Preparing for winter 1

Preparing for a harsh winter 2011

Well, it may seem silly thinking about winter now and considering what we must do to prepare for it. Of course the weather forecasts – (I won’t say ‘long range’ as the hard weather is being forecast for as early as next month and that is only a week away), may well be a load of rubbish. What happened to the ‘barbeque summer’ we were forecast for summer 2011 and, when I think about it, for 2010?

None-the-less, it doesn’t do any harm to be prepared. If the winter coming is even close to last winter, then we can take some steps to avoid the worst of the damage.

It isn’t snow which can affect us worst. In fact, snow can act as a blanket for many plants, protecting them from the harshest of the weather. It is the deep frost. This affects the more tender plants like globe artichokes, seasonal vegetables like brassicas and any potted plants as the frost will penetrate right through the compost and kill the roots. Last year I lost all of my rosemary plants as they were all in large pots. When I looked to replace them, garden centres had suffered similar losses. This year I will move some of my potted plants into my poly tunnel and will fleece others.

The advice on protecting globe artichokes is to cut them back and cover with a blanket of straw. So far I have resisted doing this as I find it painful to cut back strong fresh growth but, last winter I lost 50% of my strong, established artichoke bed and neighbours complained of 100% loss.

One of the main problems last winter was the inability to prepare the ground for the following spring. I am no longer able to dig half an allotment in a day. I have to pace myself and there is a lot of ground to cover. This year, as I lift crops, such as potatoes, beans and carrots, I am digging the ground ready for the winter frost to do its job of breaking down the soil. Yes, at this time of year, a few more weeds will still grow but, the basic job will have been done and will make it all the easier in the spring. And, the birds love it!

Talking about birds, when I returned from my holidays, I found a small bird of prey – I think a sparrow hawk – dead on my plot. I hope it was nothing that I had done which resulted in its demise. I am trying to replace all my netting with stronger and less-destructive-for-birds netting which, although more expensive, will be kinder. I avoid using slug pellets, except on seed beds and try to use only sprays which are organic. I have three feeding stations on my plot for birds which I replenish each time I visit. In spite of this I feel guilty that this bird had died, in case it is something that I might have done.

 I will sow autumn broad beans, as I find that overwintered beans provide an earlier and more robust crop than spring sown ones. They are also less prone to damage from blackfly. My beans did survive last year’s harsh winter but were not brilliant. Keeping this in mind, should we have another poor winter I will consider spring sown beans and treat them accordingly.

My Runner-beans and French-beans have now finished producing. Any pods still lingering are much too tough and stringy for eating though, of course, they are very suitable for saving for seed. Do remember that beans are promiscuous and the seed you collect may not be true to the parent plant.

When you are removing the frames, cut the bean plants off at the surface of the ground, leaving the roots as these fix nitrogen in the soil (it has been suggested that planting beans in the same area each year is beneficial as the nutrients needed for future generations are fixed in the soil. If I wasn’t pushed for rotation for other crops I would consider this.

Make sure the bamboo poles are stored upright out of any prolonged wet conditions. Leaving them on the ground will ensure they rot and they will be useless next year. They are an expensive resource so, one to look after.

I think I have had most of my seed catalogues this autumn. Sadly, only my favourites – Dobies and the Realseed Catalogue are still missing. I do love planning for next year. There are several days of pleasurable activity in  this.

In the last week I have been writing letters to plot holders who have not been cultivating their plots. This is good news for potential members who have been waiting for two years or more. Starting with a new plot is definitely an issue worth approaching again.

Exploring Andalucia

Andalucia is arguably the most beautiful province of this stunning country. It is not my first time in Andalucia, I came here first some years ago to walk in the High Alpuharra - an amazing experience. This time my focus has been some different - namely food! Well, and other stuff.

It is harvest time in Spain now as well as here though, the crops are so different. In the mountains, which are covered in millions of olive trees and fields full of almond trees, we met many tractors hauling trailers full of these fruits ready for processing. In one village there were heaps of almond husks waiting to be carried away for burning. On the plains the wheat and sunflower harvests have been brought home and vast rolling fields are being plowed for the next crops.

Our first 'home' was the Finca las Encinas, near Iznahar, about an hour's drive north of Malaga.

Finca Las Encinas – Iznájar – Andaluciá – Spain (a rural retreat with fine cuisine and cooking courses in Andaluciá).

If any place deserves the by-line of ‘mi casa es tu casa’ (my house is your house), this is it! From the moment we arrived until we left, we were treated as though we were family or best friends.

We arrived late – well! darkness had fallen and the roads were narrow and winding. Thank heavens for the Spanish system of locating places by regular kilometer signs. ‘The green road sign -  A333 42km’. In spite of seeming to be in the middle of nowhere the Finca was easy to find from any direction.

