I'll be back...

Its been a while i'm afraid. Between this post and the last I have taken the decision to heavily cut back on the amount of showing I do. As it stands I intend only to show my chrysanthemums and perhaps one or two kinds of vegetables. However I will endeavour to pick this blog back up again and focus more on the growing of crops to eat, covering fruits, vegetables and fresh herbs.
The observant ones amongst you will notice I have changed the title of this blog. Obviously we live here at 'Duck Pools' and, more importantly, we garden here. Most of our food production happens several miles away from here where we currently rent the equivalent of three allotments. But, for the sake of this blog and to its readers (and to us for that matter) this ground is as much a part of Duck Pools as are the bricks and mortar that bind it all together.
I sincerely hope my followers will stick with me on this change of direction and simply enjoy reading about fresh produce lovingly tended and eventually arriving at its culinary culmination upon the dinner table.
This coming season holds so much promise; plans have been made, drawn and mulled over. Some of which include a new poultry enclosure, a series of heritage espalier trees and a brand new polytunnel designed to fulfil our ever-growing hunger for more fresh tomatoes, peppers and aubergines...
Stay tuned...

Our own little show...

Had our own local show today at Wollaston and i'm pleased to say, despite the weather, there were plenty of exhibits and a really good turn out. Below are a few pictures i managed to find time to take...

Stourport show...

First show of the season for me today at Stourport. A very good two-day show held under a traditional marquee alongside the River Severn. The weather was ok until dismantling time when the heavens opened putting a stop to the auction which normally follows the show.

There were some very good exhibits and everyone who got something on the bench deserved a medal. The flower exhibits were down on last year but that was obviously down to the persistant rain we seem to have had all summer.

I came away with 9 firsts, 13 seconds and four thirds so i was very pleased to say i wasnt going to show anything this year!

I've put some photos below of my exhibits for you to have a look at...Enjoy!...

Peel back the skin...

Managed to get down the plot today for the first time for a couple of weeks. Bagged some xanths and put the polythene covers on now the buds are showing colour. Today i lifted all the onions; the reds, 8oz and large dressed. All have been peeled down to the first unsplit skin, washed and powdered with talc powder to help them ripen evenly. They are then placed in the greenhouse out of direct sunlight in trays of either sawdust, hay or straw depending on what is on hand at the time!

Had a real good picking fest aswell. Picked plenty of courgettes, runner beans, french beans, garlic, tomatoes, cabbage, kale and peaches. The peaches we decided to have a go at bottling this time round. As opposed to preserving them with a sugary syrup we have used white grape juice. Time will tell if they taste good later on but it was worth a shot!

Well, i havent been to a show yet but my first one will be here soon! The august bank holiday i am showing at Stourport two day annual show. A very good show held in a traditional marquee just as a traditional great british flower show should be. At the moment i have marked to enter 45 classes- good if i can pull it off in a year like this one...

Now i'm off- as you can see Cassy looks how i feel...

The Great Pick...

Popped down the allotments today to pick some stuff for this weeks meals. Plenty of courgettes, broad beans and onions amongst others. This year i've tried a heritage variety of potato called 'Shetland Black'. Having rummaged around one root a few weeks back i held very little hope of harvesting anything half decent but i was surprised when i started to lift some this morning. I picked half a basket worth and i'm looking forward to seeing what they actually taste like!

Some of you will know this is my first year of growing long carrots. Every week i've scraped away the sand from the shoulders of each carrot to check their progress and every week i've been happy up until this week! Two carrots had developed a nice crack from the top of the shoulder down. Probably caused by dry sand which, when it rained, became wet and the carrots rapidly 'sucked' the water up hence the splitting.

It was abitter-sweet situation really as i was obviously disappointed that two had split but it did give me the opportunity to pull a couple to see the length and condition of the carrots.

I would not be ashamed to exhibit three long carrots like this at Shrewsbury NVS midland branch championships next week!

The celery bed got another good soaking this morning. All plants looking fine and dandy. Be sure to uncollar them at least once a week so you can pull off any split sticks and check for slug damage. I have put down to enter two heads of celery at the Midland championships so i shall be measuring up next week to find a matching pair.

Finally, a last check on the xanths before i leave the allotment. They are producing very strong buds now and should expect to see colour in the bud very soon.

Wait a minute Mr Postman...

This came through the letterbox last week...

A few quick shots...

I managed to find a bit of time to take some snaps of some of my own stuff before going down to the New Forest show. Its amazing how this sudden bit of sunshine has made a difference to things...

The Pendle Improved are coming along nicley now-hoping to get a set of these on the bench at Shrewsbury

The runner beans are finally growing strongly now...

...And we have beans on now! Hallelujah

And finally, the xanths have definitely grown taller this year which i put down to all the rain. They have budded up nicely and should produce some top class blooms.