Chard Winter in Prospect

Seems everything's quiet here; perhaps you've all tucked up the plot for the winter. Still going strong myself. The plot can be at its most attractive in winter with its contrasting colours and textures, and still plenty for the pot as long as you like cabbages. I'm sure you are aching to play spot the veg so in the picture you'll see: purple sprouting, cavolo nero, curly kale, fennel, baby rocket, celery, swiss chard, bull's blood beet, winter black radish, chervil, asparagus ferns, and, a little of out of place, my experimental quinoa which is about to harvested by the thimbleful. I've always been fond of chard. He was the free-scoring left back in the all conquering 1986-87 Cobblers side, but since retirement has been lining up for me through the cold season. I'll be making a cut in the next month, it will probably die back in severe frosts but the main purpose is for an early show of fresh leaves once the weather warms up. Ah, Spring, just around the corner.

Infeasibly large pumpkin harvest

I was nearly caught out by a nip of unforecast frost this week. Time to gather in those pumpkins and squash that have been running rampant on a pile of manure. This all took me back to the old Viz character, Buster Gonad, who you will recall was afflicted by a freak medical condition which meant he had to ferry his testicles in a wheelbarrow on his numerous adventures. I hope he got them in before the frost hit. My 17 specimens weighing a total of 45kg are now curing in the kitchen and lounge before be moved to a cooler storage space, where hopefully they will last through till spring.