Pumpkins, Sweetcorn, Red Cabbage and Blackberries

I took a walk down to my allotment today in between the rain showers. The sun came out and I had a nice relaxing time hand weeding. Since the weather has been better over the last few weeks the crops have really begun to grow.

The sweetcorn has started to flower and the cobs have their tassels and are beginning to fill out. I am so looking forward to the sweetcorn if the mice and rats don't get there before me. A few good weeks of summer sun and that delicacy will be ready. Nothing can beat the taste of freshly harvested and cooked sweetcorn. The key is to get the sweetcorn cooked in unsalted boiling water within minutes of picking it. In this way the sugars do not get a chance to turn to starch and the flavour remains sweet.

My red cabbages are beginning to fill out and I am hoping that the slug pellets I put down a couple of weeks ago have done their job and the cabbage hearts will be unaffected by those pesky beasts.

I ate my first blackberry today. I am most excited by the blackberries. I love apple and blackberry crumble and I have a delicious recipe for an apple and blackberry drizzle cake. My bush is simply teeming with fruit and hopefully this year it will provide a fantastic crop.

Lastly my pumpkins. After a disappointing start to the crop with slugs and snails taking out the early growing pumpkins I am happy to report that they are now starting to grow well. In fact it is possible to see a difference in their size every two or three days. Take a look at the picture I took today.

I am hoping that there will be some great pumpkins ready in time for Halloween.

At the moment I am quietly confident.

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