Portugese Cabbage

Two varieties of Brassica that I am trying this year for the first time are fattening up nicely under some pigeon proof netting. The friend who gave me the seeds has promised to give me her mother's recipe for caldo verde.
Yesterday I defoliated most of the beets in the back garden in an effort to halt the spread of rust which has inhibited the swelling of the roots. I then sprayed with dilute milk as this seemed to work on leek rust. Happily there is no sign of it at the allotment.

Vegetable Morals

"...But I have no doubt at all of the advantage of giving up meat. I find already much good from it in lightness, and airiness of head; whereas I was always before clouded, and more or less morbid after meat. The loss of strength is to be expected. I shall keep on, and see if that also will turn, and change into strength. I have almost Utopian notions about vegetable diet, - begging pardon for making use of such a vile, Cheltenhamic phrase. Why do you not bring your children up to it? To be sure, the chance is that after guarding their vegetable morals for years, they would be seduced by some roast partridge, with bread sauce, and become ungodly."
Edward Fitzgerald writing to his friend Donne (September 1833)

Menaced by Monsters...

Pictures by Brendan Amphlett at the Lemon Monkey Mezz Gallery, 188 Stoke Newington High Street until September 27th.

Time for a Corn Boil

"These novel tongs provide a sanitary means of holding hot roasting ears. Made of stainless steel, they permit the ear to be grasped securely without the fingers touching the corn. Claws on the ends of the tongs are shaped in 'fish hook' manner so that the corn cannot possibly slip."
(from ModernMechanix)

Mess O' Tomatoes

Here's this summer's assortment. (last year's are here) They are coming thick and fast now but still to ripen are a late start Peacevine and outdoor-reared 'Off the Vine' Brandywine. Taxi has now finished fruiting and I've replaced them with rooted cuttings, taken late May, of Riesentraube and Purple Calabash. Note to me: Grow more Copia next year.

Eggplant!