This is the fist and very humble crop that has been planted on the site. Garlic grown by Dasha in the test raised bed build last year in the south eastern corner of the site. It is unlikely to be eaten because of the soil contamination which is worse then first expected and needs remidiation before any further food can be grown site.
Nina got the result back from Bogdale Farm, determining the kind of apple we have growing in the garden:
“The sample is a dark red form of JONAGOLD and probably the form known as
JONAGORED. This is a modern apple and the tree would have been planted
comparatively recently. It is a vigorous variety, usually crops well and would have
become weeping under the weight of crops.”
Its worth while reading the Wikipedia entry on the Jonagoled
“The Jonagored Apple, a sport mutation of Jonagold, was once covered under United States Patent PP05937, now expired.”
The apple tree has so many apples – more then people seem to harvest. I assume this is partly due to the fact that the site is not easily accessible and that not everyone has a ladder. Its a real pity to see them being wasted.
In the spirit of the harvest garden proposal which promotes recycling and an honesty box for excess produce. A couple of hours on a very sunny Sunday afternoon were enough to take an old abandoned crate apart and build a small box that sits on the fence. Its all rather ad hoc and I am sure the final Honesty Stall will look nothing like it, but it is a good way of testing the idea and have a temporary solution which – should it be destroyed is not a great loss.
Once the box was up Ismael, Hassan, Salomon and Ava helped to harvest the apples and fill the box. They also suggested we should grow other fruits like, mangoes, peaches and carrots. Placing the box on the boundary was quite helpful as it was accessible from both sites which made it easy to fill. It did feel a bit strange to ask for a donation in return for an apple since the tree has been on site growing apples for so long. All we did was to put it into the box. Guess it is more a ‘Help yourself box’ then an ‘Honesty Stall’
It did not take long before we had the first customers and by the following morning most of the apples had gone. There is probably one more box full on the tree which will be harvested before too long. I kept checking on the box every now and then and it was always a delight to see someone take an apple on their way. I assume once the station is in place and the footfall in Bakers Row is increasing produce will be flying off the shelf (box).
Photo: Nina Pope
Unfortunately I missed the second seed day as well but lots and lots of seeds have been harvested and are currently being nicely packed into small envelopes.
I am sure Nina will upload some images onto the Abbey Gardens flickr site soon – until then I have only this small image.
Also see Nina’s blog entry on the ‘What will the harvest be?’ blog specifying the wild flowers currently on site.
What Will The Harvest Be?
Come & join us on Saturday September 27th for our second URBAN SEED DAY …
http://www.somewhere.org.uk/seed_day
We will be gathering the seeds from the wild flowers grown at Abbey Gardens this year – some we’ll be keeping for next years Harvest Garden but some we’ll be giving away. So, if you fancy a bed of wildflowers in your own garden or you’ve spotted a unloved patch in your local environment that could do with cheering up, this is the event for you.
Nina Pope and the Friends of Abbey Gardens group will be in the garden on Saturday morning from 10.00 -12.00. As well as collecting seeds we’ll obviously be happy to tell you more about What Will The Harvest Be? and how our plans for the garden are shaping up.
We also have a few packets of seeds left (from the wonderful Chiltern Seeds) to give away to anyone who wants to get planting now for next season in the Harvest Garden. If you take some away on Saturday you can bring them on in your own garden (or just on a windowsill) ready for next spring.
If you have seeds gathered from your own gardens/plots do bring some along to swap.
You might like to make an East-London afternoon of it and join us for the Hackney Wick Festival afterwards, it’s an interesting walk from Abbey Gardens to ‘the Wick’ and makes for a full East End double day out. Visit the website: www.hackneywickfestival.org.uk
Informal harvesting has been going on the site and delicious apple and green tomato produce have been appearing all around.
