We have had a couple of days down at the patch this week breaking up the soil to create new beds for Spring and Summer plantings.

Beyond the trenches that were dug for Potatoes, a series of mounds have been created where Corn, Beans and Squash (Three Sisters) will be grown.

The pictures shows the next bed being dug over. This is where we will grow Onion and Leeks. We are conducting a trial : Seeds from two types of Leeks have been sown under glass and the same two types will be sown in a nursery bed in March. We will transplant them when they reach the thickness of a pencil and decide which method has been most effective.

Up from the Onion beds we have marked out where we will be planting our brassicas and this will be dug over during the next week or two.

Back to work...

It was our first opportunity to get down to the patch after all the snowy and icy weather. Fortunately everything seems to have survived, although our winter sown Broad Beans and Peas are looking a bit sad !

We spent most of the morning marking out where our new beds are going to be dug, ensuring that there is a strip left as a path between us and our new neighbours.

I then prepared a permanent bed which will be used to grow Asparagus. A trench was dug and filled with well seasoned stable manure ready for planting the crowns which will be delivered in April. I will be growing the variety Dariana from Simpsons Seeds .

Expanding horizons...

We have just taken over an additional plot that runs alongside our existing patch and braved the freezing conditions to measure out where the new beds will be dug.

I then made a start on the trenches where our potatoes will be planted in March.

There are nine trenches : Four will have Desiree planted, three will have Cara and two will have International Kidney (otherwise know as Jersey Royals).

The raised soil either side of the trenches will be used for earthing up.

... and the beet goes on !

We pulled the last of the beetroot on Monday, although only a few little 'uns were left standing.

After some humming and harring, we decided to use them in a chocolate beetroot cake... yes, that's right. Chocolate beetroot cake !

Ingredients

• 50g bitter cocoa powder
• 180g plain flour
• 1½tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 250g caster sugar
• 300g cooked fresh beetroot
• 3 eggs
• 200ml corn oil
• 1tsp vanilla extract

Heat the oven to 180C/Gas mark 4. Butter and flour an 18cm (7in) round or square cake tin.

Sift the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Mix in the sugar and set aside.

Purée the beetroot in a food processor. Add the eggs, one at a time, then add the corn oil and vanilla and beat until smooth.

Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour the beetroot mixture into the well. Lightly mix, using a rubber spatula, and pour into the prepared cake tin.

Bake for 40 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. It won’t rise a great deal and the top may crack a bit. Allow to cool a little before removing from the tin, then leave to cool completely on a wire rack. To serve, dust the cake with icing sugar or bitter cocoa powder, and cut into generous slices.

The results is a rich, soft, moist, chocolate cake with a really nice flavour... you should definitely give this a try !

Frozen Veg !

Heather was down at The Patch yesterday to snap off a few Kale leaves and dig up a couple of Swedes with a pneumatic drill !

The weather should get somewhat warmer next week and we should then get some digging done.

Happy Christmas

I picked the vegetables for our Christmas dinner yesterday... sprouts, cabbage, parsnips, leeks and swede.

Our neighbour Mick kindly offered some baby carrots, so we are set well for a fantastic meal.

We wish everyone a very merry Christmas and are looking forward to a happy New Year !
Bill & Heather

My kind of allotment...

I received the latest issue of the Guildford in Bloom Newsletter today and was delighted to see Compton Allotments getting the recognition we deserve !