Everything is bone dry in Brisbane as we’ve received hardly any rain for two and a half months. Fire fighters are coping with numerous bush fires around South-East Queensland.
So this week my youngest grandson and I went over to the allotment and I set him to work with the hose pipe.
In a rush of enthusiasm my allotment neighbour received a watering too. I am sure she will be grateful.
Then finally it was time to harvest our produce. Jerry knows his way around a veggie patch and soon set to pulling up beetroot and carrots to be grated on our lunchtime salad while I set about gathering the lettuce and silver beet.
When I’m harvesting climbing beans the ones right at the bottom of the plant tend to get left (all that getting down and up and down and up …) The secret of success is to find a little person who is nearer to the ground. Even looking at his back you can see the concentration.
We left with heaps of sweet young beans – as well as the ones we nibbled while we were picking.
I’m so lucky to share days like this.
Happy gardening.
Oct 26, 2012 @ 19:37:40
What a cute little helper – they really are the best help.
Oct 26, 2012 @ 20:26:14
And it’s wonderful to see them interested in growing veggies at such a tender age.
Oct 26, 2012 @ 21:19:16
Looks like you both had a lovely day in the garden. What a special place with special people.
Oct 27, 2012 @ 02:51:14
Hi Heather. It was a lovely day. And you know the size of the carrots in my allotment at the moment. There wasn’t much of a feed but the fun is on pulling them up !!
Oct 26, 2012 @ 22:10:48
What a great helper. Good idea for bean picking.
Oct 27, 2012 @ 02:53:25
He is a good little helper – and a brilliant bean collector!
Oct 27, 2012 @ 04:51:49
I remember time spent in my grandmothers wonderful garden with her when I was young. I remember the herbs, the spices she grew, the wonderful vegetable garden that she and my grandfather tended and eating the amazing produce. I think that’s what started me off to want to learn all about the garden and in turn, it lead me to studying horticulture. I have learned so much through my formal studies but it keeps coming back to the basic simple lessons that my grandmother taught me without words when she worked in her garden and I helped and watched. THAT is where education sinks in Jean…out there in the sunshine in your wellies with your gran 🙂 Jerry is a lucky boy 🙂
Oct 27, 2012 @ 06:05:50
Hi Fran. Thank you for visiting. I love your comment. I think the mixture of granny, grandchild and a veggie patch or flower garden is a good mix. Hopefully it fosters a love of the land. Either way that time together is priceless.
Oct 27, 2012 @ 06:27:52
It certainly stuck in my mind and soul Jean :). I might not have always seen eye to eye with my gran (we were too much alike 😉 ) BUT everything that she taught me without words, stayed in my soul. She passed away years ago BUT she lives on in the earth that I dig and the sunshine on my back and the sounds and smells and tastes of the garden 🙂
Oct 27, 2012 @ 09:02:33
What are the cylindrical green things in the back of your garden?
Your garden looks very much like the community garden patch that my sister had last year. She didn’t have to rent it, but there was a lottery system for it. She was lucky to get the space. The only problem with the patch was that there used to be a gravel road in the area and she had a lot of rocks to deal with. Nevertheless, she had a pretty good crop.
Oct 27, 2012 @ 13:42:41
The cylindrical green things in the back of the garden are our compost bins which we roll every Wednesday morning. These cylinders were constructed by John who volunteers at the farm. They are in two pieces. The bottom half of the cylinder is filled with the usual stuff to make up compost – green matter, veggie leaves, shredded paper, manure etc. Then the top half of the cylinder is placed on the top and both pieces are locked together. We roll the cylinders once a week and in eight weeks we have fabulous compost to use on the allotments and the community garden at the farm.
Oct 27, 2012 @ 19:00:40
It hasn’t exactly been dry here, but it sort of has…. we have been getting rain fairly regularly, but its been windy, so everything has been drying out. I got some sweet pea mulch instead of my usual sugar cane, as sweetpea was a wee bit cheaper. Now I just have to find time to spread it out, lol!
I love watching the little people helping out in the garden! It gives you a great sense of satisfaction, doesn’t it?
Oct 28, 2012 @ 19:41:44
My sugar cane mulch has been doing it’s job through our dry patch. It’s broken now as we had a huge downpour yesterday.
I do love watching our little people working in the garden Mrs Yub. Lovely to watch their fascination with the little bugs around the plot too.
Oct 30, 2012 @ 05:30:27
Your helper really looked like he enjoyed it with you
Oct 30, 2012 @ 09:50:03
He did enjoy himself. He is interested in growing vegetables as his mother keeps a good veggie garden. We had a lovely day.