The holidays have started here with my parents off to France for 10 days and I’m currently back in Wales again having arrived on Tuesday. Even though the holidays have started Summer seems to have run away, the weather has been horrendous the past few days and it almost feels like Autumn. In fact I had to dig out a thick jumper, raincoat and over trousers for a last minute trip to the allotment before we all headed our separate ways. I had a few small jobs to do before I left for Wales and the rain wasn’t going to stop me!
First off I offered to plant out my Dad’s leeks, he was busy getting Florence the 1972 VW campervan ready for her trip abroad but also desperately wanted to get the leeks in. So I stepped in and planted out 4 rows of leeks in the pouring rain right next to his runner beans and butternut squash which are all growing nicely I’m pleased to say. My Dad has been so busy this Summer with making metal work and working at the garden shows that he hasn’t spent as much time as he would have liked up the allotment which is a shame but hopefully next year he’ll have more of a chance to get up there because he’s missed it terribly.
After I had finished on my Dad’s plot I headed back to mine to have a quick cup of tea to warm up a little before getting on with my little list of jobs. My priority was to harvest my black currants from the 4 bushes in the fruitcage, something that I initially thought would take an hour or so until I saw the crop… It looks like I missed the harvest by a few weeks as the black currants had ripened early and had either dropped off the bushes or simply dried on the stalks. Everything seems to be a little early this year… I managed to pick a handful of the berries which I was pleased about though, I wasn’t too worried about the harvest because I still have last years mother load in the freezer waiting to be made into jam! This little lot will be simply added to a cake mixture to make a black currant cake and I can’t wait to make it. Plus as a little bonus I spotted my first handful of raspberries ready for the picking, these didn’t quite make it all the way home though…
Whilst I was in the harvesting mood I decided to harvest the rest of my potatoes, there was only one row left and I thought I might as well take them to Wales with me. This also gave me the chance to pop in my last row of leek seedlings so overall I have 3 rows where the potatoes were now, perfect for overwintering and to be made into leek and potato soup. I also noticed a few more climbing french beans to pick, some radishes and yet another courgette which I can’t wait for Charles to try spiralized in a stir fry (my favourite dish right now!)
I also picked one of my small sunflowers and harvested two gladioli that had been snapped by the wind over on my Dad’s plot. I made the decision to harvest my Lavender too, something I have been meaning to do for a while now but I didn’t have the heart to take the beautiful flowers away from the allotment because they looked so pretty sitting there. I want to use the scented flowers to make all sorts of things from cakes to scented candles so I harvested as much as I could before the rain did any more damage.
All in all it was a pretty successful rainy trip to the allotment and I’m sure going to miss it for the next few weeks…
3 thoughts on “Where did Summer go?”
They say it is because of global warming that you are having such unseasonal weather. Just across the sleeve, it is Summer with a vengeance.
That doesn’t sound so good… We have sunny days one day and then the next rain, Charles needs to cut the hay but we need atleast a week of sunshine which we just aren’t getting!
Having returned from Durham City to renew my passport and viewing the crazy queues of traffic, cars struggling to park, harassed people crowded together in such a pretty small city, it is a relief to come to Katie’s blog where tranquility, homegrown produce and wholesome bakery is shown, it gives peace and serenity to the mind and also ideas to nurture in the garden and kitchen. Love it!