An Organic Lifestyle (Organic Growing Pains)

This pic was not even taken when I began this post! I was working on the computer when I happened to glance outside ,to see my plastic greenhouse lurching over to one side.We have the remnants of hurricane Katia sweeping the country today,while it is making landfall up the west and NW coastline we are getting some strong gusts of up to 90 klm and hour. I went out to try to save the greenhouse but instead ran in for the scissors and cut off any tomatoes still on the plants as some of them had been broken and bent over.The uprights of the greenhouse had come apart so trying to set it right in this wind is a no go, time to take it down for the winter I think! The hens are staying in the comfort of the hen house just looking out, they obviously do not like getting their feathers ruffled! I had an idea to try making Piccalilli as we had lots of side shoots from our Broccoli, something which has benefited from the funny summer weather. I remembered Matron had made it last year and found the ...

I am finding it very hard to motivate myself to blog at the moment!We have come to the end of the summer season and looking back we are still waiting for it to happen.We have officially had the coldest summer on record and growing veg has been a real challenge this year. This time last year we were looking for ways to use up our tomatoes which were ripening at an alarming rate. I read a number of articles and readers letters especially in Garden News that banana skins help tomatoes to ripen, at this stage we will try anything! Some of the cooking done over the last few weeks using produce from the plot. Broad bean, chive and smoked salmon bread, lovely but very filling.Would be good for a picnic or a starter with a salad. Our cauliflowers are developing heads at last ,not very big but who's complaining?I planted 6, 2 of them had tiny heads which turned a pinkish colour, hardly from the sun?! Courgette and blue cheese soup with bacon and cheese scones. Jam making has...