Anything but sprouts

The Mousehunter Blog

2008-02-01T08:10:00.000Z

I've been delving into Wordpress over the past couple of days, and took the bold steps to try and make a blog myself and host it on the Mousehunter site. I thought it would be good to have a book blog on the go, so here it is - The Mousehunter Blog.

I'll still be posting here, especially with the spring coming, but at the minute the books are taking first place over everything. And after all, the birds in the garden don't exactly provide me with an Eastenders level of intrigue, death and betrayal to write about! If only!

The Liar's Diary

2008-01-30T15:49:00.000Z

I was looking at Neil Gaiman's blog and saw this post about a first time author who found out that she had cancer, and realised there'd be no way she could promote it. To help, many bloggers have done a lot of promotional work for her, linking to her book and building up the awareness.

Knowing how much work is involved in putting out a book, it seems only fair to blog about it too, if only to help out on the google ranking. So then, her book is The Liar's Diary, and her name is Patry Francis. And it was out in paperback yesterday!

Raised beds on the way

2008-01-28T14:30:00.000Z

It's the time of year when I get exhausted from celebrating, and this year has had even more things to celebrate than usual. Probably most important after the 'book' thing, would be my 30th birthday in a few days time. The big one. The year when my body starts to disintegrate. I can't tell you how excited I am.

However, gardening presents often come my way, and this year is the year of the raised bed. The parents have ordered me some from here, and I can't wait to try and find 3 tonnes of soil to fill them. Well, that's not strictly true, but I will have to find a fair bit, and it will sadly mean shipping in some from somewhere, which I can't imagine is in anyway good for the planet. Or the worms that will be displaced from their holes.

A bit of digging will be required, I'm sure, but this is the time when the garden will come in from the cold and be welcomed back into my life. The house is now 'done up', (I am now officially known as the Polyfiller king having practised on numerous misplaced drill holes) and now it's the turn of the great outdoors. Woohoo! Roll on the Spring!

The Mousehunter launched

2008-01-18T09:06:00.000Z

Last night was the launch party for The Mousehunter, held just up the road in The Bookseller Crow - the best bookshop this and that side of the River.

It was a terrific evening, and despite the dismal weather, the turnout was amazing. It was so good that even a few mice turned up.

To celebrate, I got out my baking hands - they'd been residing firmly in my pockets for a few months - and created some mousecakes. They were simple fairy cakes really, but with chocolate mice and mousetails. The tails were hard to come by, but if you look hard enough you can get anything in London.

Milo the Dragon

2008-01-14T17:51:00.000Z

After watching the deluge this morning, and then a few hours spent gazing at the newly filled bird feeder, milo decided to adopt the position of the 'resting dragon'.

The sun was out, he was feeling lazy, hell, when's a better time to sit with your nose pressed against the wall?

The Mousehunter on sale!

2008-01-03T10:24:00.001Z

After years of wait, The Mousehunter's finally out. It's a weird feeling seeing it in the shops, and I'm reliably informed that it's even been spotted in Harrods, of all places. It all seems quite unbelievable!

A couple of weeks ago I had my first interview, which is now online at the Reading Zone website. That was a great experience, and a little scary, but there you go! The mice have escaped, and there's no hiding them any more...

There's a Facebook group I've set up - the Pirate Mousehunting Club - so if you're a member of that ubiquitous web 2.0 app, then sign up and get regular mice of the week in your inbox!

This year I'm planning to grow some veg. I really am. I've recently had my flat renovated, all ethically and eco-painted and floored, and next stop is the garden. There still won't be sprouts, but there will be rocket. And possibly a few mice.

London bloggers meet up

2007-12-03T10:02:00.000Z

Last week I met a load of London Bloggers at a pub, in London. I know i haven't done much blogging of late other than here, but it was nice to meet so many new people. It's a funny business meeting people you don't know, but I was brave and strong.

Ultimately, I did end up drawing mice for everyone, but as The Mousehunter website's done, I thought it might be a bit of practice and a way of spreading the mousing word. So if you get a second, please have a nose at The Mousehunter site, and let me know what you think. The lovely Tom Percival (who did the art for Skulduggery Pleasant!) helped me do it all, and I'll be forever grateful for his time!

Leaf drifts in the Palace cause mass panic

2007-11-12T18:56:00.000Z

It's winter in Crystal Palace, and instead of snowdrifts we get leaf drifts. I've never seen so many leaves, although I must admit it's probably more to do with the fact that 1... I've done a lot of walking around of late, and 2... this is the first Autumn that I've been working from home.

The leaves are almost a metre deep in parts, with roads closed and schools shutting early so that the kids can get home in time. It took me at least another 10 minutes to walk up the hill than usual, as the drag on my ankles was so great.

All I can think is that because of the rain this year we've had a bumper crop of leaves. As the slugs devoured everything else, I presume the trees sucked up all the bounty of goodness for themselves. Clever trees...

The Mousehunter website's almost finished

2007-10-28T10:35:00.000Z

Further to that last post, I've almost finished The Mousehunter website - it'll be fully running in about 2 weeks hopefully, but in the meantime there's a taster page to give an idea!

The Mousehunter is almost out!

2007-10-20T12:37:00.001+01:00

It's been a horrendously long time since I posted anything here, but there's a few pretty good reasons - first and foremost being that I've been writing my second book. And the other reasons all stem round that fact that my first is soon to be out.

I must admit, it's not about gardens, or veg, or anything slightly organic. It's an adventure set in a world where people collect expensive species of crazy mice - although I'm sure there a few of the mice that inhabit people's allotments.

I had a slight rush of nerves when I spotted this a few days ago - my first review. It's only a few months until it'll be in the shops (Jan 17th 2008), and I can't believe that the wait is almost over.

Storm over Battersea Power Station

2007-07-03T18:27:00.000+01:00

I've just returned from a meeting in town and came through some amazing storm fronts. This one had just visited Crystal Palace and was on its way central when i snapped it. It was the prettiest train ride home I've ever had.

But this rain shows no sign of abating! I'm almost too scared to venture into my garden for fear of being eaten by all the slugs that are now permanent residents out there. They've already destroyed two runner bean plants... but I guess they're only hungry.

However, all is not lost, for there's a new coffee machine in my kitchen. It goes whirrr, and woosh, and cost a little bit more than the last, but it's the most wonderful thing. I love it more than life itself.

Aujord'hui ma machine de café est mort.

2007-06-07T08:34:00.000+01:00

Aujord'hui ma machine de café est mort. And it's a sad, sad day. So many cappucinos, so few years. Although to be fair, it was my brother's originally, and I've now had it at least four years, so i shouldn't complain. The worst part of it, though, is that it's only died through neglect. I just didn't even consider the fact that limescale would build up inside and ruin it like any good kettle. And now I find that there's a descaler solution that you should run through these machines every few months...

I even became a maintenance man, and in the true spirit of allotmenteering, unscrewed it all and sat each piece in coca cola for hours in the vain hope that some of the blocked tubes might be cleaned. But it just made the matter worse, as I think it shifted a load of gunk and doubled the blockage somewhere in its bowels. I can still froth milk happily enough, but it's no replacement...

Oh woe is me...

The Gotheborg

2007-06-03T14:15:00.000+01:00

Last week I left the comfort of the Sprouts plot to see the Swedish ship Gotheborg, a recreation of the 18th century East Indiaman sailing ship. It was incredible, and looked thoroughly out of place amongst the modern, soulless grandeur of Canary Wharf. You don't see things of such handmade beauty very often these days - and with the potential to sail without any power source whatsoever other than the wind.

It has an engine - to conform to modern safety regulations – but how long will it be before we have to start sailing in ships like this once more? With the oncoming shortage of natural resources, they might have to make a comeback... I hope so.

Runners in Crystal Palace

2007-05-24T13:11:00.000+01:00

Known for its Athletics track, Crystal Palace is now host to a few more permanent runners in the shape of my beans, which got a good planting out yesterday. There's a definite 'Allotment Chic' look coming to the Sprouts garden now, with a wall of bamboo canes and bits of string standing tall and making it look incredibly ramshackle. I like the look though. Kind of a zen garden gone british, if you see what I mean - although my patch is a bit too lumpy to create rake patterns. The closest I get to them is when cats use my plot as a toilet and dig me nice little holes.

