Harvest Summer 2009

I am pleased to report a much better harvest this year. It has not been without problems but it has been a great improvement this year. The rabbit proof fencing worked well around the old veggie patch and the deer/rabbit proof fencing worked a treat around the new area we created at the beginning of the year. The main wildlife problems this year have been pigeons, slugs, snails, caterpillars and mice and although we try our best to protect out crops without killing wildlife the mice were so destructive and prolific that we had to trap them but it was a bit late as they had eaten all the cauliflower, most of the broccoli and they had had a good nibble of the red cabbages, swede, beetroot and strawberries - we will be on our guard next year! The dreaded slugs and snails were quite slow to attack the crops during the early summer but are making up for it now!

So we had good crops of courgettes, squash, potatoes, raspberries, red cabbage, rocket, lettuce, radishes, cucumber, tomatoes grown in hanging baskets, runner beans, mange tout, sunflowers, beetroot, fennel, broad beans, rhubarb, plums.
Not so good but a reasonable crop of strawberries, carrots, garlic, outdoor tomatoes (although there was some blight).
And very poor / non existent crops of dwarf beans, French beans, blackcurrants, blueberries, Jerusalem artichokes, gooseberries, koli rabi, Florence fennel, cauliflower, horseradish, broccoli, summer cabbage, sweetcorn, peaches, apricots, apples ( I think out old trees have had it!)

We are hopeful that the celeriac, parsnips, Brussels sprouts, leeks will give us a good crop soon and that the asparagus bed will flourish next year.

Much of our produce is now preserved bottled, pickled, jams and jellies, frozen, dried or stored in crates to see us through the winter. Steve is also trying wine and beer - watch this space to monitor his success!

The chickens have given us plenty of eggs and remain a joy to watch!