Getting the Greenhouse Ready for a Survival Party

On Sunday Dan is 10 years old, a whole decade of life passed by. So we are having a survival party. Fortunately we have a large greenhouse in case it rains but  we had to spend the day tidying up. We found lots of broken glass and discovered it made a really interesting material for a small sculpture. We love living dangerously.

Chutney And Jam Day With Lovely Friends

Making Chutney and Jam can be incredibly labour intensive. But with friends around to chat to the chore becomes a pleasure.
Look at the fantastic colour of the elderberry and apple  cooking . Later we drained the fruit mixture and added sugar to make a clear jelly.  Take a peek at Wilderness Wigwam website for details of how to make elderberry syrup, elderberry and apple jelly, apple and tomato chutney and many others!

winter gardening

Over the last few weeks I have planted lots of  veggies for a winter garden.  The thought of some lovely peppery leaves, dressed beautifully  in sweet vinaigrette over the next few months is spurring me on!

I am have planted such vegetables as

• florence fennel
• rocket
• winter purslane
• giant mustard
• mizuna
• onions
• spinach
• cabbage 
• cauliflower
  
  
  
  
  
  

Elderberry Syrup

It is a hard call to make between the beauty of the elderberry and the elderflower.  The white flowers held in open umbrella shapes that adorn the tree in the spring time are followed by clusters of round black berries.
We have been told by a very sage and reliable source (Olive, over the hill!) that the taking of elderberry syrup through the winter stops the family getting any colds.
It only mid Sept and Papa Stone developed a cold. So we all marched out into the fields which are fortunately lined with plenty of elder trees and picked heaps of elderberries.
See our Website Page Home Remedy for Colds for more details of this simple and effective cure for the common cold.

Abundant Gooseberries

George in his gooseberry picking gear

I picked punnets and punnets of gooseberries on a friend's allotment.  It was totally inspiring to see how much fabulous produce he and his friend have grown this year. 
Although it was a scorching  hot day, George has his full battle gear on., long sleeves and gloves.
 My arms, in contrast, were shredded but I was rewarded with a couple of punnets of gooseberries that I have made into gooseberry crumble and gooseberry jam.
Look out for the recipes on our website.

I also loved the the sweetcorn trying to burst through the roof of the greenhouse.  Brilliant!

Raspberries

I heard a brilliant top tip for raspberries today!
I was told that raspberries which usually fruit in late summer ( called Autumn Raspberries) can be pruned differently to give  two crops, one early summer and another in autumn.
Autumn Raspberries are usually pruned in March and cut to the ground, then they grow new canes which produce new fruits that autumn.
BUT  if you don't prune them to the ground and instead cut them down to a foot or 18 inches above the ground then raspberries will grow on those shoots and be ready early summer, AND they will also grow new canes form the base which will be ready in autumn.

Raspberries are a great fruit to grow. They don't need a very fertile soil and like to sucker and make new plants. They appreciate a good mulch.
I am making a fruit garden for a friend at the moment. Look out for a page about it on the Wilderness Wigwam Website

A swimming pond

I have been looking at a swimming pond. Note, I am looking at it and the Boy Stones are swimming in it! It is a bit nippy for me.
I am fascinated by the design. It has a part  which is planted up with oxygenating plants that clean the pond and a larger part that is open, with no plants in, for swimming in. It is Brilliant. All the animals from insects to birds, small mammals and children are all benefiting.

A great idea that I would love to copy one day.