I'm a petrolhead. It's official

2007-05-22T15:40:00.000+01:00

I became a petrolhead last week. Ok, so it was only for about 15 mins, but even so it was exciting. I used the petrol strimmer to trim our garden around the Sprouts plot, and suddenly I was away, loving the throttle and the smell of burning fuel. What a feeling power is!

Of course, I left a nice patch of tall grass and wilderness as a little wildlife sanctuary, so it wasn't all death and destruction. Even so, i was ready to get out the chainsaw, find myself a monster truck, and become a bona fide ROAD HOG.

And then I woke up with a spot on the end of my nose. My new found ability to wreak shock and awe was cut down in a second...

From sprouts to Volkswagens

2007-05-14T10:36:00.000+01:00

In our efforts to be green, we've taken the next step up the ladder and bought a camper van. It's an early 80s VW - in green, of course - and will have us pootling around England over the coming year. Now, in all honesty, it does eat petrol like a total fiend, but I think it's better in many ways than flying all over the shop just to hang out on a beach with lots of annoying english folk. Might as well camp with them in Britain and be shot of it, that's what i say.

So with all the greenness that now exists out the front of my house, what's been going on out the back? The rhubarb, raspberries and blueberries are all coming along a treat. I've got rows of lettuce seedlings and rocket sprouting up too. Very little else has made its way into the ground, but that will soon change with the planting of courgettes and tomatoes.

And finally we've had some rain! So probably, next time i pop out the slugs and snails will have stripped my plot bare. I guess you have to give them their due, if they can cope with the horrid conditions, then they're better men than me. Or gastropods... or hermaphrodites... or whatever they are...

Organic food report

2007-03-01T12:36:00.000Z

I've just been catching up on the government report about the production of organic food and its effects on the environment. It makes for peculiar reading, particularly when you read that the production of organic tomatoes, milk and chicken is much worse for the environment than 'conventional', ie, non organic food. Many of the points link to the energy efficiency of growing organic produce and how it takes so much more energy to come to fruition than the other 'conventional' food produce. Also, it's not necessarily the case that organic food is better for you either.

I'm sorry to sound so obvious, but of course it will take more energy and land to grow organic tomatoes, to sustain herds of cows for organic milk, and to keep chickens alive longer and so that they naturally grow properly. I could have told the government that for nothing. Unfortunately, that's the natural way of things, and it's only because we've become so hooked on quick and easy food, sold in bulk and grown artificially, that the report could consider the process of growing organic food as having bad energy efficiency.

I think it's important to know how much impact the growth of food produce has on the world, particularly with the blossoming world populous, but it's more important to be realistic about our future. We need to be realistic about what we need to eat week in week out and where we get it from; and we need to be realistic and ethical about the way we live and interact with the environment.

If the carbon footprint of growing natural, organic food is larger than 'conventional' food, then that's something we have to live and deal with. So walk to the supermarket instead of driving there to counter it's effect.

If the energy efficiency of natural and organic animal husbandry is worse than 'conventional' animal husbandry techniques (such as battery farming), don't fly to Thailand for your holiday this year - instead get the Eurostar to Paris.

I don't see how we can determine these food issues in relation to how energy efficient, or nutritionally beneficient they are - it's the ethics that count, and our principles. And they're the only thing that matter, in the end.

I lost the plot...

2007-02-19T21:22:00.000Z

...but now it is found.

This weekend, I finally got into the garden. I dug over the plot, fed the birds, and even worked up a sweat, which led to me having to take off my jumper! I don't know what came over me. But it looks great out there now, kind of like discovering an old friend and seeing them every morning when I look out the window. I can't wait to get sowing...

A thief gets a good telling off!

2007-02-16T22:35:00.000Z

I suddenly found some fight inside me today. Rather peculiarly, as I wandered through my hallway, I caught a glimpse of some hands on the other side of the see-through catflap. I then saw a bundle of flyers and thought little of it (this being Londinium we get so many leaflets shoved through our door, they fill our recycling bins alone!). And then I thought I'd go and bother him as I hate leafleteers, and lo and behold, as I opened the door he pegged it, with the contents of a parcel in his hands. He'd only gone and stolen some post of ours that the postman so unkindly just left on the doorstep!

So there I was, in my slippers, running up the hill after him, calling him all manner of names. And in my Herefordshire country accent too! What a sight it must have been - I can imagine the Wurzels writing a song about it. And then he stopped and started to approach me. He was much bigger than me, but my flight or fight response said "tell him off!", so I did. At first he said he hadn't taken anything, then I told him I watched him do it and asked him exactly what he thought he was doing. Eventually, he rather sheepishly pulled out the robbings from his pocket. I work for a PC magazine in my dayjob, so to see that all he'd stolen was a USB memory key that was destined for my girlfriend was rather galling (there was me putting my life on the line for something we have a gazillion of!).

He didn't say sorry, he just shrugged and I returned to my house angry and insensed. When I walked in I found the flyer he'd delivered, so I rang the place and dobbed on him - I suddenly felt like a school prefect again. (I should mention here that I did call the local police, but they put me on hold for 10 minutes, and when they connected me somehow managed to cut me off! I couldn't be bothered waiting again). The pizza place knew who he was and they said they'd tell him off, which made me feel happy. There's nothing like telling someone off in absentia.

So the moral of the day is not to hire a person to deliver leaflets about your takeaway, if the very same person is going to run a little takeaway scheme of their own at the same time. It won't get you customers, I can assure you.

Go Greenpeace!

2007-02-15T13:45:00.000Z

So February's doing well for proving climate change theories, and it's also doing well for scuppering the government's plans for new nuclear power stations.

I've been a Greenpeace member for ages now, but it's when they manage to achieve things like this, it makes me happy that I was hassled by a pain-in-the-arse paid-too-much charity pedestrian botherer with a clipboard. (Well, it makes me sort of happy...)

A vegetarian convert?

2007-02-08T12:56:00.000Z

I read this today on the BBC website. It's an unusual thing to hear of a vegetarian starting to eat meat again now that they rear the animals themselves. I like sensible vegetarians.

Here comes the snow again

2007-02-08T07:31:00.000Z

And for once the weather folk got it right! Even Milo's been excited by the sight of all the snow outside. He even ventured forth - with a slight nudge - and almost enjoyed the experience.

London frost

2007-02-07T13:58:00.000Z

The first London frost of the year. It's exciting to finally wake up to a truly cold morning. It'll be sad if our winters grow milder as the years progress - although I think the effects of climate change will eventually see us descend into a new ice age. (Glaciers gradually melt, adding fresh water to the salty sea water, affecting the North Atlantic Drift, therefore lowering the temperature of the nice winds that keep our country so unusually warm for its position.)

What would be worse, no winter or a world that resembles Narnia under the reign of the Ice Queen? One would mean our veg plots would go crazy, and the other would be incredibly pretty... hmmm

Mousebeard

2007-02-06T17:30:00.000Z

I thought I'd write an update about my book, The Mousehunter... which was once called Mousebeard. (I use Mousebeard in the title to this post as I want to try and reclaim the term in Google search! I came up with it first, I swear!) It's not out for another year yet, but there's always stuff going on.

I've been hard at work on the illustrations, and also typing away at the sequel on my weekly days off. It's a strange feeling embarking on the second story. It feels very much like I'm writing my first book again, albeit with a lot more experience and a much greater understanding of the characters. They speak more fluently, and act as I want them too now. The ideas for this one are also well over a year old in the planning, so they're much less 'jumping out of nowhere and hitting the page' than they were in the first one.

I'm really enjoying working out the plot in detail, and adding twists and character growth and the like. It's peculiarly a bit like gardening and running a veg plot, in that you plant things, wait a while for the elements to kill them or let them grow, and then in a few months see what you have. Everything changes, lots of things die, and things that you thought would do badly often become the most successful parts of the whole process.

