Bartering

Today is a catch up on the week and I need to explain the reason why we haven't been to the allotment for three days. Firstly, I have a horrific assignment that is due in and is giving me a headache, secondly I have revision for exams in two weeks, thirdly I have a hugh amound of reading material for my new job that I start on 30 October, and finally - we had the boiler serviced.

It passed with flying colours but did need a new seal around the casing. I was very impressed by the engineer who did the job even though she had to stand in the sink to be able to reach. Anyway, back the the title of this entry - for such a good job done I felt it was only right to give suitable remuneration and this came in the form of a bag of autumn raspberries, a box of tomatoes and a marrow, although the marrow was politely turned down,

Marrow nightmares

With the rain comes the marrow's. Gone are the courgettes, overnight they turn into marrows. I took some to work but they took a bit of a battering on the train and tube and nearly broke my arm with the weight.

So back to the wine making again! I made a double load and still have 12 marrows sitting in the kitchen. Having not been to do any harvesting for three days I bet there are loads of them waiting for me when I get there.

5 Ib. ripe marrow (you can add other bits of fruit to this as well if you have not quite got enough marrow)
Rind and juice of 2 large lemons and an orange or 1/2 OZ. citric acid
6 oz. chopped raisins 1 oz. ginger
2 1/2 Ib. of sugar
1 gallon water
Nutrient
Sauterne yeast

Choose a good specimen of a marrow, wipe off any surplus dirt and chop coarsely into the bucket, include the seeds (unbroken), the skin of the marrow and the fruit rinds together with the crushed ginger and the chopped raisins.

Pour on boiling water, stir thoroughly and when cool add the fruit juice, nutrient and yeast. Ferment on the pulp for four days, pressing down the cap twice daily, and then strain; stir in the sugar and continue the fermentation.

What a difference

One major observation about the differences between the allotment at Old Basing and Churchill Way is moisture. At Churchill Way the soil is free draining and always appears fairly dry on the top. There is no chance of water lying around, even with the rain we have had recently (apart from on the tarpaulin on 53 where we have a ready made duck pond). At Old Basing there is a feeling of dampness, a great lack of stones and the soil is dark and rich. One major problem that Nick has detected is that this is perfect habitat for frogs.

One thing that David Attenborough didn't tell us is that frogs are similar to dogs (not only in rhyme) in that they can smell fear so I haven't come across any yet but you can guarantee wherever Nick is they will appear. I think they may also be attracted by the large amount of worms - now they are evil so I take great pleasure in feeding them to the frogs.

And that is what you call working with nature!

p.s. there are also some lovely sunflowers and dahlias.

More wine

Being resourceful as ever, I came up with a brilliant idea for my failed batch of mint jelly. Failure was dud to the fact that I got distracted and boiled it for too long so it was just a bucket full of sticky liquid. Knowing that jelly is a ration of 1 pint to 1lb of sugar and wine is roughly 7 pints to 1lb of sugar, I diluted the mixture with cooled boiled water, added yeast and now we have three gallons of apple mint wine bubbling away.

What a month

Once again I must apologise for my absence but the last few weeks have been a whir or sporting and career achievements.

Firstly I won the Lunn cup (mixed pairs with John Belair) then last Wednesday I heard that I had a new job and in the evening won the Grassi Shield (pairs with Mick Green). OBBC annual dinner and prize giving is on 24 November so I am sure you will get to see a photo of me with my trophies. I start my new job, moving to level 42 with HSBC so we need to get the manure spread before then.

Back down to earth, I must give you a quote from this month’s Kitchen Garden magazine – ‘How do you see a typical allotment holder? …slightly weird, pretty scruffy, set in his ways, probably retired and finding it hard to make ends meet. … baggy serge trousers and … a flat cap’. No way are we set in ways or retired but apart from that all we need are a couple of flat caps.

He does go on to say that the new breed are ‘younger, less often male, better off, better presented and they drive smart cars’. Here is the crux, with my new job and interest free car loan, we are moving towards the nouveau allotmenteer model.

This brings me on to quantifying the slightly weird bit and I know you think we are mad but we really have tipped the scales this time. The reason we took an allotment at Churchill Way (CW) was that we put our names down for a plot at Old Basing (OB) but were told that it may be up to three years before one came available although residents in the parish did get priority. We then scoured Basingstoke for allotment sites and found CW, fell in love with 51/52 and you know the rest. Well, out of the blue we received a letter from OB Parish Council with an agreement to take on 3A. I would have shown you a picture of the tenancy agreement but I signed that and took it to the council offices with my £14 rent for the year.

There is method in our madness. As well as the social aspect of integrating ourselves further into the local community, the soil is so different to CW that we will be able to grow a whole different sort of crop, in fact this is going to be our show plot. We are already planning the 3ft carrots and show potatoes as well as dalias and chrysanthemums. CW is going to remain our food source where as OB will be less quantity but more quality.

You will notice that there is a good supply of rhubarb and there are also about 60 strawberry plants. All of these are going to be moved to the fuit plot (53) at CW.

