GMG Green Thumb Club

[Pohjolas Daughter]

André,

I'm so impressed by your foraging skills!  Well done you!  Would love to be able to identify and pick wild (and pricey!!) mushrooms.

And thanks Mandryka for the clarification regarding shingles.  And, yes, I'm now salivating at the thought of a wild mushroom risotto!  Yummmm!

Irons,  what is the story behind that stone statue in your garden?  At first it made me think of something from Easter Island but then I noticed that it looked like it was smiling.   

PD

[Irons]

That looks good - is that bamboo? If so, you'll have to watch out for shoots from the running root. The turf will try to take over the gravel unless you build a barrier, if not, you'll just have to have a battle with nature.


Yes, Ps Daughter, we are talking about small stones. And if I got cushions I know I'd leave them out in the rain!

I shall have to get some wild mushrooms now - I see a risotto on the agenda.

Not bamboo. A Corkscrew Willow which is actually a shrub. I attacked it with secateurs to make it resemble a tree.

Edit: On right is Mock Orange.

[Irons]

André,

I'm so impressed by your foraging skills!  Well done you!  Would love to be able to identify and pick wild (and pricey!!) mushrooms.

And thanks Mandryka for the clarification regarding shingles.  And, yes, I'm now salivating at the thought of a wild mushroom risotto!  Yummmm!

Irons,  what is the story behind that stone statue in your garden?  At first it made me think of something from Easter Island but then I noticed that it looked like it was smiling.   

PD

You are right, P. Easter Island man with a soppy grin.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

You are right, P. Easter Island man with a soppy grin.

Must be very happy to be in your garden Irons! 

PD

[Irons]

Must be very happy to be in your garden Irons! 

PD

It could be so much better, P. Spend too much time growing stuff at the allotment that we have trouble giving away.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

It could be so much better, P. Spend too much time growing stuff at the allotment that we have trouble giving away.

It's hard when things start coming in all at once!  Is there a food bank or soup kitchen that would accept some occasional donations of fresh produce?  Or possibly make some spaghetti sauce out of excess tomatoes?  Or salsa?  I haven't done much canning before (barely any really).  Been thinking of putting up some corn recipes (I have a couple of books with pickling recipes in them).  I don't grow it, but it's the time of year!  I have a favorite farm stand that grows THE BEST corn (seriously!).     Always sweet, juicy, and tasty...nice full ears too.  I'm lucky!

Speaking of corn, are you still trying that soda bottle over the cob trick?  I love corn chowder too and want to make some of that to freeze up...maybe freeze some fresh corn too to use later on in the fall/winter....love it!

Best wishes,

PD

[Pohjolas Daughter]

It's hard when things start coming in all at once!  Is there a food bank or soup kitchen that would accept some occasional donations of fresh produce?  Or possibly make some spaghetti sauce out of excess tomatoes?  Or salsa?  I haven't done much canning before (barely any really).  Been thinking of putting up some corn recipes (I have a couple of books with pickling recipes in them).  I don't grow it, but it's the time of year!  I have a favorite farm stand that grows THE BEST corn (seriously!).     Always sweet, juicy, and tasty...nice full ears too.  I'm lucky!

Speaking of corn, are you still trying that soda bottle over the cob trick?  I love corn chowder too and want to make some of that to freeze up...maybe freeze some fresh corn too to use later on in the fall/winter....love it!

Best wishes,

PD

Irons,

I just thought of an idea...with all of the increased unemployment and even more folks struggling to feed their families during Covid, I'm wondering whether or not there is a way to contact a place or two to see if 1)  They would accept fresh produce; 2) If they have a way of picking it up?; 3) Or if they know someone who is going around to stores and/or allotments already to pick up food?  I know that you live in a nice area and there may not be soup kitchens (Do you call them that too in the UK or by another term?) nearby, but there may be some not so far away?  I suspect that you could contact whatever agency in the UK handles things like helping people with food shortages (maybe they could direct you to someone locally?)?  What I'm trying to get at, is perhaps there is a way for food to be picked up from you...and maybe others at your allotment (and possibly at other ones too)..figure out a way to gather together the donations and a time when someone (you could take turns?) could pick up the food?  This could turn out to be quite a lot of food...particularly if folks in other towns did this too?  There might already be something like this going on?  Or perhaps call a few churches to see if they can help you get food to where it will be of most good.  Just some thoughts.   

