Wednesday 29 December 2010

Looking forward to the new season

We finally had some snow, a couple of days before Christmas, and the boys made a snowman. Rather an evil looking character I thought...


Christmas day was beautiful, with the snow still fresh and bright sunshine and blue sky, so we went for a walk down to the canal, which was frozen solid.

I did manage to produce some Christmas vegetables after all, although I had to clear away the snow first, locate the position of the parsnips, chip away at the 3 or 4 inches of frozen soil on top, and then it was fairly easy to get the spade in and I managed to unearth 3 good sized parsnips. I also produced the tiny brussels (below left, on the right are the supplementary ones from Sainsburys!) I gave up on the idea of digging up the remaining carrots, or the leeks, as by this time I was both soaked and frozen, and I had already bought some carrots as an insurance policy. The Cara potatoes had stored well and we were able to use them for roasties. Quite a success story on the whole, given the circumstances.


I am now starting to think about next season, and I have just been through my seed stock to see what I need to buy. As it turns out, I don't need much, and I'm hoping to be able to get all or most of it from the local hardware shop. Apart from seed potatoes and onion sets, for which I will go back to the marvellous place I went last year: masses of choice and very cheap.

My big dilemma at the moment is whether or not to 'fess up to the allotment lady that I have moved. If I tell her I am on another waiting list she may not mind me keeping on the old one until the new one comes up. On the other hand, there may be a very strict policy about it, and I might end up with nothing. Tricky.

Sunday 19 December 2010

Getting Festive


We got our Christmas tree yesterday. We've gone for quite a big one this year, it being our first Christmas since we moved, and having such a tiny little one last year on account of being away for most of Christmas. The tiny little one is now in a pot outside the front door, with solar powered fairy lights on it!

I have been strewing greenery here, there and everywhere and fairy lights here and there. (You'll have to use your imagination). Presents have been wrapped, a cake made and regularly and liberally 'fed' with brandy.

The plan is still to supply all the Christmas dinner veg from the allotment, but I can't say I'm much looking forward to harvesting it. We have had the least amount of snow in the whole country by the sounds of it, but it is still extremely cold and the ground will no doubt be frozen, so I should probably have a Plan B.

As I haven't posted for almost a month it seems unlikely I will do so again until after Christmas, so in the meanwhile I do hope all your festivities go merrily and that you will all have a very happy and productive 2011.