A green birthday

2007-02-03T09:21:00.000Z

Instead of calling this blog 'Anything but Sprouts', I should probably have called it 'Mainly Courgettes'. Yesterday was my birthday, you see, and there among the presents was this wonderfully unusual book called 'What will i do with all those courgettes?'. It's a very good question - and name for a book – I hear you all saying. Maybe I could use them to make a picture? or even write an autobiography? Or simply just use one of the 150 recipes to make something to eat...

As you can see, there was actually a green theme to many of the presents I received. Ok, so it wasn't all gardening 'green', but when it's a book about the Muppets, who gives a Rowlf?

New links

2007-02-01T08:06:00.000Z

As I sit and listen to our resident drilling woodpecker I've started the overhaul of the links and the site, and it's taking a while. If I paid any attention to my web and blog guru girlfriend, I'd have blogrolls, RSS feeds, and all sorts of whizzy technical stuff, but as much as I'd like to do all that, I don't have the know-how or time just yet. It's nice to be blogging again though.

Ethical Awards

2007-01-30T07:57:00.000Z

As you've probably spotted, I haven't quite got to grips with Blogger's confusing picture upload and publishing settings, what with my pics and layout being skew-whiffy. I apologise, and I promise to sort it out...

But aside from that, me being a hardened Guardian reader and a militant Ecover user, I noticed this and thought it worthy of a mention.

The whole ethical living thing is something close to my heart, and I imagine there's quite a few folk out there who think the same. Anyway, everyone can vote for it, so maybe give it a go.

Shroom watch 1

2007-01-28T14:40:00.000Z

As I mentioned before, I received a GYO Mushroom kit for Christmas, and here it is. It looks like something out of the sixties, and clearly the makers have decided that design isn't a necessary concern for people who are likely to grow mushrooms. Who am I to criticise though? If they taste mushroomy, then that's all that matters. Oh, and that's not my local Satyr pictured with them, it's the back half of Milo the cat, who has to be a part of everything.

If anyone fancies growing some fancy mushrooms, then i found there's loads of different sorts you can buy here. Clearly, my bog standard mushrooms have some way to go before hitting the heights of those on that site, but if they grow I'll be happy.

More snow!

2007-01-24T07:53:00.000Z

Snow in Crystal Palace!

2007-01-24T07:32:00.000Z

So there I was, lying in bed with a cat prodding my face, when I realised there was something different about today. It had snowed! I asked for winter, and someone very kindly obliged!

Thanks for all your lovely comments! I've been slightly nervous about the whole 'leaving work' thing, but that's only because the idea of being in charge of myself is slightly daunting. What will I do with my evenings? Probably work still... Ahh the work ethic is strong in this one!

I've resigned

2007-01-18T13:44:00.000Z

Well, as the winds rattle through London, sweeping the streets clean of people, I've taken it upon myself to resign from my day job. Possibly the greatest threat to the success of my veg plot has been removed. No longer will I battle away on Saturdays trying to write, when, as of the end of March I'll be able to write all week long. Which means, come those April Saturdays, I'll be able to dig all day.

Maybe between now and then we'll get some winter to break down my soil for me?

Return of the Sprout

2007-01-09T13:57:00.000Z

So 2007 is alive and well. I'm fed up with it already, but that's what the first few weeks of the new year are about aren't they – wishing you were somewhere else. (Although, our Wii did arrive yesterday, and I'm loving Baseball even though I have no idea what the rules are. They make about as much sense as wilfully buying sprouts.)

However, as for the Anything but Sprouts plot out back, there's big news in the shape of new bird seed in the feeders. The Greenfinches have returned, and have finally stopped hurling abuse at me from the comfort of their tree. I've apologised for it not being purely sunflower seeds, but I can only do what I can.

I'm going to be starting a new regular post on here relating to the growth of mushrooms. (Who could ask for a better christmas present than a grow-your-own mushroom box?) So in the next week or so, I'm going to have Shroom Watch up and running. I'll keep you posted. I'm sure the photos will be captivating and groundbreaking in equal measure, so keep your eyes peeled!!

This is the start of the return of Anything But Sprouts. It's back, in just the same way as the sprouts you ate on Christmas day returned as a whiffy fart. Although hopefully it won't be quite as whiffy...

Roll on 2007

2006-11-20T13:34:00.000Z

Well, the winter was with us this weekend. With turnips now appearing in our weekly veg box, it can only be a matter of time before sprouts spring up (heaven forbid!) And with the dark nights eating up the day, my plans are already afoot for next year's garden.

This year was spent sorting out my book, and as much as next Spring will be spent writing the next, the plot isn't going to suffer (the veg not the story... I hope!). But I'm going to return to basics. None of this 'trying to grow six types of chilli unsuccessfully' malarkey - instead I'm going to focus on the basics, which made last year so succesful to me. I really missed my courgettes and the countless runner beans that prospered on the slopes of Crystal Palace. I might even rope in a friend to help - a plot halved is a plot solved eh?

Well, maybe not, but I can live in hope. And Anything but Sprouts can be truly up and running again!

Slug

2006-10-04T23:28:00.000+01:00

I was just looking at this post on the Pumpkin Soup blog and it reminded me of when we lived in a flat near Tooting. I used to wake up to find slug trails across the corridor floor. Horrible things to see - especially when you don't have your slippers on. And then one morning I went to fill the kettle and found a very boiled slug floating in the small amount of water that was left in there from the last time we made a cup of tea. I gagged, in no small part due to the fact that the last cupper had been brewed only an hour earlier.

Thankfully, we're in a raised ground floor flat now!

Autumn delights

2006-10-03T13:15:00.000+01:00

Autumn's arrived.

As if the weekend was summer's last gasp, Monday morning brought with it steamed-up windows and a chilly wait at the station. I must admit that I love this time of year - or moreover, the weather. I love hearing the torrential train pelt down outside, and I love seeing breath flee my mouth when I exhale. I also love the fact that it's now much more preferable to drink red, rather than white wine, and I can't wait for the first drop of Port to be officially poured.

And it's true, I can't wait to put on a jumper.

Some minor achievements

2006-08-15T14:54:00.000+01:00

Anything but sprouts has been a bit quiet of late. The garden hasn't seen much loving, and even the birds have been complaining about lack of food. But even with my lack of time and effort on the plot this year, there have been a few minor successes.

The Broad Beans came out beautifully before they got savaged by blackfly. I did love them, and I'll definitely try more next year. My Blueberry bush has given me loads of fruit - quite unexpectedly – and I am determined to get a few more plants for next year. Another success has been my tomato hanging basket at the front of my flat. They've ripened beautifully, and the taste is just amazing. Sod flowers, hanging baskets will always have tomatoes in them from now on! And finally, my chillis. While not having quite as much fruit on them as previous years, I have at least 6 chillis to dry and see me through the next month or so.

I just wish I had more to show, or rather eat, for the past 6 months of Anything but Sprouts. Next year, maybe...

My upwards broad beans

2006-06-04T20:07:00.000+01:00

It's been another weekend of hard slog (if that's what you can call writing) indoors for me. I did get out a couple of times to hang the washing and even to water the broad beans though. I've actually got a few pods growing now, and they're a most impressive sight. Seeing them grow upwards was a bit of a shock. I guess as they're broad, they have a bit of attitude that allows them to defy gravity.

My courgette plants are coming along nicely on the window sill, and so are my chillis, despite them being very much in need of repotting. I'll get there soon...

The Aquilegias

2006-05-30T22:05:00.000+01:00

With all the rain recently, Crystal Palace has turned into the jungle. It's so green round here that if Orville finally learnt to fly you wouldn't see him for all the trees.

And in a brief respite from the rain and writing, I managed to get out at the weekend and photograph our aquilegias. They didn't flower last year, but here they are as lovely as anything.

What a month!!

2006-05-25T13:52:00.000+01:00

Despite a rushed effort to bolster my broad beans last Thursday night, I'm sorry to say that my garden is looking in much the same state as my blog recently - a bit worse for wear. I've been so busy on the second draft of my book that I've just had no time to think of anything else.

And it's not just my garden that looks like a jungle - my bedroom window sill is threatening to turn my flat into the Amazon Rainforest. The seeds have all gone crazy. Everything needs repotting - particularly my tomatoes - but where's the time!

