Collecting the harvest (From Warrington Guardian)

Collecting the harvest

10:36am Monday 1st August 2011 in Your Say

Working so close to nature, I know I should now be used to the happenings of the wildlife in the area. This week I was shown a bird box containing seven dead blue-tits all just about ready for leaving the nest.

For some strange reason their parents were unable to teach them to fly. It makes me feel sad to see such a waste of life. There have been quite a few young birds found dead on the allotments this year, another one of life’s mysteries.

On the vegetable front the potatoes are now dug up and stored ready for the winter months. I’m pleased to say we managed to do this before the blight strikes.

The garlic and shallots are also in storage. The onions are now ready to be lifted and put to dry before tying up. Each time we go to the allotments we have to spend more time collecting the harvest than tending the land.

We also have a large supply of mixed squashes. Last year - wanting to relive childhood memories - our daughters asked us to grow vegetable spaghetti a plant we grew for them when they were young children. This plant is similar to the sharks fin melon featured in a play about allotments a couple of years ago.

We saved seeds from last year's plants hoping to grow them again but they cross pollinated so we have a variety of weird and wonderful squashes to try.

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