Harvesting
It was always late autumn when we held harvest festivals during our school assemblies.
The few times when we sang at double forte to the annual rendition of We Plough the Fields and Scatter and presumed that the fresh produce we had dragged into school for the festival was going to be put to good use somewhere or other.
In truth, it was. Routinely it was bundled up into packages and hand delivered to the known older people in our village. Not such a bad thing.
We wondered if things have changed in any way from back then? Personally, we still relish opportunities to give away produce and flowers to others but what about our fellow plot holders?
This year has been a tricky one for all growers, but looking back over the past generations there have always been challenges and no doubt there will be more to come in the future.
Even so, we have been successful in growing enough food to fill the freezers for the months ahead and various vessels for flowers too.
Of course we don’t have to do what we do. There’s no law about having to grow our own flowers, fruit or veg (until Elaine makes it as Minister for Allotments that is) but there’s something quite addictive about growing what we do, but why do we do it?
We decided to go out and ask others why they have plots.
‘It’s about escapism. The chance to absorb yourself in growing produce and doing something completely different to everyday life,’ recently retired Benita Notley at Ashbourne Road Allotments tells us.
‘The quiet open space enables you to lose yourself for a few hours’ she laughs, ‘though wine and coffee are also a draw!’
We knew someone would mention that!
‘It’s all about space and ownership,’ she suggests in a wise, knowing kind of way.
‘It’s about the magical continuous flow of creative opportunity. We grow for hope for the future and sometimes harvest satisfaction – it’s always about what happens next!’
We confess, we didn’t expect such profound replies!
After a welcome mug of allotment tea, we scuttled over to Potty Plotters HQ (the summerhouse) and rang Mick Fearn a plotter on Stanley Village Allotments.
‘My grandad was a farmer pre and during the war. Mum grew up on the farm so my allotment is my “mini farm”,’ he tells us.
‘Growing food gives me a feeling of fulfilment and satisfaction. You never know from one year to another what’s going to be a success and what’s not. To sit with a coffee looking at your plot gives you that ultimate feeling of joy.’
So as plotters ponder whether to pay rents for next year, maybe we should recall why we do have allotments? (We thought it was all about the homemade gin!)
Few people in our experience know what chard is or how to use it as a vegetable in the kitchen.
Maybe the problem lies with it not being freely available in the shops, as almost immediately when picked, the leaves go floppy! The shelf life therefore isn’t long enough for supermarkets to sell it.
Chard (AKA Swiss chard) is a beautiful leafy vegetable which is surprisingly versatile. It’s actually a perennial plant which needs little care on the plot or grown in a container and happily grows in any type of soil. It can survive mild winters in the UK before it is revitalised into regrowth in early spring.
Chard is referred to as ‘the two-way veg’ as the firm, centre stalks can be cut from the leaf and steamed resulting in a flavour similar to that of the more commonly grown hard, white cabbage.
The bright green leaves (when finely chopped) on the other hand can be steamed and taste similar to green, spring type cabbage or spinach. Young leaves are great in salads too.
To grow from seed, we set the seeds in February in trays of multipurpose compost. As they germinate, we transplant the seedlings into individual pots or cells and tend them until they reach around three inches in height.
As the soil outside warms (usually around May) we direct plant into the soil. We rarely set more than four plants as they are vigorous growers and will provide ample leaves for a family of four through the year to the first frosts.
In full growth, these are visually stunning plants. We even noticed designers used the ‘Rainbow’ variety to brighten flower borders at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
Don’t fancy eating it? Then simply enjoy looking at it in the flower boarders instead. Try it!
Out of all the vegetables we grow on our plots, there is no doubt that the brassicas are the most difficult to master.
Cabbages, cauliflowers, brussels sprouts, kale (and others) make up this ‘leafy green family’ in the vegetable world but the work they need for success is relentless, including:
• A firm ground to grow in
• Reams of mesh to protect them from birds
• A fine netting to keep out the crafty cabbage white butterflies and not forgetting preventions to tackle slugs – from above and below the ground!
So, when we are successful, you know why we’re so proud!
It’s not too late to plant more lettuces – why not try growing ‘lettuce balls’?
• Cut an old football in half and snip a few holes in its ‘bottom’.
• Add a chain or strings to act as a hanger.
• Fill with compost and water thoroughly.
• Sprinkle lettuce seeds on top of the wet compost and cover carefully with light layer of compost…
Depending on the variety, the seeds should germinate within ten days and be perfect to cut within 28-36 days.
To protect the lettuce balls from any extremes of the autumn weather, hang them inside the greenhouse!
Cape gooseberries (also known as physalis) are nothing to do with sexually transmitted diseases but are in fact beautiful fragranced bright orange fruit which are very easy to grow!
‘A few years ago I had about 300 seeds that all germinated but I couldn’t throw the seedlings away,’ laughs Elaine.
‘Instead, I planted them all up, suggesting they were the ‘super fruit’ of the year and gave them away!’
The plants grow in any type of soil producing star shaped flowers around July followed by the formation of the papery husks covering the sweetly fragranced fruits in late September.
Discover more at pottyplotters.co.uk and search ‘Potty Plotters Plotcast’ for the podcast
