Setting the Vegetables ~Grow your Own~

The Kidney Beans are In, and already climbing the canes,

 

So too is the Cabbage we have since set the Red Cabbage along side, It is covered with Wire at the moment as the allotment soon has lots of Visiting Pigeons and they just love to eat new cabbage leaves..

The Sweet-corn is one of our favourites, and we had a bumper crop last year, which we froze and are just coming to the end of eating from storage in the Freezer.. Family and friends always comment on how much sweeter home grown Corn on the Cob tastes..

The Onions and Shallots have come through nicely now, and you can see the two Pea rows coming to the left of them.

I had weeded the two onion rows on the right, Next Job weeding the Shallots 3 rows..Arrgh my back aches!..

Great Idea, Go and get the chair out the the shed… Arrgh that’s Better, not so back breaking now..   

Just thought I would share How My Garden Grows! with Pretty maids All in a ROW!

Now Of course I will leave you to guess about the Pretty maid!  

Have a Great Sunday!

 

Digging of Weeds ~Grow Your Own~

Strawberries have always been my favourite fruit. there is nothing nicer than a bowl of fresh strawberries and some ice-cream, or fresh cream.

We didn’t get all that many Strawberries off our plants last year, I think we’ve neglected the strawberry beds for the last couple of years letting them spill over and get clogged up with weeds..

So my task this weekend when I went to see what needed doing in the allotment was to set too and start to weed them ..

I guess I didn’t realise what a task I had set myself, these beds run nearly the length of the width of the allotment which is 45 ft. And because the grass was so well rooted it was impossible not to disturb the plants,, So I decided to try and dig up and get as much twitch roots of grass out as I could, and then replant the new fresh shoots of plants back in..  I only managed about Half of the first square before my muscles protested. So Hubby took over,

I then replanted the strawberry runners which should produce, even though maybe not as many Strawberries for this first year. The other strawberry bed above it will get the same treatment later in the week… .

In the mean time while Hubby took over the heavy weeding I planted 3 rows of Onions and 2 rows of Shallots..

We often bottle the shallots in vinegar which is boiled and spiced as pickled onions. Which make a nice little gift to add to our bottled beetroot in any Christmas Hamper. And they are lovely used as roasted vegetables or in Hotpots or stews.

For anyone wanting a recipe of how to bottle Picked Onions .. here’s the recipe I use..

Pickled Onion Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 lb (1.4 kg) pickling onions or shallots
• 1 lb (450 g) salt
• 2½ pints (1.4 litres) water
• Approx 1 pint (570 ml) Spiced Vinegar (See recipe for Quick Spiced Vinegar)

Method:

1. Make a brine by boiling the water and salt together in a pan until all the salt has dissolved. Leave until quite cold before using.
2. Peel the onions and soak in the brine for 24 hours, using a plate or something similar to keep the onions below the surface of the brine.
3. Rinse well.
4. Pack into clean, sterilized jars and cover with cold spiced vinegar.
5. Cover and label with contents and date.

Note: Leave for a couple of months before using.  If you want a sweeter pickled onion, add a teaspoon of sugar to each jar of onions.

Quick Spiced Vinegar Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 in (50mm) stick of cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon cloves
• 2 teaspoons allspice
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon mustard seed
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 2 pints (1.1 litres) vinegar

Method:

1. Place the vinegar and the spices (tied in a muslin bag) in a heatproof basin and stand the basin over a saucepan of water.
2. Cover the basin with a plate or the flavour will be lost.
3. Bring the water in the pan to the boil and then remove it from the heat.
4. Set aside for 2 – 3 hours to allow the spices to steep in the warm vinegar.
5. Strain the vinegar and cool.

I hope you enjoyed the day with me in the Allotment?~ Sunday I think is a day of REST .. ~Sue Dreamwalker

Seeds~Communities and Co-Creation~

 

Each year we, the Dreamwalker Household  plant our Allotment with a selection of Vegetables. On the right you see the beginnings of Life. On Sunday I planted Sweet-corn, Runner Beans, Cauliflower, Cabbage, and Sprouts, and Broccoli etc. A higgledy mess at the moment in our Green house.

I am going to open up a Fresh Page called GROWING YOUR OWN. Where I hope to show the progress through out this year of our Vegetable patch in the Allotments..

Allotments are very popular here, with people who want to grow their own crops, and for those of you who have grown your own, you understand why.They taste as vegetables should taste, and you know that they haven’t been covered in herbicides.   Where I live the allotments are only a few minutes walk away, The land was donated by the Duke of Portland who designated it  as Freehold for the use of Allotments Gardens for the common man a couple of generations ago now.

