Steps Towards Self-Suffiency…
We've just finished watching that "The Good Life", a 1970's series about self-sufficiency in Surbiton, London. Just as many of the (literal) fruits of our labours seemed to present themselves for eating.
So, if you're curious what has kept us so busy here is an alphabetical list of our food growing and status! And although many things are not actually 'fruiting' this year and some are very small (miniscule!) crops – it's all helpful in our learning process, and some things simply take time to establish or maturity to produce. Writing this list however, has made us realise how much we've achieved! Enjoy!
1. Apples – Multiple trees, 2 types apples. Found new apple tree! Medium crop expected October 09.
2. Arugala/Rocket – Eaten lots May/June, waiting for new crop – yummy
3. Asparagus – over, about 7 spears TOTAL this year! Cultivating for larger crop 2010
4. Beans – Green – in progress, hopefully ready August/Sept
5. Beans – Soya also called EDAMAME – yum, in progress, hopefully ready August/Sept
6. Blueberry – Bog (native), new this year, some expected Sept 09
7. Borage & Nasturtium – eating the flowers in salads now!
8. Broccoli – eating NOW, planted more for Winter
9. Brussel Sprouts – growing nicely, hoped for Christmas 09!
10. Cabbage – eating now!
11. Carrots (rainbow mix purple, orange, white)
12. Cauliflower – growing nicely, planted more for Winter
13. Cherries – 3 trees 2x yummy black cherries, 1x large tree pie cherries. Black cherries – got a few that the birds missed… Bird netting next year! Pie cherries, some left and YUMMY in pie!
14. Courgette/Zucchini – 3 different types (yellow, green, dark green) LOTS available now!
15. Cranberry – new this year, hoping for Fall 2010?
16. Currants – red & black, 5 plant cuttings from my Dad (in Kelowna). Picked today – few currants only this year. More expected 2010
17. Fig – doing well finally. Hoping for fruit in 2010
18. Garlic – Italian hardneck – struggling in poor soil. Already eaten the curly tops called scrapes.
19. Gooseberries – 3 plants (1 green, 1 yellow, 1 black), mini crop this year, more expected next year!
20. Grapes – 5 plant cuttings from my Dad – red and black, unknown varieties (except one Siegerribe). Nurturing on South facing wall, see what happens.
21. Hazelnuts (native) – 2 new trees planted in February HOPED for Summer 2010 – although may be another year or 2 yet…
22. Herbs – Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme (3 varieties English, Lemon and ‘normal’), Chives, Basil, Cilantro (also called Coriander), Mint (Chocolate and local wild), Oregano (2-3 varieties), Anise Hyssop and most recently Bergamot.
23. Kale – eating now and planted for winter
24. Leeks – flowering (not good!), after 2 years still not big enough to eat. Failure! Better soil needed.
25. Lettuce – 3 varieties, eating lots NOW, sown again to keep ‘em coming!
26. Loganberries – yummy Raspberry/Blackberry cross. 2 x planted this year, fruit hoped for 2010
27. Melon – 2 plants with male flowers only at present. Unlikely to get anything but hot weather has helped so you never know…
28. Nectarines – new tree planted Feb 09, HOPED for Summer 2010
29. Onions – Green (also called Spring onions) Lots of them! Yummy!
30. Parsnips – in progress, ready winter 09
31. Peaches – small crop expected to be ready August 09 (established but extensively deer-pruned tree, nurturing and hoping to bring back to life)
32. Pears – 2 small trees, different varieties, struggled with lack of rain so have 2 pears ONLY! (1 on each tree), expected September 09
33. Peas – 2 varieties everywhere, eating LOTS now!
34. Peppers – Bell, in progress, hoping August/September
35. Peppers – Gypsy (sweet long and thin), in progress, hoped for late July/August
36. Plums – Mirabelle, small, sweet yellow. And 2 more smaller plants of self-sown Mirabelle we think.
37. Potatoes – 2 varieties – Russian Blue (yes, very cool – blue potatoes!) and Yukon Gold – eating now and for weeks to come!
38. Pumpkin – only one plant made it so far. Eaten by woodlice, hoping will survive!
39. Quince – LOTS of fruit developing. Expecting to be ready Sept/Oct 09
40. Raspberries, from neighbour (we dug-up spreading canes). Gone in late March (very late), eating small crop now – yummy!
41. Rhubarb – 3 plants. One struggling in poor soil, one struggling from lack of water, one doing well.
42. Squash – Acorn x 2, Spaghetti x2, Butternut x2 (all saved seed from ones we ate!)
43. Strawberries – from another neighbour (we dug-up spreading plants), not too many fruits this year and now over, more expected next year. Also some wild strawberries (tiny fruits).
44. Sunflower – many giant sunflowers. Eat our own sunflower seeds, hopefully in September
45. Tayberries – yummy berry cross. 2 x planted this year, fruit hoped for 2010
46. Tomatoes – Many plants, many types (beefsteak, cherry, ‘normal’), in progress
47. Turnips – Summer, eating now!
48. Wild Blackberries – 3 varieties, only one native. Actually trying to keep these under control. Native trailing blackberries just ready now – yummy! Rest expected August.