Calling all Dog Owners!

I have just come up with a cunning plan! As there seem to be a number of bloggers out there who have canine assistants, or even 'supervisors' in the vegetable garden, I thought I would make a feature of as many as I can find. So if you could please take a picture of your hound helping out in the garden - carrying a hosepipe, watering can, digging a hole.... email your best one to me at Ahhmatron@aol.com along with your blog name and address, then I will make a feature of them and put in a link to your blog as well. Contributions to arrive by 20th August or sooner.

One Week's Growth

It amazes me that in just one week so much can happen down on the Allotment. One week ago these 'Vermont Cranberry Beans' had a slight pink rash on them....

Now with one week's sunlight and attention the red spots are becoming more pronounced.

Again, just one week ago I planted this little 'Defender' courgette as a late Summer successional planting and......

Look what a difference a week makes. At last we are getting some warm sunshine. It was 84 degrees in West London today.

Piccalilli

Now is the time of year when all the ingredients for this lovely, Summer pickle are in season.
3 pints white vinegar
3 teaspoons ground ginger
6 teaspoons mustard powder
9oz sugar
6lbs chopped, beans, carrots, cauliflower, courgette, small onions, soaked in brine overnight.
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon turmeric.

Mix the vinegar, ginger, mustard and sugar and boil up to a syrup. Add 6 lbs of vegetables cut into about 1 inch sizes, depending on how you like your pickle. Boil the vegetables in the vinegar syrup for 20 minutes. Drain these vegetables and pack into warm sterilized jars. Set aside the vinegar syrup. Mix together the flour and turmeric into a paste with some cold water and gradually add the hot vinegar. Boil this for 3 minutes until it thickens slightly. Pour this over the veggies in the jars and tap out all the air bubbles. Seal the jars while still hot.