Thanks to everyone who's visited recently, and I promise I will get back into the blogging habit, but I've had to let it take a backseat for the moment. Come July though, most of the hard work should be done, and life will return to normal...

Phew!!

Runner bean killer

2006-04-24T13:59:00.000+01:00

I was away again this weekend, enjoying the sun in the wilds of Kent. And unfortunately, just like last weekend I arrived home to find something had eaten my runner and french bean seedlings.

Who was it? My flaming cat that's who! I'd put them inside to protect them from the slugs, only to find on my return that milo had been enjoying fresh greens as a complement to his very full catfood bowl.

Gah!!

A weekend of no gardening

2006-04-18T13:23:00.000+01:00

For all the free time at the weekend (much of it spent in Wolverhampton), I did very little in the garden. This feeling of achieving nothing out on the plot was exacerbated by the fact that I broke our ageing garden bench (by merely sitting on it), and also a number of slugs and snails demolished my runner beans that were hardening up on the front steps. one step forward, three steps back.

Not to get too downhearted though, I did do lots of thinking (something I'm getting terribly good at), and even a bit of work on my book. (As an update to the book situation, the contract is now finalised and is currently being drawn up for me to sign. And I'm even more excited than ever...)

Making the most of the garden though, I did go out to enjoy a glass of wine in the sun yesterday. It's looking lovely out there, with a nice sense of order starting to appear. Kind of organised squares. And the rhubarb is doing brilliantly, and sitting very comfortably in the middle of the lawn. I knew there could be no better spot for it!

Now I just need to grow some more runner beans. At least there's plenty of time in hand.

Smilax Glyciphylla

2006-04-13T23:45:00.000+01:00

I've been reading a book called, The life and times of John Nicol, mariner. A great little historical autobiography from the early 19th century about a Scotsman who travels the world many times because he's a sailor.

When he gets to the new colonies in Australia he talks of a sweet tea he drinks, like china tea. There's a wonderful moment when he mentions an old lady with a shrivelled face and white hair who everyone goes to see because she is suckling a child after just giving birth. Her 'fecundity' is because of the tea made from the Smilax Glyciphilla, or Sarsparilla as it's more commonly known.

I don't want to have kids when I'm ninety, or suckle them, but I think I'm going to buy some and grow it in my garden.

Food snobbery? Moi?

2006-04-11T14:02:00.000+01:00

I was intrigued by this comment piece in the paper about food prejudice and snobbery between the classes. Unfortunately, I don't see the problem with eating healthily - and I also don't see how it's possible to bundle eating healthily, having enough money to buy posh produce and the questions of recycling into one argument.

I don't think I'm a food snob, or simply some left-wing liberal hippy (alright maybe a little), but i feel a lot of this argument is about education. I don't solely mean schooling here, although it's a good place to start. People should know from an early age about the benefits of decent food, particularly meat. And particularly how it's beneficial to the countryside and general landscape of modern life. Once more people want better quality produce, then it will become more widely available, and be cheaper too. Everyone will be a winner.

On another note, I also don't see why people who don't have space to keep recycled rubbish, such as people in tower blocks, should complain - they've got to keep their rubbish somewhere anyway don't they? Whether it's in a bin bag or an orange recycling bag? That's a nonsense argument if ever I heard one.

So I don't believe it's about being class-ist, or a snob. It's about being ignorant. And I thoroughly believe that if you don't have much money, you can still eat healthily. Things will just be that much harder for you. You just have to know the benefits of going that extra yard.

Chilli!

2006-04-10T14:25:00.000+01:00

It was a funny old weekend for weather. We had glorious sunshine, then stormy skies, then rain. And I heard tales from my gran of snow storms, hail and frosts.

I couldn't keep up. And that also meant I actually did very little outside. However, I did put some canes in the soil just to get my brain thinking about planting runner beans. I also spent ten minutes sorting out my seedlings - which gave me great joy as my chilis are sprouting.

For some reason the sight of chilli plants breaking out of the soil fills me with more joy than any other veg plant growing. I suppose it muct be the exotic air they carry with them, and the fact that they're ultimately very cool. Or hot.

But I also failed to plant my tea seeds. I'm desperate to get my chinese tea plant on the go - so much so that I keep forgetting to do it. It's been almost a month now since I bought them. I'm not going to think about how many cups of tea I've missed out on because of this though.

Seedlings on the brink of death!

2006-04-07T23:38:00.000+01:00

I came home last night to find my little baby seedlings desperate for water. I can't believe I forgot about them while letting them get hardy for life outdoors! I was mortified at their deadly poses, all limp and ready to enter the early stages of rigormortis. It's amazing how quickly the weather has turned and now things are needing watering again. Luckily they were happy and alive again after half an hour in water, but it was definitely a close call.

I promise I won't let it happen again. However, that thought of having to run back and forth to my garden with a watering can is already starting to make me uneasy.

Bird Flu

2006-04-06T13:17:00.000+01:00

Bird flu has reached Britain - it was always going to, so now at least, the waiting game is over. I'll be interested to see people's reactions. I know that our downstairs neighbour was particularly worried about the pigeons defecating all over her path a few months ago - and she made it very clear, over and over, that we had to do something about it (to the point where we did, actually, but my ears were bleeding by the end of it).

And I'm sure now I'll probably get an earful about feeding the birds in the garden. As I love having birds there, and we do live near a lake with ducks etc, I thought I should look into it. We're nowhere near Scotland, but it's worth being sure about things. Being realistic here: bird flu is transmitted by poo (at least the nasty H5N1 virus has been). And despite bird poo landing occasionally on my shoulders or head, like a gift from the gods, in day-to-day life only a few people in the community really come near it in any quantity. So, thankfully, the RSPB is sensible and tells you to wash your hands after feeding birds or handling feeders. It also offers advice about dead birds, and situations that might arise from your cat bringing home a bird for your delectation. (Now at this point I could have a rant about my belief that cats should not be free to roam outside, adding another unnatural predator etc, and be all smug about having a house cat, but I won't.)

Be careful, and cautious over cleanliness, and the risk is going to be minimal. Just like going to the hospital and washing your hands with the alcohol mix, it's a safety precaution. It's a case of remembering to be sensible - don't be crazy and think we're all going to die, because we're not.

Hopefully, DEFRA will be sensible about this too - at least it might take their eyes off the insane badger cull situation for a while . And hopefully we won't get crazy news reports in the tabloids, scaring all the dimwits left, right and centre, and hopefully the government won't do another Foot and Mouth disease fiasco and close off the countryside.

Only time will tell. But don't be scared, eat lots of fruit and veg, and keep well. It will be ok.

Raspberry canes

2006-04-04T21:37:00.000+01:00

Sunday morning took me outside, photographing this little plant and sticking out my raspberry canes. (How I wish it were Sunday tomorrow again!) But there were far too many of them - a lot more than 10 at any rate, leaving me with little space to plant them all. Hopefully Asha will find a space for them. Share and share alike eh?

I also managed to dig a bit of a trench and fill it with paper bits and compost to get it ready for my runner beans. I didn't do that last year, and had a great crop, so it'll be good to see what happens in the summer. They're actually coming along nicely now too - once you get these things on the go there's no stopping them, and I'm finding it hard to keep up. I'm going to have to start off a load more seeds soon to fill up the space. There's so much to keep on top of it can really seem like a neverending task sometimes. Just got to look forward to eating it all.

Crystal Palace in Steamboy!

2006-04-02T08:54:00.000+01:00

Slightly un-gardening related, but very related to my garden, this. Last night I watched Steamboy, the latest film from Akira director Katsuhiro Otomo, and there in all it's glory was the Crystal Palace. It wasn't in the right place - I think I'd be telling you a big lie if I said I lived opposite the Houses of Parliament - but they'd done a terrific job of recreating it's look, both inside and out.

Setting the film at the 1866 London Exhibition also actually makes sense, and even realistically allows for most of the Palace to get blown up, as in 1866 there really was a big fire at the Palace (not as bad as the 1936 one that ultimately destroyed it all though).

SO if you want to see what it used to look like 5 minutes walk from my house, watch Steamboy!

