Pumpkin Picking

I cannot believe it is over a week since I posted!Time spent on the allotment was working to get prepared for next year, not a lot to actually photograph!The weather has changed to wet and some very heavy winds, today has been foggy and rained some this morning, it feels like autumn now.The camera has been playing up and the one day I wanted to take photos yesterday for picking the pumpkins the batteries were flat! Zwena had hers so has kindly emailed me some for the blog.The kids had a great time tumbling the pumpkins down the bank as the big ones were much too heavy to carry!The top pic is of all the pumpkin harvest lined up ready to weigh and measure.
The kids filled 3 wheelbarrow loads to take from the bank to the tea room for weighing.There were lots of small gourds also, this year we have a lot of pumpkins whereas last year we had fewer but heavier ones.Aoife won the biggest pumpkin in the children's patch. Kevin insisted on bringing his one home, it may have not been a winner but he wanted to show his parents he was so proud of it.
One of our leeks looked as if it was going to seed so I picked all 5 which were quite big ones.I also started digging our Kerr's Pinks which have some worm damage the same as the British Queens. Aisling and myself have made Potato and leek soup yesterday and today, a hearty winter soup which could nearly be eaten with a knife and fork!It is a very simple recipe:
1 chopped onion
3 medium leeks
4 potatoes
Butter
Water or chicken/vegetable stock heated
Melt 25grms butter, soften the onion
Add chopped leeks
When they are soft add chopped potatoes,
Cover with warm stock/water and season with salt.
Bring to boil and then simmer for about 20 minutes
Blend until smooth and add stock/water to preferred consistency.
We used extra potatoes to make a really thick soup.
When cold it can be frozen and add milk when heating for a creamy soup.