Today is the longest day marking mid way in the food gardening season.  For once I feel that I may be about on track with all my crops having got seedlings and seeds into the ground in record time compared to other years.  That is apart from my garlic which was about a month late getting into the ground and although traditionally harvested on the longest day I had to make do with just digging up a few elephant garlics whilst the main crop needs a little bit longer to fully mature.

The greenhouse is proving to be a superb hot house giving me hope for a bumper tomato crop this year.  The tomato plants have romped away and already showing off their fruits that I am tormenting myself over the whether we should eat them all whilst they are fresh or preserve some for enjoying later in the year. The sense of anticipation is growing as the plants produce their vine frameworks that will be the scaffold from which these luscious fruits will blossom.

Although I find the notion of Christmas in summer still somewhat confusing, I am excited about the prospect of a few morsels at our Christmas dinner table from our own garden.  I’d hoped for some early potatoes but alas we will made do with just a few brassicas and snow peas.  We also have no shortage of gooseberries which look to peak at the right time for a luscious christmas dessert.  At least fretting about summer vegetables for Christmas beats having to decide if we should have brussel spouts or not!

2011 12 21 001

 

 

2011 12 21 002