Very broad beans

2006-04-01T17:53:00.000+01:00

Can't argue with this amount of growth can I? Even the second lot of seeds that I started last week are growing in the windowsill too.

ooh, just an un-garden related question here: I've put up these images with blogger's upload option, and it often seems to get upset and shift things around while pushing all my links to the bottom of the page. If anybody sees it looking daft, will you tell me? I can never understand the magical way it works.

Fruity growth

2006-04-01T17:44:00.000+01:00

It's a beautiful day in Crystal Palace, aptly sprinkled with April showers. The garden looks great with the sun on it (despite it actually being a bit of a tip), and things are growing brilliantly. The rhubarb is looking just dandy, and so are my broad beans. Even my blackcurrant and blueberry bushes are showing green leaves! Tomorrow morning will hopefully be nice too, as I'll finally get around to sticking the raspberries in the ground. Then the fruit bushes will all be sorted.

Organic food

2006-03-31T13:36:00.000+01:00

I've just been looking at the guardian feature about organic veg in today's paper. Titled 'Is organic veg really better for you', Leo Hickman once again looks at the green vegetable way of life, and ultimately concludes that it will be the consumers who decide whether pesticide residues do us harm or not.

I love this sort of thing. Consumer pressure can and will achieve anything and everything. It's no use expecting the government to take a line on it in order to make a real difference - simply because it's not in their best interests. However, the more organic food we buy, the easier it is to find it in the shops and the cheaper it becomes. It becomes beneficial for the stores to change the market place to suit us.

However, I still don't understand why pesticides are allowed to be used so much. We've seen a real effect on fish with all the pollutants flushed into the water supply - apparently many fish stocks are now so high in certain toxins that there's only a few varieties that are safe to eat. And it doesn't only affect us - it's affecting the animals that feed off them as well.

And as for pesticides sprayed willy nilly over crops - they've got to go somewhere. Of course, they affect the birds and wildlife that live in the countryside as well as creeping into the water supply. There's not going to be an answer to this is there? Maybe one day Organic food will just be the norm, whether pesticides damage us or not. If that's the case then at least we won't be damaging things other than ourselves.

Getting things hardy

2006-03-30T22:22:00.000+01:00

Many of my seeds have really taken off this last week, so I've now started letting the early risers out for the day. It's a strange process getting these little plants used to the gales and chilly weather - compared to last week it might as well be sub tropical here - but you know what i mean. A little bit here, a little bit there, and soon they'll be hardy enough to bear the full brunt of a Crystal Palace Spring.

Our daffs have really started showing themselves as the pint-sized beauties they aspired to be, and there's even quite a lot of growth done by the aliums. It's amazing how you can just put something in the ground then forget about it, and each year it'll come back without fail.

And it's Friday tomorrow. Hooray. It's been a week of trying to forget about all the exciting things in life and getting down to some proper work in my day job, so I'm really looking forward to Saturday. It can't come to soon!

We've gone good

2006-03-28T21:16:00.000+01:00

I've just changed our energy supplier. Faced with the price rises and unbelievable fat cat bonuses of British Gas it seemed the right thing to do. I've been planning to move to an ethical, non-fossil fuel burning supplier for a while, and weighing up the pros and cons of moving to Good Energy against the newly inflated British Gas there didn't seem to be much of a difference at all. It's made easier by the fact that we only have electricity.

With Good Energy it is just over 4p a kWh in the night (we have economy 7) compared to British Gas's 3p (admittedly a whole penny more), but when you see that the daytime cost of Good Energy is only nearing 11p per kWh compared to the 22p of British Gas, it became clear that it was a no-brainer. There's a slightly higher standing charge I think, but considering Katie works at home all day on multiple computers, charging IT goods, and using the cooker etc, the day rate usage should counter any extra cost.

Anyway, it seems to make sense for us. When I can get solar panels on my roof or a water wheel that utilises the stream that might one day run at the bottom of my garden I will. But for now using other people's wind turbines will do.

Peat-free compost

2006-03-27T14:03:00.000+01:00

In the Guardian on saturday, I read a small piece about peat-free compost and where to buy it from. For the writer to start off by saying ' My conscience nags me at this time of year over the multipurpose compost I buy for raising vegetables from seed', just says it all really about the sorry state of affairs in the gardening world.

Can somebody tell me why we are still allowed to buy compost with peat in it? can somebody tell me why a gardening writer who admits to having a guilty conscience, still buys the stuff? We all might as well keep buying ivory because it looks pretty. I don't care if peat makes my carrots grow slightly thicker. I'll just plant a few more seeds and grow more thinner carrots to make up the difference. At least I haven't destroyed anything in the process.

I can see it's going to take the total destruction of peat bogs before people stop using peat, and I doubt the government will ever do anything about it. Come on gardeners, just don't buy it. I appreciate peat-free compost is a bit more expensive, but honestly, is it really that much worse? Any argument for the use of peat is similar (in a kind of theoretical 'Anything but Sprouts' way) to Chinese medicines claiming that they need rhino horn or a tiger's earwax as a major ingredient. There are alternatives, so use them.

More pots

2006-03-26T13:48:00.001+01:00

I've spent the morning making paper pots and getting the second round of sowing on the way. Tomatoes (including Sub Arctic Plenty from the Heritage Seeds Lucky Dip -just like Jane over at Horticultural), more peas, some flowers, and my second round of broad beans. I'm determined to get some this year, if only so that I can eat chorizo with them at least once!

The photo is of my first lot i did two weeks ago. The runner beans are going crazy, and at least one pea too. Why is it that there's always one that wants to grow much better than the others?

And the rhubarb is up to something!

2006-03-25T10:54:00.000Z

I don't quite know what, but it looks good...

Barbecue weather!

2006-03-25T10:41:00.000Z

I can't believe how warm it is! And our tiny daffs are open. I guess it's time for a barbecue!

Blackcurrants

2006-03-24T17:28:00.000Z

I had a blackcurrant bush arrive this morning. To correct a previous post about my fruit bushes arriving, they were actually raspberries and blueberries that arrived a few days ago. They came from crocus, the online shop and were brilliantly boxed, in tubs, with growing instructions and looking wonderful.

So it was quite a surprise when i opened a peculiar potato sack delivery bag this morning and found my blackcurrant bush laid bare. There it was with its roots sitting for all to see in a seethru polythene bag. I'd ordered this from the organic catalogue, and to be fair, the bush looks in perfect condition. It was just a shock to find it without dirt. It also didn't have any instructions telling me what to do, and as i left for work, I was wondering if i should be leaving it on the side for fear of milo thinking it was a new stick toy. (He does like his stick toys.)

But anyway, weather permitting I'll be sticking it in the garden at the weekend and giving it some life juice - and soil. I found it really intriguing how different companies send out their goods. ( As an aside, both delivered the plants really quickly though, so that definitely deserves a cheer.)

Daffodils doing just dandy

2006-03-22T14:58:00.000Z

Our first Daffodils are now showing their closed up heads in the garden. I know they'll never be like this in their grandeur, but even if three flower it'll be an improvement on last year.

And spying on my Broad Beans with my binoculars has provided me with the knowledge that they are growing happily outside, even in the arctic wastes of Crystal Palace. The excitement is building!!

The cold weather continues

2006-03-21T13:50:00.000Z

It's still freezing in London, but the first few pea and rocket seedlings have sprouted on my windowsill. It shows what the warmth of a good home and hearth can do for vegetables. I keep gazing longingly at my broad beans out in the ground from my window, hoping that the cold is kind to them, but what can you do? You raise these little babies, throw them out to pasture and hope they survive in the big bad world (after some good advice from mum about the feeding habits of pigeons, I now have them secure under a shield of chicken wire!). I guess at least you don't have to go through a nine-month pregnancy if you need to grow some more.

And I've also received some of my fruit bushes ordered over the internet. When you don't have a car, the web really is a wonderful shopping centre. I look forward to blackcurrant and raspberry home-made squash this year - well that's the plan at any rate.

The new-look plot

2006-03-18T15:07:00.000Z

All dressed up to the nines - apart from the broad beans. They've come on tremendously in the last week:

The plot in black

2006-03-18T13:13:00.000Z

It's exceptionally cold here, but this morning I got dressed up like a seasoned arctic explorer and did some plot work. My broad beans got put out (in both senses of the phrase in all likelihood, although they still have their paper sleeping bags on to keep them warm).

