A Story about the "Farmers" who live in the garden ;)

[veggiechicken]

Are you sitting comfortably?
This is another exciting Chapter in the Story about Life in the Garden/Plot.

Chapter 1 was about the Little Shop that provides us with fruit, veg, flowers and other commodities. https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...den_90914.html

How many of you have wondered who the Farmers are, who grow these crops to stock the Shop? Perhaps you've met them?

I've been doing some door-to-door enquiries locally and have met some of the rather secretive Farmers who live in my Garden. They're not fond of publicity and prefer to stay out of the limelight but they agreed to be interviewed as long as there were no photos.

Today, I met Bert and Betty Berry who farm Plot 2. Their speciality is soft fruit, Blackcurrants and Jostaberries. I gave them a hand today, clearing some of the old raspberry canes and cutting back the fruit bushes ready for next year. Bert and Betty are getting on a bit and some of their fruit bushes were as gnarled as Bert's fingers. They seemed grateful for a hand with the pruning and hope to be able to provide some soft fruit for the Shop next summer.
I'll pop in again in a few weeks to see that they're OK.

Have you met any of your "Farmers"? They're out there, you just need to look for them.

[Baldy]

uh

https://media.giphy.com/media/26ufcC...zO8w/giphy.gif

ok

[veggiechicken]

Not that sort of Farm, Baldy.

[veggiechicken]

I spent the morning with my nearest neighbours, the Greens and their extended family. They're always very welcoming, especially when it cold or raining.
George and Georgina live in the largest of the Green's houses, George's father, Gerald, known as Old Man Green lives nearby; he taught George all he knew about growing tomatoes. Between them both, they keep the Little Shop well stocked with tomatoes throughout the summer.
Old Man Green is in charge of the China Garden, this year, growing Oriental veg for the customer who likes to try something different. He told me what he was growing but the names were all so similar that I gave up trying to remember them. I'm sure they'll be welcome on the shop shelves though.
Of course, no visit to the Greens is complete without popping in to see Flora Green, known to everyone as Aunt Flora. Flora is Gerald's unmarried sister and she likes to grow flowers, especially overwinter, when the garden looks bare. I gave Flora a hand to bring in some of the hanging baskets as she wanted to cut back the geraniums and put them safe, away from the cold nights. Flora has been growing these same geraniums for 3 years so she seems confident that they will survive until next year.
It took a while to get away from the Greens, they really do make you very welcome. However, finally, I excused myself to see what was in the Shop today.
Picked up a bunch of yellow and red beetroot that the shop keeper said was holding up very well and a few raspberries that are nearing the end of line.
As I was walking home with the beetroot, Charlie Chive (Plot 3) called me over, holding a bright red apple in his grubby palm. "Special offer on these apples today, you can have them at trade price". Now Charlie's apples are something special, bright red, firm, juicy and so sweet. Needless to say, I couldn't resist temptation and I munched my way home happily, thinking how lucky I am to live in this farming community.

[MyWifesBrassicas]

I spent the morning with my nearest neighbours, the Greens and their extended family. They're always very welcoming, especially when it cold or raining.
George and Georgina live in the largest of the Green's houses, George's father, Gerald, known as Old Man Green lives nearby; he taught George all he knew about growing tomatoes. Between them both, they keep the Little Shop well stocked with tomatoes throughout the summer.
Old Man Green is in charge of the China Garden, this year, growing Oriental veg for the customer who likes to try something different. He told me what he was growing but the names were all so similar that I gave up trying to remember them. I'm sure they'll be welcome on the shop shelves though.
Of course, no visit to the Greens is complete without popping in to see Flora Green, known to everyone as Aunt Flora. Flora is Gerald's unmarried sister and she likes to grow flowers, especially overwinter, when the garden looks bare. I gave Flora a hand to bring in some of the hanging baskets as she wanted to cut back the geraniums and put them safe, away from the cold nights. Flora has been growing these same geraniums for 3 years so she seems confident that they will survive until next year.
It took a while to get away from the Greens, they really do make you very welcome. However, finally, I excused myself to see what was in the Shop today.
Picked up a bunch of yellow and red beetroot that the shop keeper said was holding up very well and a few raspberries that are nearing the end of line.
As I was walking home with the beetroot, Charlie Chive (Plot 3) called me over, holding a bright red apple in his grubby palm. "Special offer on these apples today, you can have them at trade price". Now Charlie's apples are something special, bright red, firm, juicy and so sweet. Needless to say, I couldn't resist temptation and I munched my way home happily, thinking how lucky I am to live in this farming community.

You writing a book VC?

[veggiechicken]

Nope, just cackling away to anyone who'll listen.

[rary]

Quite reminiscent of Bill and Ben now wondering who could be weeeed

[Greenleaves]

I am sure we will hear from Orwell and Olive soon

[veggiechicken]

I'm going to meet Dave and Dora tomorrow morning (Plot 4). They want me to witness the Daikon lifting ceremony which, according to tradition, takes place every year when there's a Beaver Moon.
I'm looking forward to this. I've never seen one before, not a full size one anyway.

[veggiechicken]

As promised, I popped down to meet Dave (call me Dai) and his wife Dora (call me Dora) at Plot 4. It was bitterly cold and the wind was blowing from the west, causing the Daikon leaves to rustle and bend.
Dai and Dora were wearing matching dark navy, boiler suits, that looked like they were relics of WW11.

Have you brought the Requisite Paraphernalia? asked Dai, looking at me with his beady eyes. Dora was leaping up and down, gesticulating and waving her trowel roughly towards the east, the rising place of the Beaver Moon.
I placed the Wicker basket on the earth, between the daikon and the Rising Moon and backed away slowly. Dora drew nearer, her trowel pointing earthwards, at the radish which I swear were quivering with excitement.
"Go now" said Dai and Dora in their singsong voices, "for the rains are coming. Return tomorrow when the first of the Daikon will have been raised from its resting place in the fertile earth.............."

and so I did, back to the warmth of the kitchen, all the time wondering what would be waiting for me tomorrow at Plot 4.............

[Baldy]

I'm going to meet Dave and Dora tomorrow morning (Plot 4). They want me to witness the Daikon lifting ceremony which, according to tradition, takes place every year when there's a Beaver Moon.
I'm looking forward to this. I've never seen one before, not a full size one anyway.

Seems likely this will be the only time I'll be able to make a link to this...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvWfbIe4X_4



(If anyone does have a stuffed Castor canadensis or indeed a Castor fiber I'd be interested in a financial transation - one of my favourite comedy lines - I'd find somewhere in the house I could, um, mount it - and annoy Mrs Balders till the end of days)

[veggiechicken]

(I was waiting for someone to comment, Bladders )

[veggiechicken]

How about this one ? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Carl-Dick-B...3603613&sr=8-8

The mind boggles

[rary]

How about this one ? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Carl-Dick-B...3603613&sr=8-8

The mind boggles

No wonder the child and teddy shown there are covering their eyes

[veggiechicken]

its been so wet and cold today that I've only been to see Mrs Brown and her cousins, Layla (who laid the first egg), Flo who flies and Blod the Bald (whose feathers are now growing back around her head so she's just Blod now).
Blod is the one who's always up to no good - the last to come when called; the one who hides in the bushes to avoid coming into her house, the one who likes to stay up late. If there was a Norty Perch-she'd be there full time.
These are the egg farmers who keep the Little Shop well stocked although Mrs Brown has retired from active duty and acts purely as supervisor, matriarch and scoffer of the best bits..