My harvest this past week was a surprisingly good one. I had Cavolo Nero, Parsnips, Endive, Chicory and Parsley.
This is the Cavolo Nero - it is the last of my crop:
Likewise, these six Parsnips were the last ones too.
I still have some Chicories, and one or two Endives left, but salad is thin on the ground now.
Fortunately, the Parsley is better than ever, and I am taking every opportunity to use it while it is in prime condition.
We are now fast approaching the time of year that gardeners call the "Hungry Gap", when the Winter veg has finished, but that sown or planted in the new year has not yet reached a croppable state. Since we have such serious and widespread flooding in the UK, many farmers face the prospect of a ruinous year ahead, and we all anticipate a shortage of locally-grown fruit, veg and cereals. On the domestic front, gardeners are worrying about when they will be able to sow any seeds. The soil is so waterlogged (in many cases submerged!) that it will be a very long time before it comes back to the right conditions for sowing. I am extremely fortunate that the soil in my garden is sandy and quick-draining, which combined with my use of raised beds will put me in a better position than most.
We need a plot visit to replenish our stocks too
ReplyDeleteIt's going to be a very hard year for the poor farmers in the flood areas, as you say, it will have a knock on effect for us all. Enjoy that cavolo nero and those parsnips, it will be a while before the next batch will be ready to harvest.
ReplyDeleteSounds like the weather has been as unfavorable in the UK as here in the American midwest. Here it has been extreme cold and record snowfall. The soil is frozen rock hard and I'm postponing starting seeds for two weeks. At least no pipes have burst, yet.
ReplyDeleteA lovely harvest. I refuse to whine about the weather from now on or about the lack of produce in my garden. The plot I have decided is having a winter rest & I feel desperately sorry for the people who have been flooded.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like the weather is a little extreme everywhere at the moment. It does bring home how hard it must be to make your living from farming.
ReplyDeleteWon't there be time for the soil to dry out before planting? People may need to delay a bit or select varieties with different/shorter maturities. Like Hoosier's, my garden is frozen solid under 14" of snow.
ReplyDeleteMy cavolo nero is doing the same thing, it always takes me by surprise when it bolts, it always seems too early. The flowering shoots are tasty though.
ReplyDeleteI keep wondering if anyone is having "normal" weather, we are in the middle of a drought and many farmers in California aren't going to have enough water for their crops this year. We don't get rain in the summer so crops have to be irrigated and there won't be enough water in storage to go around this year.
A Great week! I've always wanted to plant parsnips but they never seem to make it into my garden. Do you know how they would do in a cold frame? I might be able to find room for them in my fall and winter garden.
ReplyDeleteWonderful harvests. I like the term hungry gap. Though here it would be four months long. Well some people do have greenhouses. I was going to build one into this house, but the only place to put it has the air conditioning units.
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