And i finally got round to covering the majority of the earth in black cloth. Like Mr Cash himself, there's a reason for it wearing black, and that's to get it nice and toasty for for all my seeds in the coming weeks. But you all know that already and this paragraph was just a shameless attempt by me to integrate some coolness into Anything but sprouts. Sorry.

No mold on me!

2006-03-17T17:48:00.000Z

So it's completely true. Chamomile tea has totally eradicated any mold on my paper pots. Fluffy Muppet was totally right. I've tried to find out why this has happened - a few sites has mentioned that it contains disinfectent properties, which i guess would do the trick.

My belief, however, is it's really just calmed my seedlings down. They're too relaxed to be bothered with fungus any more.

Comfortable planting

2006-03-13T14:54:00.000Z

I got round to planting some seeds yesterday. I'd taken the example of a few other bloggers, and enjoyed the comfort of my living room in the process. I found it was a much more civilised approach, especially as I had to make the paper pots first. French beans, runner beans, two lots of peas, basil, rocket and some cayenne chillis are now in the mix and sat happily on our bedroom window sill. It will be nice and sunny for them there, and they'll thank me for it at some point.

Oranges

2006-03-12T09:14:00.000Z

We've been getting a lot of these oranges in our veg box recently, and I can't help but be amazed by them every time I peel them open.

Good Hooking

2006-03-11T09:13:00.000Z

And while I'm here, I ought to put a post about my lovely girlfriend Katie's new crochet blog. If you've ever fancied crocheting a mobile phone cover, with only a slight hint of irony, then Good Hooking's the place to go!

She'll love me forever now...

Milo wanting fame

2006-03-11T09:06:00.000Z

And in the process of taking that photo, Milo wanted to get involved, so I thought he ought to get a post to himself. It's been a while hasn't it?

Life as a broad bean

2006-03-11T09:03:00.000Z

Here's my broad beans geting used to life in the big outdoors. I'm holding off putting them in the ground just until this weekend's apparent cold spell hits. They seem quite happy though.

An unwitting fashionista

2006-03-10T12:41:00.000Z

It seems like i've unwittingly caught the zeitgeist with my recent planting of Rhubarb. This morning in the Guardian was a short article about it rising from the lower ranks of obscurity and entering the public eye once more.

And Clare commented on it on my last post too. A sure sign that I'm lagging in the wake of the trendsetters and dawdling behind the times. I didn't realise gardening was as hard to keep up with as fashion.

Bread and rhubarb

2006-03-09T16:33:00.000Z

The world of bread-making opened up before my eyes today, as i used my bread maker for the first time. Talk about easy. A wholemeal loaf popped out in three hours, perfectly formed and with a crispy crust. What more could you ever ask for? I can put as much salt as i like in, and rest easy with my arteries. Roll on summer, and bring on the tomato and onion bread.

And the rhubarb is in the ground, with a few sticks to remind me that it's there. I can't wait to look longingly at the sub-tropical leafage and wish that I liked the stuff.

My plot 2006

2006-03-08T15:55:00.000Z

It's been a while since I put a picture up, so here's one of my new look, super-enhanced vegetable plot. Also noticeable is the squirrel-proof bird feeder. This really is impossible for them to get into, although the other day the string broke and I had to put it back up again. I have a strong feeling that they chewed it through, but they did it when it was empty, so they still failed to get any seeds. HA!

Compare it to last year, here:

Here comes the rain

2006-03-07T13:29:00.000Z

Well it's now that time of year when it starts to be rainy and horrible. As opposed to that time of year when it's freezing and beautiful, which was yesterday. There's nothing quite like Britain's seasons for clear delineation.

I've been hardening off my Broad bean sproutings (they're growing so fast!) leaving them out on the doorstep during the day. I've even watered them in their paper pots with camomile tea, which I hope is more to their liking than mine. All this is to get them ready for hopeful outdoor planting in the next day or two.

I've got a couple of days off work, and the parents are coming over (mum has assured me her wellies are coming too) so there should finally be some gardening on the cards... if the rain abates, that is.

Finches in the know...

2006-03-01T22:58:00.000Z

Now that I've fixed the squirrel-sabotaged bird feeder, the Greenfinches have returned to my garden. I don't know where they vanish to when there's no food,but they certainly have a good neighbourhood watch scheme and know immediately when it's back again. They're usually there in the mornings as i make a cup of tea before heading to work and are great to watch - they certainly cheer me up prior to the dreary commute into London (although they continually think it's a good idea to throw seeds into my plot - the cads).

But this morning, the finches could only offer me slight refrain from the detached boredom of 45mins travel. I was fidgety all the way to work, mainly because I had an inkling that I'd find out about the progress of my book. And peculiarly enough, I did. I've been offered a book deal with Faber & Faber. I still haven't floated down from the ceiling, and I still can't shake the horrible feeling that it's all going to be a dream when I wake up tomorrow.

The book's nothing to do with veg I'm afraid, not like Jane Perrone's, but it is about mice...

Broad beans are GO!

2006-02-27T13:14:00.000Z

I finally planted my broad beans this weekend. I'd made a number of paper pots to sow them in and they're now on the bedroom window (I don't know how wise this is, as everywhere says to plant them straight out - but i thought it might give them an extra kick up the bum to get going). I guess time will tell.

I also did a bit of light digging again. (Can't over do it!) It's amazing how much better the soil is this year compared to last, when I was routinely pulling up rocks and bed springs. One small annoyance though - the extra space I've added to the plot has proved a little problematic as there is so much clay there. Realistically, it might not be that good for growing things, but I'm determined to grow extra veg in pots this year, so I should still be able to grow more produce.

If only I had a bit more time to spend outside. Roll on the clocks going forward!!

Muck some rake!

2006-02-21T13:19:00.000Z

Once again, things have conspired against me working too much my plot. I managed to 'muck some rake' (I have a real problem with organising those three words into the correct order when i speak), and I also gave it a good dig over. I must admit, that felt wonderful - only a few aches afterwards. That bit of work took place in the weekend that fell between the freezing conditions and the torrential downpour.

But any other free time has been sorely missing of late. This is mainly because, most unbelievably, a publisher has shown a keen interest in my children's book. It seems like such a bizarre thing to happen, and I can't quite believe it. Nothing's definite yet, but it's spurred me into action on different fronts - planning and plotting the sequels, being one.

However, back to vegetable fighting talk. My broad beans will be planted very soon, I'm determined to get that done. Time's slipping by for them, and I'm not going to miss out on their lovely sleeping bag pods this year.

The Paper Potter

2006-02-07T16:24:00.000Z

It was my birthday at the end of last week, and that meant too much eating and partying, and yet another weekend without digging and readying my plot. However, it also meant that I now have a brand new rake and hoe (coming in the post), and a wonderful thing called a Paper Potter for making your own plant pots.

If someone knows of more fun to be had with an old newspaper than this, then let me know. (Oh, and it's super environmentally friendly too, unless you read and use the new all-colour Guardian, like me. Bah!)

Jerusalem Artichoke

2006-01-25T13:53:00.000Z

Another of our veg box offerings, the peculiar Jerusalem Artichoke - or nobbly, plasticky lump - didn't go down well at first. We boiled it first time round, and it went all sloppy and horrible. So I, on pain of stuffing parsnips up my nose, swore I'd never have it again.

But then the lovely Asha, well-known for growing the stuff, persuaded us to try it again. I must admit that I've noticed so many bloggers growing it in their plots and having time for the vegetable, but I didn't hold out much hope.

So, when a batch arrived once more in our box, we lightly fried it - thinly sliced like thick crisps - and now I'm absolutely smitten. Maybe I'm missing the point. I mean, all veg - even beetroot (and, can I say it... yes... no... yes... bru****s sp****s) - tastes wonderful this way. But if I can now add another vegetable to my list of dinner party 'yes please's, then it's got to be a good thing.

