Great excitement here at Bothen Hill as tomorrow, Wednesday 26th June we’re off to London to the Soil Association’s Best of Organic Markets (BOOM) Awards. Our Asparagus has qualified as one of the final three products in the Fresh Produce, Vegetables, section of the awards. Up against Organic Mushrooms from Aldi and Organic Carrots from R B Produce, the competition is stiff, but we think we’ve done amazingly well to get this far! We’ll post the results as soon as they are known on Twitter and Facebook, and in due course on the web site, but thank you to everyone who has supported us and for your good wishes.
Meanwhile of course there’s lots going on back at the farm! The recent rain has ensured that our transplanting schedule for calabrese, cabbage, sprouts, summer and winter PSB and leeks has been kept well up to date, such a contrast to last year. The tunnels are now full, and producing a good crop of French beans and courgettes. The tomatoes are growing well and bearing numerous fruits as are the cucumbers. In addition both the apricot and peach trees are extremely laden and we’re just hoping for some sunshine to ripen the fruits, it looks as if we are going to be fortunate in this respect.
Out in the fields the broad beans have cropped well, as have sugar snap peas. The rhubarb is still going, although not quite as red as we would like. Sweetcorn is looking good, the farmer’s expression of it being “Knee high by the 4th July” will be met, so with a good sized patch this year we’re hoping for great yields.
Beetroot and carrots are finally starting to yield well, and we’ve had good germination with parsnips and also the sown leeks; those which were transplanted are looking good.
All in all we’re looking forward to a good harvest and hope that you’ll enjoy the produce during the summer as well.