Monday 28 December 2009

The Allotment is still giving me treats.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas ! we had a fabulous time, it was fun and we had some lovely presents, good company, and the best bit was being with the family. But I am always glad when it's over ( I whispered that !) I long for my normal routine and also can't wait to see what the new year will bring. I love the start of a New Year, and I just want to get sowing and growing again.

I went up to the allotment yesterday, the first time in weeks and I harvested some curly Kale, a very large and a small parsnip some green regular sprouts, and some of a friends purple sprouts that she asked me to help myself to as she couldn't manage to eat them all.
The purple sprouts were so delicious that they are on my 'Must Sow in 2010' list, I just have to ask her what the variety was. The purple sprouting broccoli is just starting to sprout and I hope to be picking some in a few weeks. The perpetual spinach is still going, I must cut down on the amount next year. The garlic sown in late Autumn is up and growing well, and the autumn planted cabbages haven't really grown a lot as yet. It all looked a bit bleak and mucky up there and Rosie the scarecrow will need a complete overhaul next year, so Lot's of planning to do.


Monday's harvest


New Years Eve is only a couple of days away, so I will wish you all a lovely evening however you intend to celebrate it, and a very HAPPY NEW YEAR to you all as well.

7 comments:

Sparkly said...

Were the purple sprouts called 'Falstaff'? We tried them one year and they were really tasty, but ours were tiny!

Maureen said...

Hi Sparkly and welcome to my blog, I left a comment on yours by the way ! I'm not sure if the sprouts are called 'Falstaff' but as soon as I find out from my friend, I will let you know as they are delicious.

Kella said...

Hi yah! some how I missed this posting of yours.

I'm glad you have had the chance to try a purple variety of sprouts. I'm not a lover of sprouts but wanted to try homegrown to see if myself and the family would enjy them freshley picked, so I grew some this year a purple variety (I figured if we were going to eat sprouts we might as well have something not found in the shops) not sure of the variety off the top of my head but my plants all of two of them never got taller than 8" and the sprouts are only the size of marbles. So no sprouts green or otherwise for us this year. But since you and Sparkly have given them such good reviews then I'll be sure to try them again next year.

Hope your Chistmas was a lovely one, ours were grand and I'll wish you and yours a Happy New Year 2010.

Anna said...

Glad that I am not the only person who has not been to the lottie for weeks Maureen. Your post has reminded me that I should go and see what my kale is up to. I grew purple sprouts last year - I think that were 'Rubine' - tasted good but were the size of chocolate buttons :) All the best for 2010 and I hope that your lottie prospers in the new decade.

Maureen said...

Hi KELLA & ANNA, thanks for stopping by and the comments. I really love sprouts especially lightly steamed and then stir fried in butter with chestnuts and ground black pepper Mmmm! but I must ask Frances what variety she grew as they are really big ones.
Happy New Year to you both.

Shaheen said...

Thanks for coming by my blog Maureen.
I like the look of those purple sprouts too. Funny thing about the PSB though, I have been harvesting it really early this year, since July. I have no idea why, but have been told it must be to do with the weather as some other growers in Ireland had been harvesting some too. I amhoping for a second burst.

Pam's English Garden said...

Love those parsnips! One of my daughter's fondest memories of England is roasted parsnips with Christmas dinner! So of course I have to grow them even though they are not so popular here. Happy New Year, Maureen! Pamela xxx