Frosts and Parsnips

FINALLY. I did it – I got out there and have done something constructive on the Smallest Smallholding. And quite a lot for me over the past few days. I’ve been digging out new borders – including the removal of about a gazillion tonnes of bindweed, bramble and nettle roots – done a ‘poo run’ of hen crap before I mowed (high cut on Joe Swail’s advice), more clearing up apples and leaves, more digging out another border, more clearing up apples, and even more collecting of leaves for my leaf mould. I’ve just taken some old compost bags, punched some holes in and bunged in all the leaves from the damson, crab apple and plum trees. I’m still expecting there to be a lot more leaf collecting to do, as each time I rake it all up and I’m sitting with a cup of hot blackcurrant in my hands, admiring my handiwork and how neat everything looks, whoosh comes a strong breezy gust. Cue a steady fluttering stream of leaves falling from the heavens. Cue sigh from me.

It just seems to be that time of year, everything seems to be some sort of messy half-mode – the pyrancanthus berries look positively anaemic as they’re not quite ripe yet, and the borage, roses and cosmos are still hanging on in there, not nearly finished for the season but not looking their best either. The wasps are still busy in their nest, drowsy yet somehow still appearing far too hyperactive, and there are bees dropping by everywhere. Rich took a few pics of a somewhat lethargic bee that had decided to take a breather on the garden gate post. As he went to get the camera, Rich also decided that the bee needed a quick pick-me-up, and returned with not only his camera, but a tissue soaked in sugary solution. We were both stood out there for a good while feeding this bee with a sugary tissue, pot of sugar and water, and a stick (click the image and you’ll see in good detail, the tongue was amazing). “I think we’re both insane” Rich quipped. I agreed and shrugged my shoulders. Incidentally, said bee lapped up the sugary treat and buzzed off, thoroughly rejuvenated. Job done!

This weekend I had also been waiting for the frosts to come. A slightly crispy ground underfoot was enough to get me digging for victory in the veg patch. I whipped 5 or so parsnips out of the ground – my very first parsnips I’ve ever grown ever ever ever. I had chosen to grow Excalibur variety and I was pretty damned chuffed with the results, being a ‘snip novice. My digging produced ‘snips that consisted of at least a good foot of meaty parsnipness, plus another foot or so of root, and they smelt absolutely divine. So I took them in, cleaned them off and proceeded to turn them into a very tasty curried parsnip soup, half of which is now sitting in my grandmother’s fridge, on account of the fact that I still can’t get my portion sizes right. This Sunday we’ll have roasted ‘snips too, can’t wait. Next year I’ll have to at least double the crop that I want to put out – I’ll probably grow Excalibur again and perhaps another variety to compare.

Well I still have an swful lot to do – never did get round to sowing my agricultural mustard, although I might wing it anyway and see what happens. Hell, the grass seems to grow pretty much all winter these days so I don’t see why my mustard won’t. Also got to clear out one of the beds and (carefully) whack all the garlic and super early Radar onions in too. Then there’s all the bulbs to make the Smallest Smallholding look pretty that still have to go under the hedges. Oh, and the cabbages. Now there’s a story for next time…