This is such a bountiful time of the year. The spring's labours are giving forth in every area of Our Smallholding. There's homegrown fresh fruit & veggies every day.

Harvesting the Onions

This has proved a great year for growing and saving onions.  Eddie lifted these last week and they are doing really well, lined up along the railing to get the full benefit of the sunshine.  They will be plaited and suspended from the rafters in one of the sheds to store until used.

The vegetable garden closest to the house is exposed and visible when anyone comes into the drive since the hedge was removed in the spring. The onions are suspended along the railing in that garden and we've been asked during the last week if we would sell them.

Knowledge of Plot to Plate

I'm biased towards fresh, local food with knowledge from plot to plate and no money would buy these onions.  We only grow enough for ourselves, which never seems to be enough.  I would encourage everyone to plant onions, they are so simple and easy to grow.  They are a great starter vegetable to begin with, they only require a little weeding during the growing season - and then the harvesting - and Oh, the flavour!

Plan Ahead

Just a little planning will enable nature to do most of the work.  Now is the time to set aside a small patch of ground. Cover it with cardboard or newspaper and grass clippings or straw to kill any current growth, the earthworms will do the rest.  This covering will gradually biodegrade enriching and conditioning the soil.  Depending on the depth of cover used, the weather and local soil conditions this cover may need to be augmented over the winter, however, by spring when it's time to plant, there will be a perfect onion bed ready to plant.

No Dig

No digging or tilling, no toxic chemicals.  No disturbing the earthworms as they enrich the soil. Just plant the onion bulbs straight into the ground by making a hole with a pointed object, as you would for daffodills, just not so deep, cover it over and allow nature to do the rest.

Go on. Do it!