Enjoyed baking these today, chocolate orange cupcakes, the boys have been anticipating these for a couple of weeks and I finally found time to make them.
The new year started and cranked up to full speed before I had chance to breathe. I had considered posting my plans for the year and the resolutions I hoped to to achieve but I haven't even planned thought them through yet. My word for the year is try, just because I need to try to do some things a little differently and take opportunities that come along. It is so easy to say no I can't do that. Hopefully this is going to be fun.
I also want to try to blog more but like other years that might not happen any differently.
Today, I decluttered my seed stash and went to seedy Sunday. I did not swap my seeds as I want to keep the sowing plans fairly simple. I was not as resilient to temptation as I thought I could be. I have planned not to grow tomato plants this year from seed, however I have bought some Thomas Etty brandywine black tomato seeds. So easily tempted I am sometimes!
Have any of you tried using these?
I am thinking of growing herbs in them possibly on the garage wall might be nice to be able to step out of the kitchen and grab some herbs to bung in the meals.
Also had my first visit of the year to the plot this weekend a quick but productive burst of time, its good to be back at the plot.
Today I went to Seedy Sunday in Trumpington and they stamped my hand on entry, last time that happened I think I was going into a night club in my late teens. It was busy with lots of people but there was no dancing that I noted.
I swapped some seeds for the following:
Some Hokkaido pumpkin seeds.
Allium seeds they were in the flower section really hoping that they will be interesting.
Plus,some oxalis tuberosa tubers which were in the flower section, but these actually turn out to be some sort of yam. Not what I expected and I am not sure about them, but I might just bung them into the soil at the lotty and see what happens. Any info would be gratefully received.
The Trumpington allotment group (not my allotment group) were selling seeds, I had a recommendation to try the Cherokee trail of tears climbing beans, so I got some of those.
I donated a small amount to the heritage seed library for some broad beans 'Gloucester Champion' and 'Mrs Lewis' purple podded climbing French beans. I hope to sow the broad beans soon. It will give me a succession crop from my autumn sown ones that are doing well at the moment.
I also bought some Thomas Etty seeds; Turk's Tuban squash which I have grown before and a lettuce called 'drunken woman'. How could I resist a name like that during my 'dry' January attempt?
I have sorted through my seeds and have placed everything I hope to grow this year in a tin grouped into months, the sub dividers are plastic bags as its a chocolate tin not a bespoke seed tin. All the squashes are grouped together for indoor sowing. I am going to try to sow direct mostly this year. I need to resist the temptation to sow too early so I am ignoring you all went you say that you have sown already etc.
The only seeds I think I still need to buy are parsnips as you need them fresh. I also fancy some sunflowers but in pastel shades but I don't need those really. If I continue with the idea to turn some of the plot over to cutting flowers I need to put my mind to what I want.
I am still uncertain as to whether to grow potatoes this year if I do it will be a last minute thing.
If you want to go to seedy Sunday next year at Trumpington it is on the 25th January 2015.
Seedy Sunday is one of those things that is becoming a fixture on my January calendar. I often carefully engineer a reason to go to Cambridge and stop off at Trumpington for the seed swap. This time it seemed so busy, it is definitely getting bigger every year.
So what did I swap for? I only took some sunflower seeds for the boys to grow and some blue climbing beans. Both of which looked like they had been saved by someone.
I also donated a small amount of money to the Heritage Seed Library for some 'Majorcan' pea bean seeds, and some 'white serpent' squash.
I didn't just get seeds from the visit but surprisingly for a seed swap I got a plant. I left clutching a Jostaberry, I think it will make a good addition for the allotment.
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