Even if I'd remembered to take my camera to the allotment on Saturday morning I'd have been too ashamed to post a photograph of our patch, so neglected was its state. Hugh (Fearnley Whittingstall) would have been ashamed of me, especially the amount of time I spend sitting watching his programmes and echoing his philosophy. The thing is, it's not good enough to aspire to a lifestyle unless one is prepared to put in the effort to bring it about. And I have certainly not been putting much effort into our allotment of late.
Still, it's no good wallowing in self criticism, which is what I'm often inclined to do. I have learnt from experience that that does not get me anywhere, except wanting to throw in the towel. Instead I donned my gloves, armed myself with a pair of secateurs and set to clearing a path through the undergrowth. We spent an hour putting it to rights and by the time we left, although it would not have won any prizes for the best kept allotment, it was at least looking more like one. We do have a decent bed of potatoes (thanks to Alan!) and the onions are looking up, so it's not a total disaster. In fact we took home a handful of leaves from our bolted chard and a dozen or more strawberries which provided lunch. My daughter made a smoothie with the strawberries and I sauteed the chard with garlic and capers and ate it with toast.
I've promised myself I'll return in the week to hack back the nettles and brambles and prepare the ground for the possibility of some runner beans. Meanwhile I'll have to investigate what else I can plant at this late stage. Any ideas anyone?
And now that I've put it in print I'll have to do it!
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