Hi Bob. Good to see you back. I am envious of your garden. Isn't that well over half an acre? Huge! I would need a tractor to keep on top of it. I post too many photos. Guess I just hope it helps a little to keep the forum ticking along. Thanks for your comments. Don't be put off though. Good lighting, loads of oil, and food colouring!

Rob

No Bob, feels huge compared to what I have always had/been able to afford but did have to hire a rotavator for 4 days over the May B.H. to turn it all over.. turned out to be only 60% of it and still hard work. Top 20% I had already planted Salad potatoes in (harvesting now) and bottom 20% I spent 3 weeks, in the height of the heatwave May/June digging out a pond (approx 12ft x 4ft / 3.5m x 1.2m).  Some days could only start working on it after 8pm... neighbours were tolerant but not so happy at me chipping away for an hour or so, with a garden spade (wrong tool for the job but only one I had) through upto 4ft (1.2m) at the deepest, sloping to just a few inches. Top soil, then gravel, then chunks of Yorkshire stone (some sort of patio I think) over a layer of coke, coal, cinders, glass and pottery shards... and then I hit tree roots.. at that point I gave up digging much deeper.

Yorkshire Water and I must have been the only ones at that point that were praying for rain.. and for a while I was happy but now the pond is full and I need my outdoor Tomatoe's on the patio, to continue growing and to ripen even if YW want it to rain for the rest of the year!

With the harvesting of the Potatoes well in hand (neighbours all around are happy to accept some and a little more forgiving atm) I have ordered the Lumber for the 4x vegetable beds.  Need the Salad potatoes out (I know, will never get them all) so I can put winter potatoes in. Need the beds built, fully filled with fertiliser (local horse stables - free) and compost on top, ready for crops I need to plant in Autumn, like Garlic and Spring onions. Rest of the beds will be for other seasonal produce such as beetroot, beans, turnip, sprouts and leeks, etc.

Anyway, got a pan of curry base made tonight and will try a few dishes with it over the coming days.  A certain dish was requested by my wife's colleague but since they are off for the next 6 weeks, seems like a good time to practice a few dishes again.

Hope you all are doing well and I will check back again soon(or later )
BAJ

Mick's base. Balti time!



Rob

My best yellow sticker haul to date.



18 per case. 28 p a can. There were actually 5 cases. I bought the lot!

Rob

Pre-drain. Will be reheating some of it tonight. I think a few crinkle cuts are in order.



Rob

  I was having bangers and mash for tea but am now craving curry and rice.  Damn you Rob, I'm off to get gravy and chicken out of the freezer.  What's that red sauce over the samosas?