A pruning knife

There comes a time in a chap's life when it's time to get a nice pruning knife, and today's the day.  Hand made in Sheffield by A Wight and Sons, rosewood handle, carbon steel blade, it's a beauty.

Broad beans

Or Fava beans as they're known in the US (and maybe other places too).  Anyway there are masses of the now and it could be I've planted slightly too many.  Bit close together too so I'll remember that for next year, and do what the planting instructions actually said!

They taste very good in a Tapas thing (with pancetta, sherry and a bit of Pimento).  Bit of a discussion on eating them raw and whether they ate toxic or not - turns out they're ok to eat raw and there's a nice JamieO recipe in his Italian book for raw beans on bruschetta.

Ciao for now.

Harvest time continues

Well it's coming thick and fast now! Strawberries in abundance, so much in fact that I'm tempted to try a little jam-making.  The WI web-site looks like the one to me.  

Broad beans are looking very pickable and feeling nice and soft (tip of the day from site-neighbour Ron).

Going to try a few tempura courgette flowers tonight. 

Check out this basket of produce. Just imagine it next year when I actually know a bit more about this business.

Potato flowers

Potatoes are getting pretty high now with some very attractive flowers

 

The Strawberry Harvest begins

Wasn't quite sure when to pick strawberries when only a few are red and most are green.  With the sun over the last few days they're all ripening quite nicely.

Here's punnet number 1.  Sweet.

More Artichoke rumblings

Not quite sure when I should pick these.  This one could be ready.

Courgette flowers

This I what I've been waiting for but thought they'd never make it past the slugs.  They did though and it could be tempura flowers very soon.  Funny looking plants that I always imagined would be taller.  Maybe I need some sticks?

Peas

Very disappointing performance from the peas and it as something I was looking forward to.  I planted a stack of seeds and then a few extra seedlings but they've pretty much all been eaten by the birds.  My next door neighbour, Everton, warned me of this and I thought I'd protected them with varied sticks but next year I'm definitely using netting.

Sunny days

Unnaturally sunny days in Sheffield means lots of watering and even a bit of weeding.  Beans are doing well (although still waiting for the sign of an actual bean pod), strawberries are starting to 'redden up' - technical term, and artichokes continue to appear.

Netting purchased to cover up strawberries from birds.