Farewell for a bit

Down to the plot at the start of the week to retrieve some of the pots etc ready for the move. It’s amazing how much I’ve got squirreled away on it. Sprayers, sprinklers and pots soon filled the car whilst Val got another few kilograms of tomatoes, some more courgettes and even some beans that I’d missed.

The rubbish trailer is on site, which is fortunate as I found quite a few bits to throw ranging from empty pop bottles to half a pack of seeds from 2007 that had slipped under some pots.

Of course it wasn’t one way, I noticed a good length of plastic drainage pipe that might come in useful so that was rescued from the trailer. Val was not impressed and muttering about us needing two removal vans!

I’m leaving the greenhouses because they’re going to be difficult to move along with everything else. Plus old glass is brittle and very tricky and Val has said I can have a new greenhouse to celebrate the move for Christmas,

We’re leaving the green chilli peppers until the last minute in the hope they’ll ripen up. I did hear someone on Gardener’s Question Time say peppers will redden off-plant in the presence of ethylene gas (as from ripe bananas). It’s got to be worth a try! Amazing how much I’ve still got to learn.

We took a lot of the gardening gear across to the new house in the week. The chap we’re buying from kindly agreed we can put things into the sheds although we don’t take possession until the 15th.  In fact, they were waiting for us and helped us unload! Never had such a good move before. After we’d unloaded we sat on the wall in front of the house enjoying the sunshine with a flask of coffee as we watched the sea in the distance.

Initially I was going to hire a transit van but Val reckoned we needed a bit more so I hired a long wheel base, hi-top transit, despite being quite convinced that was over-kill and a waste of money. Well, she was I right and I was wrong!

Having cleared the shed at home (mostly) we didn’t have much room left but we did manage to fit the water butts in and some netting, watering cans etc. Seems the coldframes, greenhouse bench and rotovators will be coming with us on moving day.

Later in the week our daughter, Cara, came down and helped me dismantle the Wonderwall brassica tent. I do hope our removal men will cope! She’s had one of the large plastic compost bins and the strawberry barrel along with squashes, pumpkins, tomatoes and enough cabbages to feed her and an army.

The table is covered with squash and pumpkins which will be coming with us on moving day. I’ve still a large compost bin to pack (how being the question!), various hosepipes and a couple of coldframes.

Saying Farewell

You don’t quite realise how many people you’ve got to know until you’re going. Lots of people who I’ve got to know over the last 8 years popping over to wish us luck. To those I’ve not had chance to say goodbye to – well Goodbye, Good Growing and pop in if you’re passing us in Wales.

Had a chat with Larry, the site rep. I apologised for the flush of weeds on plot 5 and said I’d try to deal with them before we left. He said not to worry, it will be a bit of a test for whoever gets the plot. He’s a bit fed up with a couple of plotholders who have taken over perfect plots and let them go to weed. Anyway, my soil is great and they’re only annual weeds that could just be dug in or hoed off.

Last Post for a While

Since the removal men arrive on Thursday and we’re nowhere near ready, I don’t think I’ll have much time online before we go. Once we’ve moved it will take a week or so to get the broadband up and running as well. So my next post will be from Fron Dirion in about 2 weeks time.

Moving Card

I’ve got to share this with you – it’s a lovely card our forum friend ‘Noshed’ (as in no shed, geddit?) sent us. You’ll notice it’s full of little jokes and references – like the fact we’re leaving as BT install super-fast broadband and that we’re a sucker for stray cats! Click for a larger version.

House Moving Card

House Moving Card

Posted in Allotment Garden Diary
6 comments on “Farewell for a bit
  1. Steve in Salford says:

    John

    Here are some recipes for Green chiles:
    Ham & Ham Muffins
    175g cornmeal, 215g plain flour, 2 tbs baking powder, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 2 eggs, 175ml milk, 4 tbs vegetable oil, 3 tbs honey, 6 Jalapeño peppers, seeded and diced and 120g cooked ham.

    Method:
    Pre-heat oven to 180C or gas mark 4. Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together eggs, milk, oil and honey. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir until the completely combined. Stir in the diced peppers and ham. Pour the mixture into muffin cases or muffin tin. Bake for 8 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Makes 12 muffins.

    Jalapeño Jelly

    6-8 jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped, 500ml white vinegar, 100g sugar.

    Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce to low heat and simmer for about 1 hour until the mixture is thick. Cool slightly and purée in a blender or food processor. Pour inot a jar and allow to cool completely. Cover and refrigerate overnight before serving. Will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator. Makes about 350ml.

    Chile oil or vinegar

    Place 4 chiles and 3 whole cloves of garlic, peeled, 2 sprigs of rosemary in a jar, cover with 500ml extra virgin olive oil or other vegetable oil for general use.

    Place 2 chiles, 3 whole cloves of garlic, 2 sprigs of thyme in a jar and cover with 500ml white wine vinegar.

    Candied Jalapeños
    300g sugar, 10 jalapeños with long stalks

    Place the sugar and 125ml water in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Lower the heat to medium and continue to cook until the syrup temperature reaches the hard ball stage on a sugar thermometer about 130C.

    Holding the pepper stalk with your fingers or tongs, dip each pepper into the sugar syrup to coat it entirely. Place on greaseproof paper to hard. Makes 10 peppers.

    Jalapeño Margaritas
    4 jalapeno peppers, halved lengthways, 500ml tequila
    30ml Triple Sec, 90ml fresh lime juice.

    Put the peppers in the bottle of tequila and allow to steep for at least 3 days. For 4 margaritas, pour 150ml of jalapeno tequila, 30ml Tripe Sec and 90ml lime juice into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Stir and strain into glasses either straight up or with ice. (If desired dip the rims of the glasses in lime juice and then into salt.) Serves 4.

    Serrano Rum

    1 75cl bottle of good quality dark rum, 2-3 cinnamon sticks, 1 vanilla pod, split in half lengthways, 3 whole cloves, 6-8 serrano peppers cut in half lengthways and seeded.

    Place all the ingredients in the bottle with the rum and allow to steep for at least 1 week. (You may need to pour out a bit of the rum to make room for the solids.) The flavour improves with age – it will keep for months. Makes about 700ml.

    Just some ideas some of the drink may be used for house warming or christening, others can use vodka instead of rum or tequila. Some of these may be useful in the winter to keep out the cold. Oh the candied chiles are fun as well, not what you would expect at all.

    The muffins may be useful for breakfast when you arrive or on your travels to the new abode. Good luck with the move, laters……remember recipes are just guide lines you can use any chiles.

  2. Grannieannie says:

    Oh John and Val, that is a lovely card Noshed sent you!

    Hope all the move goes smoothly for you both!

  3. Gary Buchanan says:

    Good luck to you both. We are from Wales originaly and will return one day. We live in High Peak at moment and as nice as it is it’s far too cold!Once again Good Luck, look forward to seeing some pics. Gary.

  4. Jimmy Coyle says:

    Cheers hope the move goes well for you both

  5. Virginia says:

    Are you there yet? Happy moving and looking forward to hear from you both soon…..

  6. Samantha says:

    Are we there yet ? I need a wee !!!!!! Hope all goes as well as it can for you.

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