The carrots that we had been so disappointed in have now come into their own, initially we had thought them tasteless, but now they have had a few frosts on them they are sweet and succulent, they are called flyaway, and are supposed to be carrot root fly resistant, we can't really judge as we had them under crop cover, just to make sure, they have produced a good crop for us, and large roots as well, one carrot goes a long way when it weighs in at 6ozs, as we have plenty I will be able to make our favourite cake, carrot cake!
The weather continues to be mixed, today was beautiful, we even got the washing dry. We took advantage of such a lovely day to go to a poultry sale in Mayo, we didn't buy anything as we now have all the stock we need for next years breeding, our latest acquisition being two very young La Bresse birds, one cock and one pullet, from a different line from the ones that we already have. The gene pool of these birds is very small in Ireland so we hope to strengthen it, the new cock will be for our existing pullets and the new pullet is for our existing cock. They really are lovely birds, blue legs, white feathers and a brilliant red comb, they are also very nice natured birds.
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| The new kids on the block, about eight weeks old. |
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| Our original cock in full flight, 24 weeks old. |
I envy your toms - as you know it is difficult to grow them here because of blight due to high humidity levels. Carrots look great, I never realised the frost helped with sweetness and taste.
ReplyDeleteWe only had a problem in Galicia with tomatoes we grew in the tunnel but found we could control it by spraying the plants very early on with stinging nettle juice and spraying them with it every 2-3 weeks, we also found this controlled Colorado Beetle on the potatoes, it appeared to stop the grubs ( which do the damage) from feeding. Both carrots and parsnips improve with a frost. Stinging nettle is a good all round feed as well. To make the juice fill a large plastic container with a tap at the bottom with cut nettles, let them wilt down for a couple of days, push them well down then fill the container with water and let the nettles ferment for at least a week, when you want to use it, just drain some off via the tap and diluted at 8 to 1 for a feed and 5 to 1 for pest or bight control.A little washing up liquid helps the juice stick to the plants for pest control we use Lidl washing up liquid, it doesn't harm worms.
ReplyDeleteI love the La bresse hen anc cock. The blue legs are unexpected. The look so sweet. The picture of Moyne Abbey is wonderful. Where is it in Mayo?
ReplyDeleteCarole
Whispering Pines Farm
Hi Carole, Moyne Abbey is just south of Killala on the left bank of the Moyne Estuary looking north, not too far from Ballina.
ReplyDelete