Back to Plot After 4 Weeks!

Oh lordy bless us all but that was a bloomin' terrible bout of the flu and depression and bad weather which all added up to a month (a month!) away from the hard graft of the plots. Andrew had visited often to harvest (plenty of beans and courgettes and even sweetcorn cobs) but really it was never more than that.
So this is what I was confronted with on Saturday morning, but to be honest I thought it would be worse; the sun was shining and there wasn't another person in our field so it wasn't that awful :)

Andrew needed to get a few supplies and so as he quickly ran away again (haha), I cut the grass and started into the leek bed which was coming down with thistle, dandelion and nettle seedlings. I got all those blighters out and more besides using my wooden board, my trusty trowel and a dutch hoe.
It's a real shame these grass cutting photos don't show off the work better, it's the shadow from the netting that ruins it. Oh and say goodbye to the marigolds, there wasn't a leaf between all those flowers and the stems were burnt to a crisp.

So when Andrew came back I was lost amongst the leeks and had my headphones on = jumpy moment :) He had gotten his gardening bits and bobs but also a new lead for Maggie. With this one we were finally giving her more freedom with a stake in the ground and two leads linked together so she could have a wee run. Her training has been a little too good though, haha, she just sits there beside the shed as always and doesn't move. I hope to change that though.

Andrew's big job for the afternoon was clearing out the broad beans and then getting excited and rearranging the compost bins. I swear this man is in love with compost! From three bays and a black bin we now have two and the black bin. He seems very happy and who am I to take that from him? It looks delightful, unnecessary maybe to it that day, but hey....

Here is the kale for winter looking super at the moment; the birds aren't getting to it and there aren't any caterpillars in there either - hurrah!! for now. Our broccoli has suffered though as we used this very netting system over them and though the birds couldn't get in, there were caterpillars galore in there already and they have destroyed most of the leaves (though I have hope the plants will recover). Bum, you try to stop one predator from stealing your food and another gets a free ride!!

But the happiest thing of all is the harvest right? Here is just some of what we took home. I had wimped out by this stage and was sleeping on my feet - it was the first physical work I'd done since the flu ended. So I got these few items photographed then took myself and Maggie to the car. Andrew also brought a big bag of courgettes, blue dwarf french beans and what I think could be the penultimate harvest of french beans.

Love and Hugs for another day.
Tomorrow is a fun post about an adult beverage you could get out there and make for yourself too if you hurry ;)
Carrie xx