Getting there...

May 19th

Hot day today, temperature 22 degrees and getting hotter.

More weeding in between the beds. One bed is just full of poppy plants cropping up from last years seeds. Managed to de-weed that bed and removed about half the poppy plants, then decided to leave it as poppy bed.  

                                                               A visitor

Looking good, one bed ready, and I planted 5 tomato plants and 3 chilli plants. The soil is so dry due to lack of rain. Our water butts are almost empty, if we don't get any rain soon to keep the plants watered, we may have to go to the brook to fetch water to so feed the plants.

Pallets creating beds

18th May

Pallets wood is good for creating boarders, and we were given a few by our friendly next door neighbour.

Dismantling them is not easy, but we are getting there. Our beds are very large and I have a vision to create smaller beds. Gosh with all this wood our LG is looking like a building site.

                                                     It will look good when its done.

Hard work, good job its a nice warm day. Its so nice to be at the LG, instead being Locked down at home

Frosty Nights

May 16th

The weather suddenly turned cold with frost at night. So the beans and squashes I had germinated in the conservatory and planted, died of frost, all shrivelled and lifeless.

                                              I do not think they will survive

                                  Put some more beans plants in a different bed

               Vegetable spaghetti plants, grown for the first time. I do hope they survive

                                                         More slabbing

Slabbing Pathways and Weeding

May 7th

The pathways are just covered in weeds. Laying the slabs will make the paths weed free.

                                                                             Weeds

                                                                          Pathways

My job today has been to remove the weeds from the paths, whilst Mr S laid the slabs.

Weed free at last, but for how long.This will not be slabbed as its not wide enough.

One pathway completed

6th May Spinach and Slabs

6 May more spinach

    Harvested 3kg spinach and chard today so fresh and so organic
Shared with the neighbours.
                                                      

Our next door neighbour has given us loads of slabs, how wonderful is that. Great to lay on the paths. Although, we had put lots of wood chipping on the paths, that however, looked good to begin with, but over the year has generated so much weed on top.

Laying slabs

19th April 2020

Rhubarb and Spinach Harvest

                                                                          Rhubarb

                                                                           Spinach

                                                                            Fennel

                                                                         Artichoke

                                                                     Spinach harvest

                                                        Planted some broccoli seeds

                                                                         Hard work

Lot of spinach. Time to make Palak Paneer.

Palak Paneer Recipe

Spinach Paneer

Preparation Time: 10 mins               

Cooking Time: 30 mins                     

Serves: 2-3     

               Ingredients

·       400g Spinach leaf washed and chopped

·       2 tablespoons cooking oil 

·       1 tsp Mustard seeds (optional)

·       1 tsp cumin seeds

·       1 large onion – peeled and finely chopped 

·       1-2 teaspoon of finely chopped ginger

·       3-4 cloves garlic finely chopped

·       1 teaspoon ground coriander

·       1 teaspoon ground cumin

·       1 teaspoon turmeric 

·       ½ teaspoon red chili powder or 1 fresh chili and salt to taste

·       3-4 fresh tomatoes finely chopped or ½ tin of chopped tomatoes. 

·       Cup of warm water

·       1 Pkt Paneer cut into cubes (Paneer can be lightly browned by frying in a little oil before adding to the spinach)

·       1 teaspoon garam masala

Method

1.    Heat oil and add mustard seeds when they begin to pop add cumin.

2.    Add onion, green chili, salt and sauté onions until soft and lightly browned. Add ginger, garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Stir in turmeric, ground cumin and coriander.

3.    Add chopped tomatoes and cook for about 10-15 minutes or until oil rises to the surface.

4.    Add the spinach and a cup of warm water; cook for about 5 mins bring to boil then add paneer.

5.    Turn heat low and simmer for about 10 minutes, sprinkle garam masala.

6.    Serve hot.

8th April 2020

More Weeding

 Before

 After

 Bed ready for broad beans

 Broad beans are in....

  Flower bed are weeds than flowers this year.

 Lovely tulips to take home.