The Poultry Keeper

Lisa · Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2006 10:26 pm Post subject: I shouldn't be allowed to...

... go to a potato day unsupervised Shocked

I mean I took a list, but hey - so many varieties...

And then there was the seed swap table (if you didn't bring your own, you could make a donation for them instead).

And as for the copper tools (don't ask Rolling Eyes

)

What can I say - a great day was had by... me! Laughing

(including on the garden centre on the way home - onions, shallots, mini greenhouse Embarassed

)

Spana · Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 2051 Location: North Cornwall

Sounds wonderful, wish I'd been with you. What seed potato's
have you got. I'm trying Swift this year. My favorite is Foremost but thought I'd have a change and see how they go.
I'm going to try doing some early in pots in the greenhouse, never done that before.

I feel keen to get going on my veg garden now, the sun makes a big difference, doesn't it. Ive been shifting cow s**t to round the raspberries this afternoon, would sooner have been at the potato day.
Whats going in the mini greenhouse?

debcat · Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2006 10:43 pm Post subject:

and how many varieties of potato did you bring home Very Happy

Lisa · Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2006 10:58 pm Post subject:

Okay, mini greenhouse sounds a bit grand. Its one of these plastic jobbies:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00080KPA2/202-1118532-4198249 (but it was on special offer and only £19.99)

I'll be germinating some seed in a propogator in the kitchen, then hardening them off in the mini greenhouse before they go to the allotment. Things like tomatoes, sweetcorn, and lots more Very Happy

Not sure how many varieties of potatoes I came home with yet (probably got an average of 4 of each). There were 15 on my original list - but I know I came home with a few more Rolling Eyes

Will list them all tomorrow when I've unpacked them ready for chitting.... Very Happy

Spana · Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 2051 Location: North Cornwall

OH, you lucky thing Very Happy

and I've only got one. Crying or Very sad

Trouble is here, if we don't eat them quick enough the slug start nibbling.

Lisa · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 10:47 am Post subject:

Ooops!

I started with a list of 12, which seemed a lot, so I did some more research on various varieties to try to narrow it down a bit. After much pondering the pros and cons of what I'd read I ended up with a list of....................... 15!! Rolling Eyes

And in the end I came back with 20 Laughing

(it would have been 21 but all the Anya had gone... though I do know they sell them in Sainsburys Wink

)

1st earlies: Lady Christl, Red Duke of York, Karlena and Winston

2nd earlies: Edzell Blue, Kestrel, Laura and Verity

Early Main: Belle de Fontenay, Nicola, Pompadour, Ratte, Red King Edward, Rooster and Roseval

Late Main: Arran Victory, Kerr's Pink, Lady Balfour, Pink Fir Apple and
Sarpo Axona

I really did like the Whitchurch potato day. I've been to the HDRA one before, which was outside in a marquee. It was good, but really popular and very crowded. I think the Whitchurch one was just as popular, but being held in a school hall / gym there was simply much more room so it didn't feel as crowded. Everyone was very friendly and I got chatting to several other folks who were even more mad about their spuds than me which was nice!

Hopefully this year I'll get to see how well some of these varieties store as the plan is not to have to buy any potatoes this year once I start growing (and eating) my own.

jooles · Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2006 12:34 pm Post subject:

WOW, that's a lot of potatoes! Shocked

Lisa · Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2006 12:41 pm Post subject:

I know

Meant to come home with 52 seed potatoes - one for each week of the year...

Just added it up and there's 85 Confused

jooles · Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2006 12:44 pm Post subject:

It's just as well they're a versatile vegetable isn't it Very Happy

Don't forget to grow some chives and mint too

NannyP · Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2006 2:07 pm Post subject:

Lisa that's not far off two years worth Shocked

I bet you'll enjoy them though Very Happy

Lisa · Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2006 2:27 pm Post subject:

Well, when there are the first new potatoes fresh out the ground, I have been known on more than one occasion to eat just potatoes for tea Laughing

Well, not just potatoes - need butter too Rolling Eyes

Must remember Jooles suggestion with the herbs too!

NannyP · Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2006 2:47 pm Post subject:

Potatoes and butter, now your talking and of course that's an incredibly healthy way to eat them Very Happy