Winter Calling

 

Change of month and change of season.  The beans, pumpkins and courgettes have accepted their fate and a new set of prospects for harvesting are coming into their own.  Parsnips are bulking up. Jerusalem Artichoke tops will die back and be chopped back ready for root harvesting in the early months of next year. (Note the rhubarb which has recently succumbed)

Coming into its own is the brassica patch:

An autumn novelty this year is raddichio/endive/chicory. ( I don't intend to address the naming confusion in this post.  That is enough to sap anyone's strength.). Here we have the red round sort 

Palla Rossa

And the red elongated sort

Rossa di Treviso

Suffice to say that on harvesting the first of these and grilling it and slathering it with balsamic vinegar it still tasted very bitter and went down like a lead balloon!  It breaks the first rule of vegetable gardening - to grow what you like to eat!

Thank goodness we do like artichoke, beetroot, carrots, cabbages,kale, parsnip and potatoes!