Soggy harvest

Amidst snowfalls, visits to the optician, visits to the vet, shopping, lunches out, tracking down the Flying Scotsman ... we managed to fit in a harvesting trip to the plot last week.

It is too soggy to do much but, whilst Martyn was digging root vegetables out of the mud, I managed to carry out the much overdue task of cutting all the old canes from the thornless blackberry. The tayberry needs the same treatment but it is much more heavily armed and so I need to try and match its armour before tackling it.

The harvest was as you would expect for this time of year.

The root vegetables and leeks were given a wash before posing for their group photo. In their fresh from the ground state, shrouded in mud it would be difficult to tell them apart.

Although quite a few carrots had split or been eaten we managed a decent harvest with more to come.

We don't thin out the seedlings - it's a case of every carrot for itself and so some become rather friendly.

The parsnips although of the small size were in much better condition. The beasties don't seem as partial to them and they haven't split as many carrots have. There's not much evidence above ground but there are still plenty more parsnips to harvest.

Like the parsnips the leeks are somewhat undersized; many would say the same of me so who am I to complain. Good things come in small packages after all. 

I didn't totally avoid getting my hands dirty as I dug the beetroots which is why I forgot to take a photo. I am currently on the look put for a beetroot dip recipe as we bought one from the supermarket that we really liked. I'm going to have to spy out the ingredients on our next shopping trip.

The cleanest harvest was the Brussels sprouts. We last picked some before Christmas and since then the sprouts have definitely grown.

The net is essential protection or the wood pigeons would have a party.

Other items of essential protection for me are my welly shoes. I don't feel comfortable walking around in welly boots so only wear them when really necessary. My welly shoes are ideal for plodding around a soggy plot whilst keeping feet dry.

My jeans aren't too short for me, I just oiked them up a bit so that you could better see that these were shoes and not boots.

Martyn's essential protection kit includes his rubber gloves, it's no fun sticking hands in freezing cold water to wash the root vegetables.

On our visit last week, Martyn took some video of our plot and harvesting which I thought that I'd also share with you here. It will give you some idea of just how soggy things are.

The video is best viewed in HD but for some reason if you are viewing the blog on an iPad it doesn't seem to give this option so you can view directly in YouTube by clicking here.

This week's harvesting post is linking to Harvest Monday on Michelle's blog From Seed to Table


PS. I hope all my readers who are affected by the snow are keeping safe and warm.

Copyright: Original post from Our Plot at Green Lane Allotments http://glallotments.blogspot.co.uk/ author S Garrett