be cleared and I have been advised that the tomatoes that have blight should be removed and burnt. A day to tidy up the plot. Apart from where the pumpkins and marrows were, the soil was easily worked and the weeds seem to come up with relative ease. I know that crop rotation isn't the be all and end all of soil care, but it seems to go a long way.

While clearing, I found a row of swede that I had total forgot about. I was nearly as excited as when I found a £20 note in a winter coat when I put it on at the first sign of frost. I did think I had more weeds than I actually did, so happy days. 

Garden Connect

My Garden Connect bed is really looking shabby at the moment. I'm sorry to say that for everyone who has encouraged me to try the nasturtium, I don't like it. I couldn't spit it out quick enough and the taste stayed with me for hours. I did start to tidy the bed a little and I will do a final summary soon. I also dug up the purple carrots and as I was told, I should have thinned them, but seeing the carrot seedlings start to come up, I couldn't bring myself to do it. This is the result. The smallest bunch of carrots you'll ever see. A meal for one. Till next time and thanks for reading.

I'm having a bad bad day.

After eating the fresh sweet corn last week, which incerdently was delicious, I went today pick the rest, only to find that either a fox, a badger or some other form of wildlife had eaten most of what was left, at least ten more decent sized ears of corn. I managed to salvage three small ears. The plot next to mine has a similar thing to my brassica tent and their corn is perfect and untouched. Another lesson learned.

The surprise tomatoes have started to look a bit worse for wear. Again, last week they were looking fine and if you zoom in on the tomatoes, you will see that they have some brown patches as if they were bruised, yet the whole fruit still seems firm. Is this the dreaded blight? I did Google it and it does look like it, but I'm no expert. Even though the healthy fruit is still green, I took what was left and I've left them on a window sill at home in the hope that they will still ripen.

To add to my woes, of five cauliflower plants, two are like this, two are fine and the last one is just taking its sweet time. I must admit that last week I failed to see how they were getting on, so I've only myself to blame. To make sure though, the two good one's are safely in the fridge.

As you can see from my small harvest, it wasn't all bad news. I wanted to bring back as much as possible, rather than leaving them to the elements and the wildlife. All five pumpkins are home. I have taker's for three of them so far, daughter, nephew and niece. As I've mentioned before, I'm hoping to eat at least one of them. So if you have any suggestions, feel free to let me know. I like soups and I have been making various marrow soups, with another one in this harvest, I'll be experimenting. Till next time and thanks for reading.

Getting back into the swing of things.

With my last gardening blog, I proudly said 'I'm back'. That statement was based on the fact that I now have WiFi and I'm back online. But WiFi isn't going to get me to the allotment and start digging and weeding. I'm still trying to get the balance right between family, work, allotment and being single again.

Today I wanted to kick start myself back to the plot. And I'm so glad I did. Just look at this small haul, I could have brought more home, but it would only end up in the compost bin. There is a mixture of good and bad here. The carrots aren't really that impressive, but if you've read my blog before, you'll know that any carrots are a bonus. The potatoes are part of my main crop, maris piper. They are supposed to be resilient to slugs and bugs, not on my plot they ain't. I will say that most are free from bug violation, but one was so badly bitten, when it was in a bowl of water waiting to be washed ready for cooking, it was floating on the water. Cutting it in half I found so many holes, it could have been Swiss cheese. The Savoy cabbages are a touch on the small side and yes the caterpillars have found a way in and causing some damage, but all in all, the bassica tent will be back next year.

These are what I can only describe as the most deformed radishes I have ever seen. I'm not the only one on the site who has had problems with radishes. Some have given up completely trying to grow them. They are supposed to be easy to grow but maybe they need more attention.

Now I'm a bit worried about these leeks. This is the worst one. It has a few dead leaves and if you can look closely, you can see what I can only describe as rust on the green leaves. Help was at hand thanks to Katie Lane, the author of 'Lavender and Leek' blog and Michelle (@Mishstacey), a contestant on 'The Big Allotment Challenge'. I put this photo up on instagram with a cry for help as to what the hell was the rust all about. They both informed me that the rust comes from too much nitrogen in the soil. Potash would be better for feeding the soil, also spacing the plant further apart should stop it spreading. The best news was that it is still edible, so roasted leek and Stilton is back on the menu. Once again, thank you to Katie and Michelle.

Slightly on the upside of things, these are my plum tomatoes that have grown in place of my Brussel sprouts. I say slightly on the upside because it's so late in the season, will they have time to ripen? There must be at least a kilo of fruit, it would be a real shame if we don't get to eat them. I really can't take any credit for them, they started growing when the sprouts died off and just kept growing. I haven't pinched out any shoots, no canes to support the plants, nothing. I may get my coldframe out to help things along. Well, I'll have to do something to be able to take some credit.

