The allotment and with Imbolc around the corner

Well just when I thought it was getting warmer the cold is back. Which is a bit frustrating as we have been preparing for the new season up at the allotment and now the ground has gone from soaking to frozen.

We celebrate Imbolc a little differently than some might. We tend to use it as a way to start new with the shoots of the bulbs we put in around Samhain time now showing. We have planned out what we want to do with the allotment and now is the time to start clearing greenhouses in readiness for the seeds to be sown.

It’s a lot of hard work and as I am still learning sometimes it can be frustrating. The ground has some sort of strange long grass which instead of a root mat structure seems to have bulbs and is a devil to get out. This all needs to be cleared before I can dig over and as I’m not that fit plus trying to get it done around work means that it is a lot slower going than I hoped it would be. But we are getting there. The diagram below shows what we are hoping to grow in the season and we are about half way across the potato patch (about 2½ metres). Little has a spade and fork just the right size and mixed in with playing with the toys comes and digs over for me. Though more often than not get sidetracked by the fascination of watching fat worms dig back into the earth!

Last year for Imbolc we made a Priapic wand and at Samhain burnt it as part of the turning from old to new by creating light for the forthcoming nights. So we have spent today making a new one. Which after a lot of thought and care Littleun took up with us to help the bulbs and we will be taking it with us to the green house in a few weeks when we start the seedlings. Littleun has already waved it several times over the potatoes out to chit and has made a chant of his own as he does this:

“Grow and grow and grow so I may grow and grow and grow. Thank you very much”

Which I was pleasantly surprised at, it would seem he does listen when I explain to him about Cernunnos. It’s a much simpler chant than the one I use but it sums it up, and the way he adds the thank you is very funny, in this little voice as if to say oops must not forget that bit!

Anyway that’s enough rambling for today, my bread is yet to be kneaded for the second round and there’s a toyroom to inspect!

Mea'n Fo'mhair/Mabon: Crab Apple Jelly

Ok, well you just knew with all the crops from our allotment/Dads garden this year was going to turn into recipe after recipe. And I hope you don't mind. We are also going to be trying out different crafts too so hopefully some variation for you!

For a recipe based on the crab apples we collected you will need:


Preserving sugar (see method)
1kg/2¼lb crab apples
3 cloves
water (see method)

Method

Preheat the oven to 120c/250f/gas½. Put the preserving sugar into the oven for 15 mins. Wash the apples and cut them in half but do not peel or core. Place the apples and cloves in a large saucepan.

Pour the water to cover. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer until soft. Strain the mixture into a bowl. Measure the juice and ass 450g/1lb/2 cups of sugar for each 600ml/1pint/2½ cups of juice. Pour into a pan and heat gently. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then boil rapidly until the setting point is reached. Pour into warm sterilized jars and seal.

101 things to do with Blackberries

Well three things for now actually and yes I mean those lovely gleaming dark purple berries, not the latest phone!

Up at the allotment we have had a lot of blackberries come out, so far several lb’s worth and as much as I love making jam I thought I would have a look at the ‘net and see what else I could do with them.

The following are recipes and ideas pinched from Delia Smith, Ehow and Cookuk. All of them are great fun and if you have, like me, been forced to stay indoors for the min (Littleun has chickenpox) then they are also fun things that don’t take too long to do.

This dye comes out wonderfully and I have made our new altar cloth with it ready for Mabon:

Prepare the fabric by pre-soaking it in the first pot, using a fixative solution for berry dyes. See the "Tips" section for details on making this solution.

Put on rubber gloves to avoid staining your skin.

Use a measuring cup to determine how many cups of berries are to be placed in the second pot. Crush them lightly with the back of the wooden spoon. Place the pot containing the berries onto the stove.

Measure 2 times the amount of water as berries. For example, if you used 3 cups of berries, pour in 6 cups of water. Pour this water over the berries in the pot. Bring the contents to a boil, then immediately lower the heat to simmer. Wait until the water has turned a deep shade of purple. Strain the berries and discard them.

