Feeding the inner children...

Another EXCELLENT day on the farm. To be fair, we are yet to have a bad day, but that doesn't detract from the fact that today was excellent. It was my first viewing of the potatoes, and they are looking very healthy. Potatoes were the first (and most obvious) thing we decided to plant, so their progress has always been something of a benchmark for us. Now they have started to grow, we feel we are well on our way. 

The main purpose of the trip was to plant up some of the lettuce seedlings which have been growing indoors. We selected the best ones to grow under the cloche, but as we had got so many that were looking pretty good, we also put some more outside to see how they fare, as it seemed a shame to waste them for not quite making the cut. As you will be able to see from  the plotcam, they were all thoroughly watered in and slug pelleted. (Judging by the amount of dead slugs we have, we are currently winning the war against them, but I think Operation Beer may have to be implemented soon.) Planting the seedlings was a big step. We have nurtured them so far, but they are on their own now. I suspect this is how my mum felt when I left to go to university, although I probably wouldn't have appreciated her putting a yoghurt pot around me to survive on the mean streets of York. There will be photos of Si planting them up and the new beds/cloche arrangement in the plotcam, coming later this evening, once we have had tea and are settled in front of "Indiana Jones". 

We were also able to get some photos of the new greenhouse, which is looking fab. We are still deciding about the arrangement of plants to go inside, and having to harden up the tomatoes, chillis and cucumber before they can go into it, but we still go inside on every visit because the concept of a small house appeals to our inner children. 

Alongside the new developments, some of the current allotment residents have also had a small spurt. The lettuces look fantastic, especially the lollo rosso, and we arrived to find the alpine flowers had bloomed fully (except the ones which, strangely, appear to snooze in the summer). The herb garden is not looking brilliant, I wonder if these things thrive indoors rather than out, but we will see how it develops. 

Off for a shower now, as it was quite a muddy experience after all the rain. Still, it's good for the greenhouse and the excessive dirtiness also appeals to the aforementioned inner children. I just hope Alex, who is an actual child, finds it as exciting when he visits in the next couple of weeks.

Bye for now!

B x