That's the end of the kale, then. I'd been working at the plot last weekend for some time before I noticed that the kale had been stripped to a skeleton by the pigeons over the past week of icy weather. I think in that moment I gave up on it for this season, just as I'm giving up on the spring cabbage and broccoli that has never come back since their early season stripping. It's my own fault for not protecting it better, but in a way I don't grudge the pigeons their bit of tasty green during such a hard frost. And as the only member of the family who really appreciates kale, I'm flagging somewhat in eating it all myself.
There's also a sense that we've turned a corner in the season and that spring might just be a possibility before too long. For the first time since the robin's autumn song, the air was filled with birdsong while I was at the plot - mostly chaffinches at that time in the middle of the day. At home the blackbird starts an experimental, single voice dawn chorus sometime after 5 a.m. So my thoughts are moving away from winter vegetables and towards sowing and planting. A bit more digging to do first, so I'd better get off the computer, as my daughter has just reminded me, and get along to the plot.
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11 comments:
Hi, I pulled the remaining few leeks yesterday and all we have left now to come is the PS broccoli which has been under netting since it went in. Weather has improved unbelieveably here and we got a lot of digging done yesterday.
Hadn't a clue that pigeons ate greens, interesting. WE all will be a little less on the computer as Spring draws closer.
Hi Lindab,
It reminds me that I have to work in the protection against birds too! CDs, straw man, eagle silhouette ... there are a lot of turtle doves and magpies. I have used a netting to protect peas and it works for the moment.
About cabbages, I always leave them live up to flowering. I cut the very tender stems with buds (like "cauliflower alpha version") for a soup or an omelette :-)I saw it once in a market near Toulouse, it gave me the idea ...
Sorry about your kale - we deal with similar issues all summer long with the tomatoes growing in our back yard. If we leave them on long enough to fully ripen, the birds/squirrels will ruin with one single swipe of a claw or teeth.
Thanks for stopping by my blog. Glad "mortifying" our kids is a global activity!!! LOL.
Thanks for your vist, and the link here; you have a really lovely blog. I think we have a similar eye and feel for nature!
Thanks for the comments. Rafael, I think I'll try your mini harvest idea. Some of the cabbages will have miniature heads, and on second thoughts I'm sure I can use them somehow.
Dot, I just tried to leave a comment on your blog but the word verification wouldn't load.
It looks to me that there is some new growth there. Have you thought of cutting the top growth off, and letting the smaller leaves grow? I just planted some kale like yours the other day. I hope it does well, as I've never grown that kind before.
I am still eating soup with kale in it that I froze in individual servings.
I need to see if you have a link in your sidebar for fire hydrant posts. I keep getting behind in my blogging, and when I blog at work, I don't get comments left, so I get confused about where I've left comments. I remember you telling me you have some links, but don't remember where to find them.
Take Care,
Sue
at church we have an allotment not that I can get to it with the wheelchair but seeing your post reminded me of a saying I heard on the Victorian farm programme on BBC recently.It was about sowing corn "one for the rook one for the crow one will wither one will grow " so remember that as you plant up either that or more netting . Thanks for visiting my blogg XXX Don
Did someone say Spring ? Thanks for visiting my blog. Your ice garden is pretty. And I love the fox just walking past, so natural and relaxed. We have a couple here but they stay pretty confined in the winter. Have a great weekend. Love from The Prairie. xoxo.
It seems birds really adore kale. Last year, our neighbour's goose always escaped to our garden, only to feast on our kale.
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