Dear Friends,
Apparently, the harvest should all be in by now, according to traditiom and, thankfully, mine almost is done. Just a few more courgette plants to remove this afternoon, from which over the last few days I've picked almost 20 small fruits. This is splendid. We've had courgette, marrows, squash and simply masses of green beans - Runners, French Beans, White Climbing Beans and dwarf Pink Borlotti. This morning I processed 7 large bags of beans for the freezer. I must make one more green tomato chutney and cook up a few mixes of courgette, onions and tomatoes to use for winter meals and, most importantly, must create more parsley butter for the flavouring of stews and all manner of good things to eat.
I have to say, cooking up a storm of veggies after a day in the garden is a bit much so mostly, its all done little by little, as and when I can. And thankfully, I'm getting to the end of my present veggie-glut. We have both lost interest in cooking daily meals over the last few weeks of constant food harvests, so this week, as its the last week of frantic chopping, slicing, boiling, bottling, processing and freezing, we are treating ourselves to a few ready-made meals from Sainsbury's, which is a great help.
Our regular shopping slot with Sainsbury's is great but now shopping does not come in handy orange bags, well I expect you've noticed this too ! So now everything is lumped into 1 or two blue crates which leaves both of us scrabbling to uplift our items individually into our own extra large shoppers. Well, it must save Mr. Sainsbury quite a good few pennies plus saving all those unwanted or unused bags getting into the wrong bins and causing problems.
All waste not needed even more now; thus we're doing our bit to save our world.
Processing my green beans took about 90 minutes of concentrated effort plus strainers, bowls, mopping-up cloths, labelled storage bags, plenty of ice cubes for cooling and blanching plus a panful of boiling water and a kettle of boiling water to replenish said saucepan.
Bother, now can't get to my garden today so must crack on with that chutney mix and with salting my veg tonight; also making a pickling mix for our baby tomatoes and cook courgettes and onions to keep the freezer well fed. Now tomorrow, must plant my winter lettuces and pick parsley for my parsley butter. Its all go here !!!
Michaelmas, the feast of St. Michael and All Angels and one of the 4 Quarter Days of the year. The day on which rents and debts had to be paid off, for electing new magistrates and also the beginning of legal and university terms. Also for hiring new servants. It epitomises the beginning of the autumn season, of darker nights and colder days. The harvest was ripe for gathering in and had to be in by today. Mine now will have to be finished tmrw. And for dinner tonight, feast on goose to protect your family against financial hardship for the next year...now that would be good indeed, hey ! I love eating goose. Goose Fairs, geese given as presents in lieu of unpaid debts, geese driven to markets and sold, fun and revellry for local people.
Of course, Harvest Festival is now our celebration time, to give thanks for the harvest gathered in on farms all over the country and displayed in Church Services. Gifts given to Parishoners. Harvest is a time to give and to receive. A celebration of all that has been grown and harvested and a time of great thankfulness for another year of food security.
Of course, in this dreadfdul Covid-19 year, we must be truly thankful for all we receive and for the hard work of farmers everywhere. My little patch of veggies does not aim to feed us for the next year, it couldn't possibly do so, but I am thankful that my allotment area was mine for the year to grow my choice of veg, fruit, flowers and herbs and, having just paid my rent for the forthcoming year, for my two allotments, I am seriously excited about what we're going to grow next year, let alone what I already have growing on my work table and in my greenhouse.
Good Glorious Food indeed and absolutely right. Well, my green tomato chutney won't get started if I keep chatting like this, so cheerio and see you next time, I hope !!
Veggie-Love Margaret xxx
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