That shady figure in the background

2006-01-24T16:38:00.000Z

As I very rarely mention the great work achieved by Katie in the garden, particularly in the realms of flowers, shrubs, and heavy maintenance, it seems fitting to dedicate a post to her. Her handiwork is not confined to the rough boundary of the garden either. Highlights include crocheted hats (I, of course provide my head as a dummy), and granny squares. Oh, and the odd bit of writing.

So when I say in future (fingers crossed) that the flowers at Anything but Sprouts have been successful, what I'm really saying is that Katie has done exceptionally well.

Dig, dug, dugged

2006-01-23T13:22:00.000Z

This saturday was spent digging the lawn. Or rather the newly expanded plot that's now almost twice the size. It felt good to get active in the garden again, but I'd forgotten the aches and pains that come hand in hand with digging. Occasional badminton just doesn't prepare you for hard slog. It does give you a keen eye for incoming missiles and birds though, and, just like last year, the robins were out helping me.

It was actually a day for a double dose of excitement as some seeds arrived in the post - dahlias, echinacea and assorted veg. I've decided to make a bit of an effort with flowers as well as the veg this year. I think looking at the Great Vegetable Plot by Sarah Raven, which seems to have been a popular xmas present for many bloggers (particularly at MTP), has made me realise how lovely my little bit of garden could be. I try growing flowers most years with little success - with the exception of sweet peas - but I'll give it yet another go.

Classification of fruit

2006-01-18T14:07:00.000Z

Despite having a fruit and veg box from abel & cole, you don't always get all you need. And I seem to need a lot of oranges at the minute, so I bought some organic beauties. It was only then that i saw they were Class II quality. I've never paid much attention to this before (my dad moaning about the quality of the veg in his supermarket aside), but i thought I'd have a look as to what this meant.

On the Defra website, here it states that all citrus fruit must meet minimum requirements (too many to mention here). For a Class I citrus fruit it has to meet other standards as well:

Citrus fruit in this class must be of good quality. They must be characteristic of the variety and/or commercial type.
The following slight defects, however, may be allowed provided these do not affect the general appearance of the produce, the quality, the keeping quality and presentation in the package:
- slight defect in shape
- slight defect in colouring
- slight skin defects occurring during the formation of the fruit, such as silver scurfs, russets, etc

Now for the point of this post. The oranges I bought look lovely, proper oranges, but for these to be Class II, they must have been considered more defective than 'slight'. Is this a problem that all organic produce has to face? And if so, will it ever change? Does Class II mean the produce is worth less to the grower, as I imagine a lott of it doesn't come out looking perfect? If so, is it inhibiting farmers growing organic produce due to reduced profit? Anyone know?

And so it begins again...

2006-01-11T17:04:00.000Z

It's amazing that a year has passed since I started up this blog. Great to be heading back into the year with a small amount of knowledge gained and i'll hopefully be able to put it to some use.

It's interesting seeing the cycle start up again. I've bought seeds and manure once more, (funny how there was no stigma attached to it this year - just a whiffy smell) and I've even decided to go crazy and expand my plot to twice the size and make two beds (they still won't be much compared to a normal allotment plot though). I have the space, however, and now all i need is the strength to dig it - I'm dreading pulling up the second half of the iron bed I found last year. Once again I'll be hoping to uncover a Roman fort.

Maintaining the Time Team theme, I've even come to the conclusion that, like my early forefathers, I shall be building some minor earthworks by raising the beds slightly. No Beaker pots or stone monuments, just little bumps. I'm also quite excited about laying some weed repelling sheet down and creating a little path between the beds. (Why do I find this so much more exciting than the prospect of tiling my bathroom?)

So it's all go once more. I'm swearing under oath that I won't grow sprouts again, but who can say what will happen.

Roll on Spring!

The vegetable that shall not be named

2005-12-14T14:00:00.000Z

Blogging has taken a back seat these past months, and I've been put to shame by everyone linked to on the right. In my defence, there's been a family crisis, and I've finally completed my book, but I do feel sad for neglecting my blog and my plot.

The garden's sadly in a bit of a state, but plans are afoot in my brain to order manure and expand the plot. I'll put it to rights!
One thing worth mentioning though. This week's veg box from Abel & Cole brought a number of delights, particularly some perfectly proportioned leeks. But, much to my dismay, there was also a brown bag filled with the 'vegetable that shall not be named' (other than at the top of this blog!).

Needless to say, i shall be exercising my right not to eat them. They won't go to waste though, I'm sure, even if i have to force feed them to my cat.

Olive

2005-11-04T16:35:00.000Z

Olive
Originally uploaded by Al Milway.

My posts are few and far between at the moment due to me working all hours. Hopefully in the next week I can finish everything that's keeping me from normal life and get back to relaxing in the house and garden. So not much to report at la maison sans sprouts really.

The only really exciting thing is my olive. It's currently battling the elements, awaiting it's plucking - which I'd happily do if I knew what to could do with it. I really never even contemplated the fact that they needed processing for months before being ready to eat. Still you learn something new every day.

It's a pretty little thing though!

Bye bye courgettes

2005-10-05T13:41:00.000+01:00

i got around to shoring up my leeks at the weekend and clearing the massively overgown courgette plants from their way. I've had so much produce from them that it would be churlish of me to begrudge their right to existence in my plot, but their time had come. It felt good as well. Like a murderous hairdresser I snipped feverishly at their woody stalks and stuffed them into my composter.

It'll be strange not having courgettes with every meal.

Get ready to crumble!

2005-09-20T12:41:00.000+01:00

That singular time of the year, when the first cold wind of Autumn blows across your t-shirted arms, means two things: the fusty jumpers need to be taken from the the cupboard and the oven readied for casserole.

And this year, of course, I was able to use my homegrown produce to fill the pot. Unfortunately, I don't have my own herd of cows to supply the beef, but there was definitely a courgette in there, and even a chilli to add a little warmth.

Casseroles are a family tradition, and nothing betters Gran's version, made with shin of beef and kidney, and cooked in the slow cooker for an eternity. If only I had a decent butcher nearby I'd have used shin as well (apparently it loves being cooked to death), but instead I had to make do with some organic diced beef from the supermarket.

But there was no denying it was delicious. And with a pear and rhubarb crumble for desert (provided by my expert crumble-maker girlfriend), I was in heaven.

Milway the Lumberjack

2005-09-08T10:31:00.000+01:00

Milway the Lumberjack
Originally uploaded by Al Milway.

My tomatoes have come down with a sort of blight. AlI 6 plants have succumbed, which is possibly something to do with them all being in such close proximity of each other (saw something on River Cottage about that sort of thing I think!).

But even so, I don't mind that much as it gave me the chance to don my lumberjack suit and fell all the tomato trees. In the process I removed all the fruit of course, and now pounds of yellow Golden Queen toms areripening on window sills and tables, here there and everywhere.

I am planning to make a chutney, but I want to just enjoy having armfuls, if not bucketloads, of veg for a while.

Joke veg

2005-09-06T13:18:00.000+01:00

Joke veg
Originally uploaded by Al Milway.

I never knew tomatoes with diseases could be so much fun.

Carrots are go!

2005-09-05T14:45:00.000+01:00

Carrots are go!
Originally uploaded by Al Milway.

It's been a while since I posted once again, mainly because of a holiday and too much time spent writing about pirates, but here I am. And now I'm loaded with pictures. The most exciting of which is of my Nantes carrots, freshly picked and modelled by the indespensible John. I couldn't believe it when I dug one up to find that it really had grown and wasn't just an optical illusion. I couldn't believe it so much that I had to dig up another two just to be sure.

Ha! Carrot Fly. You may have seen off my parsley, but the carrots have farted in your general direction!

It's a frog's life

2005-08-11T13:58:00.000+01:00

While sitting in the tranquility of a friend's garden enjoying a barbecue, a frog decided his time was up. He leapt through the air, throwing three sheets to the wind and descended sharply onto the burning hot coals.

There was a slight fizzle, a couple of slight hops, then death. Short, sharp and, I imagine very painful. But an effective way to go nonetheless. What would draw a small frog to such a final deadly act is beyond me. Maybe the flies weren't buzzy enough. Maybe another frog had run off with his girl.

