Here is a round up of whats been happening on the ranch through August
A Cucumber glut
To date we have picked 72 cucumbers, they are eaten in sandwiches, made into pickles, given away, sold, fed to the goats, fed to the chickens and fed to the tortoise, I have also dehydrated some
The cut flower beds have produced gluts of Dahlias, Sweet Peas, Gladioli and Lily's, every room has had flowers including the
Ti pee when we had visitors, given bunches away and sold some.
Corn on the Cob not a glut but they have done excellent in the poly tunnel again
I have pulled 14 cobs so far and there is still a few more
roasted in the green over a fire is the best way to enjoy them
Peas once again have done well this year, so far 18lb
Unexpected crops of mushrooms from the poly tunnel were spent mushroom kits were emptied
A couple of pickings a week
The Ross Cob meat chickens are coming on great, now 16 weeks old, they spend there time free ranging the fields, we had the second one to eat, oven weight was 5lb 10oz, it served us well, with a roast dinner, rissoto, a couple of lunches and I used the last of the meat for pies, chicken and mushroom ones, the carcass was made into stock.
Tomatoes I thought I was going to loose them last week to blight, but prompt action seems to have saved them, so far we have picked 9lb
Onions have done well this year, the brown onions were taken up over the week end,
and have now joined the red and white onions on the drying rack
An unexpected addition arrived on the ranch, he has been name The Bolt, he arrived soaked through and exhausted, I popped him in a cage where he would be safe and he tucked into some food, I traced his owner in Blackburn through the numbers on his rings, he was released up into the air after two days rest, later that day he arrived back again, he now spends his days hanging about with the doves then takes himself off to bed in the barn in the evening, looks like he has decided to stay.
Departures, we sold our two young does, now 5 months old, they were collected at the week end, our first livestock sold.
That's the round up for August, lets see what September brings.
What a wonderful bountiful summer you've had Dawn! Berries soon I expect?! What do you do with dehydrated cucumber?
ReplyDeleteLove seeing everybody's successes Dawn. My toms didn't seem to be doing too well but the beef ones have come on better recently.
ReplyDeleteI love it when you get an unexpected crop, we had our Christmas potatoes in early summer, after thinking they had just not worked. Keep us informed with the racing pigeon, Bolt, hopefully for it's owner he is gaining strength for his flight home.
ReplyDeleteDawn I did read somewhere that people who breed and race Homing Pigeons are not all that bothered about having them back if they call in on anyone else and stay overnight so you are probably stuck with him.
ReplyDeleteWell done you! That is quite a haul. I read recently that cucumbers are wonderful for your body so you're lucky to have grown so many.
ReplyDeleteYour veggies look so good! I hope to be able to grow some corn in the future, we love it so much.
ReplyDeleteAn excellent round-up too. I thought if Tomatoes got Blight, that was IT. What do you do to save them?
ReplyDeleteI am glad your racing pigeon is staying as I have a feeling that if it went home, it would have its neck wrung for getting lost en route.
I didn't have anything like enough cucumbers - they did best when I had the cheapo polytunnel (the one which took flight down the valley one windy night). More air circulating I think and less humidity.
Looking forward to tomorrow.
I know what a busy time of year this is but it seems everything is coming along nicely for you :)
ReplyDeleteI enjoy what you guys are up too. This kind of clever work and
ReplyDeletereporting! Keep up the awesome works guys I've included you
guys to my personal blogroll.
Lovely catching up with you Dawn.
ReplyDeleteThe post about mint tea was brilliant. I must have a go at that-x-