Welcome to where it all began...

Oh hey! 

Childhood memories 

I thought I'd start a blog following my journey with food, home grown to plate with a sprinkle of a few crafty bits thrown in. Just sharing my love for anything creative really, call it the expression of the inner wild child at heart just dying to get out. 

My love for gardening and cooking came simultaneously, in the form of some of my most fondest memories growing up. My dad absolutely loved cooking, in particular baking, any of his cakes looked exactly as it did on its printed page. It was as if he just pressed an imaginary button and it appeared. I remember many occasions when I was 4, pulling my little orange two step across to give me some height and sieve flour for my dad. There's something magical I think about spending those foundational years learning and how much these memories influence our passions in later life. 

Dad was also a landscape gardener. I remember one hot summer day helping him dig for potted new potatoes with my hands, like mining for gold, excitement when each one would pop up. Or tasting the delights of a sweet pea for the first time. I owe so much to my Dad in the early years for instilling my love for so many things, gardening and cooking just to name a few. 


I did say my very little garden... 


The main reason why I started the raise bed idea is partly because the waiting list for an allotment would take so long. I'm at number 48 in the queue. Then I thought it would be beneficial for my mental health and give me more of an excuse to spend some time out enjoying the sunshine. In June I made two raised beds from pallets I've found from freecycle, It took 12 hours to make the first one, trust me stripping back pallets when you just have a few nails a saw and a hammer... I wouldn't recommend it!  

I was so proud how this one turned out. The next problem is my garden is communal so I asked around and a few neighbours suggested the space by the washing lines. What was great about the whole space is I had it to myself and there was potential to expand. 

June-August 

I started planting out my seedlings in early June. I didn't realise that growing from seed could be so unpredictable. I teach and I would have preferred a classroom of kids than dealing with these little gems. My method was companion planting and organic growing to keep my little plants happy. 

I have a woodland near by and managed to find a few fallen branches to create support structures for my beans. I feed the soil every 3/4 weeks or so, my squash seems to love it!

I ended up with a little helper in the form of my next door neighbours curious cat. We formed a bond 3 years ago whilst I was spraying some ivy gold outside (I was making autumnal centrepieces for a friends wedding), he came over to see what I was up to and boom, good friends since. He likes to keep me company sometimes and as a reward a few belly rubs in between.  


Autumn is approaching soon, I know in this heat its hard to hear that. But ever since having my little veg box it has helped me to be more mindful of the seasons...I have already started pickling and preserving some of my harvest and a few foraged finds. I will share my Christmas recipes in the next post. I have plans to next year expand my little garden to one side of a walled garden and another raised bed. I'll keep you updated on here with my progress. So without further adieu...  

Toodles. (love that word, come on, I bet you thought about saying it, 'tooodles' so cheery, and yes I am that sad.). 

Bernice XO