We have pea shoots

My lettuce box

At long last we have a germinated tray of peas. The tender little shoots appear to be the only living things  in the greenhouse at the moment. My improvised heated propagator a.k.a. the radiator is working a treat on the aubergines while the chili seeds are taking a bit long to push through we have a few front runners making an appearance. I’ll be glad when they are up as they are living on my bedside cabinet which is a bit cramped.

The Brecon farmers market went well yesterday as the shoppers made an appearance which we think may be down to a bit of sunshine. It was a steady day rather than spurts of shoppers which makes our lives easier. The pork pies are popular so we will increase production for future markets. I must also get round to making up sausage rolls although for us they cost about the same to make as a pork pie just a bit less meat and we sell them for less so I’m still not convinced about the economics but they make a good option for the younger children.

My knitting has had to be put to one side as we prepared for the market so I’m eager to have a go at finishing off my first little baby cardigan. The parts are all finished it just needs putting together with a collar and borders. I say ‘just’ but this is the bit I muck up normally. I shall be searching for help and advice before I pick up a needle.

The planting continued today

Unwins 1 horseradish root – I have never grown this before. I put it in one of my recycled tyre planters which was composted last autumn.

Unwins pink garlic – a pack of two also in a tyre. They work well planted in a circle

Unwins Red Sun shallots – another tyre full.

Unwins Asparagus Bachlim F1 Hybrid – a pack of two crowns, another first for me I’ve put them in corners of the raised bed.

The real seed company Brussels Sprout ‘Sanda’  – I have planted up a tyre as a seed bed and I’ll move them into a raised bed later

Johnsons Purple Top Milan turnips – A tyre full again

The real seed company Giant Limousin Turnips – A tyre full

Unwins Bunyard Exhibition Broad beans – I’m trying a bed with a weed suppressant cover. I cut little windows, make a little hole and pop the beans in.

Unwins allsorts lettuce – in a lettuce box in the greenhouse

Mr Fothergills  red Cherry tomatoes- in 3 inch pots in the greenhouse

Mr Fothergills Greyhound cabbage – in cell trays in the greenhouse

The real seed company Serpette Guilloteau climbing peas – The weed suppressant cover covered bed and a tyre for comparison.

Lastly I have followed the advice of vegplotting and I have my parsnip seeds on some damp kitchen towel . http://vegplotting.blogspot.com/2009/01/guide-to-parsnips-you-ask-we-answer.html

Unwins Avonresister and The reel seed company tender and true parsnips.

I’ve planted modest amounts of everything. The idea for most things is to plant again in two weeks so we get a cycle of cropping.

My next ‘job’ is to get some herbs for a bargain basement pot I picked up this morning. The pot is quite large and some tiled decorations had dropped off the rim. I like it better without them anyway and my £7 pot should hold a couple of things. We found the pot when we went to a department store first thing to pick up a couple of basins they had in the sale. Compact & modern for our new bathrooms (the ones that have yet to be built).  We are buying up a few bargain things as we see them for the new rooms, there are lots of offers around now.