Crops and Crochet

This month I’ve written about making your own delicious fizzy pop with water kefir. Thank you to Laetitia for introducing me back in mid July, I am now completely addicted to this and drink it everyday! Raspberry was the first flavour I tried, followed by strawberry, rose petals, blackberries, elderberries, apples (sweet and cooking), oranges and grapes. The flavours are inspired with what’s ripe in the garden or what fruit my son isn’t eating this week! Looking forward to trying it with rhubarb in the spring. What are your favourite water kefir fruit flavours? #waterkefir #fermenteddrinks #happymicrobiome #happyguts https://www.instagram.com/p/CiFeOFzK7dt/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Its hammock time when it’s in the shade #hammock #kitchengarden #straightnecksquash #pattypan #crooknecksquash https://www.instagram.com/p/Cf09EiDKA2P/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

I came here today #allotment and I’m going home with some garlic bulbs and salad potatoes. Last week it was globe artichoke but I will leave the last one to flower. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cfd9xoMKKFR/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Peas please. When you get back from work and there are full pods waiting for you. We’re in the second week of these. Grown these two varieties from my saved seed for 10 years, so the only thing I’ve bought for this crop is the seed compost. If I learnt to make my own this would be quite literally be food for free. This year I’m trying to extend the season with successional sowing. #peas #peasinapod #freshpeasfromthegarden #freshpeasarethebest https://www.instagram.com/p/CegsVnKKaaC/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

So great to be sowing seeds in the greenhouse (brassicas that take a long time to grow like Brussels and caulis and broadbeans). And so so great to have the insert from the Lego advent calendars to use as seed trays. Thank you 🙏 @lego When the seedlings are the right size to plant on I’ll be able to break a compartment away and plant the whole lot without disturbing the roots. #seedsowing #reusingpackaging https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ1wg7QqRmj/?utm_medium=tumblr

At Kings Norton station (at Kings Norton, Birmingham, United Kingdom) https://www.instagram.com/p/CZyo1YfKhGW/?utm_medium=tumblr

Our cats in their favourite places, the 3 yo on the windowsill birdwatching and the 15yo on top of the Welsh dresser people watching https://www.instagram.com/p/CZyiLC-KLAP/?utm_medium=tumblr

In this month’s Kings Norton Parish Magazine I’ve written about how I love the timing of the Chinese Spring Festival, perennial vegetables, seeds to sow, sprouting seeds and planting trees with @ecosia and @treeapp_uk https://www.instagram.com/p/CZj2FLkK9wt/?utm_medium=tumblr

Calendula only takes a break in the deepest bit of winter, lovely to see them flowering again. It’s brilliant because the batch of soap I made with calendula petals was lovely! #calendula https://www.instagram.com/p/CZhDBhwq5pF/?utm_medium=tumblr

How pretty is the purple on the edge of the daubenton kale leaves. #daubentonkale #perennialkales #kitchengarden https://www.instagram.com/p/CZW_TCfqywJ/?utm_medium=tumblr

Current crochet project is a tunic. It is going to be so warm and cozy. I don’t usually crochet in wool as wearing wool gives me eczema, however it was the simplest yarn to source in the yarn thickness I was looking for ensuring it was from Local-ish sheep and produced 100 miles from my home. The wool is very soft and chunky and it’s crocheting up quickly with beautiful colours #workinprogress #crochetproject #britishwool🇬🇧 #locallysourced #consciousconsumerism https://www.instagram.com/p/CZWbvi2KCfq/?utm_medium=tumblr

Here is my jerusalem artichoke ferment that’s been brewing for a week. I just tried one and it’s absolutely delicious. I’ve popped it back into a dark cupboard to carry on fermenting. I really hope this one works. I’ve tried kraut before but when the white yeast gets a hold it’s made me give up. I now know that it’s harmless and doesn’t spoil the batch. I’m trying a follower cabbage leaf hoping that the yeast will settle on that first and then I can just keep replacing a cabbage leaf. Very much a newbie in the fermenting game! #fermentingvegetables #fermenting #fermentingjerusalemartichokes #jerusalemartichokes #kitchengarden #allotment https://www.instagram.com/p/CZUjILrK5rC/?utm_medium=tumblr

Latest attempt at soap making. Went for calendula petals with a few drops of chamomile and lavender essential oils. #homesoapmaking #homemadesoap #homemadesoapbars https://www.instagram.com/p/CZRgSjdqLzc/?utm_medium=tumblr

Bird Watching https://www.instagram.com/p/CZROBbTqcUU/?utm_medium=tumblr

Fixing my jeans. Does anyone else mend? I don’t think I see it much in my everyday and it would be great to know I’m not alone! #mending #mendingclothes https://www.instagram.com/p/CY_TICaqkMp/?utm_medium=tumblr

winter salad abundance: claytonia (winter purslane), baby chard, mustard leaves and rocket. All looks so lush and vibrant. #wintersalad #claytonia #chard #mustardleaves #rocket #kitchengardenrevival #kitchengarden #kitchengardenersofinstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/CY31V1BKswv/?utm_medium=tumblr

I came here today to prepare the nodig asparagus bed a bit more. Dug up a copious amount of Jerusalem artichoke and a moderate amount of skirret. I’ve been investing in food that grows easily and crops in our winter. The Jerusalem artichokes are destined for fermentation as apparently the unwanted side effects are reduced through fermentation. Time will tell. I think the ferment is supposed to take about 6 weeks. #allotmentuk #allotment #jerusalemartichoke #skirret https://www.instagram.com/p/CY1fQOPqJAO/?utm_medium=tumblr