This week on the allotment I've sown my broad beans (Eleanora express), done a bit of weeding and pruned back some of the brambles. The broad beans are in one of my reconfigured raised beds - I put in 4 rows, first roughly marking out the lines for each row using the end of a cane (otherwise my rows would be very wonky) then made holes for each bean with a dibber (wooden handle of a broken fork) then went along dropping a seed in each hole, before covering the holes loosely with soil. I didn't water the seeds in as the soil was quite moist and we've been getting lots of rain anyway. Hope they grow ok!
My autumn sown beans are looking very sorry for themselves though. Lots have been squashed by foxes, nibbled by something or battered by the wind (or all three). But I did notice that the ones which had flopped over have started to put on new growth at the base. So I decided to leave them in and see what happens. Later on this week I'll hopefully sow my parsnips in between the rows of beans, and plant out my seed potatoes.
Back at home my tomato seedlings really need potting on so I'll do that this week too. They've just started to get a bit leggy.
We needed a new tub of fruit from the freezer (we have the fruit on our breakfast and I've also been taking some to work in a jar for an afternoon snack). I'd had my eye on a big tub at the bottom of the drawer for a while and this week hoiked it out. I hadn't written on the lid what was in the tub, and even when I lifted off the lid couldn't really tell what it was...mystery mush. So, when it had defrosted I dipped a spoon in to have a taste.....wow! Yep, it was puréed strawberry and so good. How could I have forgotten I made this! Weird.
On a more vegetably note, I was checking on my friend's plot this week. He has MS and needs a wheelchair to get around now but incredibly still has an impeccable allotment plot. He moves around the plot on his bum so doesn't tend to go up much in the winter when everything is damp. Anyway, I was on the look- out for the leeks he said might still be knocking around....
And yes, he had amazing leeks too, so I dug a few up for us both. I've removed the outer leaves here but there was hardly any rust and no sign of leek-moth caterpillar damage. As he said when I dropped them round, things always do much better when you just leave them to do their own thing!
Just like these beetroot he said I could have too. Darn, why can't I grow beet like this! We roasted a few yesterday and will probably make a borscht some other time.
But one thing did pick from my own plot....some corn salad. Which I can't really take any credit for as it sows around by itself....who needs gardeners eh.
A walk from Diss on the Angles Way
On Saturday we headed to the market town of Diss on the train. It's down on the Norfolk / Suffolk border but is quite quick and only takes 17 minutes to get there. It's a pretty town (once you're away from the train station which is on the edge of an industrial estate and a housing estate of bungalows), especially in the centre with some lovely old buildings and a large lake called The Mere...I didn't take many photos as the weather was a bit dull.
We still enjoyed the day and had a lovely walk across to Scole on the Angles Way, picking up some geocaches as we went, before taking a looping route back to Diss on some footpaths and country lanes.
The Angles Way crosses a small river and passes through an area called Frenze, which included this disused church (St Andrew's) dating from the 13th century....so old!
As with many churches in Norfolk it's open to visitors so we had to pop in for a look. There were so many lovely features, like these carved monkeys
The font dated from the 14th century I think
This door led into a small room. People could use the knocker to be given refuge
Out on the other side of Scole, the Angles Way passes another church (St Mary's)...this time only part of the tower remains. It's just in the corner of an arable field so is surprising to come across.
Where will we go this week? I haven't really thought about it yet but I expect there'll be some more geocaches involved. Or maybe I'll be too busy on the allotment (or it might be raining)....we'll see.
Thanks for reading this week. I'm linking in with Dave at Our Happy Acres for Harvest Monday
Posted with Blogsy
