New Bits and Bobs No 13

[glallotments]

It's arrived in West Yorks Clive - it's horrendous here!!!

[oldherbaceous]

I suppose that's one benefit of our heavy clay, it would take an awfully strong wind to blow it very far.

[oldherbaceous]

Those wonderful Autumn colours, just marvellous, get out there and enjoy them.

[alan refail]

Morning OH

Enjoyed them yesterday - beautiful sunny day after a frosty start (first of the year). Less chance today with 100% cloud cover at the moment and drizzle forecast

[alan refail]

Wonderful dinner last night.

First of this season's cockerels - five months old - killed last Thursday - plucked while warm and hung long-legged for three days - drawn yesterday afternoon - into the oven and roasted plain for an hour and three quarters (he did weigh four and a half pounds dressed weight).
Tender as any bird I have ever eaten and a lot tastier even than our own of previous years. Served with steamed French beans from my late July sowing and sage and onion stuffing and gravy on the side. Heaven!
And there's still three quarters of him to eat.

[oldherbaceous]

Morning Alan, i don't suppose life gets a lot better than that.
Unless one is a vegertarian of course.

I know the last outdoor reared Cockerel i had, was totally different to anything shop bought.

[alan refail]

Unless one is a vegertarian of course.

They could just have had extra beans - they were delicious too

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Alan, how rude of me to miss that, and as for the gravy and stuffing, well i bet it was...........

[Primrose]

(Unless one is a vegetarian of course.)
Or unless you're the poor cockerel!

There is undoubtedly something very satisfying about eating the results of your home-grown or home reared produce. Quite apart from any money you may have saved, there's the satisfaction of knowing you still have some control over your own existence in these days when we all increasingly seem to depend on others for supplying most of our day-to-day needs.

[oldherbaceous]

I have just discovered that i finally appreciate classical music, after all these years.
I hope that doesn't mean i'm going to have to be sensible now.
I must say i'm little concerned.

[alan refail]

I have just discovered that i finally appreciate classical music, after all these years.
I hope that doesn't mean i'm going to have to be sensible now.
I must say i'm little concerned.

Probably

[oldherbaceous]

Thank-you for your much needed support Alan, you're always there when i need someone.

[Monika]

I am not sure I could eat an animal I have looked after! We kept rabbits during the war to supplement our meagre rations and I could never eat them when they were killed. In fact, it still turns my stomach to smell cooked rabbits now, more than 60 years on!

Funny that I never feel like that about the poor little carrots, sprouts, parsnips ... ... ... ...

[alan refail]

Hi Monika

I think I am happier eating a bird I have raised and killed than ones from elsewhere. I know they have been raised with respect, killed with respect and certainly eaten with due appreciation. Two more into the freezer tomorrow.

[lizzie]

The autumn has arrived in the village of Liverpool. It's a bit nippy and the wind is getting up a bit (no Herby, not mine) The plot is looking not too bad. Am still emptying out the compost bin and sieving it shovel by shovel, but will be a good job done. And then I can build a new compost bin over the winter. Just got a bit of digging to do, grease up the fruit trees, plant some bulbs and clear out the greenhouse. Plus, collect up the sweet pea seeds, cos those plants did me proud this year.

Have got a tayberry that needs moving but just not sure where too. It takes up such a lot of space, it may be best to just not bother with it cos it needs so much staking.

I'm looking forward to chilly days on the plot with Grockie, hot chocolate in hand a a nice fire to keep us warm.

Fabulous