Tatnam Organic Patch

Friends gathered for the annual barbacue at TOP this Sunday. It’s a geat time of year to sit and enjoy the garden. Jan seemed to be the only one determined to do some work before eating, whilst the blokes mostly gathered around that most ancient of meeting places – the fire.

Barry is now a rare visitor from Kent, but the stove that he constructed came back out and did stirling service (once Gary had remembered to advise that the fire needed to be on top of the grill). Lance, new to the patch, was chief fire stoker.

When I arrived, Mark and Gary were in the greenhouse, discussing the potential location for a peach tree – dispacing some of the tomatoes in the long greenhouse bed, and doubtless another change to the watering system. Mark then created a Bacchenalian table dressing using a few of the many drifts of sweet grapes that our vine is again producing.

Marcos Mum, over from Barcelona, got deep into amongst other things, discussing preserving apples with Andy, and the principles of Permaculture with Gary, with only the occassional word passed to her son to translate.

Junior members of the party had a great time. Mateus played endlessly with throwing apples, for whoever would retreive them, and grabbing the very patient passing dog, owned by Emily and Paul, but visiting with Marcos and Fizz.

Lillian chose a big Bramley apple to eat raw, much to the adults suprise. When she eventually let daddy try it, Brendan didnt have to say anything, the scrunched up eyes told us that the cooking apple was as tart as we’d expected. A different variety was quickly substituted.

The squashes have done well this year, and we have a number of butternut squash looking great. The Apple trees are groaning, including a crab-apple covered in golden fruit.

Ken came along with his barrel barbaque, and Gary brought along a cob cooker, which retained the heat from 12 briquettes to cook for 3 hours solidly. A variety of tasty burgers, sausages and kebabs were cooked. Clare had marinaded chicken in an Eastern Mediterranian sauce, and Brendan and Tat went for a spicy mix.

Both Jan’s summer pudding and customary crumble were much appreciated, as was a fruit salad packed with soft fruit from Gary’s garden.