Harvest Friday 31 July

leaf beet - all the big plants from last year have gone to the hens now

leaf beet - small leaves to use in a salad from volunteer plants. We have replanted some and they are growing fine

raspberries - waiting for the autumn raspberries now

strawberries - no more left. I was thinking about buying a few plants new year for some fresh stock

mixed baby lettuce leaves - all gone. Just a few stubby bits that will go to the hens.
courgettes - they are growing nicely. Enough to eat and give to my family but not inundated yet
peas - not a great success this year but there have been a few to add to my lunchtime salads
french beans - just a few ready but they are lovely
blackberries - I have had blackberries with yoghurt every night this week for pudding. I can't believe how many there are that are ready to eat this early. It is going to be a bumper blackberry harvest this year. Yum!
potatoes - haven't dug any more yet but it won't be long now...

My friend, who also has an allotment, has been passing along her surplus lettuce and courgettes and I have been sharing them with the family. And the blackberries - the grandchildren just love blackberries. I shall have to find my jamming mojo soon because they will all expect a jar of jam in their Christmas stockings. The problem with early blackberries is that the apples are not ready yet to provide the pectin to set the jam.

My job at the allotment is weeding and my husband does everything else. Every time we go down there, I fill a large bucket with weeds for the hens to pick through. They get so excited when they see me coming with the bucket which makes me laugh. And I always bring back some of the rabbit's favourite plants too. He is such a fussy old thing and won't eat so many things that I always hunt for the ones that he will eat. He is an old boy now and deserves a few goodies.