Baking and Other Stories ....

Over the last few weeks, there has been a lot of baking chez Fenland Lottie.

And nationwide, baking is the new thing. 

It seems that the process of weighing, mixing and stirring, whether it be bread or cakes has struck a chord with people in these unsettling times; a gentle antidote to the anxiety which can easily prevail.

But, as a consequence, stocks of flour having been running low in the shops.

  Trying to buy flour at the local supermarket was proving very difficult, until a local farm shop came up trumps. 

So mr digandweed, whose birthday was a couple of weeks ago, was able to celebrate with a cake....

... and a virtual birthday party with family thanks to 'Houseparty' app.

And for a quick and easy baking fix, requiring no flour, I can recommend Mary Berry's flapjack recipe  - just the right degree of chewiness in my opinion. 

 In other news, a couple of weeks ago, our allotment neighbour gave us some sweetcorn seeds; a little package lobbed across the path from a safe distance and containing a few wizened little kernels.

I've never grown sweetcorn before and was thrilled when the seeds germinated!

The seedlings are now much bigger and are planted out on the allotment. Fingers crossed for some lovely corn on the cob later in the summer.

There are some silver linings to this devastating virus and one is that our allotment has never looked neater than over the last few weeks and there is a lovely sense of cheerful community amongst the plot holders.

I've recently been reading up about the 'no dig' system of cultivation pioneered by Charles Dowding

and his multisowing method. Maybe you have already heard of his techniques? Or even tried them?

I've sown several rows of beetroot and swiss chard on the allotment with 3 or more seeds at each station and germination has been good, the little plants look healthy so it's all looking very promising.

Less promising are the climbing beans. I was caught out once again by a late frost in May. Every year, I get over excited and sow and plant them out too early! Please - next year someone remind me that night time temperatures even in May can drop very low!

I've hastily planted more seeds!

Hope you are all keeping well and safe.

Speak soon

Annie

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