Tuesday 31 January 2012

52 week salad challenge - January

I had plans for this month's post for the 52 week salad challenge set by Michelle at Veg Plotting. Since the beginning of January I've been picking lots of lovely salads from the polytunnel - giant red mustard, chards, beetroot leaves, spinach, lettuces, rocket, winter purslane, sorrel and land cress. There's always a bag of salad in the fridge and I've been feeling pretty pleased with my polytunnel and its plants.

Admittedly we have been having a mild winter. Inside the polytunnel it's been springlike and warm and the plants have been growing on happily. It all seemed much too easy.

Inspired by VP and the other salad challengers I thought that for the first post I'd see what I could find in my garden. Things were delayed by busy-ness, power cuts and a fault with my broadband so I set aside today to have a hunt for edibles in the garden. Then I hit a snag...


Perhaps a couple of leaves from the tough and trusty cavelo nero? Hmm. Perhaps I'll go back into the polytunnel...


It was a bit gloomy inside, because of all the snow on the outside, but the plants are happy enough. Picking a colander full from this bed (and the rest on the other side of the polytunnel - I really did plant lots) is as easy as opening the fridge.


I don't feel like a proper 52 week salad challenger, in fact I feel a bit of a fraud. Others are scouring their gardens for all sorts of cleverly found wild goodies. I'm just reaping the benefit of accidentally planning, last year, for a challenge I didn't know I was going to do this. I must try harder! Perhaps when the snow thaws...

4 comments:

  1. Hurrah for polytunnels! How to have salads 52 weeks a year. Very good produce you have in there.

    But Bears can't live on salad.

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  2. However, we need people like you to show us it can be done because if I knew I was going to issue a salad challenge I wouldn't start it in January!

    I'd have been sensible like you and started it in September last year.

    I'm most envious of your polytunnel, especially when you said it's as easy as opening the fridge door to get your lovely fresh salad :)

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  3. Wow, love your blog. I came here via Codlins and Cream2 and thought I'd take a peek. I love Wales so much, but have to make do with visiting for now :D

    ps.I saw War Horse last week and really did embarras myself!!!

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  4. Wow, what a difference between inside the tunnel and outside!
    We have had very little snow, for which I am thankful.
    As we have a few days mild weather in the forecast, I'm planting radish seeds! I can cover them when the temperatures drop.
    Great going with the salad greens!
    Lea
    Lea's Menagerie
    Mississippi, USA

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