Wednesday 5 September 2007

Bounty!


My in-laws are away and have told us to help ourselves to stuff from their garden, so today while Dan was mowing their lawns, I was raiding the garden!

Look what a wonderful bounty I got.

Apples, pears, runner beans, (actually, I got those a couple of days ago) a red onion (there are loads of onions and garlic drying in the greenhouse, but as I already have some, I only took one) and a couple of beetroots.

And from the greenhouse, tomatoes.


I've had a quick search to find out what the yellow ones are, and they look like they might be these.

I don't usually eat beetroot (and nobody else in the house does) as although I don't dislike it, I have to fancy it. And I've only ever eaten pickled beetroot. I hear that fresh beetroot is much nicer, so I picked these to try them out (and got royally stung in the process by nettles that were hiding from me!).

One of the apples we picked was huuuge! The tree it came from was an old tree that got broken one winter when it was blown over, severing most of it from the trunk. It looked like it had died, but a couple of years later, shoots sprung out, and now it has lots of new branches full of apples that look far too big and heavy for it. Obviously, it's had a new burst of life and is really happy. I thanked the tree, as I do whenever I take something from plants.

Just to show how big the apple is, I took a photo. Wondering what to use as a point of reference, I thought of a standard baked bean tin.

So, here it is:

A pic of the apple held in a hand would be better, but only my hands were available at the time, and I was holding the camera. But I hope you get some sense of the size.

I do love this time of year, but I do wish it didn't herald the start of the downward slope to winter.

8 comments:

Gill said...

Lucky you, I sometimes dream of having a vegetable patch but the truth is I wouldn't have the time or the inclination to do all that digging and hoeing and stuff. But nice to enjoy someone else's bounty.
Try roasted beetroot it's divine. Has a sweetness to it. Google it and you'll find some nice recipes.
G x

Gigibird said...

when you get out of the mindset of pickled beetroot it is a truly wonderful vegetable. It goes very nicely with orange and some even put it in cakes - although I think that's a step too far!
My husband hates it so I don't normally bother but as I write this I have some in my fridge:)
Lovely produce and even better for being free:)

Cranmere said...

Hi Jools. I love my vegetable patch, if you explore it (and avoid the nettles and the tigers that I'm sure lurk at the end) there is currently sweetcorn and beans and various other goodies.

Pat

Claire said...

I really miss the simple pleasure to be had of pottering around the garden, picking things you have grown. It was very much a special time for me when I stayed at my mothers' house, early in the morning, picking runner beans and tomatoes - your post brought that all back tome, so thank you

Claire

MollyKnits said...

mmm, looks lovely. I am actually in the process of clearing out some of the weeds and trees in my yard so that I can try for another garden. I get too much shade, so my veggies never get enough light.

julie said...

what a lovely load of goodies, and don't they taste better when they are for free. At the moment we don't have a veg patch but some of our french neighbours bring us things to try from their overflowing allotments. most enjoyable.

jules

weirdbunny said...

Well that was a good swap, your husband moving the lawns in return for all that harvest !

Jane said...

What a great bounty! And you didn't have to grow it.
Beetroot cubed about the size of monopoly houses and stewed till soft in a bit of butter and then deglazed with a splash of balsamic vingegar is fantastic with feta cheese or pickled walnuts,
J
x