Saturday 1 August 2009

From soil to plate.

There's something deeply satisfying about growing your own veg. Just pop down the garden, dig a few spuds and cadge a few carrots from your nice neighbour (thanks John). Next it was time to harvest the first of our Runner Bean crop........of course I tried to enlist the help of our favourite feline friend....the well named Flopadom (we hardly use her proper name of Poppy now) (-: She didn't seem too interested in picking up the secateurs with her paws though ......way too comfy flopped there on Chris's woodpile!Next it was the 'arnt I cute' pose.................then it was the 'I'm just toooooooo tired' pose. She'd obviously had a hard day birdwatching I guess! She nearly succeeded in pushing the secateurs off the woodpile.Time for me to get cutting Runner Beans while Poppy and Chris's noses got acquainted! (-:As you can see, they've grown alot in just a few weeks. Not as many flowers on as I would like, but we'll make the most of what we've got. I resist buying this vegetable from the supermarket as they are usually quite limp and they tend to have been grown and exported from somewhere like Kenya! Hardly very environmentally friendly! This is enough for a good sized meal for two of us, plus a few left over for the next meal.I like preparing Runner Beans, it's kind of therapeutic. Some of these will go in a bag in the fridge for the next day.Et voila! The New Potatoes and Runner Beans were from our garden, the carrots from John next door and the gammon was donated by a very tasty pig. Thanks pig! I managed to get out for an hour or so yesterday to my local nature reserve so my next post will be back to nature. (-:

12 comments:

Kelly said...

Yum!!! I'm getting ready to expand my garden. I want to add Common Milkweed for the butterflies, but I think I'm going to add green beans for us. You've inspired me. Next year at this time I hope I'm harvesting beans as well.

John said...

You cannot beat home grown Fruit and Veg, you can taste the difference. The dinner looked delish, hope you have plenty to go round...yum yum.
John

Jenny said...

Hi Kelly, is Common Milkweed mainly for the Monarch butterfly? Right, this time next year, I shall look out for a post on the harvesting of your green beans! (-:

Hi John, you're so right, the taste is just completely different from shop bought....specially carrots and tomatoes. I have limited space for veg, but really enjoy growing what I'm able.

Mary said...

I think that Poppy has the right attitude about vegetable gardening :-) I had to grow so many as a child and didn't even like many of them, that I swore off having a garden of my own as an adult. I'll happily eat someone else's. However, they look wonderful and that dinner makes my hungry!

Kelly said...

Jenny....Common Milkweed is the host plant for the Monarch, but lots of other butterflies around here like to nectar from it.

Rural Rambler said...

Well Jenny first off Congratulations on the award! How cool is that?!

And then, well, just yum! I suppose it wouldn't surprise you if I said I wish I was there sharing your bounty. Looks wonderful, tasty and healthy. Also would not surprise you to say that I would love to huggle Poppy/Flopadom until she, um, squealed, purred, or gave me a piece of her mind.

Secateurs, interesting. We call them clippers here or pruners and when we can't think of either of those names CH and I call them thingamajigs :)

And before this turns into a novel I just have to say the photo with Chris and Poppy Cat nose to nose up close and personal is way too cute!!!

Eve said...

That looks SO GOOD Jenny Wren! Yep me too, I'm planning on harvesting veggies soon enough. My growing season has expanded quite a bit my dear. Your din looks delish! The Flopmister has mastered the art of flop for sure.
Looking forward to your nature walk as well.

Anonymous said...

Those Runners look just lovely and scrumptious Jen.

Jenny said...

Hi Mary, I guess if you were forced to grow veg when you were younger,that would put anyone off!

Hi Kelly, that's good to know.

Hi RR, first off...thanks! Very cool. You'd be welcome to pop over for a dins anytime! Flopadom would not squeal or give you a piece of her mind, but she would purr her head off! She likes a bit of fuss..well alot of fuss!
Not sure where the word Secateurs comes from, sounds vaguely french I guess. I like to use the word 'doopry' when I can't think what the word I want is...which is OFTEN!!! (-: I don't know if you clicked that photo of Chris and Poppy to enlarge it, but you can see their noses much better then.

Hi Evie, can't wait to hear about what you can grow there. Is there a posting about it in the offing? Just wondering.....

Hi Roy, one of my fav veggies, specially with a bit of butter on.

Quiet Paths said...

I really loved this mini documentary. It looks delicious! What a sweet little garden. Do many people in your area grow a bit of garden, Jenny? Here in my neighborhood I believe I am the only one on the block who has a garden.

Quiet Paths said...

PS: Poppy is still SO adorable!

Jenny said...

Hi Christine, well for sure I know my nice neighbour grows veg in his garden, but I'm not aware of any others along my road. Most gardens are pretty well fenced in so it's hard to be nosey! (-: