Beans are over and done, as are tomatoes (useless). Leeks and spuds are fine as are brassicas.

and...

WE ARE GETTING CHICKENS in the new year.

Husband has recently been diagnosed with M.E. so have not had much chance to blog.

As an experiment to ease his symptoms we are switching to organic foods where possible and ecover household stuff. There may be a link between fatigue and chemical sensitivities. Just ask my cousin crippled by Organophosphate poisoning!

Yule spuds are growing well but beans are all over. Should I get a couple of good days after our trip to Wales (if Wales hasn't totally been washed away) then I will be autumn sowing broad beans and peas.

Before that however, we have housing association man coming to check of we can have chickens. There shouldn't be a problem, but they have to check.. Then after hols we can plan what breeds and how many. No more than 6 I think. I am after at least 2 cream legbar (they lay blue eggs), a couple of sussex and maybe a couple of wyandotte. To start with though I may just go for 2 breed and 4 mongrels as breed birds can be a bit pricey for 18 week olds.

 On good days that will get us half dozen eggs a day will have to try and flog them to the neighbours. Would never get away with flogging them to Tara, she works in an egg packing factory so never pays for hers!

So pic below shows last of teh broad beans, some of the runners beans and the carrots harvested today.

In the meantime I have taken pics of the jam I made.

So, now the weather is a little better I can finally plant up the herb pot and plant the spuds. My kale plants arrived too which is a pain as I also have to dig somewhere for them. BUT a-haaaa I have an idea.

Cardboard fruit box from supermarket, bricks, environmesh and compost.

Put box where planting is to take place, put bricks around it as a temporary raised bed. Fill with compost and plant up...voila, quick and no digging (just as I like it.)

Spud planters...old pine toy crate, paper rice bags (from Tilda basmati rice 10kg), compost and spuds.

Line pine toy crate with paper (so compost doesn't fall out the sides), fill with compost and plant spuds.

Oh yesterday made 3 jars strawberry and 3 jars raspberry jam. Wondering what jam I can make next. Although am embarrassed to say that some of the fruit was not home grown due to excess of rain and no fruit cages!

But the rain...jesh it's been raining. Thor's been banging that hammer around too, much to the kids disgust. We now have gales. HELLO...This is AUGUST not NOVEMBER!!!!

I have to try and build my yule spud container today and somehow organise somewhere to plant the kale and purple sprouting that arrived yesterday...all in the peeing rain.