We Pick Lettuces!

Our first ever home-grown food!

I thinned out the Little Gems today and harvested a goodly amount of surplus lettuce. I've kept most for my lunches this week, gave three heads to Sam's mummy, and a seed tray full to an extremely foxy lady from King's Lynn who donated some items to our allotment earlier in the week. Thanks Susie, hope you enjoy our lettuce! Sam handed over the seed tray personally - he insisted on it - which was very good as he captivated the lovely Susie and we got to chat for a little longer than we would otherwise. OK, so our Little Gem thinnings aren't what you'd find in the supermarket, but they're tasty all the same. With added holes, snails, roots and soil!

At the allotment Sam also "planted" the first couple of gnomes, stirred the water, and added some "browns" to the compost bin. And....he put his wee in there too! This was extremely funny to Sam, but he peed in the watering can then added it to the compost dalek. It's good for the process, honest!

So. A fruitful day. Lots of hard work ahead. Maybe even starting tomorrow, if I'm not too spent.

Raspberries! Lettuces! No Parsnips Though....

Sunday was a hot day on Plot 1265, but rewarding too....

For a start, there are the first few Raspberries appearing at the tops of some bushes, which I tied up to poles which were whacked into the ground using Genial Gerry's on-loan lump hammer. Sam's new bird-scarer now has a temporary home guarding the burgeoning fruit, unitl he decides where he wants to put it himself.

I thinned out the Onions, and felt rather sad that so many of the little fellows had to be dispatched....some I transplanted to fill gaps in other parts of the rows, but a lot hit the weed bucket! They did smell deliciously...."onion-ey" though, I can't wait to dig one up when they've grown more and eat it....the Little Gem Lettuces are thriving too and I'll thin them out on Wednesday....with these thinnings though I'll be able to eat them in my dinner-time sandwiches, instead of throwing them away, lovely!

Towards the end of my visit I actually made a start on The Jungle! Yes, honestly....you can't really see where I've been yet, but it's progress of sorts.

I had felt quite despondent when I first arrived, not only as I don't seem to be making much headway, but also because I'd lost my key for the gate...luckily Sid The Allotment Boss was on his garden so I managed to buy a replacement for £5. Speaking to Sid is good, as he calls me "Young man"! Not many people do any more. Paul from the next door plot also cheered me up by saying that what I'd done looked good, the rest would come good in time, and don't try to do everything in one go. Just what I needed to hear, thanks mate!