The Armadale monthly market was really great and the boy I dragged along enjoyed playing shopkeeper. I think I could probably sell three times as many vegetables as I’ve been taking – something to think about for for next year! All the gooseberry jam has sold, and some blackcurrant. Blackcurrant is now available in two sizes – 340g/£5.50 or 225g/£4.00. The chickens are still laying very well, not quite at the Spring level but at least a dozen eggs every day. The ducks have eased up a bit now, just a few eggs a day. They really enjoyed the torrential rain the other evening, they refused to go to bed and I ended up chasing them round and round at 11 o’clock at night.
I plant a very wide variety of vegetables as I have no idea from year to year which plants mother nature will decide she has it in for! Last year it was brassicas and slugs, this year everything wants to eat the beetroot. I’m sowing some extra beetroot in the greenhouse as there are fewer beasties in there. The beetroot that’s growing outside I’m just going to pick as soon as it’s a decent size, rather than let it sit in the ground until Autumn. Beetroot has always been one of my most reliable Autumn crops so this is pretty annoying. I do have some other good stuff lined up for October though – there are lots of squash, sprouts and red cabbage.
This week’s Croft Shares have the following:
Small – Red Duke of York potatoes, onions, sugar snaps, courgettes and beetroot.
Medium – Red duke of York potatoes, onions, mange tout, salad leaves, perpetual spinach/chard, broccoli and French beans.
Large – Red Duke of York potatoes, onions, sugar snaps, shelling peas, salad leaves, Salad onions, cavolo nero, tomatoes, purple cauliflower and broad beans.
The tomato season has officially begun, only a few so far so I’ll alternate them between the three sizes to begin with.
The purple cauliflowers vary in shade from violet to deep purple. I think the best way to keep the colour on cooking is to roast them.