February 2019 gave us some very different extreme weather than February 2018. Instead of battling with ‘Beast from the East’ we were out harvesting in T-shirts, enjoying the sun but at the same time, feeling that it’s not quite right. The salad leaves in the polytunnels had a growth spurt, and the week of dry weather enabled us to get more ‘muck-spreading’ done (composted horse manure and some pelleted organic chicken manure that we are trying this year due to not being able to source enough FYM).
New Season’s growing – we have taken delivery of seed potatoes, onion sets and thousands of vegetable seeds over the last week or two, ready for the new season’s crops. We’ve already got most of our seeding glasshouse full of plug trays of young plants and germinating seeds and will have to move some out to the less sheltered hardening off tunnel soon. Some early potatoes and onions will be planted as soon as ground conditions allow.
Spring crops – we have started harvesting wild garlic from Burscombe Cliff Organic Farm, Egerton, which will be in the salad bags, stir fry bags and on its own.
Fast-food squash – peel and de-seed the squash piece, then slice thinly (5mm ish) and fry (in very little oil) for 5 mins each side. Great in a sandwich, or with a leafy salad.
