Harvest Day

Peter and I are new members of the Sanctuary Community Garden.   We were granted a place in mid September.   Two and half months have flown by.  Every month as a community member you are asked to give time to the communal parts of the garden.

The Sanctuary Garden has individual plots and large areas of communal growing
areas that are managed by crop rotation.

Today was harvest day and there was a great turn out of members to dig new potatoes, strip pick the broad beans and pull the garlic.

The potato patch yesterday - this many potatoes would
be an Irishman's dream come true.

In half an hour the harvesting team had dug this!

Job all done in an hour and a half.  

For all those gardeners that have to deal with clay soils..just look at this free volcanic soil!

The potatoes planted were Liesta, Heather and heritage Maori potatoes (2 varieties).   I couldn't believe that the potatoes were only planted on the 1st of September and we were harvesting monster potatoes on the 1st of December.

The white potatos are Liesta and the red ones Heather

An area nearly as large as the potato patch had broad beans  - this photo taken
last week.

The beans didn't need staking because they were planted in one large section about 5 metres wide so the plants seemed to be self supporting.  The winds yesterday made them look like they had a bad hair day but it didnt matter they were down for harvesting.  We strip picked the beans and then cut the stalks down to to about 15cm above the ground.   Broad beans are a valuable green crop and you can see the nitrogen nodules clinging to the roots if you pull them.   They are left in the ground at the Sanctuary  because of the valuable micro activity they give to the soil.   

A bumper harvest of broad beans!

The bean foliage filled one whole compost bay.

Here Trevor is breaking and bruising the stalks of the beans before throwing into the compost bin that will in time be used in the garden plots..nothing is wasted at Sanctuary Garden.

One third of the best garlic bulbs are kept for next year's seeeds.

Richard Main talking about the need to get some new garlic stock introduced next year

Sarah, one of the community organisers laid the garlic out on black polythene to dry out the roots in
the hot midday sun..an impresive harvest - planted April and harvested 1 December

The organic garlic stock seed originated from Wanganui in the 1990's.

While I should have been continuing to pick broad beans I couldn't help but hear discussion taking place in the garlic patch next door about the garlic seed stock. Richard Main (pictured above) was one of two original members of the garden and was responsible for the planting of a number of the rare trees around the garden as well as the forest garden.   I had heard a lot about Richard from others and it was a treat to meet and talk gardening with him.  

That's what community gardens are all about.  It's not just growing vegies, it's spending time with that special breed of people who like to garden.  

I met Jan who gave me some wonderful recipe ideas while we picked beans together and after our couple of hours of toil, we all adjourned to the garden shed to enjoy a shared lunch.  

The shared lunch is always awaited with great anticipation and good appetites
after a work out in the garden

Risoni salad starring Sanctuary Garden broad beans

My contribution was a Risoni salad with broad beans, almonds and cherry tomatoes.

I made this recipe using asparagus for my posting titled "Spring Brings Asparagus, Onion Weed and Nasturtiums to the Plate" October 2013 on Jeannie's Kitchen.

And tonight we enjoyed for dinner some of the harvested new potatoes - yum a perfect way to finish a great day in the garden.