chick wiggle Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 Self sufficient virgin here, but so exciting. OH decided to plant veggies and so far we have had the biggest cauliflowers i,ve ever seen, yummy, first time for a cauliflower cheese too, mm nice. We have had runner beans, french beans, new potatoes, all lovely. Still waiting for the tomatoes to go red. Peppers and chillies coming on nicely in the green house. Tonight I have picked some lovely hugh sweetcorn which we'll be having for starters dripping in butter . I have also picked rocket, lollo rosso and some other lettuce I cant remember the name of, radish, carrots and potatoes, and of course hard boiled eggs . We;re having chicken salad. The chicken isnt the type of chicken we all keep, its that other type of chicken you get from the butcher - yes it is - no connection to the cuties running around in my garden la la la not listening no it isnt, Ooo, nearly forgot, the strawberrys are changing colour now too, wont be long Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 And calabrese! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chick wiggle Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 Ok, I'm sorry Koojie, I'll admit it, I dont know what celebrese is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Ok, I'm sorry Koojie, I'll admit it, I dont know what celebrese is Calabrese = Broccoli.......... I picked a good pound of peas yesterday.......put them in the utility room. Carl cooked last nights dinner......no peas! When I asked where the peas were he realised that he'd fed them to the pigs The pigs usually get just the pods - I hope Carl has found the pig ark comfortable enough? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy chickens! Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 I hope Carl has found the pig ark comfortable enough? shame about the peas though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 @ Carl!!! "Bad, naughty, wicked" as my Mum would say . I hope he's out of the dog (erm, pig?) house soon . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 erm.....did you hear me from over there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbey Road Girl Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 three yellow courgettes (a manageable amount...so far) raspberries and blackberries a handful of purple dwarf French beans Celeriac looks as though it's standing still, is this normal? (Have never grown or even eaten it before). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Self sufficient virgin here, but so exciting. Me too . Today I have picked ...... Haven't actually picked the lettuce yet but you get the idea . What's the best way to pick this lettuce ? I've just cut the biggest leaves out individually so far. Thanks for the tip about carrots being ready . (You can tell I didn't do that for this lot .) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chick wiggle Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Wow, ANH thats a great picture, wish I'd thought to do that, ours comes straight out of the garden into the pan I'm loving it though, but maybe thats because OH is doing all the work and I'm just reaping the benefits And if calabrese = broccoli, then why do we call broccoli , calabrese,(am i making sense? ) Or is it a swede, turnip situation? They are the same arnt they Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbey Road Girl Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Calabrese is the large single head (like a green cauliflower!) that you have to break down into florets. We've just been calling it the wrong name which bothered no one until the real broccoli became popular. Broccoli, which can be green, purple sprouting and even white (supposed to be extra sweet), is the real deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chick wiggle Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Ahaaa, I see, thanks Sue, must get OH to try some of that next year then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Can a broccoli/calabrese expert reassure me that my broccoli is normal . I've got huge plants which are overshadowing everything else in my raised beds . I've just read the packet instructions again and only now realise that I won't get anything off them till next Feb/Mar . Is that right ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Can a broccoli/calabrese expert reassure me that my broccoli is normal . I've got huge plants which are overshadowing everything else in my raised beds . I've just read the packet instructions again and only now realise that I won't get anything off them till next Feb/Mar . Is that right ? I've only just put mine in and they are about 2inches high. Instructions say ready for March Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 I picked (and ate ) these yesterday They were wonderful. I don't think that I'll grow any other spuds next year. I have a row of Hunter .... free from Fothergill's as recommended here this spring and a row of King Edwards to come yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 They look like little sea creatures . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 What you have grown ANH is Purple Sprouting broccoli and they make big plants and it is right that you will get no crop until the early spring. I love PSB but not everyone does it has a long growing season takes up a lot of room and is not to everyones taste. If you like strong cabbage flavour from darker cabbage leaves you will love PSB, it also has a sweetness to it that you just don't get from calabrese. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Thanks, Liz . I'll now know for next year . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbey Road Girl Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 Although some people have difficulty growing sprouting broccoli (it has multiple "trees" instead of the calabrese's single head), it can be amazing. This is the first year I've tried to grow my own but I hope it will taste as fantastic as some I bought in the market square two or three years ago--much, much better than the packaged sprouting broccoli from M&S. So, ANH, don't fret about waiting so long as (if you're lucky) you'll be well-rewarded. I bought the sprouting broccoli collection from Organic Plants (Delfland) which means I should (if lucky) have the stuff from January through April. As a backup, I also ordered the kale collection (which includes black kale aka cavalo nero) as kale is almost indestructible. And SO good for you! I think you can still order both the sprouting broccoli and kale collections as they were available for both July and August deliveries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 Yey someone else who likes PSB We have some huge plants this year and they are all protected by enviromesh so I am very hopeful, the pigeons ate most of mine in the spring this year All of the rain has definately been good for brassica growing this year, we have sprouts that are big enough to eat and I am hoping that they will stand for a while because it wouldn't be right to eat sprouts in August Edited to add what I was going to write in the first place. We picked a carrier bag full of climbing French beans yesterday and 5 cauliflowers, some of them only small because of clubroot, so I will be blaching and freezing today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chooklady Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 I picked my first 2 cucumbers from the greenhouse today. Haven't tried them yet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Licken Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 Lots of scrummy tomatoes and my firswt delicious melon - the best news is that there are still 4 melons ripening for over the next couple of weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 Ooh well done with the melons. Our neighbours guinea pigs are loving the chard - some has started to bolt, so I'm making gaps with a little help from the four legged friends. OH has finished one lot of potatoes, and no more peas have been scoffed by my smaller furry friend (did I say friend?). Apart from that, onions, beans, calabrese and toms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susanbb Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 Some lovely rocket, and a cucumber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 Yesterday after delivering a trailer load of muck to my neighbour(and pulling her out of her compost heap) she rewarded us with a cucumbr/tomatoes and runner beans so we then gave her some eggs...too So although I didnt pick them I did pick the eggs up..I picked one tomatoe today indie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