PD

[Irons]

You are a most kind and thoughtful person. We have them alright, called Food banks.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

You are a most kind and thoughtful person. We have them alright, called Food banks.

Nah, not really, but thank you!   

What do you call soup kitchens?  Places that offer free (or cheap) meals to folks?  Anyway, just some thoughts.  I hate to see food wasted.  Trying to keep up with my own garden at this end too!    Easier said than done.

PD

[Irons]

Nah, not really, but thank you!   

What do you call soup kitchens?  Places that offer free (or cheap) meals to folks?  Anyway, just some thoughts.  I hate to see food wasted.  Trying to keep up with my own garden at this end too!    Easier said than done.

PD

Courgette plants keep on giving, they are a joke at the allotment. We found a recipe for courgette chutney which my wife is currently following this afternoon and bubbling away as I type.

4 lb courgettes
2 lb 8oz onions
2lb 8oz brown sugar
Large piece of fresh ginger
1/2 tspn pepper
2 pints vinager
2 heads of garlic
2 lb 8 oz tomatoes
1 tspn cayenne pepper
2 tspn salt

1/ Chop all vegetables, add vinegar, sugar and spices and bring slowly to the boil, stirring now and again. If the courgettes have tough skin, you can peel them and compost the skin (we didn't).
2/ Simmer for about two hours, don't forget to stir as it will stick, until thick.
3/ Pour into heated jars and seal. 

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Courgette plants keep on giving, they are a joke at the allotment. We found a recipe for courgette chutney which my wife is currently following this afternoon and bubbling away as I type.

4 lb courgettes
2 lb 8oz onions
2lb 8oz brown sugar
Large piece of fresh ginger
1/2 tspn pepper
2 pints vinager
2 heads of garlic
2 lb 8 oz tomatoes
1 tspn cayenne pepper
2 tspn salt

1/ Chop all vegetables, add vinegar, sugar and spices and bring slowly to the boil, stirring now and again. If the courgettes have tough skin, you can peel them and compost the skin (we didn't).
2/ Simmer for about two hours, don't forget to stir as it will stick, until thick.
3/ Pour into heated jars and seal.

Sounds nice!  Do you use smaller-sized courgettes Irons, as I know that the larger they get, that they can get rather seedy?  Or do you scoop out the centers of the large ones?

PD

[Herman]

courgettes you need to pick in time, when they are mid-sized.

[Mandryka]

This is a nice thing to do with courgettes, an old River Cafe recipe

https://www.hokeystokey.com/spaghetti-with-courgettes-and-capers-4/

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Thanks Mandryka; I'll give it a shot and soon.

PD

[André]

Yesterday's catch (not my photos, I yet have to master this trick ):






Quite a sight in situ. The bright orange/red cap stands out from its surroundings. Amanita jacksonii grows near oak trees but only after heavy rains. It is edible and quite tasty.

[Irons]

courgettes you need to pick in time, when they are mid-sized.

Very true.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Very true.

Yes, pre-baseball bat (or cricket-bat) size. 

PD

[Irons]

Yes, pre-baseball bat (or cricket-bat) size. 

PD

There maybe some confusion as in the US a courgette is called a zucchini. What about marrow though? A courgette/zucchini is not an overgrown marrow but maybe in the US it is?

The pic is of a courgette - which I have allowed to get too big, ideally half that size - and a marrow.

[Mandryka]

Yesterday's catch (not my photos, I yet have to master this trick ):






Quite a sight in situ. The bright orange/red cap stands out from its surroundings. Amanita jacksonii grows near oak trees but only after heavy rains. It is edible and quite tasty.

Too priapic for comfort.

[André]

Nahhh. THAT is priapic: