Eating from the allotment

 We popped up the allotment this evening and were amazed at how things have come on since Saturday.   So many red raspberries!  I picked a whole punnet full.

 The strawberries are still doing very well, but there are a few that have gone mouldy, too damp I think.

 This was the total pick from tonight, some new potatoes "Kestral" not eaten these before but they look lovely with the pink bits on them.  Some peas, rocket, raspberries, strawberries, dill and sweet peas.

 One of the courgette plants, needs to grow a bit more.  I think it will be a while before we see the first courgette/

 The runner beans are slowly making their way up the poles, with sweet peas growing amongst them.  I didn't get a bean until the end of July last year so still plenty of time/

 I have tried to grow sweetcorn for the last couple of years but not had much luck. I started it indoors much earlier this year and it has done well.  It is growing with calundula and borage to look pretty.

So dinner tonight was new potatoes with salad the home grown part was one (!) spring onion, radishes, lettuce, rocket and dill.  Strawberry and Rhubarb cordial to drink and Strawberry ice cream that I made earlier.  Lovely

VACENCIES

Now open! Free accommodation to all insects, bugs and other small creatures except for rats.

We have started building our insect hotel at the allotment. The bottom layer is sand with bits of roof tiles ( left over from the porch building). Then there is a layer of wood and then some cardboard tubes filled with straw and corrugated cardboard rolled up. The next layer is pine cones. On top of that is sticks and wood, some with holes drilled in the ends.

I think that we will do a couple more layers, probably some leaves and pebbles and then top it off with a roof covered in roofing felt to keep things dry.

Perfect for Mr Toad and all the rest of the slug, snail and black fly munching crowd!