In the garden

A productive time in the garden, I'm so glad that I did make the effort to grow things this year, not knowing if we would still be at this house or moved. (more on the renovation project in another post soon)

In the greenhouse - tomatoes, both tiny and huge beef ones

and cucumbers …...

…. lots of basil. I can feel lots of greek salads coming our way!

The crab apples are nearly ready - so soon lovely crab apple jelly.

 

Lots of damsons and Victoria plums too. I have frozen lots of plums for crumbles and pies for later in the year.

There are also loads and loads of blackberries in the hedge rows again this year, so my dog walking routes will be visiting all the good picking spots!

 and more figs on my little fig tree!!!!

 The vegetable garden is still productive, with runner beans and french beans, 

 and the butternut squash are really thriving - this one looks like an over grown courgette, but it is actually around 30cm long and about 15 cm across. I hope they all have time to ripen into that lovely buttery colour so they will store - if the weather forecast is correct we may still have some warm weather so that should help.

 I love being able to walk out into the garden and pick veg for us to eat.

Fresh from the garden...

Supper from the garden.....

 ....... and the hedgerow!

Any new recipes for courgettes welcome - this year we have a bumper crop. The hedgerows are overflowing with blackberries, so lots of crumbles and jam this year. Yum.

Bramble Jam

I really thought I had missed jam making this year as the wild fruit has been so poor and I only managed to collect enough berries to make a  crumble.

However, out with the dog, I've been gathering a few berries here and there on each walk. Then, when back at home I've been putting them in the freezer and have collected enough to make some Jam! Not a lot, as I only had 3lb's of fruit, but enough to be able to have that lovely tangy blackberry flavour on my tongue when I have toast... mmmmm

Today has been lovely, the sun has been shining and Beanie and I have been out foraging again and managed to collect a few more berries, although I think it will be the last for this year. There is definitely an autumn feel in the air now, and we have had a couple of light frosts in the mornings.

I was so surprised to see a late lamb today!

Back to the blackberries ... there are always some that you can see that are just too far out of reach. There was a lot of fruit on this patch but I think they will be left for the birds!

Have a good weekend.