Lift Mikhallil - Pickled turnips

My little helper just likes to watch, doesn't eat turnips!

I wasn't able to get to the allotment for a few months (fractured, chipped & dislocated shoulder), and I had told a friend they could help themselves to anything that was ready to harvest. 

I got down there for the first time this week and had quite a few turnips/swedes to harvest.  I wasn't sure how much of them were saveable - you can never tell till you cut them open, because they'd been in so long.

I decided to pickle them, using an Egyptian recipe, so I hope they turn out as nice as I remember when I was there!

The usual disclaimer applies - I fudge recipes, so what actually happened is in itallics.

2kg turnips (2.3kg turnip/swede mix - before top'n'tail)
1 beetroot (didn't have any, sent b/f to the shop for one)
6-8 cups of water (forgot to measure)
3-4 tablespoons salt (used more, because I didn't read the recipe properly!)


Wash turnips & beetroot, scrub well. (turnips needed peeling, b/f came back with 5 precooked beets)  Cut into pieces. 

Sprinkle with salt & leave to sweat for 24 hours (used all salt).







Boil water with salt and put into pickling jar to cool (this is how I ended up using more salt). 







Drain turnips, squeeze gently and put in jars with the beetroot.





Should be ready after 24 hours.

A bird's eye view of all our plots

First part of my plot

Second part of my plot

The annual seed swap

We had our annual seed swap and I think it was the best one so far.  There seemed to be more people than usual, it may have actually helped that the weather was totally rubbish & no one wanted to be out in their allotment!

There is a big write-up on one of the main organiser's blog here if you want to read more about it.

Manx music for us all

Chocolate & Bacon, you say?!

Chocolate Bacon & Beer!

my raffle winnings

Got some potatoes & fartichokes

1st visit of the year - just browsing

I managed to fracture, chip and dislocate my shoulder on 8 December, so this is the first time I'd been able to get to the allotment.  I only took photos this time round, and was pleasantly surprised at the lack of work needed - I'd imagined it a million times worse!  All beds need some work, and if I was back to full health, it's really only a full day's work.  I need to be patient and pace myself, which will be hard.

Dogwood rose (rosehips)

Asparagus bed

Monty frame for beans/peas

3 sisters bed

Strawberries & herbs

Bed 2

Bed 1 - turnips & swede still okay

Bed 3 - bronze fennel ok

Bed 4 - yams & roots ok

Manx Codlin apple tree

Strawberries

Bed 5 - not used yet

Fruit cage

Rhubarb corner

I wasn't expecting a harvest!

13 Mar 2014 - The boring tidy-up session

Since there's not much planting going on, I've been popping down to the allotment to do some tidying between work shifts.  Apparently my shifts are annoying, but you gotta play the system!

I had a vague idea of what I wanted to do, but all the fun stuff was either a WIP, or waiting for timber, so I was just pottering.  Luckily, two guys I know were also there, we'll call it a hot date, cos the sun was out and we had lunch together!

Also joined by the resident ducks, who were trying to nick the nails from one guy.  I helped hold the wood down so he could saw (on his knees!) a bit faster, without it moving around like a spinning wheel!  He thought it was taking up my own allotment time, but I turned it into a coffee break!

My own work was a little less interesting - you could tell, the ducks weren't being nosey.  But I did manage to weed 4 beds (well, nearly finished the last one, but had to go and get ready for work).

The first bed did have Red Popping Corn, Onions & Garlic in, now just Onions and Garlic.
The second bed had Potatoes, Leeks and a tray of unplanted Leeks (which have been transplanted into spaces in the first bed).
The third bed had Brussel Sprouts, Sprouting Brocolli and Leeks (or Onions & Garlic).  I kinda ordered too many Onions and Garlic last year!

3rd bed nearest you!

1st bed nearest you (can't see it)

Tidied up - 1st nearest you!

In the before photo of the 4th bed I got to, which is my failed Munty's Bean's contraption, it's across the path from the tyres bed, with all the bottles stored in it.  There isn't a closer pic, but I can tell you there was a fair bit of nettle and dock in there!

I know it seems a waste to leave just that little bit not done, but I really do need to get to work clean and tidy, and I'd pushed it far enough doing the 3.5 hours work! 

I'll be back another day (soon as I get my rota) and weed that bit, turn it over to make sure I got the dock out properly and I've got some mushroom compost to go in there.  One guy has got donkey manure, so we're doing a bit of a study of that one (as you do!).