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bingley show

My first show of the year, this is the bingley show cows sheep goats and veg. I've never entered this show before as it clashed with a more local show but they have brought this one earlier by 2 weeks. This was just a dummy run to get me in the mood for showing. I have grown some flowers this year as well as veg so reading the schedule i had a few entries ready, also i had to show 15 items to get an entry ticket to the show (£8 ON THE DAY) whoses a tight get.Looking in the tunnel i had a cucumber ready but had a kink in it, so tried to strieghten it big mistake. It broke, so after getting off the buffet with removing the rope i decided to think again.There was no class for parsnips but class for any other veg, with this i thought i'de pull one to see what it was like. I have 1 barrel with 7 in that have been attacked by moths and the tops arn't perfect so this is the one i chose, i started to pull the parsnip whitch had being watered the day before ( i think you have to let them dry for 2 days before lifting) it came up a little easy ,when checking it the root had broken half way down just my luck, with only 6 left to at i had another go.this one was hard to come out with steady pressure it came free lift lift lift wheres the end. I was well impressed over 3 ft long (has this turned into a story) anyway back to the show the stuff i took were not super except glady . off we go up at 630 am get there 730 am  and stage my stuff not a lot of people there so quite hopfull.Home now to feed chicken and open polytunnel doors(cracking weather).Pick the wife up and off to the show 20mins to find car park ,must be something going off.At the gate a long cue to get in unless you have a pass,wife cues up and pays £8 and off we go not expecting anything just the buzz of the show the first thing i see is any other veg with only one parsnip and lots of other stuff a nice pot leek broccoli and many more .I could see red on the parsnip and yes iy was there what a rush first show first class and a red card that was it for me who needs to do anymore shows.well i'm not going to bore you anymore just tell you i got three red cards that day and seconds and thirds as pictures below a good day out.

sweet and sour

as some growers are pulling a carrot or two a thought id have a look at my sweet candle stump rooted carrots the stump is starting to form and the top looks good but the bottoms are sending out side shoots i hope that most of them are better i have about 40 to choose from so fingers crossed

belated update

hi all not been on blog to update for ages so here we go.well ive had good and bad on the plot root rot on the onions and garlic which ill have to treat the ground in winter to get rid of it or at least to slow it down.slow progress on the stump carrots which i think was due to blue scaffol;ding mess on top,i have changed to green mesh now and they are picking up now but late for shows in august.my pickling shallots are all lifted at 27mm and have swelled to 32mm so drying in polytunnel to see if they shrink.my large shallots(ambition) gown from seed were left in too long and started to divide so will save for next year.

Anyway cabbages are doing fine some 40" across just need to heart up now, with the days getting shorter they should do.peas doing okay nearly ready for kitchen,the spuds are nearly ready too so no more big shopping bills.

                                          cabbage doing well             

                                          ambition shallots

                                          water melons now tennis ball size

                                          parsnips

ive grown mellons for the first time ever and there doing fine and putting fruit on as is the cucumbers and tomatoes.the celery is doing fine in 15" collars and the parsnips are going away nicely.i will put some pics below of progress for you to see and will try to update more often, ps dont mind the grammer im from huddersfield you know.

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carrot time

the raised bed is all done my own compost sand and super phosphate ive done 64 stations with 3 seeds in each (sweet candle) then covered with fleece to keep warm and keep out bugs so see how we go 

well back in the polytunnel and managed to get some wood from a house strip and made 2 raised beds dont know what to grow in them yet though but there done thats the main thing

credit crunch the new chicken is now ready for the coop i carnt afford food and beer so it has to go and if i dont get any eggs

well thats it for today will keep you up to date with the garden buy for now

mix time

its time to do the mixes for parsnips carrots etc so out with shredder and start with peat ive got 300L of irish peat so run some through shredder and was well impressed it turned out like talc good do so next was the vermiculite i got 5 large bags as it was a deal i did i had to run this through twice to to make it ok so will do this all week but the footy on tv so had to give up had to watch cockneys loose good do to the brummies