I haven't seen a frog croak it before, and I feel rather sad that he had to go in such a desperate fashion. But I guess city living in the amphibian world is just as tough as the human one.

We didn't eat him by the way.

Summer in the Palace

2005-08-04T10:23:00.000+01:00

It's been a while since I last posted, mainly because I haven't found myself in the garden too often. Everything is growing like it should, and I guess this is the 'reaping what you sow' time of year. For very little effort, only the watering, the food just keeps coming.

I haven't had any tomatoes ripen yet - i suppose it's our relative lack of summer that's causing that - but the beans and courgettes are wonderful. I've even noticed the great tits enjoying the runner beans too. (They're cute! how could I stop them!)

Crystal Palace is as beautiful as ever with the flowers and trees providing the best hideaway from the city possible. And despite the occasionally less than fragant inhabitants of the area, it still smells of roses.

So even though the commute is hot and sticky, filled with police, and often running late, all is well at chez nil sprouts s'il vous plait!

Salut!

2005-07-19T13:49:00.000+01:00

I've just returned from a long weekend break in the south of france. It reached 45 degrees celsius each day, was the epitomy of tranquil, and made me realise what hell i put myself through each day just in order to get to work. And then we unfortunately had to come home to rush hour, 'trains not running', London. Things have to change pretty soon.

Needless to say, despite the help of a neighbour to keep the plants watered, most things were lurching like thirsty camels. The tomatoes were especially desperate, and some had even dropped to the floor. And to top it all, the squirrel had launched a daylight raid on our bird feeder and it was demolished, lying in pieces around the garden.

It's good to be back.

Crystal Palaciano

2005-07-12T13:58:00.000+01:00

My courgette plants are taking over. If I ever needed a bigger plot, then it's now, for the poor leeks are being overrun. My plot currently looks like a jungle due to the huge leaves spreading out like a paddle-handed traffic cop. Oh! the joys of only having a small bit of earth.

The tomatoes, however are looking grand for being huge and all-dominant. They can take over as much as they like, if only because i know they block the neighbour's view, and she will hate me for it even more. And even my basil is coming along in leaps and bounds. Let it be known, that if my olive tree really does produce proper olives - which are currently tiny but are definitely there - then there truly will be a small corner of Crystal Palace that's forever Italy.

Flowers, birds and bombs

2005-07-07T13:09:00.000+01:00

I woke up this morning to see a bright yellow flower beaming out at me from a courgette plant. It was beautiful, and looked like something from Hawaii, not downtown Crystal Palace. I then saw the birds as usual, tweetering happily on the sunflower seeds. Despite it drizzling, they seemed totally non-plussed. It was a joy. And then i jumped on a train and headed for work.

As much as people moan about the commute or whinge about the city being an unfriendly place, secretly everyone who lives and works here loves the place. I don't spend much time chatting to my fellow commuters, but we all see each other every day. Faces become as as much a part of the scenery as Battersea Power Station or the London Eye, which I travel past each morning and evening. We are London.

I reached Victoria easily enough, but then found all the tubes were down. The buses were rammed so I walked; hundreds of people were doing the same. Police cars were everywhere. The Arcade Fire were singing of impending doom on my mp3 player. Helicopters were in the air. Something was happening. When I eventually got to the office and saw pictures on Sky news of an explosion, it all hit home. London had been hit.

The bombs hit London. They hit people like me. All people doing exactly the same as what I do, day in day out. Even though I was lucky not to be involved, i know I'm a part of this great living breathing entity of london, and somebody's just punched it square in the face. And it hurts.

Coldplay in my place

2005-06-28T16:06:00.000+01:00

I returned home yesterday to find the air filled with Coldplay. Their mild-mannered music bounded around the hills of Crystal Palace like an echo in the Swiss Alps and, no matter what you did it was impossible to avoid it.

I noticed my courgettes and tomatoes had buckled a little under the strain - Mozart it clearly ain't – and after another round of earbashing tonight, I'm wondering if my peas might also take offence too.

So when people say Coldplay are totally inoffensive, they're wrong. Plants hate them (although it might simply have been the exceedingly hot day...).

No such thing as a free lunch

2005-06-22T13:38:00.000+01:00

I think I'm thinking too much about thinking this week.

I started to wonder why, after the lunchtime dilemma of my last post, it isn't made law for all companies to have a recycling facility or scheme in place. Sure, companies can sign up to paper recycling schemes, and no doubt gain a tax break somewhere, but what about all the plastic containers and plastic bags that are used each day when people buy lunch? Why is our goverment so willing to let us get away with not recycling everyday junk?

I try my best. I collect any plastic bags that come my way, store them in my draw at work and use them over and over - despite the staff in Sainsbury's determination to give me them. (The manager once greeted my Tesco carrier bag with disdain, but his wrath was tempered when i explained that Tesco bags degrade and his don't.) But why aren't plastic bags taxed? Why aren't all sandwich companies made to use card containers like pret a manger? Some use them on 'special' lines, but come on, card must be cheaper than plastic surely?

If you're going to make bad laws, make some good ones too.

I think I'm going to stop bleeting now.

One final aside though: I'm wondering, if there's a hosepipe ban, does that affect people with allotments? or even, people like me, with veg patches? Does anyone know?

The long last unethical goodbye

2005-06-21T13:46:00.000+01:00

I was recently introduced to Planet Organic, a supermarket just a short walk from where I work in central London, near Tottenham Crt Road. I went and bought lunch there, sat and ate it, and was suddenly struck by a calamitous carrot of conscience. (You get a lot of these alliterations when you grow vegetables.)

It's become a major part of my adult life to eat organic fruit and vegetables (local stuff of course, no asparagus from peru thanks!), and i only ever buy free-range meat. It's an obsession, and I'm sure my friends sometimes get annoyed at my preaching. But now I find myself in a desperately tricky position. When I'm at home it's always simple to act like this. But when you're at work, it's impossible to know how good the food is when you buy lunch.

So I get free-range egg sandwiches regularly (can't have them every day though - think of the smell), but anything else i buy is ultimately unorganic and unethical. I think I've become comfortable with this, and the fact that it's a damn sight cheaper. It's always been easy to say 'it's so difficult to eat ethically when you buy lunch', and excuse myself of the organic duties.

But now it's not difficult, yet I'm torn. Now I'm in the position where it's all to easy for me to buy organic and ethical lunches. I'm in the position where my whole daily life can be an organic pasture of whimsy and happiness. Leo Hickman in the Guardian manages it, but there's a part of me that's clinging onto this small bastion of bad food and living. And what a thing for me to say!

I'm frightened of stepping onto the organic gravy train. It's like putting the last piece into the puzzle, and I really do want to finish it, but my hand has gone to sleep. I'll hate myself forever if I don't take the plunge, but why does it feel like it's one made from the highest diving board?

Stag Beetle

2005-06-18T09:37:00.000+01:00

We had a rare treat last night by witnessing the drunken flight of two Stag Beetles in our garden. Seeing such large, extremely rare and stunningly beautiful creatures flying around like they didn't know their arse from their elbows, is something I'll cherish forever.

I'll remember it equally as much as nibbling on my first sugar snap pea this morning. Where that came from, I have no idea, but it made a lovely supplement to my toast.

My plot

2005-06-18T09:20:00.000+01:00

My plot
Originally uploaded by Al Milway

And finally, after being urged by my dear friend Asha to put up a picture of my plot, here it is. Tomatoes,peas, leek, courgettes, broccoli, cabbage and carrots,oh, and my neighbour's smelly washing that she left out on the line all night.

lupin III: Castle of Milwayostro

2005-06-18T09:17:00.000+01:00

lupin III: Castle of milwayostro
Originally uploaded by Al Milway

And the Lupin is flowering. After such a terrible fate smote my first flower head, the second and third are now going crazy, making up for the loss of their brother in barrowloads.
Hah! The Lupin killer has been foiled. Revenge is mine...

My first purple pea

2005-06-18T09:11:00.000+01:00

My first purple pea
Originally uploaded by Al Milway.

My level of excitement is currently knowing no bounds. I have a purple pea pod. And it is just divine. Look what you've got to look forward to Mum!