52 Week Challenge - week by week through 2013

[Sheneval]

VC - My challenge for week 40 is to plant my overwintered onions, shallots and garlic.

I spent 4 hours today preparing the onion bed - I put boards along the sides and dug in more compost - pic

[Tripmeup]

This week it is to get the materials & help organised ready for next weeks challenge,how I am going to be able to get 3 tote bags of sand & about 1/2 ton of cement hidden in the drive,without the wife noticing is going to cause a bit of ..


Next week while Mrs.BB is in Italy I shall be digging out the old floor in the hallway & relaying it on top of a layer of cellotex.

If she notices it BB, just tell her you are making a new raised bed or something like that...what she doesn't know, won't hurt her

[Nicos]

This week I have made 39 pots of various jams and chutneys!

Chilli and plum jelly
damson jam
blackberry jam
chilli and ginger chutney

I quite enjoyed doing the jelly- never done one before using apples as the pectin- I fancy triing a few other jelly recipes.
Do you think gooseberry and apple jelly would work?

[Sheneval]

VC - Week 40 challenge completed 100 red, 50 white onions, 20 shallots and garlic are in.

[veggiechicken]

Week 40 challenge completed Several challenges actually!!
On Monday I made Green tomato chutney and the only things I had to buy were onions - all the rest were homegrown or in the back of the cupboard
Tonight, I cooked Fried Green Tomatoes for the first time ever and ate them with some of the chutney - all quite delicious she said modestly

They were cooked in the freeby Electric Wok (Week 29) and I had a cocktail of apple juice and tonic to wash them down ( Still haven't drunk any alcohol - Week 39).
My only reservation about the tomatoes is - 3 large tomatoes make too many for one person to eat - but I did as it was all part of the challenge

[Sheneval]

VC -My week 41 Challenge is to attend an Archives night at St Nicholas Golf Club tomorrow night and whilst there to take the opportunity to draw their member's attention to some errors contained in the latest book on Old Tom Morris by two eminent Scottish Historians.

My Hunters were Freemen of Prestwick and Old Tom's daughter married James Hunter son of William who owned the Red Lion Inn and they have recorded quite a few mistakes in William Hunter's relationships with a number of other Prestwick residents including some of those who started the Golf Club.

[veggiechicken]

Good luck with that Shen I hate it when errors in family history become accepted as fact.

[Sheneval]

VC - Thanks. I was pleased to get the invite from a fellow allotment holder who is involved with their Archives - you may recollect that I assisted the Club with a query from an Australian Historian - I had it as one of my earlier challenges.

In any case I intended to take along some of the family information I had on my Hunters as a number of them were involved with Old Tom in starting the Golf Club and I thought they might find it interesting.

However, when I read the book on Old Tom, which is an excellent read, I was surprised to find they had made some important errors so have decided to take the opportunity to highlight these as I think many of the members will have read the book as it deals with the history of their club.

[Tripmeup]

VC - Week 40 challenge completed 100 red, 50 white onions, 20 shallots and garlic are in.

Why you covering them Shen?
Weathering or pests?

[Tripmeup]

My challenge for is week is to make chilli jam ( a la Nigella)... another first...

[Martin H]

Why you covering them Shen?

I wanted to ask that but was too shy

[Sheneval]

Trip - a bit of both. The site is plagued with rabbits, squirrels and mice - between five of us we caught over 150 of the latter over the winter/spring period.

We are well sheltered from the worst of the winter weather here and we rarely see snow that lies for more than one day but my friend on the site, who is the only other person who has successfully grown overwintered onions, always covers his and I have copied his method.

I covered or fenced off almost everything this year because of the rabbits - result nothing apart from some kale and gladioli and some other flowering plants were eaten. The gladioli recovered and some are still flowering.

Rhubarb, Pumpkins, Courgettes and French Marigolds were left exposed and were untouched and some Kale behind the French marigolds was also untouched. I will be growing lots of French Marigolds next year. I left the cutting from the Pumpkins lying round the plot - the rabbits don't seem to like them at all.

[Tripmeup]

Cheers Shen..I never cover my onions or garlic so was wondering.. Thought I remembered you mentioning rabbits before..Looks a neat job- not that I'd expect anything less from you!!

[veggiechicken]

Week 41 - 7th to 14th Occtober

Wot ya doing this week, Challengers? Lots of preserving going on..........well done everyone

[Sheneval]

VC - I have just returned from the meeting at St Nicholas Gulf club where I outlined the errors in the Tom Morris book to the Archivists, (plus a few other members). I have promised to let them have copies of my supporting papers and am happy to report that week 41 challenge has been completed.