We started slightly earlier today just because it is so interesting being part of Veg Box Day. Ady did lots of harvesting veg, salad etc. mostly working with Ange and Pia who were still here today. Davies and Scarlett did some pea and bean picking (and eating) with Pip before disappearing off into the woodland for the rest of the day. I mostly worked in the field shelter getting stuck into the packing side of things. First thing I was with Wilf (who is very interesting and reminds me loads of Chris P. He has the same measured way of talking and dry sense of humour), learning the Ways of The Veg Bag. This included some admin type stuff with labelling bags and then some weighing of potatoes. The scheme here is about 80% what thet grow and 20% bought in from an organic wholesaler. This week they bought in potatoes and cucumber only. They are very honest with their customers about the bought in element which apparently some veg box schemes are not, they also work with other local-ish schemes to swap gluts and even barter with some of their veg box customers for their gluts – eg one of the people who has a weekly box from them had a huge amount of rhubarb last year, enough to supply all their customers for two weeks running in exchange for 2 months worth of free veg.
I then did cucumber inserting into each bag before going to do some harvesting – nasturtium flowers, chard and spinach. I then helped Jo with salad bag packing – she did the leaves and I did the twiddly bits – rocket, flowers and basil leaves and then it was lunch time. We all had lunch together which was a lovely communal affair.
After lunch Ady did some more gardening type stuff while I did packing up of stir fry bags (spinach and chard) and then helped Beth load the various rounds of bags into the car ready to be delivered to the pick up points.
Ady and I finished for the day and spent far too long looking for Davies and Scarlett who were happily and obliviously playing in the woods before cooking dinner. We’d been given sausages so Davies and I had them with new potatoes, while Ady and Scarlett had tuna and new potatoes fishcakes – Scarlett, Ady and I had salad too including all the little flowers :).
Must end here as laptop is beeping about the battery dying and I don’t want to lose what I’ve written!