Posie's Blog. Tales of island life on a hebridean hill farm

Posie's Blog. Tales of island life on a hebridean hill farm

Tuesday 1 May 2007

Potty Potatoes




I fell out with the land today, big style. The happy farmer has been working away at the vegetable patch, working the soil, rotavating the manure, so that I can get down to some serious planting. He told me it was ready today, so, run accomplished, I felt obliged to at least go and make a start with the potatoes.

I decided to plant a long drill the whole length of the patch, and gently began to hoe a line across. Gently became more of a tug and a struggle as I battled against heavily rooted grass shoots, stones and manure (cow poo), undeterred I toiled on, at last reaching the end of the patch. Carefully I planted each potato, a foot apart, trying to get some depth between the eye of the potato and the top of the soil line, cursing their odd shapes as I went. They never seem to quite fit into the hole I have burrowed into the ground for them, always being too fat, or too wide at one end. I then tried to hoe a deep line of soil across the newly planted potatoes, in their beds. Again the grass roots fought with me, as I huffed and sweated, tearing aggressively at the ground, with my hoe. Now there’s a thought for an anger management course me thinks, thankfully today there is no law about being cruel to grass, ripping it from the soil, I will let it grow elsewhere, promise!

I met the happy farmer in the kitchen having lunch as I made my way home. I had trudged across the garden wondering why on earth I go through such battles each year, all of the weeding, digging, planting, just for some vegetables, of course as the weeks progress and my blogs wax lyrical about my wonderful journeys to the ‘kitchen garden’ you will be able to remind me why.

The happy farmer just smiled and commented that I had planted the potatoes too close to the fence, along the bit where all rotovators refuse to go, and no ‘rotovator has gone before’. He assured me that the next few drills will be easy peasy, I will let you know.

Until next time…..

8 comments:

lixtroll said...

Posie - your site is looking beautiful! Lovely to read your blogs again, and wonderful piccies. Sorry the potatoes were a bit of a hassle, they do tend to come in funny shapes - not EU reg at all! The rebels.

muddyboots said...

don't you just love it when these farmer types tell you where you've gone wrong when it comes to planting, sowing, reaping & animals. Revenge is sweet when you see where the drill got bunged up & there is now a bald patch of soil. te he!!

Milkmaid said...

I gave S the job of veg growing last year, needless to say 'we' dont have the patience and back in charge this year

Tattieweasle said...

Veg patch in abeyance this year as garden wall has to be rebuilt before it kills someone (its 15ft high and wobbles) So I will live vicariously and read all about other people's veggie patch trials and tribs! Do hope it gets easier - I'm exhausted now!

Withy Brook said...

I loved the pics. Felt for you every step of the way up and down that row. I do hate grass and fresh poo in the place where I am trying to sow/plant, but I dare say the potatoes like them. Do let us know what they taste like. I can't grow them well here, so have given up trying.

Pipany said...

Oh what a pain Posie, but how lovely your site looks. Such gorgeous piccies. It will be so worth the hassle when you sit down to eat your very own veg; nothing quite like it is there? xx

Eden said...

Your blog is looking great, PosieRosie. Love the photos and the layout. What a disappointment about the potatoes after all your hard work. Hope the H.Farmer is wrong and they thrive. Eden.

Suffolkmum said...

It really does look great, mine needs some serious attention. THe photos are beautiful. You descrbed the battle with the potatoes so well I felt I was there! Hope the happy farmer is proved wrong.