We thought we might be late but, no, our hosts had been expecting us at that time. We were shown to our delightful bedroom (with balcony) just off the main patio. Drinks were served and after an opportunity to relax and chat with our hosts, dinner was prepared. And, what a feast! Duck Pate; Poussin with forty garlic; figs poached in green cardamon syrup with mint and cream. Clive, who runs the hotel with his wife Maki, is a professional chef but, takes a very relaxed approach to teaching in his cooking courses. That said, there is no way that any food which comes out of his kitchen is anything less than perfect. Breakfast each morning was impressive - toasted country bread with garlic, olive oil piccante and crushed tomato; platters of locally produced proscuito and ham. tray of ewe's and goats cheese. Fresh fruit piled high.

We had booked to stay for 3 nights which would include 2 cooking sessions. On the first evening we were to cook (‘sometime after six – no rush’), we were the only guests. Aprons on, wash hands, large glass – what would we like in it? The menu - Asparagus with almond sauce; Quail with Oranges; Baked chocolate and hazelnut cake.

 Of course, the food was excellent, Clive made sure of it. Most of the ingredients were local and fresh. On our second cooking session we cooked for 6 guests including ourselves Chilled almond soup; Tenderloin of port with spiced figs with braised saffron rice; Flan.

The whole experience was fun and friendly with superb food and wine. The rooms are charming and clean. The family pets – two dogs (Smokey and Lassie) and the beautiful Siamese cat ‘Sapphire’,(a friendly girl without the usual irritating characteristics of Siamese cats) are very much a part of the entertainment – Clive says they are on the payroll!

It is clear that the family has been taken to the hearts of the local community as the quality of the experience is one of friendliness from Clive and Maki and their neighbours.

If you do decide to visit them, do book well in advance. They are a popular destination, not least for the cooking sessions. But, if you don't want to go to cook, do enjoy the food.

Loved it! 

Also within an easy commute to Cordoba, Granada, Priego and several Parques Nacional which are well worth a visit (check out the small towns of Luque and Zuheros just north east of Priego)

http://www.finca-las-encinas.com

Autumn harvesting

I have just returned from a reasonably long holiday in Andalucia (southern Spain) well! It was long for me anyway, I’m not usually away for more than a couple of days. I returned in the middle of the night to a cat in tears as he had been mauled by (apparently) another cat and was desperately in need of a vet. Although not injured, my other cats were equally upset. They so put the guilt trip on me! Really I hadn’t left them unattended. My cat carer is very competent and kind, just not the person they wanted.

It is autumn. When I visited my plot I was dismayed by how overgrown it was. Grass paths are rampant, weeds have taken over, caulis have overgrown, cucumbers are overripe, runner beans are too mature, tomatoes are too, too many.

I have collected several buckets full of several varieties of tomatoes and have found homes for most of them, not least, several more tubs of frozen tomato pulp for use in the winter. I’ve noticed that the runner-bean poles on the plots of many of my neighbours have fallen over. Mine would have too if I hadn’t propped them up but, in any case, the beans are not worth harvesting – too mature, too stringy, too hard. No worries, I will dismantle the canes and compost the rest of the crop. I have already harvested and dried my Borlotto beans. They are good, though I think I will look for a climbing variety next year – so much easier to dry for winter use. I see that my Yinyang (Orca) beans are almost ready. I worry that the weather might be too damp for successful drying. I have not seen climbing varieties of these beans but, when they lie on the ground in damp weather they are more likely to go mouldy.

There is a load of stuff to deal with now. I have harvested most of my squashes and pumpkins. Really I’m not interested in the huge varieties for competitions, nor the large pretty ones for Hallowe’en lanterns. I am looking for the small fruits which will store easily for use as a winter vegetable. My favourites are butternut squashes. This year the germination rate was not good and from a couple of plants I have ended up with only 4 squashes. If you do have a good crop you mean to store, make sure they are dry and store in a frost free environment out of direct sunlight. Check them regularly for rot and don’t store in direct sunlight, on a wooden or on a carpeted surface. If they do break down they will destroy those surfaces. I intend to store mine in a dark attic room on top of cardboard. I do hope they will last for the winter as they are staple vegetable for winter.

Talking about staples for winter, I have now lifted all my potatoes including my Sarpo Mira and Sarpo Axona which are both late maincrops. When lifting them, separate the damaged ones – slug damaged or by digging implement - and use these immediately as they will not keep and will damage your stored potatoes. Make sure they are dry before you store them in hessian or paper sacks and store in cool, dark frost free conditions. Mine are going into my attic room. Gosh, it is going to be packed when I have finished. Hopefully they will keep well into the new year, unless I have eaten them all first.

For the first time, this year, I have enough carrots to store. Goodness, this has never happened to me before. I do have some damage from carrot root-fly but, I have been harvesting Purple Haze from my raised carrot bed with little damage. Although not huge roots, they have excellent texture and flavour. My Resistafly and Flyaway have been good, although, obviously I hadn’t prepared the bed well enough as the carrots, although excellent flavour and strong roots are really very forked.

My carrots – Creme de Lite (F1 from Dobies) planted straight into a well prepared bed on the flat ground have been excellent. There has been some carrot root fly damage but the carrots have been huge, flavoursome and tender. I do recommend them. I will leave them in the ground as long as I can manage. I’m not yet sure how I will store them. If the winter is going to be as bad as has been predicted then I don’t think that a sand-pit or my shed will suffice. They might also have to go in bags in my attic room.