Down on the Allotment

Matron grows vegetables and fruit in a Hampshire garden. I've been growing veggies since I was knee high to a grasshopper. Some traditional varieties and old favourites as well as new ideas. I share my garden with my allotment assistant Daisy the Labrador. On Twitter as @MatronsVeggies

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Matron's Christmas Veggie Blog 2011


Welcome to Matron's Christmas Veggie blog. It is quite a challenge to grow anything at this time of year, so thank you to everyone who sent a photo. Here's what's on the menu in your neck of the Christmas woods! Well this lovely plate of citrus fruits was sent in from the Estudio Campana in sunny Almeria, Spain.
Many thanks to Stacy at Plot number 58 for this lovely Cavalo Nero. This is a wonderful Winter crop, just perfect for the Christmas Dinner plate.
Jane sent in this beautiful Swiss Chard. This is one of my favourite Winter veg, it brightens up any plot right the way through to Spring.
And what a feast from Scarecrows Garden down in the Southern hemisphere. Christmas dinner in Australia must be a very colourful event.
And here is Matron's own offering, these Jerusalem artichokes are a bit smaller this year. They are such an invasive pest if you don't keep them under control. I have been picking stems and stalks all year to try to keep them under control. That said, I just adore the flavour - and now that I work from home I don't have to worry about the antisocial consequences from eating bowls full of these... fartichokes!
Rob from Birmingham sent in these lovely brassicas, Gloire de Portugal. Really fresh green leaves are a real delicacy on the Christmas table, freshly picked and steamed. Bon appetite.
Jeffrey from the Eagle Close allotments sent this lovely selection of squashes and pumpkins. I keep meaning to try growing spaghetti squash (left) I must put it on my list for next year.
Serious congratulations to Jennifer for her first ever attempt at growing potatoes!! Once tasted you are hooked on growing your own .. forever. This variety California White.
What a wonderful trugful of veggies. Thanks to Kay at Gardening Tools.
Beautiful photos of beautiful veg on the Christmas Table at Kelli Boyles Garden.
What Christmas dinner would be complete without fantastic home grown parsnips. Bon Appetite goes to Nome at the Nome Grown blog.
A fresh crop of Oca from the Oca testbed blog. Fresh and in season right now! Thank you Ian for adding wonderful variety to my Christmas Veggie blog.
Jeffrey at the Eagle Close allotments has inspired me to attempt more green salad in Winter. These pea shoots are decorating the best plates in the best restaurants at the moment!
What a beautiful still life painting this would make! Thanks to Peggy from her Organic Growing Pains blog in Cork, Ireland for this festive fare. I just adore brussels sprouts!
Beautiful red Cabbage from Orlaith. This is an essential ingredient in Matron's Christmas Dinner, just steamed with apple, onion, vinegar, cloves and seasoning. Brilliant!
And my lovely blog-mentor Stan for starting me off on this blog-quest all those years ago. Inspired! Wishing you all a Veggie Christmas!

17 Comments:

At 8:40 PM, Blogger LindaG said...

Hahahahaha!!!!!! Fartichokes.
I thought they were potatoes until you said they were artichokes.

So many wonderful gardens out there.

Merry Christmas to you and all your contributors!

 
At 9:30 PM, Blogger Peggy said...

My mouth is just watering at the range of festive veg on display, I will have to pull my socks for next years blog!

 
At 9:55 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh dear I missed the deadline with my chives (honestly I never took the photo)...actually I'm rather glad I did with these photos of "real" vegetables and real labor put into the raising of them! Quite a feast from around the world! I'm curious about how parsnips are meant to be prepared...when I had them as a child they were bitter and totally unappetizing! One of two vegetables I absolutely do not eat, the other being rutabaga...equally non delicious when my mother cooked it. Enjoyed your post Matron!

 
At 10:37 PM, Blogger Rob said...

That looks a good sample of veg.

 
At 11:28 PM, Blogger Caro said...

I'll have to pull my socks up next year - what a tempting display of winter edibles! I had no idea that so much home grown fare could be available up to Christmas. I also love the look of the jugs of fresh herbs with the brussels sprouts. Yum! Happy Christmas!

 
At 12:02 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

What a feast just to know about these veggies that'll be on the Christmas dinner table! Great efforts everyone for coming together for this blog. Happy Christmas to you and all your contributors!

 
At 7:42 AM, Blogger fiona said...

what a fab post! its really inspired me to do some winter things next year. I have a triumphant patch of rainbow chard but nothing else .. you clever people, you!

 
At 10:34 AM, Blogger Sue Garrett said...

Oh dear sorry - I did send a photo but it obviously didn't arrive, maybe I got the wrong address

 
At 6:09 PM, Blogger Stacy said...

what Fantastic Efforts from everyone and what a wonderful idea Matron, my goal for next year is to do the whole spread of veg for christmas day from the plot but this year i will have to settle for the Nero!.
merry Christmas everone.

 
At 12:39 AM, Anonymous Molly said...

Oh, no. I missed the deadline! Guess I'll have to post it on my own page.

 
At 4:18 PM, Blogger Tira said...

Lovely post-sorry i missed the deadline!

 
At 6:25 PM, Anonymous Norma Chang said...

Glad I stumbled upon your blog. What a delicious variety of vegetables for the Christmas table. Yummy christmas to all.

 
At 9:36 PM, Blogger Chicken lover said...

Hi Matron
What a great response and such a variety!
Have a great Christmas everyone x
Jane

 
At 6:16 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

Missed the deadline but I only dug up my Christmas parsnips this morning

 
At 6:47 PM, Blogger Kelli said...

Alot of great veg for the holidays!

 
At 10:01 PM, Anonymous Louise spell said...

My Life
What is this new bean you have come up with?

 
At 9:17 PM, Blogger Wild Mood Swings said...

Love ya matey

 

Post a Comment

<< Home

>