BeetrootandSpuds

Rotting organic matter may not sound delicious, but there is nothing that should increase the productivity of an allotment more.  And rotting bananas are a particular treat. Not only does compost improve the soil, but it can act as a mulch to help retain moisture and warmth. One of the first things Spuds and I did when we got our patch was to install a compost bin, and we will be adding another in the coming months.

Suffice to say our Christmas lunch included potatoes, roast and boiled, carrots and leeks, all from our allotment.  And jolly good they were too.

The shortest day may now be behind us, but our polytunnel is still proving its worth.  A few days ago we picked some of the leeks and carrots that we planted in August, not to mention yet more Swiss chard. The leeks may not be the biggest we've ever seen, but I have a feeling that they'll go pretty well with the turkey's feet that we're planning for our Christmas dinner.  It only remains to thank all our readers for their support this year, and to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

One of the joys of having an allotment is that it gives you a great chance to sample fruit and vegetables you haven't tasted,  without spending a fortune on them. And this year I've tried a few things I hadn't eaten before, Daikon radishes, butternut squash, and fennel. To be honest I was rather put off by the latter's smell of aniseed, which has never been a favorite of mine. But Spuds knew better. Now I'm going to let you in on a secret: Spuds has "connections," exclusive connections, to the world of gastronomy.   And last week one of Spuds' connections rattled up a plate of fennel which was absolutely delicious. So this evening, I decided to have a go. On to a base of water, I added, lemon juice & zest, olive oil, a splash of vinegar, a star anise or two and a pinch of salt

Now, there's nothing Spuds loves more than a proverb, always excepting the odd sausage sandwich, so it was no surprise that after reading the blog entry for 10th December, The Seed Succeeded , the phrase "The Proof of the Parsley is in the Packing" was soon to be heard whistling through our polytunnel. And since it is possible that some readers have doubted that " Old Curly, " as Spuds calls it, really was conceived in 1976, here's the evidence.

"It's certainly a cold and frosty morning today," remarked Spuds sagely

You know how seed packets are always carefully marked with a "sow by" date ? Well, my advice is: forget it, hang on to your seed, use it when you are ready; and not before. We grew two types of parsley this year, flat leafed (on the left in the picture above) and curly leafed. Admittedly the flat leafed is, for the moment, looking the more vigorous, but it may come as a surprise - certainly to all those seed companies whose best advice is to buy fresh each year and chuck out anything past date - to learn that " Old Curly ," as Spuds will insist on calling it, was germinated from a packet dated... 1976 ie: the seed was 46 years old when we planted it (and we've still got a bit left for next year)

Swiss chard, need I say more ?

One of the ways we enjoying cooking our Swiss chard is by stir-frying it, with a knob of butter and salt and pepper. At this time of energy shortage it's worth noting that it only takes a few minutes, and that it goes well with a variety of dishes, including Chinese and Indian curry

There are many benefits from having an allotment (physical exercise, and the chance to meet new people among 'em), but for Spuds and me a core reason for taking on ours is to be able to enjoy food we have grown ourselves, free from additives, preservatives and "flavourings." A few days ago we picked the first of our carrots and the last of our fennel, and last night Spuds set to work. Here is the result (carrots steamed, fennel roasted for about 35 mins at 180° with a bit of olive oil and a dash of salt) - peas and mash remain, for the moment, an aspiration.

We've decided to plant some fruit bushes in a corner of our plot, and yesterday we heeled in the first three, a gooseberry, a red currant and a black currant. The first two are new purchases while the third was uprooted from Spuds' garden, where it had been growing for a while. Its well developed roots mean that we are hopeful it won't find the relocation too stressful. The ground is too wet at the moment to prepare the bed where we intend that they will end up, but with their feet comfortably tucked into the soil our fingers are crossed that they should get through the winter months without too many problems.