Well I am mightily grateful for having a half shady potager. Its true that I may not be able to grow aubergines and peppers but we have planted lots of berries, and beans. Having panicked about no water, and our well run dry, I had to take back my negativity when I saw that so many raspberries are forming, and ripening beautifully. Not only that, but these gorgeous violet beans are also ready, with more flowers on the plants to keep on giving. I meandered between the straw covered lines of plants, picking and sometimes savouring the raspberries sweetness. Late summer raspberries always taste better I think. And then I found lots of this purslane growing between the rows. Of course I know its seen as a weed, but its so full of nutrition, and not bad as a salad. If you don’t mind the slightly slimy aspect that is. We used to pay for the stuff in the supermarkets in Dubai.
Monty left for Switzerland yesterday, to start at the new farm where he will work all year, alternating with the biodynamic agricultural college. The day before, he was trying to get as much as possible finished for us. He wanted to try out the combine harvester in the buckwheat field, as there was a small patch that was ready. Which means taking the old combine harvester down the little hill. Last year, Jono had taken it down, as as I walked behind him, I saw the rear of the combine lifting, so that there was half a metre at least between rear wheels and ground ! Not only that, but Jono wasn’t stopping, and started heading towards the left, to the steep slope that leads to the potager. Just in time, he stopped and got off. What a panic. It transpired that the steering is in the rear wheels, so when they lifted off the ground, he lost steering. This year, Monty enlisted Jono and my ‘ballast’, to make sure this didn’t happen again. So on we clambered. I had one foot on the bar between back wheel and combine body, the other in the air. .And holding onto the rear tub for dear life. He drove down very slowly, and at the bottom we got off with amusement and relief. I have actually no idea what happened with the buckwheat, come to think of it.
And the really good news is, that rain is predicted from Saturday onwards. We are so excited, and I know I will dance in it when it comes.
Well I am mightily grateful for having a half shady potager. Its true that I may not be able to grow aubergines and peppers but we have planted lots of berries, and beans. Having panicked about no water, and our well run dry, I had to take back my negativity when I saw that so many raspberries are forming, and ripening beautifully. Not only that, but these gorgeous violet beans are also ready, with more flowers on the plants to keep on giving. I meandered between the straw covered lines of plants, picking and sometimes savouring the raspberries sweetness. Late summer raspberries always taste better I think. And then I found lots of this purslane growing between the rows. Of course I know its seen as a weed, but its so full of nutrition, and not bad as a salad. If you don’t mind the slightly slimy aspect that is. We used to pay for the stuff in the supermarkets in Dubai.
Monty left for Switzerland yesterday, to start at the new farm where he will work all year, alternating with the biodynamic agricultural college. The day before, he was trying to get as much as possible finished for us. He wanted to try out the combine harvester in the buckwheat field, as there was a small patch that was ready. Which means taking the old combine harvester down the little hill. Last year, Jono had taken it down, as as I walked behind him, I saw the rear of the combine lifting, so that there was half a metre at least between rear wheels and ground ! Not only that, but Jono wasn’t stopping, and started heading towards the left, to the steep slope that leads to the potager. Just in time, he stopped and got off. What a panic. It transpired that the steering is in the rear wheels, so when they lifted off the ground, he lost steering. This year, Monty enlisted Jono and my ‘ballast’, to make sure this didn’t happen again. So on we clambered. I had one foot on the bar between back wheel and combine body, the other in the air. .And holding onto the rear tub for dear life. He drove down very slowly, and at the bottom we got off with amusement and relief. I have actually no idea what happened with the buckwheat, come to think of it.
And the really good news is, that rain is predicted from Saturday onwards. We are so excited, and I know I will dance in it when it comes.