Days of wine and roses

Due to the lack of freezer space we have had to find an alternative means of storing produce so wine has become a very popular alternative. As well as the two gallons of elderberry and have four gallons of plum and apple bubbling away and I have just started two gallons of runner bean and grapefruit (I think I must have had too much wine when I decided on that one). It smells nice is the only comment at the moment.


3 lb. runner beans (choose those you would use in the kitchen)
2 grapefruit
4 lb. sugar
1 oz. yeast
5 quarts water
Prepare the beans as you would for cooking and pour the boiling water over them. Into this mixture put the sliced grapefruit and allow the whole to soak overnight. Bring slowly just to boiling-point and strain into the fermenting vessel at once. Add the sugar immediately and stir until all is dissolved. Allow the wine to cool and then add the yeast. After fourteen days fermentation proceed with isinglass and bottling.

I forgot to mention yesterday how fickle roses are. We had entered three classes for roses in the Old Basing show but come show day there was not a rose in sight that fit any of the requirements. Waking up this morning there are buds opening all over the place. The message to learn from this is never trust a rose bush.

Show time

Once again apologies for the lack of news but I have been away on a course at the HSBC training college in Brickett Wood near St Albans. I really missed the allotment (and Nick and the cats) and was shocked to find that autumn is just around the corner when I got back. Lots of harvesting to do and I remember fondly the days when we got excited with one little trug of produce. The onions were ready to pull and we found a lot of garlic that I had forgotten that I had planted. The beetroot is ready to pull as it is going woody. We decided to dig the carrots and have a plastic dustbin full – which brings me neatly onto another topic – the Old Basing Village Show.

Out of that many carrots you would think that we could find three good enough to show but sadly no! Having paid out 30p for that class we decided to go for it anyway and in the non-pointed class there were only three entries so we got third! I have to admit that the show was not as exciting as the Basingstoke Show earlier in the year as it was a bit of a one man show but we had a modicum of success. My model shed won first in the craft section, the beetroot got a well deserved second plus second for cheese straws and we got third in the classes for a foliage plant, cheese scones, 3 carrots (as mentioned above) collection of 6 veg, any other veg (aubergine) and a highly commended for shortbread. No sign of any rosettes though but there are cash prizes which don’t even cover the entry cost. One think we have gained is what we need to do next year – so watch out Old Basing 2007 will be our year.

Yippee - another use for courgettes

I knew there must be a courgette wine recipe somewhere. All you need to do is think American!

As soon as the kitchen is clear of the two gallons of elderberry and four gallons of apple and plum wine that is fermenting we will make a start. Should be ready for Christmas so no surprises on presents this year.

ZUCCHINI WINE
5-6 lbs fresh zucchini, chopped
2-1/2 lbs finely granulated sugar
1 11-oz can Welch's 100% White Grape Juice Frozen Concentrate
1-1/3 tsp acid blend
1/2 oz fresh ginger root thinly sliced
1 crushed Campden tablet
6-1/2 pts water
1 tsp yeast nutrient
Hock, Sauternes or Champagne yeast

Bring 3 cups water to boil and dissolve sugar in it completely. Set aside. Meanwhile, Select, wash and chop the unpeeled zucchini cross-wise into 1/2-inch pieces. Mix all ingredients except the yeast in primary, cover, and set aside for 10-12 hours. Add activated yeast and recover primary. Stir every 6-8 hours for 3 days, then strain off solids and transfer liquid into secondary. Press solids lightly and hold liquid from them, covered. When vigorous fermentation subsides, add reserved liquid, top up if necessary, and attach airlock. Rack after 4 weeks, top up and reattach airlock. Rack again after additional 4 weeks. If wine has not cleared, add amylase according to instructions and set aside additional month. Fine with Bentonite if desired, rack 10 days later, stabilize and sweeten to taste. Wait 3 weeks before bottling to see if wine is indeed stable. Wine should be aged 3 months after bottling.

What d'you think of those melons

Back to reality with yet another success from the allotment. The first of the melons was picked and it seems that we left it a bit late as it is slightly over ripe, but it does look very popular and is very sweet and tasty.

We have kept the seeds and they are drying out on a bit of kitchen paper ready to be packaged up and overwintered for sowing next spring. As they have done so well, the melon plants are going to be promoted to the big greenhouse next year.

I am quite overwhelmed at the sort of produce that we have managed to produce and it is still amazing to think that we have only had the allotment since February.

We are expanding on our production line and have now included wine on our list. This is mainly due to the elderberries that are overhanging the plot. The problem is that the berries have to be stripped off the branches as any stalks will make it bitter. Nick volunteered for this before he realised what he was letting himself in for. We are also making wine with the glut of plums and windfall apples that we can't resist from the derelict plot. If only we could turn our backs and walk away we would be OK. The freezer is so full that we couldn't get another plum in but the kitchen is going to smell nice with so many things brewing.

Too much excitement for one week

Fantastic news from Katy this week is that she has been nominated for the 2006 WISE award.

'The Women Into Science, Engineering and Construction (WISE) annual awards are given in recognition of companies and individuals who have actively addressed the issue of promoting science and engineering to young girls and women, and who have supported the aims of WISE. Each award will be presented by Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal, the Royal Patron of WISE'

Even greater news today was that she is in the semi-final. It is fantastic just to be nominated.