Place the damp, pre-soaked, fixative-treated fabric to be dyed into the pot. Let the fabric simmer in the dye until the desired shade is attained. Leaving it to rest in the dye overnight yields darker results. The fabric will appear lighter than the colour of the dye in the pot. Squeeze out the fabric under cool, running water and let it dry.

Tips & Warnings
If you are dyeing fabric, remember that natural fibres (as opposed to synthetic or manmade) will absorb colour better. Wool, cotton and silk are all good candidates. It helps if the fabric is already a light or neutral colour. If you choose to collect plant material in the wild, always leave at least 1/3 of the plant untouched, so it can naturally replenish itself. Always prepare fabrics to be dyed by simmering them in a "fixative" solution. The material that will be dyed should be placed in the solution and simmered for 60 minutes. Rinse the fabric in cool water and squeeze the water out 2 or 3 times. After this has been done, the damp fabric can be placed into the dye. The fixative helps the coloured dye adhere better to the fabric. To make a fixative for berry-based coloured dyes, use ½ cup plain salt mixed with 8 cups cool water.

To make a fixative for plant/herbal-based dyes, use 4 cups water and 1 cup of vinegar.

Avoid mixing dyed fabrics with your other laundry. Dyed cloth should always be laundered alone (or with similar colours) in cold water

Jam, well, just had to sneak on into the mix, yummy:

Ingredients

yield 10 lb
6 lb. blackberries1/4 pint water

Rind and juice of 2 lemons

6 lb. sugar
method

1. Put the cleaned fruit, the water and lemon rind and juice in the pan.

2. Simmer until the fruit is soft.

3. Stir in the sugar and boil rapidly until setting point is reached.

4. Remove from the heat, skim, pot, cover, and label.

This is the recipe I used for our Lammas pie, tasted so good that I didn’t get any! By the time it had done the circle and got back to me it was all gone. Just the excuse to make another:

Ingredients

For the shortcrust pastry:
6 oz (175 g) plain flour
pinch salt
1½ oz (40 g) lard
1½ oz (40 g) butter

For the filling:
4 medium cooking apples, about 1 lb (450 g)
8 oz (225 g) brambles or fresh or frozen blackberries, defrosted if frozen, and washed
3 oz (75 g) sugar

To glaze:
milk and caster sugar
Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 7, 425°F (220°C).

Equipment
You will also need a 1½ pint (850 ml) rimmed pie dish.

Method
Start by making the pastry : sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl, holding the sieve up as high as possible to give the flour an airing. Then cut the fat into small cubes and add to the flour. Now, using your fingertips, lightly and gently rub the pieces of fat into the flour – lifting your hands up high as you do this (again to incorporate air) and being as quick as possible. When the mixture looks uniformly crumbly, start to sprinkle roughly 2 tablespoons of cold water all over. Use a round-bladed knife to start the mixing, cutting and bringing the mixture together. Carefully add more water if needed, a little at a time, then finally bring the mixture together with your hands to form a smooth ball of dough that will leave the bowl clean (if there are any bits that won't adhere to it, you need a spot more water).

Now rest the pastry, wrapped in foil or polythene, in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes while you peel, core and slice the apples straight into the pie dish. Then sprinkle in the brambles or blackberries and the sugar. Now roll out the pastry to about 1 in (2.5 cm) larger than the pie dish, then cut out a 1 in (2.5 cm) strip to fit the edge of the dish. Dampen the edge with water, then fit on the strip of pastry, pressing it firmly, and dampen that too. Then press the rest of the pastry over that to form a lid and, using a sharp knife, trim any excess pastry off. Use the blunt side of the knife and your thumb to press the two edges firmly together and knock the edges all round to give a layered effect. Then flute the edges by using your thumb to make an impression and the broad blade of the knife to draw in the edges of the pastry. Make a steam hole in the centre and, if you have time, make some decorative leaves with the pastry trimmings.
Now brush the pastry with milk and sprinkle on a light dusting of caster sugar. Place the pie on a baking sheet on a high shelf and bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to gas mark 5, 375°F (190°C), and continue baking for a further 30 minutes. Then, using a skewer, take out a piece of apple from the centre to test if it's cooked: if it still feels very firm, give it another 5 minutes. Serve hot with chilled pouring cream to mingle with the juices.

