Winter's icy fingers

Deep into November and most gardeners will not be doing much other than sitting by the fire planning next year's horticultural campaign. After all, there is nothing happening on the allotment.

With the sun low in the sky the temperature was zero at 10 a.m. this morning. The allotments were deserted. Just the right time to check on what is growing in the polytunnel.

 

 

 

I am told that size does not matter but in the case of tunnels then the bigger the better. This is because the bigger ones do not get too hot in the summer months, and from a northern gardener's point of view the growing season is much extended. I was lucky enough to get a plot with a tunnel already on it, 10'x25', and the price that I paid the outgoing tenant nine years ago has turned out to be a real bargain. I planted beetroot inside in June and am expecting to be still cropping at Christmas.

 

I always grow Boltardy. In the past the outdoor ones have been hit and miss depending on the weather and the field mice. This is my second attempt at indoor beets and the results are good. The additional watering is more than compensated for by the fresh beetroot on the table every week.

 

I also sowed spring onions and mixed leaf in September. The mild autumn has meant that the leaf has regenerated after the first crop and we have now had fresh salad stuff for the last eight weeks!

 

 

Elsewhere in the tunnel I have removed the tomato plants, replenished the bed with well rotted compost from the heap and have planted garlic and onions. The onion sets were a gift from a fellow plotter - Radar - so I am hoping that they will be ready before the maincrop go in outside in the late spring.

 

 

Outside the brassica cage took a beating from the gales last week but its main function, to protect my brassicas from marauding woodpigeons is still OK. Sprouts, caulis and swede will soon be our main fresh veg from the plot.

 

 

Not forgetting, of course,  my favourite winter vegetable - the leek! For the last 5 years I have only grown Musselburgh as my neighbour's leeks always did better than mine. I asked him why that was and he said Musselburgh and chicken manure pellets - a winning combination.  Using poo pellets means that I can plant the leeks quite close together and still get decent results. Musselburgh is a very hardy variety which is what we need in the Dales!

 

 

We eat about three leeks a week so this patch will see us through the winter providing that I can get them out of the ground when it freezes - my favourite winter sport.









 

 



 It is sometimes not much fun having an allotment in the Yorkshire Dales. On a day like today the westerly wind is battering the plot at up to 50 miles per hour. However for a few months each year  life on the allotment is absolute bliss.   Being close to nature and reaping the fruits (and veg) of your labours is one of the best experiences that you can have.

 

Coming not far behind in the experience stakes is taking veg out of the ground and cooking it within a few hours, Home grown, home cooked food is wonderful. I just love converting this:

 

 

Into a warming and nutritious meal - just what we need on a blustery November day! Today's offering:

 

 

 

I counted 11 vegetables went into this stew, 5 of them grown on my plot. My ambition? 11/11 of course! Homemade bread rolls and Spanish wine completed the meal. Oh and the recipe?

 

 

Fry onion leeks and garlic in oil. Chop up whatever veg are available. Add to pan plus lentils and boiling water. Cook long and slow. Season to taste. Et voila!