Happy New Year! I don't make new year resolutions so don't expect any of those 'my plans for 2010' type posts around these parts.
I'm getting mighty fed up with the snow, we enjoyed about 10 minutes snow free but by the 2nd Jan big, fat flakes were spattering wetly on the pavements of Diss once more and, yet again, our garden is frozen solid. As I type Adam is pouring warm water over the catch on the chicken coop door to unfreeze it and let poor old Feathers out to stretch her (frozen) legs.
During the brief defrost I was delighted to discover that my Mizuna crop actually recovered really well from it's foray into the deep freeze. I was expecting it to turn to mush after being frozen in the snow but it emerged sprightly as ever, my response was to ruthlessly chop it down and serve it with roasted veg and a wild salmon fillet (wild? It was bloody livid)
Gathering winter crops is a skill quite separate from it's summer equivalent. I find the most difficult part is remembering to venture out into the garden before 3pm as any later it's pitch black and a 3rd hand is required to hold the torch. Yesterday when the snow began to fall I decided to nip out and chop down the mizuna before it froze again, even though it only took a few minutes my hands were numb with cold after ferreting around among the snow and I quickly fled back indoors. Quite different from strolling barefoot on the grass on a balmy summer evening, plucking cherry tomatoes and strawberries at leisure.
As you can see above my mini greenhouse is positively stuffed with winter salad but that won't last forever, the mizuna is now gone and, yes, there are still some Jerusalem Artichokes but come mid-February even the most hardened follower of this blog will be a tad jaded with a diet made up of artichoke anecdotes alone. Bressingham Parish Council - are you listening? That allotment I was promised would be ready in June 2008, I could really do with it right now!
fingers crossed that this is the year you get your allotment...I feel quite ashamed that I am whinging about wanting more allotment land when you still haven't been granted any!!!
ReplyDeleteOh don't feel guilty! It's a brand new, just bought site and they're 'preparing' it before releasing it to us. Not exactly sure what they're 'preparing', they could've built a whole flippin' housing estate on it in 9 months (I first enquired in March 2008)! Still, the Parish Clerk and I are friends now seeing as I e-mail him so often!
ReplyDeleteEverything comes to those who wait (and wait and wait).
ReplyDeleteNot to "dis" your need for allotment space, but I use an indoor (kitchen window ledge) salad "garden". A few pots or small troughs will grow Mizuna, Tatsoi, Broccoli, Red Basil and similar cut and come again sprout crops - might save some freezing forays outside for sandwich or garnish purposes, even if not the volume of produce for regular use!
ReplyDelete