There is visible progress at the gate now. We have a shiny new gate, the old gate was practically an antique. It has moved so eventually there will be an enclosed customer zone with the bus shelter shop in it. In the far distant future I have a vision of electricity and a fridge at the gate but that’s not for this year!
I have the next Armadale Market this weekend so I’ve made some jam – gooseberry or blackcurrant. It is 340g/£5.50. I’ll be making some smaller jars this week – around 225g/£4.00. If any any weekly veg customers would like some I can put a jar aside. I may make some chutney at some point. I’m using my parent’s kitchen so I would need to wait for them to go on holiday before chutney making. I can’t really subject them to hours of strong vinegar smells which take days to clear!
The tomatoes are starting to ripen – like everything this year that’s three weeks earlier than normal. I think this is the power of the polycrub rather than the weather. I’ve grown the usual cherry types that always do well, some big red tomatoes and some called orange banana that make the worlds’ best fried tomatoes.
I’m growing a couple of new (to me) heritage vegetables this year – some tall peas called “Champion of England,” they are looking pretty champion like. And a bean called “Lazy Housewife!” so far Lazy Housewife has produced a lot of leaves but is pretty lazy on the bean front. The old varieties do have some funny names.
This week’s Croft Shares have the following:
Small – French beans, mange tout, salad leaves, salad onions and broad beans.
Medium – French beans, mange tout, sugar snaps, courgettes, salad onions/onions, tree cabbage and beetroot.
Large – French beans, mange tout, broccoli, salad onions, salad leaves, chard, green cabbage, kohlrabi, onions and herbs.
The tree cabbage is actually called Paul & Becky’s Asturian Tree Cabbage, it’s a loose, leafy plant which grows big leaves that can be used like kale or Spring greens. All the leafy greens are good in an Italian style bean soup.