Intruder Alert!

Curses. Who to blame for the murder of sweetcorn, deer or badger?

Gah! My precious sweetcorn has been murdered! I managed to pick just 3 whole cobs, and went to check on how the rest was doing yesterday – to find that the few ripe cobs that I did have left (thanks to this chilly wet summer) had been munched by something. Each cob had been neatly picked off the small plants, and razed clean most methodically; plus a few whole plants trashed too. There were a few teeth marks on some of the cobs, suggesting a jaw a bit smaller than a human; could be a badger (the rabbit fence is very low, and non-existent by the gate), or deer (easy to step over the fence). I did manage to find one large super ripe cob left though, ahaha, so I promptly munched it straight away before they could come back and complete the job. Call security! Find the culprits! Arrooogah! Arrooogah!

Shh! Carrots!

OK, don’t tell anyone (well, don’t tell the slugs and rabbits anyway); but I actually have three lovely lines of young carrots in my polytunnel! Yes, I did try and sow thousands of carrots outside, on three separate occasions from April to July, and the slugs had every one of the tiny seedlings once they came up – each time – argh; but the fact is, I won! Hah hah hah! Oh dear, need to watch this hysterical laughter. And the carrots I have are really only a small fraction of the amount I was expecting by now. However, I had all but given up, and put those three rows of carrots in the tunnel in desperation in July; so even though it’s a small victory, it still feels good to see the lush growth and promising orange carrot shoulders peeking out from the ground. Minor victories are hard to come by this year, so I’m making the most of each one…

About Grown Green

Grown Green @ Hartley Farm is a sustainable market garden, based at Hartley Farm in Winsley, between Bath and Bradford on Avon in Wiltshire. Set up by Kate Collyns following a two-year Soil Association Horticultural Apprenticeship, vegetables, herbs, salads, flowers and soft fruit are grown following organic standards; and Grown Green is a member of the Wholesome Food Association (WFA).

Grown Green has an open-gate policy, and customers, chefs and anyone interested in sustainable growing are welcome any time to come and have a look around the site – just let us know when you’d like to pop in.

Produce is grown year-round in the polytunnels, fruit and herb beds and two-acre field; available for wholesale to restaurants, pubs, shops and other organisations in the local area. For more details and current price list, email kate.collyns@gmail.com

Grown Green @ Hartley Farm
Winsley
Wiltshire BA15 2JB