KW-24 The Hungry Gap

Water water everywhere, nor any drop to drink.

We’re now in the deepest part of the hungry gap - that time of the year when almost everything that we filled the stores with last year has been eaten, and before the fields start to get really productive.

The first of the IBCs installed on a downpipe. I am genuinely worried about water. I think it’s probably a good idea to be a bit worried about water. And then to do something about it. The rooves here are so extensive that this one added about 250 litres in a very light shower.

I have had a couple of lettuces, and though the onions can definitely stay in the ground a while longer, stealing one or two every so often is now definitely a thing.

I spent a fair amount of time in the greenhouse this week. It’s getting warm in there, and the tomatoes are being weird. They look as if they are determined to turn into bush tomatoes, but aren’t actually putting out many side shoots. They’re just squat.

The weirdest thing, though, is that I am feeling really at home in the polytunnel. I don’t usually. I get in, do what needs to be done, and get out again. Is there a reason for this change of vibe under the plastic this week? Why yes, I believe there is!

When we had the Beltaine party, we also did some excellent work - mostly on the pig house. Which they still haven’t completely destroyed (but it does need a couple of extra screws in there! - I shall do that today). But also, one of my more gardening friends, in a lull said “I shall go and tidy up your greenhouse”, which she did. And it’s been transformative. There’s a thing to remember for the future - tidying your greenhouse at the start of the season makes for a far better season in the greenhouse. So, thank you. Very much.

It’s still a hell of a scrappy mess, but now with a little potential to be pretty by the time I pull everything out again. Progress is occurring.

Talking of things to do this week - it’s about aroundish this time of year that is one of my favourite times in the food-producing garden.. There is, as you might expect, a crazy amount of work to do, and I am, similarly predictably, totally behind on everything, but the work list is starting to get properly varied, and every day has three different things to do. One of which is mowing and mulching. And watering. And feeding pigs. Ok, so we have three or four or five different things to do every day.

• Earth up potatoes

• Continue to sow sweetcorn (yes, it’s really late, but I figure small sweetcorn plants make more effective pig food than sweetcorn seeds)

• Strim around the winter rye / pig field

• Mow mow mow mulch mulch mulch

• Be nice to tomatoes

• Clear the greens field and plant up

• Clear the Nutzfläche

• Summer pruning of fruit trees is done in July / August. But I am going to do a tiny bit now on a couple of trees which are getting a bit carried away with themselves.

• Edge and tidy up the soft fruits

• Install at least one more IBC water container thing.

• Mayyyybeee start work on the IBC bio-gas fermenter. Maybe.

So, I best get out of bed, and go and get on with it.

Wishing you all wonderful weeks, and with much priattey love, I am forever

your

Pirate Ben

xoxo

I occasionally do a currently reading section. Well, I am currently reading far too many books at the same time, but one that is going to get finished this week is Hunter S Thompson, Hells Angels.

Yesterday, I read HP Grice, Logic and Conversation. I don’t think I’ve been more impressed with a philosophical work in a very long time. Probably since Peter Singer’s Famine, Affluence, and Morality.

HP Grice. Teaching us how to be have better conversations

Links provided to both. Neither of them is particularly long, both of them has the potential to completely change your life.