Break in at the Allotment

Yes ! we had a break in. Lucky for me that my shed is facing a road and is overlooked by some houses opposite, and the road is lit as well so I escaped the thieves this time.  I do really feel for my fellow plot-holders who had their sheds broken into though,  One chap had a £300 rotovator stolen and he is gutted as anyone would be. The perpetrators cut a huge hole in the wire fence at the back of the allotments and just climbed in and helped themselves to larger equipment and left decent tools still in the sheds.

They obviously knew what they wanted as apart from damaging and forcing locks and breaking shed windows they didn't trash anything in the sheds and never took garden tools, camping stoves and kettles. They also stole a couple of wheelbarrows. I personally think a child or small person helped them as the windows aren't that big and some sheds didn't have the doors forced but had things taken from the other side of the shed, so someone small had to have climbed in to get to it. My friend lost her strimmer that way.
It's all very unsettling. I hate this time of year on the allotment at the best of times. I hate the mess, the leaves ( yes I know they make lovely leaf mould !) the mud, decaying plants , you get the picture ! OH what a misery I am today, so I will cheer myself up with a few photo's.

I hope you all have a lovely week-end, and next post will be a happy one promise !!

A Taste of Autumn at RHS Wisley

On Friday we went to the Autumn festival at RHS Wisley. It wasn't as good as I expected it to be, but it was a lovely sunny day and the grounds at Wisley were showing all the beautiful  autumnal colours, and also  signs of the severe frosts we had recently, lots of plants were blackened by the frost just as mine were at home in the garden, especially my dahlias which have now all been lifted and drying off to store over winter.

It was heaven there for 'Foodies' as most of the stalls were food. There was cheeses, pickles, jams, wine, cordials, oils, and lot's more, all delicious (well I had to have a free taster !!) and not the usual supermarket buys. I'm not sure I would go again, but as we were passing to go to my son's anyway we thought we would go and see what the festival was like.

We visit Wisley often as I am a member of the RHS and I do love it there.  The shop and garden centre are both so good with lots of wonderful gift ideas at this time of year. The restaurants ( there are a couple of them) are also very good value and the portions are very generous.



There were lots of apples



Stripey English Apples, I have never seen these before !!

Beautiful Seeds

Fabulous Pumpkins, some I've never seen before and now want to grow next year



Chillies and Onions





Beautiful Chard

 

Lovely Pink berries



Globe artichokes, these are on my 'must grow next year' list.



Some advice from RHS on how to grow artichokes

Parsnips, Chillies and Soup

I think I have whats known as a GLUT of chillies, so help ! apart from drying and storing and of course cooking with some, what do all you peeps do with your chillies, suggestions please.



Then there's the Parsnips, I know that you are supposed to wait until a frost to sweeten them and get the best taste, but honestly they are so large and the roots so far down, it took two of  us to dig them up, and it was tough going, so I think cold soil would make thing even harder.  I have left lots in the ground, but decide to dig some up now.

They wouldn't get any prizes for looks, but my goodness they are tasty, so into a soup they went. I was into one of my experimenting soup making moods. This is what I made and it is delicious. I often forget to write down my experiments in soup making, so this one has been written down and posted on my crafts and recipe blog here so if you want the recipe follow the link.

http://allotmentheavencraftsandrecipes.blogspot.com/

And here is a photo of the soup which is 'Curried Squash, parsnip and courgette' YUMMY !!!

 

A photo for Prospero

Whilst in Crouch End, London, a couple of weeks ago I saw this old book shop and thought of a blogger friend who goes by the name of  Prospero so I took this photo and said I would post it. Apparently it's a bit of a cult book shop for the local 'intellectuals' and even sells it's own (with name on) calico bag which people who use the shop carry around (so I have been told !) I saw the said bags hanging in the window, but didn't see anyone carrying one !! so I just have to take my sources word for it !!

So this photo is for you Prospero.