The spud-a-thon continues. I feel like I’ve dug up tons of potatoes but I’ve actually only done the smaller beds, the really big field bed awaits! So far my assessment is that the yield is much better than last year. I’m not washing them this year, they keep better with the dirt on and it’s easier to get them really dry. The Charlotte potatoes probably need eating within a week or two of digging up, but the Belle de Fontenay and Arran Victory should store for a while, providing they’re totally dry and put somewhere dark. I have another tres fancy variety in the ground called La Ratte, I’ve just started pulling these up and they look good. We grew them from potatoes saved from last years crop. I also have a small bed of Orla potatoes, just to see what they’re like. They can be used as a new potato or left in the ground to mature.
The tomatoes have reached the roof of the Polycrub, some serious pruning is in order. This is the best tomato crop I think I’ve ever had. The Winter squash are also in the Polycrub and produced a lot of squash early on, then had a bit of a rest and have just started making more squash. The bottom half of the plants look dead, but the ends have nice new growth.
We’re trying to fit in prep for Armadale Market, in between some weeding and harvesting. Dom is making some very sweet little treasure chests – I’ll take some photos when they’re finished. I think my main contribution this time will be a few baskets and very many bags of potatoes!
This week’s Croft Shares have the following:
Small – Tomatoes, broccoli or a small cauliflower, potatoes, courgettes and salad leaves.
Medium – Tomatoes, broccoli, potatoes, French beans, Summer squash, mange tout and chard.
Large – Tomatoes, broccoli, potatoes, French beans, courgettes, mange tout, onions, salad leaves, a cucumber and tree cabbage.
The Summer squash either look like a snake, a flying saucer or a lumpy courgette. To prepare the snake, chop off the head and discard, that’s where the seeds are. The body can be sliced and used like courgette. The flying saucers have seeds in, these are edible and don’t have to be removed. Just slice the lumpy courgettes, they are mostly pretty seedless. All are delicious fried in olive oil with garlic. None of these varieties need peeling.
The cauliflowers are in three colours, white, green or purple. The green ones are the nicest looking I think. They all taste the same!