Monday 2 November 2015

Harvest Monday - autumn or summer?

What a week! The weather has been (mainly) lovely (except for my non-working day, when it was rainy and I didn't feel so good, so I spent the day on the sofa reading instead). I had to work again on Saturday which meant that Sunday was my only chance to get down the plot - luckily it was another glorious day here in Norwich, whereas much of the country and coast had bad fog (which has reached us today too)
 
It really felt like the middle of summer yesterday, it was that warm, and the plot was full of honey bees on all the self-seeded borage plants that are still hanging in there. I've even seen a red admiral butterfly and a dragonfly the last few days, out in Norfolk.
The plot itself looks a right state and needs a few good days work (and a few more). But I don't want to tidy it too much yet as there's still so much insect life around. So today I focussed on weeding the area that I'm going to sow autumn broad beans (I forgot to take the beans down with me though), it takes quite a while because the couch grass gets all entangled in the beds and you have to tease the roots out, trying not to break them, as otherwise they'll just grow again. It's my least favourite plant on the plot!
 
I also did a bit of weeding around the self-sown lambs lettuces to get as much light in to the plants as possible.
 
Here's what I brought back from the plot, not a bad little harvest for the first of November. I've now pulled out all the summer and winter squashes and lifted my first beetroot. I don't have that many but this looked like a big 'un on top though ended up being a bit 'squat'. Oh I forgot to include a big bag of lambs lettuce too.
On Friday I picked a couple of peppers from the lean-to. One I roasted with some potato wedge- type things (my potatoes, simply cooked in the oven with oil), so tasty. And the other we had chopped raw with a salad, also tasty.
I used the tomatoes up tonight, in a chickpea dish with some butternut squash I roasted yesterday, very yummy

I made a winter salad with the rest of the roasted squash, which we took for lunch today with toasted pumpkin seeds and some of the lambs lettuce, thinly sliced cheese with a splash of cider vinegar and drizzle of walnut oil.....when I was munching into it in the office, I thought, oooh it looks very pretty but as I'd been rushing this morning I didn't get a picture. I think I'll make it again though, it was very good.

 

Here's the apple cider vinegar that we're having a go at making ourselves - apple cores, peel, spoonful of local honey plus water, then cover with a paper towel.

It's been about two weeks now and I think we have to move onto the next stage, so I'd better check that out. I did already pick off a couple of bits of apple from the top which looked a bit funny though. It hasn't really fermented that much that I can see?

Okay, that's it for the week, I'm early today as I've got to head out shortly, so bye for now.

Linking in to Harvest Monday hosted by Dave at Our Happy Acres

 

13 comments:

  1. Your peppers look fantastic! I really struggle to grow sweet peppers.

    Weather seems nice these days. I'm glad you had a rainy day as an excuse to laze around - I find all sorts of excuses to do that!

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    1. Thanks Susie, the peppers have a really nice flavour, there's a couple more to eat soon too, mmm. They seem to really like it on the top shelf of the lean-to, just under the glass roof, where I guess they get a lot of light and heat. I'll try again growing from seed next year, these were originally two tiny plants i had to buy as my seeds didn't come to anything.

      Well, we've had almost constant rain this last week, so i think the nice autumn weather may be over, darn. we're visiting Jan's folks at the moment and having to get our countryside walks in inbetween the rain!

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  2. That is a wonderful haul from your plot - I think that many people (around here anyhow) are surprised at what is still growing and harvestable at this time of year. Of course, it all depends on whether Mother Nature cooperates or not.

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    1. Thanks Margaret, yes it's definitely been mild for us here so far. I don't think we've even had a frost yet in the city. It does mean the weeds keep growing too though, and the grass paths. My plot seriously needs some attention, I'm pretty sure I heard my allotment neighbour having a grumble about it to one of the other plot holders the other day. Oh well, can't help being busy with work and then the rain on days off.

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  3. I'll bet the bees were loving that borage! I know our bees love it. You are getting a nice variety of things for this late in the season. The chickpea and butternut dish really looks yummy.

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    1. Thanks Dave, they sure were. I was pleased that I hadn't been through and pulled the borage plants out yet. The leaves look rather worse for wear but the flowers are still good. Although they might have been pummelled by all the rain this week.
      The squash dish lasted 3 day days in the end, I added some extra ingredients to the leftovers to make it go further!

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  4. We have chosen a good week to do som decorating for my sister as it's not gardening weather.

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    1. It's Definitely good decorating weather sue!

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    2. Oh sue, we might go to Clumber Park this weekend (in between the rain), as we're visiting Jan's folks. Maybe see some nuthatches.

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  5. The chickpea and butternut squash dish looks particularly good. I know this wouldn't be good for you, but I'd serve it with a Lamb dish of some sort!

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    1. Thanks Mark, the squash dish went a long way in the end, adding different ingredients each day (but not lamb, hehe), it was nice with toasted cashews and flaked almonds, and a bit of coconut block, plus some of my last summer squashes.

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  6. You did get a lovely little harvest! Very pretty. I also like looking at the different dishes you made up with your veg. I run out of ideas sometimes, so it's nice to be inspired. Thank you for sharing!

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