November is here, bringing with it plenty of cold, rain and foggy weather. But just a few weeks ago we were enjoying some beautifully sunny days. With the evening drawing in these brighter, drier, days gave me some much needed extra time to prepare the allotment for the winter and get some ground dug before it freezes solid till spring!
Even O enjoyed getting his gloves on and helping me, luckily he is quite happy to get mucky and wet although we did have to limit our time there as it was quite chilly with the wind that whips around the corner of the mountain we are on.
Here is a little allotment update video that shows you everything we have achieved up until the beginning of October and explaining some of our plans for going forward to next year.
In the weeks since making this video we have also had our first mini harvest! I pulled up a few of the winter radishes. The outside looks a bit scabby, probably due to the lack of rain, and it looks like they have been chewed a little by the slugs but the inside is perfectly crisp and watery just how they should be. This variety is quite large, about the size of a golf ball, and can be eaten raw in salads although they are a bit hot for my liking.
They can also be eaten cooked in stirfries or even in stews in place of turnip, the heat disappears when cooked. I diced them up into really small cubes and added them to a sausage and bean casserole by browning them with the onions first to soften them a little before adding the rest of the ingredients. My kids love this casserole and it’s a really frugal recipe, I can share it with you all if you’d like.
It’s amazing how much plenty of sun, rain and a few weeks patience can do to really bring on plants. Even the onions are starting to shoot up now. We are still awaiting the garlic though.
It’s so satisfying to see the luscious greenery and thinking “I grew that”! Although after the horrendous weather we’ve had this week, I’m dreading going down over the weekend just in case none of it has survived. But if they have managed to stand up to this weeks battering winds and rain I’m sure they will cope against anything the rest of the winter will be able to throw at us!
How are you coping with the weather Storm Abigail is throwing at us?
