With many thanks to Pip

I got rather superheated this morning as I attended to this raised bed. It has been a long time in the making, but at last the plants are beginning to make their presence felt. I took this picture to send to Pip to show him that there was progress. The earth has now been dug three times to try and eliminate as much of the bindweed, couch grass and stones as possible. I have added soil from the hilltops, through an exchange with the farm shop (I got the earth that was cleaned off their potatoes when it went through their brushing machine) as well as compost.

I've planted leek seedlings, cabbage, both white and red, purple sprouting broccoli, runner beans and several types of lettuce. The slugs and snails have only eaten a few leaves, amazingly, so I hope some survive. On this side of the two planks I've got to do the final dig and mixing of the soils tomorrow, and then further planting and sowing of seeds.

Another two beds like these are planned to be added in parallel, but a little lower down the slope. The top board of the next bed is already secured in place but the ground needs quite a lot of clearing and then digging! In the autumn I hope to add some fruit trees to be grown as cordons, or espaliers, along the line of the fence, which we had to put in to keep the neighbours brambles (and cats and dogs) at bay.

But without Pip I wouldn't have got as far as I have, and even that has been slow in coming to fruition. He came to help me several times with the back breaking work of clearing weeds and shifting soil. You are a star, Pip! So I am dedicating this blip to you! I'm sure you will be pleased to see the plants in the ground at last.

When we look out of the window of the cabin, I will be rejoicing in future, and looking forward to the food to come. Helena picked two raspberries yesterday from the bush on the left just below the cabin window. Mine was delicious.