Little Green Space
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Little Green Space |
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| September 2008
September 30, 2008 Veg Garden Way back on 3 August I decided I needed more veg-growing space, and started digging a new patch. Well, I'm pleased to report that the patch is now finally finished, and planted up with Cos and Little Gem lettuces, lolla rosso and swiss chard. I will cover the area with a tent cloche as soon as the weather turns colder, and hopefully we'll be able to keep harvesting salads into the autumn. I also found a few Pink Fir Apple seed potatoes hanging in the shed, left over from some a friend, Rowena, gave to me back in the Spring. Well, they were chitting very nicely in their little net bag, so I've shoved them into the covered patch as well - I know it's totally the wrong time of year to plant potatoes, but you never know! September 28, 2008 Apples
This was the haul from our apple picking session with Andy and Debbie. Andy climbed the big apple tree (any excuse!) and shook the apples down while the rest of us held out a blanket to catch them. We had to wear cycles helmets - this was dangerous work!. There are as many apples again still on the tree. It is a very productive tree! We have spent most of today processing apples - there are now 8 bags of stewed apples in the freezer, ready for crumbles and pies. Only 90% of the apples we picked left to sort out! This year we are experimenting with storage for the first time. We never bothered to store the apples before, as they have always been a little too tart for eating raw. But this year they are much smaller, redder and sweeter than usual, so we have tried storing them in two different ways: some are spread out on newspaper, in a single layer in the shed (not touching) and some are in a clear plastic bag with holes punched in (recommended by broadcaster Alan Titchmarsh for when space is tight). If either method is successful, we should have enough apples to last us until Christmas! If anyone out there has any good apple recipes, please send them in. September 20, 2008 First Leeks There are dozens of leeks growing in my veggie patch - I went a little mad at seed sowing time, and now I'm reaping the rewards. The question is, what to do with them all, now that they are becoming ready to harvest? Soup, of course, will take care of quite a few. And I'm looking forward to trying out a recipe for potato, leek and three cheese pie, sent to me by my stepmother (thanks, Wendy!) Today I pulled up a couple of big leeks, not really knowing what I was going to do with them, just because they were ready. Then I hit on this idea - Shropshire Blue Chicken with Buttered Leeks. I got the blue cheese stuffed chicken idea recently when we had dinner with some friends (thanks, Jo!) It is really scrumptious - give it a go! We had our chicken with runner beans from the garden. I planted 8 runner bean plants back in May, and they've only just started to produce beans in the last few weeks - much later than normal, I'm told. But now they're making up for the late start, and we have runner beans coming out of our ears! In fact, it's been one of the most successful crops so far, which is quite funny, really, as runner beans are one vegetable that nobody in the family is really all that keen on. But we have now begun to enjoy them. This has happened with a few vegetables I've grown - cabbage, for example, was something the kids would never touch until we started eating it fresh from the garden. Dieticians do say that if you eat a vegetable you hate the taste of ten times, you will come to love it - I'm starting to think that's true! September 15, 2008 Transition Matlock Launch Plans are well under way for the launch of Transition Matlock. The first major public event will take place at The Imperial Rooms, Matlock, on Friday 3 October from 7.30 - 9pm. Transition Matlock aims to involve people from across the community in our local town and surrounding area to work together to tackle climate change and peak oil. Check out our new Transition Matlock page for more information! September 14, 2008 The Green Man Today we went to friends Debbie and Andy's house for an afternoon of Medieval Madness. The afternoon was to raise money for Cancer Research, and next weekend Andy and Debbie will be taking part in a Relay for Life event.
Andy and Debbie went all out to create a medieval atmosphere, and lots of people dressed up. Rich got to dress up as the Green Man, which was a lot of fun - it was the first outing for a costume which we hope to use for future Little Green Space events. We made tree decorations with the children, using wood, wool and beads, and hung them in the garden - trees are pretty wonderful things, after all, and deserve to be decorated!
September 11, 2008 Jam I've returned from my second blackberry harvesting trip a little the worse for wear. I was reaching up to get a particularly succulent looking berry from the very highest branch on the bramble bush when I lost my balance and fell face-first into the thorns. I now have bramble scratches all down my arms, and some pretty impressive nettle stings to boot. Still it will all be worth it when the cupboards are packed with blackberry and apple jam! September 7, 2008 Apples We returned from a week away to find that the wind had blown down loads of apples from the old apple tree in the orchard. So we gathered them up and I made 8 jars of Spiced Apple Chutney. There are dozens more apples still on the tree, though, so we will need to have a major apple-picking session soon. I'd like to try adding some dried apricots to the chutney recipe, and we'll also stew and freeze portions for pies and crumbles that should last us through the autumn and winter.
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