Hedgie in the Ecologist Blogspot...

[Shirley]

Just received my Ecologist newsletter and the name Hedgewizard sprang out at me - talking about manky vegetables - a comparison between supermarket and home grown veg.

Excellent article Hedgie - anyone interested can read it HERE

[the.fee.fairy]

nice Article

Where is Hedgie anyway?

[Wombat]

That is soooooo cool!

Nev

[hedgewizard]

Hey folks, thanks a lot! I try to post there once a week - sometimes it's a digest of things from my own blog but sometimes it's completely new stuff. This week I'm preparing a rant about my Posh Neighbours - the same ones who once said "Global warming? Oh, we don't have anything to do with that kind of nonsense".

Sorry I've not been posting, but I have lurked a bit lately (or so the locals tell me ). I've had some surgery but am much improved, there's the blogging, and I'm researching for a book... busy boy, busy boy. Anyhoo, ta for the congratulations - do leave comments! Oh, and if anyone can help me with ants on me apple trees, the thread is over on "hints and tips"...

[Millymollymandy]

I hope you will find time to actually DO some gardening in amongst all that computer stuff (when you are fully recovered of course)!

How are your apple trees doing, the ones you gave a skinhead haircut to?

[Cassiepod]

Brilliant article. Yu're obviously a few miles ahead of me we're at the stageof realising the supermarket veg keeps going off too quickly.

We've got to the point of relying on a local veg box but I'm keen to be producing my own veg.

[Shirley]

Our veg keeps getting demolished by escaping animals... GRRR - at the moment the gander is out and attacking my HORSERADISH - I don't like the geese myself, beautiful but ultimately I'm scared of the gander and he just doesn't like me. He's supposed to be away from the house but at the moment he's attacking me through the glass of the patio doors.

Hope you are recovered soon Hedgie!

[Silver Ether]

brillient artical ....

I try hard not to buy from supermarkets at all now .... but it can be very difficult ... I eat seasonal for a start as I only buy whats grown in the uk where ever poss... some things you can buy in the winter like Toms... oh well ... but have stopped buying them in S/markets and only buy from small outlets that I know are busy.. fast turnover= fresher
The quality and flavour ... better oh and lots cheaper

[hedgewizard]

Thanks for all the best wishes! I'm actually fairly up to date with the "biz" of the garden, it's the infrastructure work that's suffered. I'd planned to use potatoes to clear a bit of land just east of the polytunnel, but haven't had the strength to dig it yet. I wonder how long I can leave it and still use maincrops?

The apples are fine, ta very much, and due for their first summer pruning this weekend. I think we have two apples forming*, although they may drop now the hotter weather has arrived. I put in drip irrigation under mulch during the spring though, so the trees are steaming ahead! I'll send a piccie when I find the lead for my camera - I think it's under the bed in Digi's guest room. In Wales.





* Between three trees. Next year. Next year.

[the.fee.fairy]

Glad to see you're still about hedgie!

I like the Green man too.

[mybarnconversion]

I think we have two apples forming*...


* Between three trees. Next year. Next year.

You've made me so happy with that statement ... I just thought it was me that hoped for apples next year following the underperformance of this year .... ... one day my cider apples will grow ...

[ina]

Hey - I've just discovered two tiny wee apples, too! We'll have to have an apple party in autumn!

(Provided they don't fall off before then. )

[Shirley]

My trees are once again laden with little mini apples... even the trees that don't normally do anything have got more on than usual. Plum trees have a fair few showing too.

Only exception is the crab apple that really was laden with apples last year.. this year doesn't seem to be quite so promising.

ps... Hedgie... what sort of cable is it for your camera - I've got a couple of spare usb ones that I could send to you.

[hedgewizard]

Aargh! It's a sort of... cable... with a doodah on the end. I'll look out the manual and then I might be able to tell you

[Andy Hamilton]

Bit late to come in on this one, but yep a good article mate and it echo's many of my own thoughts. With 3 supermarkets as my local shops it is difficult not to be tempted into them at any point. I won't however, buy my fruit and veg from them even when I have not grown much.

Hopefully our freezer won't break down again this year and we will have plenty of food from the allotment all year round. I have found that blanching does work but agree that any home freezing method has mixed results. I have never seen a farmers market selling frozen food, it this a gap in the farmers market??

Anyway, are you allowed to tell us about the book?