This post is about the allotment garden but first things first. This morning I conducted my sports science experiment as to whether I am faster or slower with a thorn in my shoe. I thought possibly slower as I was desperate to get to the end in last week’s 27:49 minutes. So I dragged myself out of bed early this morning to have another go minus the thorn. Now I’m not a rise and shine person, I’m a night owl. I always go for a coffee after my run and the sign below that I spotted in the coffee shop this morning made me smile as that is me, I don’t rise and shine in a morning……. I caffeinate and hope for the best! ……and this morning felt harder than last week, possibly due to the consumption of wine last night. However, I am pleased to report I am a full 45 seconds faster without the thorn at 27:04 minutes and an 8:42 mile. I’m happy with that and that will be the end of the experiment as I really do think that is my limit. I do have a slight problem with the 4 seconds and whether I could have got below 27 minutes but I’m not going to dwell on that.
My thorn injury last week meant I have spent a lot of time in the garden this week rather than exercising and training as I have to be outside when the weather is fine, I’m not an indoors girl. The allotment garden has been the possession of the household for around 10 years now. I like the idea of growing your own and doing all you can to reduce your food miles. Homegrown also tastes so much better than anything you buy too and I love to cook. When I retire, I have two dreams: travelling lots and ticking off all the places on my long bucket list and residing somewhere warmer than Yorkshire and living a simple life, surrounded by nature and being as self-sufficient as possible. I like to grow from seeds too rather than buy plants as I’m still fascinated by watching a little seed as big as a pin head, germinate and turn into something on your plate.
The allotment garden however is hard work and it’s not quite as idyllic as it sounds. For 10 years an attempt as been made to space the planting out to ensure a steady flow of vegetables through summer and Autumn, however, this year, as in all other years, everything seems to be ready at the same time. So, for the last two weeks I have been drowning in a sea of fruit and vegetables. So many that I don’t know what to do with them. I give them away to random strangers walking past, deposit them on the doorsteps of grateful friends and cook, eat and freeze as many as possible. There is beetroot, sweetcorn, gooseberries, potatoes, beans, pumpkin, rhubarb, figs, onions, courgettes, late strawberries, cucumber and you name it.
I am also pleased to report that I am Mum to the village’s largest pumpkin this year weighing in at 9.5kg, heavier than two babies, and here it is above! I have no idea what I’m going to do with so much pumpkin and it may possibly end up being this year’s carved masterpiece at Halloween as although I have no children at home with me now, I do love a celebration and will have my sweets, pumpkin lantern and dressing up outfit on ready to dish out my chocolates to the mass of children that normally come knocking for ‘trick or treat’. I might even borrow a child and go myself.
So, this week on top of work, running, and the adopted guinea pig there has been lots of cooking going on: rhubarb crumble (my absolute favourite with custard), strawberry jam which I like to make look all pretty, pickled beetroot, pumpkin soup and lentils with goat cheese and walnuts to use up carrots, onions, celery and vegetable stock.
I think it may have actually been harder work than my adventuring and training but that’s about it for this year. I’m not a winter grower as it’s too cold to grow anything well up here in the north, everything will be asleep in its blankety bed until Spring when the cycle will start again and I’ll once again try to get the timing better.
