Sunday, 14th March, 2004

So much for waiting a bit for some superb broccoli.   Our friendly little visitors are back early this year, so the two best plants of white sprouting broccoli have been cut off, and trampled into the soil; same for several of the kales.

The older lads have had fences pulled down, and cold frames smashed.   And one last standing hut stands no more - burnt out.

Another year when I daren't start my beekeeping?

Never mind!   We still had a good picking of purple and white broccoli to go with the home-made fishcakes.

Monday, 22nd - Tuesday, 23rd March, 2004

That's been some weather!   And I've picked up one of those school bugs - nowt but a bad cold, but it's taken my voice with it.   Not to worry - spring is here, saw my first ladybird of the year; oh, and a couple of slugs, small but perfectly formed (and squashed).

So I've grabbed the chance for all sorts of jobs on the plot.

I've cleaned out the strawberry bed - it had got badly neglected last year, so I've got the weeds out, and transplanted about 30 runners to start two new beds.   The present bed - I'll pull that out after harvest (of fruit and runners!).

Finally got the shallots in - a bit later than usual.

And the Red Duke of Yorks are planted.   Now there's something odd - planting seed potatoes in two beds, and then heading to lift the rest of the Kestrel potatoes from last year!   Leaving potatoes in the ground over winter seems so far to work well - no slug or frost damage; just beautiful looking potatoes, coming clean and fresh out of the soil.   They've kept a lot better than the ones in the house - they have shoots, but tiny compared with those stored in bags, and not at all wrinkled or soft!   Looks to be an excellent way of storing potatoes - an experiment worth repeating!

The council have finally removed the burnt out caravan - once our communal shed, but then a magnet for the local vandals.   I've no idea how much the operation cost- council lads, welders with cutting equipment, hired JCB and tipper truck, tractors, vans - the comedy of errors lasted about 7 hours!   But it is finally gone.

Sunday, 28th March, 2004

Such a lovely afternoon, I've spent a lot of it lying against the compost heap enjoying the weak sun and (almost) warmth; listening to the wrens (how can such a small body make such a loud noise?), the blackbirds, and the various tits.

And watching for all the new signs of green; a couple of bumble bees buzzing around; one of the foxes is back - a couple of holes dug, and she's been playing up and down the beds I planted earlier this week.

One last sign that spring is really here?   Another two large holes in the site fence; the vandals can't even keep to the holes they've already made!

Sown today - leeks (Monstruoso de Carentan, Musselburgh, and Swiss Giant Zermatt - not quite sure why I've chosen two "monsters" as new varieties this year?), parsnips (Tender and True, and The Student - I'm looking forward to trying the second), a first sowing of Green and White Windsor Broad Beans, and some spinach.   Could have (should have?) done a lot more - but it was much more important just to savour the freshness of a warm spring afternoon.

I'm giving quite generous dressings of Blood, Bone and Meal this year - this is now the third winter we've not had horse manure delivered by the council.   Also my compost stock for use now is VERY low; the heaps are looking very good for later in the year - but that'll be a bit late!

Garlic's thriving, the strawberries transplanted earlier in the week are looking good, and the rhubarb is thriving (the old bed, and the three new patches).   The fruit bushes are looking healthy, and the ten raspberry plants which survived last year (out of twenty) are all showing signs of life.

And just to round off a good day?   White Sprouting Broccoli with our dinner - gorgeous explosion of green flavour, with just the right element of crunch and soft; very special, and, I think, nicer than the purple sprouting.   And the over-wintered potatoes taste superb too.

And so to bed!