End of the hungry gap

In early June we celebrated the end of this year's "hungry gap", always the most difficult time of the year to harvest fresh produce, as supplies run out and the new season's crops aren't yet ready. This year we had to bridge the gap by buying half-pallets of veg from Phoenix Organics in Herefordshire (potatoes, onions and beetroot mainly), to supplement what we could grow ourselves, or could buy from other local growers.

Friday 3rd July was the first week this year when all the veg in our veg boxes was grown on the community farm, as was all the fresh produce in the farm shop. This is good going when you consider that we are now filling 140 veg boxes a week!

Chard and beetroot patch on the market garden.

Lucy and Sue picking black Tuscan kale in the permanent raised beds.

Maincrop onion beds beautifully weeded.

Cucumbers and aubergines from the polytunnels.

Rainbow chard in the packing shed ready for veg boxes.

A leaning tower of bulb fennels.

Picking salad for shop and veg boxes - Jack, Gary, Maris, Ilaria, and Reis.

Cucumber and French bean vines with our new overhead irrigation system.

When the first cucumbers are ready in May that is always a cause for celebration, as it is the first step on the climb out of the hungry gap. This has been this year followed soon after by kale, spring greens, garlic, French beans, chard, beetroot, overwintering onions, broad beans, rhubarb, globe artichokes, new potatoes, bulb fennel, with herbs and salad leaves continuing thoughout.