Last week was a short one for me having missed a working day to attend a funeral down in Buckinghamshire, so not as much was achieved in the garden, but one has to get one’s priorities right, and so it was a no-brainer for me to accompany Jennifer to pay our respects to her uncle Brian. Her father Wes was one of 14 children, he being the eldest boy, so his youngest siblings were not so very much older than his own children. The last one standing is Ron who is 90, but sadly was unable to attend the funeral following a fall that broke a rib or two just a few days previously. However, Jennifer did get to see some of her cousins, which was nice for both her and them.
It is with a heavy heart that I inform you that the hen pheasant is without chicks. On Wednesday she still had one, but the following day she was alone, and has been since. I feel so sorry for her because she tried so hard to look after them (as did I). A month ago she had 12 tiny balls of feathers following her around, but now the proud and protective mother is no longer a mother at all. For the whole 4 weeks she was sensible enough to keep them within the limits of the garden to give them the best chance of survival, but even that wasn’t enough.
More positive news is that the two Pigeon squabs in the nest at home are growing rapidly, to the point where they have virtually had to vacate their shanty nest and are now perching in the hedge itself because they clearly don’t trust the jerry built structure constructed by their parents to hold them. They are beginning to resemble actual pigeons now. I wonder when they will think about fledging?
The cereal harvest on the farms around here has gained momentum in the past few days having been delayed for a while by the on/off showers. it is a race against time to get the grain safely in the barn before it spoils, so combine harvesters and tractors hauling trailers brimming with the golden seeds are working late into the night with lights blazing, surrounded by the tell-tale cloud of dust that engulfs the machinery. Fortunately for today’s machine operators they are protected from the damaging dust that brought a premature death to so many farm workers of yesteryear, by their hermetically sealed, air conditioned cabs. As a child, standing at the edge of the field, I watched Harold Turner on farmer Woods combine harvester cutting the crop, cab-less, open to the elements, surrounded by the vortex of aforementioned particulate matter, protected only by a handkerchief tied round his face. Miraculously Harold lived to a ripe old age, but many didn’t.
After a very early start to the tomato and cucumber harvesting season things are already slowing down in the greenhouse and polytunnel. There is no immediate cause for concern, particularly regarding the toms, but the cucumber plants are beginning to struggle. I did two staggered plantings of them, but next year I will make a much later third sowing to try to extend the season. They haven’t done at all badly, I have already cut 400 of them, but the prolonged spell of hot and sunny weather appears to have taken its toll. I am hoping that they limp along for a few more weeks, and I have even taken some cuttings in the vain hope of propagating some new plants for a late crop, but I am not holding my breath on that front.
So what have I got for you this week? Well there’s a new batch of green oakleaf lettuces to cut. That can form a salad with cucumber and lettuce, and the ‘Accord’ potatoes are ideal for making a potato salad accompaniment. If you crave greens then you have a choice of pointed cabbage, cavolo nero and chard. Summer squash is abundant, with the tasty ‘Cocozelle’ courgettes, colourful patty pan squash, and the funky spaghetti squash all on the menu. The onions have now pretty much dried out following a couple of weeks laid out in the polytunnel, and the home grown garlic continues to be available. Some bought in celery is up for grabs this week. Incidentally my celeriac looks like it is going to be pretty good this year, so that’s something to look forward to later in the season. I reckon that I will start picking my own Discovery apples in a week or so, but until then the ones from Herefordshire are in the shop. The ever popular avocados continue, and ‘Verdelli’ green tinged lemons can be procured.
It has been a frustrating afternoon. The test match was rained off with England requiring 35 runs to win, and with India needing to take 4 wickets (3 really because one of our bowlers has his arm in a sling). So they all have to reconvene at the Oval in the morning for half an hour of cricket.
Right, I’m out of here. Have a good week. The weather looks set fair after tomorrow, with temperatures getting back up to the mid 20’s, so make the most of it. This time next month I will be on my hols in Cornwall, so I hope that the weather gods hold back a bit of decent stuff for then.
Phil