Strawberries and the Lazy Teenager!

Here are some of our freshy picked strawberries from the allotment just a couple of minutes walk away.

When it comes to planning what we should grow on the allotment the two things which are always top of the list for my teenage daughters are strawberries and sweetcorn. In fact, they think this is all we should grow! With this amount of enthusiasm I can usually expect some help when its planting and picking time.

Imagine my surprise when we were food shopping to find the above mentioned teenager putting a punnet of strawberries into the trolley. I pointed out that we had loads over at the allotment ... "the trouble with strawberries at the allotment is that you have to bend down and pick them"!

Broad Beans, Blackfly and Ladybirds

Broad beans are so easy to grow! I use them in salads and the excess get frozen to be used in casseroles during the winter.

This week they needed a spray with washing up liquid and water to get rid of the blackfly. The ladybirds had also arrived to help out but most looked like they were busy mating. Hopefully they would have worked up a good appetite and will eat the blackfly which I left for them!

Last year my broad beans flopped to the ground with the weight of the pods so this year I've staked and tied them ahead of time.

Chickens

I love chickens and have been keeping them for many years now ... not the same ones! They live in our garden in an ark which Phil made out of old pallets. They lay fantastic eggs and also eat any kitchen scraps.

The girls look really smart here ... in the last few months they have developed a bad feather-pecking habit so look more like rescue hens! I've tried all sorts of nasty potions to try and deter them but they are not having any of it.

Family Allotment

Here is my daughter Abby redeeming her birthday present to me ... 8 hours help at my allotment. Great present from when she was a hard up student!