Hungerford allotment blog - grow your own, harvesting and vegetarian cooking. Enjoying allotment wildlife, weather and other things that catch my attention.
Enjoying time on the Marsh Lane Allotment site in Hungerford, Berkshire.
A record of successes, failures and a handy reminder for me.
From 2017 each post title brings a song to add a little extra music to the world - enjoy!
After two lovely weeks away in our favourite other place (Puerto de la Cruz in Tenerife) we had to go and see how the plot is looking...
We were very pleasantly surprised. There has clearly been some rain and maybe some watering by friendly plotholders. The peppers have changed colour, though the green ones are meant to be orange...
And the tomatoes are delicious - the Aviditas are tastier than the Lizzano (still not convinced they are Lizzano as they aren't cherry-sized)
Most of the aubergines look like they've had their day, but the plant outside the greenhouse, in the ground may survive to produce us with another fruit or two. The real stars of the show are the sweetcorn - which are all just about ready for eating, so we took three home along with salad for my lunch tomorrow (back to work - ugh).
Really pleased with the Double Red Sweetcorn - it looks fabulous (prior to cooking - as you maybe guessed by now from the top photo) but the kernels are rather small. They are tasty but...
... surely nothing can beat the sweet taste of Lark. There are so many cobs that we don't mind sharing some with the birds. Clearly our heatwave Summer has been perfect for corn.
The squash are in their element too - in the grotto. That big orange Boston Winter squash is almost twice the size of my head! And there are two additional Crown Prince that have appeared along with multiple Festivals and Honey Boats. We really must go away more often (I wish!!) and leave the plants to their own devices.
Apart from that lot we have lots of pumpkins going orange. Should have a nice display for the Hungerford Food Festival and Halloween in October.
Aah, it's (sort of) good to be back...
Did I mention we'd been away?
And the song title....well, I was so enthralled by the fabulous 101 Brass Band from the Oratova Valley, Tenerife that I figure they should play this one out - the title is a bit off-topic, but then so is the band so it's quite appropriate really :-)
It was better than when we normally go later in the year - then when we return we can't bear to leave the flat and everything is looking really sad on the plot
Sweetcorn indeed. I wish I had put some in the ground this year, this has been the mother of all summers. Your plot is looking amazing, esp. the pumpkins, I have not seen those varieties before.
It looks like such a lovely holiday, thanks for sharing your wonderful pictures. And it looks like your summer harvests have ripened all at once. All that luscious corn, tomatoes, and squashes. Amazing.
Thanks - it was a lovely holiday, wishing I was back in Tenerife now I'm back to work :-( We have a lot of fresh veg to eat over the next few weeks! And then it will be soup-time I feel!
Benign neglect at work! (My guess had been Strawberry Popping Corn)
ReplyDeleteIf we can get it to dry out we may try popping it.
DeleteIt’s always a relief to come home and find that all is well.
ReplyDeleteIt was better than when we normally go later in the year - then when we return we can't bear to leave the flat and everything is looking really sad on the plot
DeleteSweetcorn indeed. I wish I had put some in the ground this year, this has been the mother of all summers. Your plot is looking amazing, esp. the pumpkins, I have not seen those varieties before.
ReplyDeleteThanks Shaheen - what will we do next year if we don't get two amazing Summers in a row?!
DeleteIt looks like such a lovely holiday, thanks for sharing your wonderful pictures. And it looks like your summer harvests have ripened all at once. All that luscious corn, tomatoes, and squashes. Amazing.
ReplyDeleteThanks - it was a lovely holiday, wishing I was back in Tenerife now I'm back to work :-(
DeleteWe have a lot of fresh veg to eat over the next few weeks! And then it will be soup-time I feel!
your corn and tomatoes look so healthy!
ReplyDelete