Updates on the garden produce

I have just been reading through a few of the old posts and realise that I have to bring you up to date on some of our projects. Jim was away in Addis last week and returned on Friday with a sniffle that has developed into a full on head cold so I am getting to practice my bed side manner for a few days. NOT that he is one to stay at home, it has been a battle to get him to slow down on the work in the evening but today I really have had to insist he goes home early from work rather than coughing all over the place. His voice sounds like he has been smoking for his whole life!

The weather has been very tempramental. We planted out our cucumbers about a week ago when it was warm but have lost the lot to a cold snap. Surprisingly, the tiny tomatoes which I were sure would not even fruit are slowly ripening. Bosco and Bernard planted them in a moveable box with handles so they can be 'put to bed' in the relative warmth of the shed overnight and then moved out during the day.
The lettuce plants that I left to go to seed are starting to flower so I am going to have to read up on how you actually harvest the seeds. Some plants the seeds need to be dried, some you can use straight away.
Our avocado's on the window sill are growing weeds (they do take along time to sprout), the plums and lemons are not even producing weeds.
When I made the visit to my cousin about a month ago I picked up my animal pots that she had been baby sitting for me. They have steeled into the herb borders and are just starting to sprout with the seeds that Lil put in them.

It is just after 4pm in the afternoon now and I am about to head home. The leeks and potatos are waiting to go into the pot as are the tomatoes so I have a full but relaxing evening ahead (after sorting out the patient!). I bought alot of coriander on the weekend. When you ask for 2 bunches in the supermarket they are hardly enough for one meal, when you ask for 2 bunches at a farmers market you get enough to start a Thai restaurant so I am going home to make Maggie Beers' delicious coriander pesto using the bottle of Ver Juice that Helen brought me from Australia.

The raspberries have finally been planted out - 4 plants in all. I am guarding them carefully, there are about 4 fruits coming - so exciting!

These are our little figs. The baboons love them and I have not minded too much up to now as I have not had enough to preserve. But now I have found several recipes that use them so I am waiting eagerly for the next crop and then we will be dining on 'Quail in a fig bath'.