Harvest!

We've just returned from a holiday to Rome and Switzerland, by train. Travelling through Europe I couldn't help but notice the immaculate allotments beside the railway lines. I think our plot is a long way from that sort of perfection.

I was able to harvest all the squashes today and three wonderful pumpkins. As I laid out all the produce along the bench, it looked like a proper old-fashioned harvest festival. I say old-fashioned as harvest festivals aren't what they used to be any more. Most of the produce given these days is of the 'tinned' variety. The lovely gardener's trug baskets were a lucky find from the auction. Peter got them both plus a watering can for £3!

As you can see there has been a glut of runner beans while we've been away and another of the courgettes has become a marrow. The dahlias are still stunning - it's such a pity they don't last long in the house.

We've now picked all the tomatoes, including the green ones. Many of them had been nibbled while we've been away, and some were rotting. I've made some tomato and chilli jam which was delicious during the tasting process, but needs to keep a few weeks before using. I've also done some roasted tomatoes and some tomato soup. They're a much more versatile vegetable than I'd realised.

The weeds are taking over again and I'm not sure whether to dig them in or to pull them out. I've pulled a lot of bindweed from in between the fruit bushes - seems like I'll never be free of it. There's chickweed all over the potato patch but it's mixed with other more pernicious weeds so it looks like I might have to do some weed-killering.