Sunday, July 31, 2011

Very Long Time Away--Garden Produce

I keep starting post and then I get distracted!!!

In fact this one was started several weeks ago (originally saved on July 19th) after I was inspired by the amount of produce we are managing to get from the various planters we are using in our non-existent garden.
Our back garden really is a yard as some of you may remember from those long ago Fun Monday posts when we put our homes and gardens on show.

We had another good crop of Loganberries from just one vine and I made around fifteen pots of jam. Now this might not seem like many to most of you; but much as I love it I don't want to eat too much jam, so Beccy took a few pots back to Dublin and I am saving some for Sam when I visit San Francisco in October.
All the potatoes are grown in a bag or plastic pots and if you haven't tasted new potatoes freshly dug and cooked then topped with a little butter and parsley you have missed a treat!
We have been eating runner and french beans for the last couple of weeks it's wonderful to have such fresh veg.
After a poor start (due to weather) we had a good crop of rhubarb and one of the things I used it for was Rhubarb Crumble Muffins. I found the recipe in one of the Sunday Mags and although I say it myself they were delicious.
After last year's disaster we used a plastic frame to cover the tomatoes and Embee created a watering system which seems to have worked perfectly. The first ones we picked were eaten by my grandson.
Below I am picking them quicker than we can eat them!
This is the first year we have grown beet; only one row but I have already given quite a few away ad Embee likes them hot as well with salads. I've still got to cook and bottle some for the winter.
Last year we produced enough onions to use throughout the winter. This year I asked for some red ones as well as white and they are currently drying out-well I have used a couple already!
The first carrots we picked were very poor standard they had been eaten by carrot fly (or some bug-you can tell I'm no gardener). However these later ones are a good size and no sign of being eaten. I love raw carrots.
Cabbage is another veg we are trying this year and I'm using one of these for dinner this evening. I can hear both my girls groaning they do not like beans,beets or cabbage. If they get to read this I'm sure there will be comments about boiled cabbage!
Not sure why but I didn't take any pictures of my Blueberry bushes (I have 4) and they also produced a good crop- have been having some on my muesli every morning for breakfast for past couple of months. They are coming to an end so must make the most of the ones currently ripening.

Hope you enjoyed this little trip around veggie plots.

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