Vivi's Kitchen Garden

It’s finally time to make like a pirate and go digging for buried treasure – time to harvest the main-crop potatoes. Other plot holders on my site have had very disappointing harvests (lots of damage from slugs and wire-worm) so I’m holding my breath somewhat….

After too many days of rain there is finally a break in the weather and an opportunity to race down to the garden to do some harvesting. The squash harvest is always one of my favourite days in the garden year but this year my expectations are low……it hasn’t been the best year for them. Will I get even half of the harvest I had last year?

It’s time to harvest the chickpeas……on closer inspection it looks like I should have harvested a couple of weeks ago! I also check in on my dried beans….those I am saving for seed and the ones for eating over the winter.

During a break in all the rain we’ve been having I dash out to the garden to do some more harvesting and start to think about protecting some of the more delicate plants from the cold to come.

The weather has suddenly changed…..the air is much colder and there’s a dampness to each day…..it signals the time to get on with the autumn jobs. It will be one of the busiest months of the year for me and I can’t wait to get stuck in.

This year is going too quickly! The kitchen garden is fading fast now but there is still so much food and fun to be had…..here it is at the beginning of October.

The weather is certainly changing and with a whole week of rain forecast I make the most of a clear morning to begin to harvest beans which will be stored dry over the coming months.

Another month has whizzed by…..and life seems to get busier by the day. It was great to end the month on a high by visiting the RHS Autumn Show at Malvern with friends….it was a wonderful day full of agricultural machinery, rural crafts, beautiful flowers & veggies…….friends and fun.

Hmmmm, what to do with the Achocha harvest……I take the plunge and have a go at cooking with a vegetable completely new to me. I literally had no idea when to harvest it, what to look for or how to cook it…..so I flew by the seat of my pants. How did it turn out? Tune in to see.