Harvest Home

We had the first ground frost of the season forecast for last night, so in spite of an already packed schedule*, I scurried up the allotment early yesterday morning to harvest the rest of the squash, pumpkins and courgettes before they turned to mush. The pictured crate is the results of my labours and includes some windfall apples and pears as well as the aforementioned cucurbits.

My discovery of the year comes courtesy of Threadspider. She gave me some plants she had spare in the summer to replace my failed squash and pumpkin sowing. It turned out they included the marvellously curled Tromba di Albenga on the right of the picture. Picked young they're the most delicious courgette, left to mature they're more like a squash. I value them not only for their taste and productivity, but also for making me giggle every time I find one under the rampant leaves of their mother plant. In their early days they curl right round on themselves, reminding me of rather chunky bracelets. Vegetables you can wear as well as eat.

I believe we need more giggling with our gardening, don't you?

* = Threadspider came down the hill for coffee yesterday morning, followed by an afternoon trip to Cheltenham Literature festival to hear Anna Pavord speak about her new book, Bulb :)

Comments

  1. TYRA Hallsénius Lindhe13 October 2009 at 09:11

    Hello VP, now that is a lovely harvest, I only got two this year. But I'm delighted over those two, I think they are so decorative. Yours looks great VP, I'm sure they will brighten up even the darkest autumn room./ Tyra

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anna13 October 2009 at 11:14

    A fine collection there VP and 'Trombo di Albenga' looks fun. Cold here last night but no frost . I am waiting till this afternoon to go to visit the allotment. I am going to treat myself to 'Bulb' for some festive reading :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Gail13 October 2009 at 14:07

    Yes, more giggling. Your harvest is delicious~~Have a splendid rest of the day! gail

    ReplyDelete
  4. Martyn Cox13 October 2009 at 16:13

    What a splendid harvest. Sadly I no longer have an allotment, so no rich pickings for me.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yolanda Elizabet Heuzen13 October 2009 at 16:14

    Yes, it's harvest time all right and it's lovely to see how much veg you've got. I've got quite a few too, so many in fact that I decided to do a musical about them. And it's on my blog. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous13 October 2009 at 17:27

    I agree, more garden giggling is always a fine thing. :) Kudos on your great harvest.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Carrie13 October 2009 at 21:00

    Goregous photo! I quite like the idea of wearable veg.
    "Oh where did you get that fabulous bracelet, darling?"
    "Oh, this? I grow them, chomp chomp, uummmmmm"

    ReplyDelete
  8. VP13 October 2009 at 21:17

    Tyra - 2 pumpkins so far north? I'm impressed!

    Anna - I've just put my review of Bulb up on Amazon...

    Gail - thanks and I'm glad you're giggling :)

    Martyn - that's a shame and there's no room in your small but exquisitely formed garden either :(

    Yolanda - I've been over for a visit already :)

    Nancy - thanks to Threadspider it's a lot better than it would have been...

    Carrie - I wonder if this is a theme we could explore? I already think of Fuchsia flowers resembling drop earrings and their fruit is edible ;)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Threadspider14 October 2009 at 07:27

    Glad to have been the match maker! Looking forward to hearing about Anna Pavord's talk.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Angie14 October 2009 at 11:49

    Oh God - I wish I could pop in for coffee but spring is here & my seeds have just peeped up through the earth in just 4 days!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Corner Gardener Sue15 October 2009 at 23:54

    That's a good looking harvest! Yes, we need to enjoy and laugh in and about our gardens.

    ReplyDelete
  12. VP17 October 2009 at 11:12

    TS - it was a great talk. Jane Perrone's written about it on Horticultural already if you want a sneak preview! BTW I've forgotten when we're meeting up next - is it next Tuesday?

    Angie - you'd be most welcome! I'm rather envious that your seeds have come through so quickly though :)

    Sue - thanks - from a fellow allotmenteer that's a great compliment!

    ReplyDelete

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