I am really pleased with my sweet corn. Considering the day I planted the out, most of the seedlings had bent. It was only the fact that I put the 2 litre plastic fizz bottles, with the bottom cut off, over each seedling, that has supported them and helped them grow. I am also pleased to say that they taste amazing and I still have more to eat.

I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but this is just one pumpkin plant. I have quins. They are all roughly the size of a football. I am hoping to eat at least one of them, so I'm looking out for a spicy soup recipe, nothing too complicated. I'm still bringing home marrows and courgettes which will also be thrown into a soup or two.

I was lucky to find this old wooden box in my shed. There's something about fresh produce in an old wooden box I really like. It came in handy to take it all home as well. Till next time and thanks for reading.

Postcards from London.

This is my first, non gardening, blog post. But it's one that I wanted to share. With my current situation, there would be no summer holiday this year. So, I wanted to something with my girls. A day trip to London was something that my youngest has always wanted to do. After looking into it, a coach was the best and cheapest option. Leaving at 5.20am and arriving in London at 8am, the return journey would leave at 9pm taking us home by 11.30pm. A long day but hopefully a day to remember. The tickets were booked and paid for, for Friday 29th August.

The day only really had one hitch, it was about 20 minutes after the bus departed. That's when we woke up. Yep, we missed the bus. Now this would be a rubbish post if that was the end of it, but I remembered that back in the 90's when Martin O'Neil took City to Wembley many, many times, we would drive down to Watford and get the tube to the stadium. That line carries on to Euston Station, London. "Get dressed kids, we're going to London". By 8.30 we were on the tube heading for the capital.

A lot of walking and riding the tube was done that day, mostly due to the fact that the map was read wrongly. But here are a few snapshots of our day.

This is the best of a few photos I took
at Piccadilly circus.

Marble Arch is not as big as I thought it would be.

The Mafia are getting serious now.

If you ever wanted to go to the Natural
History Museum, you will really need
to spend the whole day there.
We didn't even see a quarter of what's
there. This T. Rex move's by the way.

This is an amazing building. So much
detail, there will always be something
 I didn't see or notice before.

Queenie's home!

We ran out onto the road to take this
shot of the Mall.
I got some disapproving looks
from another dad when we got back
to the pavement.

I was worried that we wouldn't get a good photo of
Tower Bridge once it started to get dark.

But seeing how well the last photo came out I had to
take this one.

This was our view while eating chip on a bench.

Well that was our day out. It didn't quite go to plan, but it was definitely a day to remember. Till next time and thanks for reading.

I'm back.

Yes I'm back. First of all I'd like to apologise for my absence. Things have changed at home, mainly the fact that I'm not there anymore. But things are fine, even though we've separated, my wife and I are still very good friends. 

Upheavals aside, life on the plot still goes on and some surprises also. So let's begin. This years onions where ready a few weeks ago and I'd lifted them to dry out. Today was the first chance I've had to bring them home. Not all of them are show stopper size, well none are, but they have come out better than my winter onions. The Japanese whites were less than 50% success and my reds just didn't happen at all. 

Even though I had trouble at first with the sweet corn they really have done well. They are all about 5 foot tall with most having two ears. 

I've always understood that from one pumpkin plant you get only one pumpkin. I have five. All of them the size of a football. So I'm quite looking forward to eating at least one of them.

I've also come home with four courgettes, I'm not sure if my food scrap pit has helped, but I've got more coming up so I'm slightly inclined to do the same next year. 

This is where this years Brussel sprouts should be growing. When I planted them out, it was during the very warm spell we had a few months ago and I couldn't get round to water them one evening during the first week. The result was that they died. I must have used the same potted compost to start the sprouts as tomatoes I'd sown that didn't quite work out. Clearly the seed was still there somewhere and where the sprout perished, the tomatoes have done alright.  I just hope it's not too late to get some tomatoes from them. 

The brassica tent has worked out very well also. I've never had such good looking Savoy cabbages, so I'm wondering how soon I can sink my teeth into them. The cauliflowers are taking there time, but all in good time I guess. 

The leeks, parsnips and carrots are still doing well and my main crop of potatoes are all still underground. A lot of weeds also taken over, but it's not as bad as I've had it in the past. A good days work on the plot should clear most of it. I just have to make time to get back to my gardening. Hopefully it won't be too long till my next post. Till next time and thanks for reading