Hello and welcome to The Compost Bin. I'm Compostwoman and I live with my family in rural Herefordshire. We have nearly four acres of garden and woodland, all managed organically and to Permaculture principles, which we share with Chickens, Cats and assorted wildlife. We also grow a lot of our own food, run courses in all sorts of things and make a lot of compost!

I am a Master Composter and have spent more than a decade as a volunteer Community Compost adviser with Garden Organic and my local Council.
I'm a self employed Environmental Educator so I run workshops and events where I talk about compost, veg growing, chicken keeping, cooking, preserving and sustainable living. I also run crafts workshops and Forest School/outdoor play sessions in our wood.

We try to live a more self sufficient lifestyle here, as best we can, while still having a comfortable life and lots of fun.


To learn more about us click on the About Compostwoman tab and remember to click on the photos to make them full size!


Wednesday 31 July 2013

Lammas greetings - .



So, the end of July and tomorrow is Lammas Day . The garden is in full production now and I am bringing in loads of assorted vegetables and fruits for us to enjoy.


Unfortunately the Rivers Early plum tree split under the sheer weight of plums ( again) it has done this before and we really can't think how to prevent it - the branches are not really suitable to prop up - I think a severe prune is needed.



My pumpkins are doing very well - this is Jack o lantern - should get some huge pumpkins off these plants - I have five of these and five Butternut Squash plants and all are setting fruit very well.

I am picking lots of chard and spinach and today I gathered onions, the first leeks, turnips, beetroot and courgettes - but the salads, caulis and calebrese all seem to be bolting. I guess it has just been too hot for them, even though I watered them every night. I am ppicking the brassica leaves so we will still get to eat something off them :-)

And of course I am picking tomatoes every day, and now the aubergine and pepper plants have ripe fruits to pick. Today we also harvested the last of the broad beans. Which means we are eating lots of lovely fresh produce at every meal.

Off to bake a loaf of lammas bread and walk in the wood in the dusk :)

5 comments:

  1. We had our first cherries this year, which was lovely! I filled the freezer with loganberries and strawberries. The currants didn't give a huge showing this year so will have to figure out what's gone wrong down there, and the raspberries are now coming on strong. My lettuce bolted ages ago but we've got loads of chard and I've brought up the shallots. The leeks look like they're going to do very well, and even though the cabbage moths got to my cauliflower, I've managed to control the infestation and I'm hoping it will give me some winter veg. My toms are disappointing but I don't have a growhouse for them, which is always an issue. Hope springs eternal that I can get something up someday!

    It's time for me to start gifting strawberry runners to neighbours and I started my Yul beer batch this week as well. Happy harvest to you!

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  2. And happy harvest to you and Sprog. How are you both?

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    1. Doing well - I passed my driving test and love my new car, so I am taking child all over the place and learning to get more endurance behind the wheel. Freeedooooom

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  3. That's too bad about the plum tree. My parents have an apple tree that worries them on bountiful years.

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    1. That tree has split itself nearly in half, several times and we have not found a way to stop it, yet.

      Shame as they are delicious plums - still, loads left and the hens loved eating the broken branch ones

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Hello! Thank you for reading my blog and for commenting. I try to reply as quickly as I can and I really appreciate your interest in my life and doings here in The Compost Bin.

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