Thursday, 20 August 2009

Winter Harvest

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Even though in some climate, winter is not really a big season for growing vegetables, I find that the mild temperatures (1-17C) is ideal for most winter vegetables and I still manage to fill all the beds.  The only thing that I am not going to grow next year are the purple podded peas, as the yeild is just not big enough for the space it takes up.  I will replace them with snow peas, which gives a bigger crop and Ben and the dogs just love helping themselves straight from the vine!
Today, I took Kim's camera and hobbled around the garden to take some photos of the types of food that we have had the pleasure to harvest over the last few weeks here on TGOG's suburban farm.  So, this post is a bit of a photo fest.  Hope you enjoy it.
We have been harvesting the following;

Rainbow Chard in pots for humans

Black Capsicum
Tahitian Limes
Rainbow Chard for chickens (nearly 12 months old and still not gone to seed).
Masses of Lemons
More lemons
Broccoli with very few grubs.  I pick them off and give them to the chooks.  It always starts a fight!
English Spinach for cooking as salads
Savoy Cabbages, also with no grubs
Mandarins, delish.  I have them for a snack after working in the patch.
Purple Podded peas
Bok Choi.  We have eaten about 6 plants in soups, stir frys and stews.  Some went to seed yesterday so the chooks had a feast.
Winter Lettuce.  Great with home made Feta in a salad.  Rarely bitter.
And of course eggs from the girls, on average 2 a day in winter.
So here are the other things in the garden that are not quite ready for harvesting.
Crimson Broad Beans (ready in Oct/Nov)
Garlic, Elephant Leeks and Red Onions (Nov/Dec)
All Season Carrots, Parsnips (Oct/Nov)
More parsnips, carrots and lots of beetroot
Not in my garden, but certainly dear to my heart!  Told you the cheese cave was full.
What is a garden without a bit of colour.  Last year the chooks decided to eat this cyclamin plant down to the corm level, but with a bit of blood and bone and some TLC it looks beautiful.
And last but not least here is the first blossom on our plum tree.
In about a week the entire tree with be covered in these beautiful white flowers, as will most of my new fruit tree in the front orchard.  All of them have buds on them now, and I am so looking forward to sharing the photos with you all.
Even when I am not feeling well, the garden never ceases to lift my spirits!  I hope you have enjoyed the little tour, as I certainly did.
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Posted at 20:57

7 green thoughts:

  1. I'm coming to your house for dinner to eat all those yummy home grown vegies! Oh yeah...GUESS WHO IS BACK IN THE LAND OF THE LIVING? Blog is now open!

    Teena xxxx
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  2. That is such a great harvest! Lovely to have so much space to grow food through the mild winter. My balcony is crammed full but the harvest is never that large! Great stuff.
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  3. I am SO jealous. What a gorgeous garden, and all that lovely citrus. Not to mention the cheese cave!!! Drool, drool, drool.
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  4. Oh Gavin, you have made me so homesick. I still haven't got over the idea that not even the grass grows in England during the winter. Imagine not mowing the lawn from October until March. Your garden does you credit and I know it just doesn't happen on it's own.

    Your garden looks wonderful.

    Margaret
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  5. you are so lucky to be able to have a winter garden, much too cold here in Southern Ontario for a winter garden!! Also love all the citrus trees, reminds me of Florida or California.

    Gill in Canada
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  6. OK, how'd you manage capsicums in winter??
    Chard in its second year will bolt once it gets a bit of hot weather, so don't be surprised to see flower stems in late spring.
    I'll be interested to see how you find the crimson broad beans. I found they yielded about half the amount of the regular kind, so I've gone back to Aquadulce.
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  7. Thanks everyone for your lovely comments. Unfortunately it is getting a bit neglected over the last two weeks, but because we are getting a few mm of rain every two days or so, it is still growing strong. We ate most of the peas straight off the vine on Sunday afternoon and found that the dogs just love the empty pods!

    The cabbage and all the brocolli is ready to pick, and Kim harvested all the lemons yesterday. We got about 4kg, and I am looking forward to the lemon tart she is going to make tonight and the lemon curd/butter I will try and make tomorrow!

    As for capsicums in the winter, I don't know how, but they just keep growing albeit just a little smaller. And Chookie you are right about the crimson broad beans. They look pretty enough but the Aquadulce are growing much stronger!

    Gav
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