Why am I starting a Page about Vegetable growing? We as a family have grown our own for a number of years since our children were small, and love our fresh vegetables and fruits such as strawberries, Raspberries, Rhubarb, Gooseberries and lots of Blackberries.. I Feel now as we are heading into our Earth Changes at speed, its important for others to start and understand how fragile our economy is, and how we can soon get caught out when things start to crumble..

We only need but see how people panic buy when the shops close for a couple of days, and while  I do not wish this post to sound negative, We have all of us got to open up our eyes more to what is taking place around this world, as the huge corporations take over crippling our rights to grow our own Food. As they( genetically modify , part 1)  (for part 2 & 3 click  links 2  and Links 3  of this story of GM Products, you will be amazed and concerned at the findings by scientists as animals die, Cancers are detected and Allergies occur as authorities  condone and endorse these products where testing has been proven to be inadequate in Soya Modified crops. )     

www.findhornimages.com

 For those who have heard of Findhorn  Foundation in Scotland  you can see how from one persons Vision a whole community and way of life was born, around sustaining themselves and eco living. It now has one of the lowest ecological footprints in the developed world and it has also gained United Nations recognition, also seeding other communities around the world as a founder member of the Global Eco-village Network. 

The reason I want you to explore Findhorn is that it is also a centre for Holistic Learning, which each year attracts Students and Seekers from around our World.~I need you to start and think again outside your boxes, As we go through our Earth changes there will come a time when our electronic systems will be of little use.. and for those who may laugh and scoff, while I wouldn’t want to have the last laugh, I would want to think I was in some way prepared!.. You need to start and rely upon your intuition more as we open up our Hearts Centres we will see communities needing to pull together once more..  We have only just begun to see the changes taking place.. As our Weather patterns alter and our Earth starts to shake us up to some truths.. 

The media are not informing us of the consequences of the Suns solar flares, or the probable volcanic eruptions which are starting now to accelerate at an alarming rate around our world. Nor are they telling us of the Military manoeuvres in the Middle East.. But again I ask you to look outside your boxes and inform yourselves, Do not ever take my word on any thing.. Question and seek your own answers..

This post while I want it to remain as positive as it can be, I also think its time now to Wake up to the many destructive forces taking place around our world.. Which many have their eyes closed to.  

I remember only in March 2010 when the Iceland volcano (Eyjafjallajökull) erupted spewing larva and ash into the air how it grounded planes.. It wasn’t long before the Fresh Vegetables and Fruits dried up in our Supermarkets as no imports were getting in from abroad via plane.. The knock on effects do not take long to overspill to the consumer who as we have only just seen here in the UK react in mad panic when told there is going to be a shortage as we have just witnessed with the Mad dash to fill up our Cars with Petrol, which all stemmed from an official government rumour.

So as I am always asking you to open your hearts and give of yourselves, as I ask you to  promote positivity and kindness which brings our communities together..I am also asking you to start and think about our modern day resources and how you would perhaps cope if suddenly you didn’t have them at your finger tips? 

Getting in touch with Nature, just planting a few flower seeds is a start.. We have to start and look at the teachings of our Native American Indian Brothers once again as we connect back to Mother Earth helping her and ourselves to heal..

So I will leave you with this quote..

Lakota Instructions for Living

Friend do it this way – that is,
whatever you do in life,
do the very best you can
with both your heart and mind.

~
And if you do it that way,
the Power Of The Universe
will come to your assistance,
if your heart and mind are in Unity.

~
When one sits in the Hoop Of The People,
one must be responsible because
All of Creation is related.
And the hurt of one is the hurt of all.
And the honor of one is the honor of all.

~
And whatever we do effects everything in the universe.
If you do it that way – that is,
if you truly join your heart and mind
as One – whatever you ask for,
that’s the Way It’s Going To Be.

~
Passed down from White Buffalo Calf Woman

© Sue Dreamwalker – 2012 All rights reserved.

Garden of Thought

Today I sat within my Garden enjoying a beautiful relaxing Sunday in the Sun.. I picked up a book, but was so taken with what was happening around my garden.. I picked up my pen and the result is what you see below..

Within my garden with quiet mind

Profuse with colour I sit reclined

I watch clouds their shapes do shift

As within my mind I gently drift

I watch the Bee in Foxglove bed

And Marvel at their trumpet head

A sparrow chirps as young they feed

While fountain bubbles in pond with reed

 

My Book put down as I admire

All that nature gives this hour

Grass so green and poppies red

Sky so blue, I shake my head

 

For this moment is all I seek

As conscious thought in unity greets

My heaven on Earth is held in time

As I grab my pen to create this Rhyme

 

Oneness is all I feel

As into my garden I gaze surreal

Tranquil thoughts as nature Blends

My thoughts of Peace are what I send

 

Gratitude in colours untold

All within my garden hold

So thank you my garden for this quiet time

As I watch the clouds as I recline..

 

© Sue Dreamwalker 2011 All rights reserved.