The highs and lows of growing your own dinner 2015

Happygreen

unrecordings wrote: »

It's my first attempt at this, and there's only vague information out there (that I've found so far)

I've started with 400ml of vodka to 8 wheels of woodruff leaves
Wash the leaves if necessary and pat dry
Remove leaves from the stalk (the stalk will add a bitter taste)
Use the upper leaves only and beware the dangers of adding too many leaves the Coumarin in them is toxic in high doses

Let it steep for a few days, sloshing the jar around every so often

Strain out the leaves (& bits) and drink - no need to let it sit for three months

That's the theory anyway

http://www.danish-schnapps-recipes.com/sweet-woodruff.html
http://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes/miscellaneous/fetch-recipe.php?rid=misc-sweet-woodruff-schnapps

Thank you! Although I hardly drink these days for health and weight reasons I was going to buy some vodka to make advocaat (as a treat) and herb tinctures... I'm looking forward to this new one!

Dizzy_Ditzy

I had an allotment delivery today.....




Four hours it took to get shifted, with help from five different people at times.

I told the helpers that they could help themselves. Helps keep em sweet :cool:

unrecordings

Happygreen wrote: »

Thank you! Although I hardly drink these days for health and weight reasons I was going to buy some vodka to make advocaat (as a treat) and herb tinctures... I'm looking forward to this new one!

Just strained and bottled it. A little bit astringent for my liking but the resident expert gives it the thumbs up

Meanwhile away from the drinks cabinet. Looks like potatoes are sprouting above ground, and this weekend I'll be picking rhubarb and some brocolli

zafiro1984

queen_of_cheap wrote: »

I don't know about that method Zafiro, but my maincroppers are going in in hills this time. Previously i have just planted them flat but I saw others at one of my sites doing them in hills and figured if it was good enough for them...

My way of thinking is that when the time comes, I won't have to do much foraging for the potatoes, just flatten the hills.

Time will tell :cool:

queen of cheap:- thanks for your input, however I have just done one bed of 'No dig method' so like you I will see what happens. The reason being I didn't think my back or knees would stand up to much digging. Just two more beds to do this way.

Love your delivery - your allotment all looks very tidy, quite jealous. i think I'd better spend time tidying mine, it's that paths that are a mess as I've concentrated on the beds so far this year.

So far I've sown or planted early carrots, parsnips, early potatoes and the I'm doing the main ones at the moment, onion sets, garlic.

Already planted (some years ago) and will give a harvest this year, blackcurrents, blackberries, chestnuts, hazel nuts, medlars, apples, rosehips and some strawberries but that bed has to be cleared later.

In pots and waiting to go in 6 blueberry bushes, 36 raspberries, 10 rhubarb, 60 new strawberries.

In the greenhouse with some panes of glass missing, a miserable brussel sprout, a similar cabbage, one tomato, however, the leeks, lettuces and shallots are doing well. I think I'll re-sow the tomatoes etc on a heat mat in the house before it's too late.
The farmer next door has just put his sweetcorn in last weekend so it's time to start mine off.

Ballast and cement was delivered earlier this week but hubby hasn't had time to do anymore foundations for the polytunnel - here's hoping but the weather looks miserable today.

I'm thinking about lighting the woodburner again - Enjoy your weekend

Dizzy_Ditzy

Sadly Zafiro, that pic is just at the gate my plot is about 100 metres behind me. I managed to clock up almost 6 miles yesterday shifting that lot! :eek:

I'm just in the process of sorting out some before and current pics which I'll get posted once I've done it

unrecordings

Lots of tidying up today in brilliant sunshine. Found a lonely Victoria Rhubarb at a garden centre which filled the final place in my rhubarb bed, and another Vietnamese Coriander (the last one died a slow death I'm afraid). Picked some sorrel (and vietnamese coriander) to go in a noodle soup

Kantankrus_Mare

Could do with all your expert opinions.

I try to grow carrots every year without much success. After eating some totally tasteless supermarket carrots for dinner yesterday, I need to make growing carrots work.

I think my problem is that I have clay soil which hinders the growth of the carrot.

I have an old bath in the corner next to my shed that has some old rain water and weeds in it.

I took the lid off one of my compost bins and there is quite a bit of lovely crumbly homemade compost..

Got me thinking........if I emptied the bath out and filled it with said compost.......do you think I might have some success with growing carrots in it?

Its not in full sun but gets sun part way through the day.

I could always move it if carrots need full sun.

What do you think.?

Kantankrus_Mare

Hmm. Just been doing some research and home made compost is not advisable for carrots.
A mix of soil and sand is recommended so will have a rethink.

Didnt really want to spend any money.

Dizzy_Ditzy

I've got carrots in bog standard multipurpose compost. I *think* there might be some sand in it too

safestored4

Highs and Lows - Picked our first new potatoes on Saturday and Sunday (variety Swift) from tubs planted up in the greenhouse at the end of January and moved outside a couple of weeks ago. Hit by frost last night, (we never normally get this on the Lancashire coast at this time of year). Sods Law strikes again!