Tuesday 16 June 2020

Lockdown Day 85 - Allotment and prepping update

Another day in lockdown, another trip to the allotment. Whilst some seem to think that COVID-19 is all over, we are still being very careful. One trip a week to get shopping (with only a quick visit at another time if we forget something or need to get some gluten free products which aren't available in the stores we usually go in), still making sure any trips out for exercise are socially distanced, still keeping up stringent hygiene. A lot of other people are getting careless despite there still being lots of cases and indeed deaths from this virus.

Over the past few days I have done an audit of our finances. I already knew we are in a good position (I feel very sorry for those who aren't and we do our bit to support the vulnerable in our society) but it is good practice to do a check once in a while as bills and costs do go up over time, and unexpected costs can arise. I also have done an audit of what started a couple of years ago as our "Brexit Box", our store cupboard in case of disruption to groceries. The panic buying that happened at the start of the lockdown here in the UK emptied the shelves very quickly but as we had some backup supplies of staple foods, tinned fruit, vegetables, fish and meat in the freezer (and indeed toilet roll from Who Gives a Crap - ethical supplier!) we had no issues. The only thing we were short of was gluten free pasta and we eroded our dried bean stock quickly, so these are things which we are rectifying for the future. We've planted out about forty borlotti bean plants so far and have another thirty or so to go out, and we have stocked up with some tinned butter beans, pinto beans and red kidney beans.

There still remains significant risk from a second wave of coronavirus and indeed the risk of no-deal Brexit disruption to some food supplies at the end of the year and it is as well to be prepared for any sort of disruption whether this be caused by human factors or nature.


Our mini sweetcorn (the ones you put in Chinese dishes) and coming on well and with about forth plants and two or three cobs per plant there's plenty for the freezer. 


We've done really well with the brassicas this year and we've got some calabrese ready to eat now. There's also broccoli, cauliflowers and cabbage here. 


It will soon be time to harvest the first new potatoes, those are the ones at the rear of the photograph near the blackcurrants. Supposed to be twelve weeks from planting but I always give them a bit longer to avoid having pea sized ones! There's Red Duke of York and Cara in this patch.


This is part of the radish patch, and these are one vegetable it is wise to plant in small batches but often, there is a limit to how many radishes one can eat in one go! 

Another job done yesterday was trimming the hedge in the garden - it is only a low one which birds do not nest in and we were struggling to get up the garden path as it has overgrown quite considerably! Watering again after a few dry days too. 

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