Abundance of Produce
Hello Everyone,
Bob and I hope you are all very well. I will repeat myself…yet another busy week. The month of June is a really special time. It is the first month of Summer and gardens show the best they have to offer. Flowers, leaves and fruits of plants all at their optimum beauty. The longer days provide an extension to the number of working hours for myself, particularly when the sun shines. I do enjoy gardening in the late afternoon. This is when the Crew have left and the Farm takes on a calm and quiet atmosphere.
The Farm
We have all been extremely patient, waiting for the sweet taste of red Strawberries. They are arriving and the next six weeks will be the height of our Strawberry Season. We have been sampling the first ripe fruits and I can see boxes of Strawberries will be going to the kitchen for preserving.
Rhubarb has already been made into jam and jars will be available in the coming weeks. Yep! Keeping reading future Journals for exciting news and information regarding our new and improved Freyja Chefs Box’s.
Lots of tasks completed this week:
All the grass has been cut. We keep the grass cut as best we can, especially as the long grasses and flowers come into seed. We do want to reduce the opportunity for these seeds to enter the growing areas. However, the Orchard looks amazing during this month with an abundance of buttercups creating a massive yellow tuft. It will soon take on a red hue. We do make a wiggly path through the Orchard for walking and a race track for the Grandsons to run along.
The Sugar Snap Peas have been planted out into a polytunnel. These should be available once the Peas, which are podding, come to an end.
The Runner Beans and Edamame Beans are also in a tunnel now. We do try to make a system of ‘succession planting’. This should ensure a continuous variety of similar, seasonal vegetables.
The usual watering and tending was completed.
A huge amount of harvesting for the restaurant’s kitchens was required with many vegetables requiring a good tidy, for instance the Garlic, Spring Onions and Kohlrabi.
The paths between the inside growing Asparagus raised beds have been removed and replaced with a cleaner woodchip path. The old path was a mixture of pebbles and weeds which was becoming out of hand. The woodchip looks very fresh. Good job Hugh.
Hugh came to volunteer to test the water…did he want to work here? Were we all a good match for one another. The answer was a big Yes! Hugh is here for two days a week and has slotted in really well. Another willing worker to add to Lucy and Graham. They are now three. Welcome Hugh.
The Walled Garden
Tomorrow we are four weeks away from GDay. That is the day the Greenhouse begins to be erected. Yay!!!
The Trees and Fruit Bushes have all had a good water. Mother Nature provided some and the tap and hose a bit more. We have learned our lesson that the Walled Garden will need that extra touch of H2O as higher temperatures occur within the garden.
Any large weeds are still being removed to reduce the growth of these unwanted plants. We know we will not stop the growth but we will have a good go at reducing the blighters.
Little more progress has been established but we can’t wait to get going after the Greenhouse project is complete.
The YouTube Channel
Ben the photographer has taken some great photos which will be made available for the future. Glen the film guy was on the Farm last Thursday. His films will be on YouTube from today and other films in the coming weeks. You may be happy to know that I am making a guest appearance on today’s episode. I can safely say that I am not a natural for the ‘big screen’. I have given it a go…enjoy! You will see me cutting the path through our Orchard and enthusing about this glorious month.
These few weeks of pre and post the Summer Solstice provide such great light and atmosphere. Please take the time to enjoy and celebrate. Look, listen and feel the days because they soon pass and you will have to wait a whole year to experience this perfect time.
Take care till next week,
Ann
