The pumpkin patch has been attracting my attention all week – flashing that deep orange colour and demanding to be lifted off the ground and into my kitchen.  Today I relented and scooped up my pumpkins.  Well actually I grappled with them from the ground and lugged them for they were too heavy to be handled any other way.

I didn’t take any chances but brought the garden tractor and trailer down to carry my bounty up the garden.  I didn’t want to put my back out with such a heavy load in my barrow.  I’ve got all manner of pumpkin and squash recipes lined up and ready for our autumnal feast.

Confusion still reins a little in the kitchen garden though.  Our strawberries are still cropping and could do for another few weeks if the weather holds up.  The blackberries are coming to their peak as are the late raspberries so we’ve masses of berries to enjoy still.

I’ve also started potting up new strawberry plants as the original plants start to spread their wings and multiple rapidly.  All being well I should have enough strawberries growing next year to make our own jam as well as keep us supplied for regular desserts and cream teas.

The tomatoes are still giving me their annual angst but I’m over worrying about them.  They either will or won’t and the only difference will be is if they make it to tomato sauce or green tomato chutney.  There is no escaping either way.

It’s starting to get hard work again down the garden with heaps of clearing, weeding and seed sowing to be done.  I just wish I could contain my enthusiasm when it comes to planting seeds.  I just can’t bring myself to throw away seedlings and last counted 100 leeks planted up as I didn’t want any seedling to go to waste.  Good job we have plenty of neighbours who are happy to have a bag a veges dumped on their doorstep when we have a little excess to share around.