things as they should be

The awful cold spring, which held things back for weeks, has given way to the sort of summer we haven't seen in years. Growth is phenomenal and I'd say things are more or less where they should be. In fact, I reckon the main potato crop is ahead of last year. The Kestrels I've lifted are averaging about 3lbs per seed after 14 weeks so they should bulk up even more over the next few weeks. Had a feel of the polypots containing the Picasso and Red Cara and the tubers are pushing at the sides as if straining to get out!

'proper' sized Kestrel potatoes

In the last two days I've harvested potatoes, peas, broad beans, carrots, cabbage, beetroot, tomatoes, courgette, radishes, lettuce, spring onions, bulb onions, strawberries, gooseberries and rhubarb. Looks like a normal harvest for the time of year to me.

This is yesterday's harvest of broad beans and they were delicious. When I was watching the development of the plants in mid-May I would have said that they were three or four weeks behind but these have matured around the same time as expected.

I love beetroot as a cooked vegetable and can't understand why so many people's only experience of it is pickled in vinegar. We had these tonight with a cold chicken salad and their sweetness makes a great contrast with the sharpness of raw onion.

Changing the subject slightly, when I was in the garden this afternoon I heard the distinctive mewing call and looked up to see a pair of buzzards circling above the house.They had their attendant crows trying to scare them off but buzzards seem to have the perfect life and don't seem to be scared of much. Who wouldn't love to just fly around on thermal currents all day, expending very little energy and just dropping down every now and then to peck at some carrion. Most of the time they can't even be bothered to kill for themselves, preferring to let someone else do the dirty work then nicking the proceeds!