michaelmas barbecue

I was planning on making poor man’s goose to celebrate Michaelmas, but this unexpected heatwave threw us off course.. so instead, a steak dinner cooked al fresco over the charcoal barbecue.

Kind of makes up for August really.  Looking back, we often get good weather in September.

Tonight, making the most out of the light/warm weather combination, that is the sun dipping conveniently early at this time of year so we can light a bonfire without annoying the neighbours, and yet it is still warm and lovely even after dark, we had a bonfire tea, with steak, sausages and toasted marshmallows all cooked over the camp fire.

Steak twice in one week (so far), but I promise to make frugal slow cooked dinners once the cold weather returns, and we relight the rayburn!

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sowing, planting and harvesting w/e 30/9

harvesting:

tomatoes

blackberries

apples – windfalls

french beans  - lots!

hazelnuts

parsley

baby sweetcorn

potatoes

sloes

runner beans

sweetcorn

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indian summer

Hot and humid day.  Humid because of the wet of the ground and vegetation that has been rain soaked for some days.. then suddenly this heat arrives.  It is.. they say, an Indian Summer.

According to wikipedia the term ‘Indian Summer’ is three centuries old, and there are several theories as to where it originates, although it is clear the Indian part refers to native Americans.  I like the theory that it is when the Native Americans would harvest their sweetcorn and squashes, because that fits in with what we are doing – when I saw the forecast for this week, my first thought was to those particular vegetables and their ripening.

It’s always a bit touch and go as to whether we will harvest any corn or squashes, the British summer is not really long enough and an early frost will be the end for both.  The crown prince squashes are getting a nice blue colouring, and the corn is just about there.  This sunshine will help the jungle of tomato plants too.

So odd to be back to t-shirts and the back door wedged open after so many weeks of wintery weather.

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rhubarb and ginger upsidedown cake

I’m on quite a roll with the upside down cake recipes.  Ideal, to use fruit as the nice topping.. and we have lots of fruit.  So far I have made chocolate and blackberry, blueberry and several different versions of apple (in the interests of my public it is necessary.. nay, my duty, to perfect the recipe. and dispose of the evidence).

And now, rhubarb and ginger upsidedown cake.

These cakes work well warm from the oven with cream, but are also great cold and sliced.

Sadly, I’m not sure my rhubarb crowns have survived the drought earlier in the year, they did look sad.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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sowing, planting and harvesting w/e23/9

harvesting:

spring onions

tomatoes

cabbage

blackberries

plums

apples

french beans  - lots!

red cabbages

hazelnuts

parsley

baby sweetcorn

potatoes

purple french beans

sloes

runner beans

sweetcorn

 

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autumn equinox

I was saying to himself, over a munched lunch of freshly picked sweetcorn, that last year we were eating the corn in the sunshine in the garden and what happened to the weather eh? it’s like autumn etc etc.  Then we remembered the date.. and perhaps the weather is not unreasonable after all. And our sweetcorn is late.

Most of our veg seems to be late this year, and it has been an odd year for growing, with a drought in April, hot weather early, bringing out the elderflowers weeks earlier than usual.  And August, bar a couple of days, forgot to happen.

But Autumn it is.  Thoughts turn to getting wood in, and the last of the harvesting.  Even the animal numbers have peaked, and are going down again, no more births, purchases or hatchings, but the fattened and knocking on making their way, with a little help, into the freezer.

Today we culled two of our older laying hens, and one was one of the first chicks we hatched here. Sort of sad in a way, but mostly just the natural passage – she has had a longer than average free range life, and her place will be taken by one of this year’s hatchings.

The harvest is brought in and stored, as we prepare for winter.  Yep, everything is progressing as it should.

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the sweetcorn glut

It’s that time of year again.. when all the sweetcorn becomes ripe all at the same time.  And all meals are planned ‘what shall we have for tea, that comes with sweetcorn?’.

Not the worst problem to have.  The baby has been cropping for a couple of weeks too, and doesn’t freeze very well.  So, what to do but enjoy it while it lasts.

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sowing, planting and harvesting w/e16/9

harvesting:

spring onions

tomatoes

cabbage

blackberries

plums

apples

french beans  - lots!

red cabbages

hazelnuts

parsley

baby sweetcorn

potatoes

purple french beans

sloes

Read Full Post »