Our early brassica patch is now in full flow.
Part of the first calabrese head of the week was eaten raw with a salad.
The strawberries are providing us with steady pickings. The new plants are now bulking up well but I do wish they would steady up on runner production. I don't want them to expend energy on producing babies and so it's almost a full time job trimming them.
The strawberry harvest is supplemented by a few alpine strawberries but these are not yet in full production mode either.
The early cabbages are starting to split and are producing faster than we can eat them. Some will be frozen and some shared with my sister. We could make sauerkraut as Daphne did but neither of us like it.
Blackbirds creating a fuss and doing their utmost to get into the 'cage' covering the redcurrants was a sure sign that the fruit was ripening. I picked a few but the 'strings' are not yet fully ripened so there is no rush to pick them.
The first batch was from a variety called Ebony and our second picking was from Ebony and Ben ConnanThese are not netted as on our plot the birds show only fleeting interest and the few they steal doesn't warrant any protection. Picking blackcurrants is a tedious job and so the relaxing effect of the lavender perfume which is released as I brush against the plants bordering the fruity beds is a bonus.
There was also plenty of sweet Williams to pick.
As we use items from the salad bar I keep replanting and as usual we have a ready available supply of fresh herbs.
Last week we also had a couple of harvests from the garden greenhouse
Martyn's experiment at getting early tomatoes yielded one small fruit which in fairness had been ripe for a while but kept being overlooked.
I've saved the best 'till last. If you read either of our blogs earlier in the week you will know that we picked our first ever home grown apricots. We only had two fruits but then again the tree produced very few flowers and I had to play at being a bee.
As we use items from the salad bar I keep replanting and as usual we have a ready available supply of fresh herbs.
I've saved the best 'till last. If you read either of our blogs earlier in the week you will know that we picked our first ever home grown apricots. We only had two fruits but then again the tree produced very few flowers and I had to play at being a bee.
Our complete June harvest is listed here
Posts
Isn't it odd (and convenient) that the birds only go for the redcurrants, and not the black ones. I don't think I'm going to try Martyn's technique for getting early tomatoes - not worth the effort, I think!
ReplyDeleteThey do eat some black ones, Mark but they strip the red ones.
DeleteGreat harvest, Sue! I'm envy to your cabbage and berries. The Sweet William are so pretty.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Endah
DeleteIt is interesting that your birds like the currants. Mine won't touch them or the gooseberries, which makes my life so much easier. I keep waiting for them to find and eat the pink currants though. Some are being held up and out for them. Your cabbage look great. I've got to pick some of mine soon. I don't quite need it yet, but I'm afraid it is going to split if I don't get it out of the ground.
ReplyDeleteI'll be interested to know what you make of pink currants, Daphne
DeleteA very nice harvest. I'm not going to have many strawberries this year but I did manage a small handful the other day, delicious they were too.
ReplyDeleteYou can't beat homegrown strawberries cab you, Jo?
DeleteAt tomato already - how wonderful & those broccoli heads look perfect! The title of your post is so appropriate - that is exactly how I feel right now!
ReplyDeleteJust the one tomato, Margaret and no sign of any more yet
DeleteGreat fruits and vegetables !! Especially strawberries look appetizing !!
ReplyDeleteHave a nice week :)
You too, Ela
DeleteThat apricot looks divine, as do the strawbs. I love the sweet williams, especially the red ones, I think I might try growing them next year, they're the perfect allotment flower somehow. The garden blackbirds are tucking into the strawberries, raspberries and tayberries here, and I watched one pinch the first blueberry the other day as well. The netting may have to be deployed.
ReplyDeleteThat's both apricots CJ I like the dark red sweet Williams too
DeleteFun tomato experiment, great to have one so early (even if it's little). Homegrown apricots?! How wonderful that must be!
ReplyDeleteWe're hoping for more apricots next year, Susie
DeleteLovely perfect broccoli. If I was a bird I would be hanging out arround your allotment trying to feast on all that delicious fruit.
ReplyDeleteIt's not just the fruit that they steal, Michelle
DeleteSue congrats with so tasty harvest!
ReplyDeleteLovely apricots and early tomato. I too wait for currant berries you're right blackcurrant can fall down.
When the blackcurrants fall off is when tyhe blackbirds tend to eat them Nadezda but we also end up with lots of seedlings
DeleteGosh, what a harvest! I am astonished at that tomato! And what a fab strawberry harvest, especially as you were about to pull them up. I must sort my runners too!xxx
ReplyDeleteQuite a few strawberries came from the new patch too, Dina.
DeleteSometimes it seems like a case of feast or famine Sue. It looks as if you're entering the feast stage now. I'm delighted to read that you ended up with an apricot each. You obviously did a good job as a bee :)
ReplyDeleteIt was really two halves of apricot each, Anna :)
DeleteEverything is looking so beautiful at your allotment. Birds are such a menace, they've killed lots of my tomato seedlings through the years. I love seeing all your luscious fruit and your broccoli heads are just perfect.
ReplyDeleteI can't help loving the birds though Phuong
DeleteThat's juciy fruits harvest! Those cabbages are so huge!
ReplyDelete