Bit of a pick over

Really went out to do a bit of weeding but got a little distracted.  This is the final pick of the squashes I reckon in total I've got about  45 usable squashes to see us through the winter.



I am hopeless at thinning out as I want to give all the plants a chance - that is so silly I know.  In an effort to get over this I ruthlessly thinned out three rows of turnips and four rows of swede - now the remainder had better repay me with plump roots. I didn't thin out these carrots so there are lots of teeny weeny ones. Plenty more growing in the veggie plot which I will thin out.



Last of these long mild chillies I should think as there are no more flowers appearing and we can't be too far off a frost. These have performed well for me this year. I think they are called Doux  Les Landes.



Finally, picked a few beetroot, more calendula flower heads for balm and some over blown calabrese that will make its way into a soup pot.

Now, best get out there and actually do some weeding before the sun goes down!

 

The prince

Another choice edible starting to appear.  This is the prince it's flesh smells like almonds.  I never used to be too fond of conifers but some of the best tasting fungi are to be found at their bases. Amazing day today, blue skies and 24 degrees forecast - looks like a bit of a tidy up in veggie plot is in order for this afternoon. Think I might lift the last of the squashes and set them out to dry in the sun which is set to last for a few more days.

More free stuff

Only went out to clean out the hens and found these had popped up in their coop.  Makes up for the distinct lack of walnuts due (I think) to the pair of red squirrels living in our pines trees.  Good day all round for freebies as this morning I ordered a pile of seeds with my £10 voucher.  With the sale on I managed to get a huge amount of veggie and flower seed for next year. Finally, managed to catch a couple of safflower seed heads that yielded usable seeds for next year (other ones I've picked were like mush). I'm hoping to grow a large patch of these next year instead of the solitary specimen I managed this year!

Yummy!

Just got back from a little holiday where I saw these Milkcaps in a Spanish market selling for 35 euros a kilo - yikes! That is more expensive than cepes here in France. This lot almost escaped me as they were well hidden in the long grass which is currently in desperate need of cutting.



Must have been a lot of rain while we were gone as the mushrooms are out in force and the beetroot has finally fattened up a bit. The veggie plot is looking a bit sad but my remaining squashes are looking good and almost ready to pick.  Hope I'm not saying 'sick of squash' before spring.  The calendula are still in flower so another batch of balm on the cards and a gigantic pot of veggie soup should be on the go by the weekend - and I mean gigantic!

Calendula balm - so easy to make

Gave this a try yesterday and I'm really pleased with the results. First I had to find bees' wax probably available everywhere in the UK but here in France I found it at our local bio shop.  The bag hold's 400 grams and I only used 30 grams to make two jars so it goes a long way. The calendula was easy to find as it grows like a weed in the garden a must have plant in the veggie plot in my option. Last year mine were still in flower at Christmas and like sunflowers they just shout cheerful.

First I picked the petals from about 25 heads of calendula then I added 300 ml of bog standard olive oil making sure all the petals were coated. Next, this went into a bain marie and was kept on a very low simmer for three hours.

I then strained the oil using a muslin cloth and returned it to the bain marie along with 30grs of wax - I used wax pellets so it did not take long for the wax to melt. As soon as the wax and the oil combined I poured them into a couple of glass jars - as you can see not very evenly! The balm was put to the test this morning as I used it on my lips when I went out for a run - well I've just had to start running again after all that lovely crumble.



 

 

 

Hey pesto it worked!

The frozen pesto worked!  OK it's not quite as green as it was before freezing but it tastes just fine.  This means we can make it in batches during times of plenty and freeze for the winter. This is the coriander variety so I'm hoping the basil does equally as well.

Just swapped a load of quince for a load of onions what a nice way to operate - no middle man!

Busy bees....

That's what it feel like at the moment. The grass needs cutting about every other day and things that were hanging back are in full flow. Picked a mass of basil and coriander and made pesto. Have frozen a bit as an experiment so I'll let you know how that works (or not). Some of the basil was from yet another cutting of the plant that went in a while back. If we keep this good weather I reckon there's another cutting to be had.  I think that will make five in total including the initial lopping before it was planted - not bad from a 99 centime Lidl plant.

Picked a few plums this evening that ended up in a crumble along with the rhubarb. The crumble topping is mainly seeds and oats and works a treat with custard.



Picking things daily at the moment and lots going into soups including the wild mushrooms although we've held some back for Saturday's pizza. Tray freezing the rhubarb for multiple winter crumbles - I'd better start back running or I'll end up like the side of a house!



The cucumbers are a funny shapebut they taste fine - I've maybe another two to pick before they're done.  I got so sick of that two tone lettuce (we've been eating it for months) I've pulled it out and composted it.  The little gem is ready so we can munch on that for a while.



The squashes are on the path hardening off before I store them indoors for over the winter.  I've picked about twelve of the golden nugget with more to come.  The butternut are getting to be a good size but have yet to turn from green so they'll need a while yet.  I'll be quite happy with a couple of dozen squashes for the winter months. Tomorrow, I need to get my act together and thin the swedes, carrots and turnips.