A Bit Neglectfull

I have been so busy with photography as of late, that I have neglected my veg patch and my blog. Still I did find some time at the weekend for an inspection, a tidy up and most importantly to pick some produce.

The carrots are coming on a treat. I picked the thinnings and we had them with our chicken for tea on Sunday. The tomatoes are absolutely delicious (I am munching on them as I type) I am going to pickle some of them, as demonstated at River Cottage HQ.

My best friend Linda came to visit me the other weekend.
This is the first time she has seen my new garden and I was interested in what she thought. She has a lovely garden at home and her forte is garden design. She has such a good eye for knowing what looks good where and she came up with some very good ideas for my veg bed mark 2, which I am going to put into action in the Autumn.

Carol Kleins 'Grow Your Own Veg' series is back on the television, in fact we are nearly at the end. I so love that series. The way it is shot as on Super 8 and the music (ELP and Genesis in particular) makes for very enjoyable watching.

Rachel de Thame did a Gardeners' World special last week on whether climate change will have an affect on cottage garden plants. It was a bit of a storm in a tea cup and the conclusion was that the plants will survive. I did enjoy seeing the beautiful chocolate box cottages with their fabulous cottage plants around them. One day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

River Cottage

Last Sunday we went to River Cottage for an open day. We have been to Friday Night at River Cottage, which I throughly recommend, but this was an opportunity for a look around the farm.

River Cottage HQ aka Park Farm, is situated outside Axminster just 1 1/2 hours from Poole.

Unfortunately the weather at the moment isn't very seasonal and as we arrived the heavens opened (again!) but the tractor with its trailer, was on hand to take us down to the farm. Farmhouse
Veg plot
Wood Pile
Bunting
I absolutely adore the yurt and would love one in my garden. When we went to Friday Night at River Cottage it was December. The evening started off with everyone piled into the Yurt and the wood fire was roaring in the middle. It was so cosy inside with fairy lights twinkling, something I will never forget and the food was amazing. Everyone eats from the same menu and it's a wonderful atmosphere. The great thing is that you eat food that you wouldn't normally try, for instance our starter was called Pigs Head Salad with free range soft boiled eggs. I wasn't very keen on eggs at the time so I was more concerned about the eggs than the pigs head. Of course you didn't see the head, it was just the meat and delicious it was!

Talking of pigs!
These pigs were lovely - behaving just how pigs should, snuffling around in the dirt.
Hopefully foxy loxy doesn't have a head for heights

I had a lovely talk with the gardener and he was very helpful and I was very happy to see a chap making hurdles and got his details as I want some willow hurdles to go around my new veg bed.

There were lots of demonstrations. I loved the preserve making demo by Pam Corbin. She really inspired me to make some jam from my raspberries, which are well on their way to having a second crop. I bought her book, which she signed.

There was also food served. I had some fabulous Cornish Blue Cheese http://www.cornishcheese.co.uk/home.html which was really yummy and of course had to try the cider - scrummy and the ice-cream - amazing!!!!

I love HFW and the River Cottage ethos. Growing your own doesn't just taste good but it makes you feel good too!

http://www.rivercottage.net/

Girls Own Store

Last week I posted about the weather and how hot it was and here we are a week later, although not cold, the weather has been positively filthy.

We went camping for a few days this week but unfortunately picked the wrong end of the week to camp. At least we put the tent up in the sunshine but the following evening had to sit in the tent whilst the storm raged outside, with nothing but a flagon of cider and a large packet of crisps for subsistence.

It wasn't all bad though. On the way to the campsite, we stopped off in Bridport, to visit one of my favourite shops, Girls Own Store http://girlsownstore.co.uk/ It really is the most heavenly shop. I purchased a wicker trug so that when I am collecting flowers for the house or vegetables for the kitchen, I have something to pop them into, which is practical and looks lovely. I also bought a flowery apron by Green Gate. The pattern looks like Cath Kidston (the shop sells lots of Cath Kidston stuff too) ooh the shop is definitely worth stopping by and taking a look at if you are anywhere near Bridport.

My garden has taken a bit of a battering during this weeks torrential rain and heavy winds. I had loads of pea pods to pick from my sweet peas but I have still lots of flowers, as you can see in the trug above.
I have sown some more cut and come again lettuce and I have lots of cobs coming on my sweetcorn, so plenty still to look forward to in the veg patch.
Come back sun not only does my sweetcorn need you but I need you too!