Make yourself a ladybird hotel

One of the things that I have had problems with in the allotment is aphids. By the bucket load they devour my runner beans. After doing research I knew I didn’t want to go down the pesticide route but rather encourage natural predators in the form of rather beautiful ladybirds. We have had a few and as I wanted them to stay, I looked about for a ladybird house to see if they would nest and hibernate nearby so that next year I would be onto a winner. But the prices of these houses were quite a way out of my reach so I thought I’d make one. It is something Littleun can join in with and I can use up all those broken canes at the same time.

To make you will need:
An old 2ltr bottle
Broken canes cut into short lengths
Dried grass stems
Rough string/thin rope
Glue gun

Cut the top of your bottle so that the bottom is the same-ish length as your shortened canes. Glue on the inside the grass stems creating a carpet appearance around the perimeter.

When dry fill the middle gap with lots of the canes so it is tight, if you have a wonky area then put a few more of the stems to fill it, but do remember to leave enough gaps for the bugs to crawl into.

When they are fixed tight, around the outside of the bottle glue more of the canes. This protects the bottle and also gives some extra hidey holes for the ladybirds. Finally tie your rough string/thin rope around the outside so you can hang at a slight downwards angle (don’t want water getting inside).

When the house is made hang near the vegetation that you have problems with and make sure you have sited it in a warm, sunny, sheltered position, out of prevailing winds and close to vegetation. The hanging bug house can be hung from trees, arches or pergolas. If you want to make it a wall house then the wall bug houses can be hung on a fence or wall.

Boo!

Bet that made you all jump, hehe.

Right I haven't been ignoring you, or worse without computer, I have just been on Holiday and then working like mad to catch up when I got back!

As soon as I unpack the camera I'll load some photos showing you what we have been up to and the fun we have had in Normandy.

Allotment update: I lost the shed but gained the ground, so fair enough trade off. Have currently got loads growing, several pumpkins now showing as are the cucumbers and beans;

Have also been strawberry picking and jam making plus tried my hand at making marmalade, though no idea if its any good as I really don't like the stuff.

My friend has had her baby, a lovely little girl, so welcome into the world littlelass.

And lastly littleun has his taster day at his new school this week so nerves on my side and excitement on his.

Promise to do a better post soon.

Allotment Update

Well we have had our first couple of weeks there and apart from a couple of people who sadly are being a bit horrible (“we’ve been here 15 years you upstart...” you get the idea) we are having fun. Have managed to get some beans and pumpkins in which have been grown from seed at Dads. The ground turns out to be clay so a lot of work to be had turning that into useable ground, compost by the wheelbarrow load being added.

We have cleared the potatoes which were there already though I think they might not be any good, they weren’t planted properly and I think will be rotten but are trying our best to salvage the situation. We also have some tomato and cucumber plants to put in this afternoon.

One of the sheds turns out might not be mine so am looking at the ramshackle one that is to see what we can do to make it into a storage area and potting shed. If we want to put other sheds up seems we have to get permission from the council so watch this space...

Am looking forward to getting some herbs in soon and some late crops, though not sure what yet, keep changing my mind. Littleun is insistent that I clear the ground as soon as possible so he can dig for treasure, has so far found a £1, not sure how that got there hehe.

And the best bit, have lost some weight and found some muscles, ouch!

Keys to the Secret Garden

Finally got the key to the allotment today so have been to see where I will be spending my time for the foreseeable future. Its right at the top by the water, so yippee no major treks there then! Five rods by five and slightly sloped, I have a small shed and a lean to shack and a load of potato plants left by the previous tenant. There is also an established Rosemary which is great as that was one of the plants I wanted to grow as I use it a lot in my cooking and infusions.


We met our neighbours-but-one who have two lovely little dogs for littleun to get used too. Seemed like nice folk who were brimming with advice, so much of it that to be fair the only bit that sunk in is "Don't grow Carrots!!!!" apparently the local badgers sit and wait until the beautiful tops show readiness and then trundle along to have a midnight feast nabbing the lot. Look forward to meeting the others who I hope will happily advise this green newbie.


Littleun danced happily about loving the thought that this was where he can play and grow things. We haven't had our own space before, have always had to borrow the garden at my parents or at friends in order to grow things, so for him its novel to be able to call something truly ours.


Can't wait to get there tomorrow to start clearing the space back...

Got it!!!!

The long list of waiting for Allotments has finally shortened. Came back to find a message on my answerphone telling me we have finally got our allotment, So come Tuesday (its a bank holiday weekend this week) I am heading down to the council, paying my huge amount of £14.95 for my years rent and going to start digging! Almost free diet aid and toning up too. So you can guess what the posts are going to be about for a while.

Think I might need one of these

Gardening joys

We've been busy this week, clearing the garden and getting ready for the time to plant out. The green house still had the old tomatoes and peppers so they needed to go, then we needed to dig over some of the ground. Littleun has his own area this year and has decided to grown green beans. Quite excited he attacked it with enthusiasm till we pointed out you had to go across and not just deeper and deeper!

We also have some visitors to the garden, our friendly robin is still here and it seems that the frogs have been again.

And to show you how our cress caterpillar and beans have done Littleun took a couple more photos...

Imbolc, Another turn, Another change

So the wheel turns once again and we welcome in Imbolc, Spring. The change here is straight away noticeable. Yesterday it was cold and crisp, beautiful ice and frost covering every corner stretching the pretty patterns over all it could touch. Today the temperature is up and the rain is down! But that's what we want. Let nature appear. We went for a walk yesterday to see how many new flowers we could find and surprisingly it wasn't many. Normally at this time of year the snowdrops are starting to peak in the flowerbed under the window and the deep purple crocus' are raring to go from under our bay trees.

So what does this new time bring to us. Well in my case an extra effort in things. To be happier when something is irritating but beyond my ability to change it, to declutter as I put my items back into the front room, to increase my exercise to shift these pounds (have slackened with the diet) and the start of preparations for our veg and fruit growing.

Seeds are in for some crops, ground will be broken this weekend for the new life to take hold and the planner updated so I can make most use of the area. We planted some bulbs as part of our Imbolc ritual. Lovely indoor Iris' that Littleun could do. Hopefully they will grow but they will apparently take 14ish weeks in the dark to do so.

Our feast went well, though I've got a scorch mark from the crepe Suzette's (bit too much flambe) and the non alcoholic mead passed into deep red wine. Littleun is starting to recognise the reasons behind things and has added his own items to the celebrations.

The altar is a small affair in comparison to other times, partly because of our current space restrictions but also to allow it to grow. We didn't pick any flowers as I'm not keen on doing things like that, so we made our flowers to go on the crown instead.

Hope you all have had a good Imbolc.

Allotment Joy!

I’ve finally got around to being on a waiting list for a local allotment, but sadly have just been told there could be as much as a 3 year waiting list! However the kindness of an associate has saved us in the short term. She has allowed us the use of her very large garden, somewhere she never goes apparently, and the small buildings that are on the plot, a shed, old war bunker and a glass house. It’s a right overgrown state but with a lot of hard work, the odd jug or two of warming hot chocolate I think we’ll get there.

It means we will be able to grow enough food for us all year round rather than just the spring summer crops that we’ve had just enough space in the garden for so far. I’m definitely hoping to try and grow cabbages for my favourite dish colcannon and to extend the herb patch.

Littleun planting onions earlier this year

This year is our first where we have tried to eat food that is either grown by us or locally produced, keeping within the seasons. It’s been tricky at times, Littleun can’t quite understand why I won’t buy strawberries at this time of year, but it has definitely been worth it. Littleuns skin problem has almost completely gone since swapping to better food and organic hair products. And I am finishing 2009 29lbs lighter, yippee, only 4ish stone to go!