Insects in the garden

Insects are an important element in a healthy garden and play a crucial role in keeping the eco-system in balance here at La Pasera. OK there are some we would rather do without and discourage but on the whole things seem to be in balance so we must be doing something right. Not using chemicals must surely help the diversity of insect life we see.

The numerous visiting bees are wonderful and play such a crucial role in pollination. It is worrying to constantly here reports of their decline through pesticides and parasites. We have a pyracanthus bush which attracts hundreds of bees a day which in turn pollinate our fruit, vegetables and flowers. Other garden flowers serve as magnets for pollen collectors and pollinators.

We have some magnificent beetles around the place. Stag Beetles fly at dusk, whirring their way like miniature helicopters eventually coming into land and carefully avoiding two curious cats. Ladybirds, leaf, click and longhorn beetles fascinate as they make their way across vast distances, only to disappear into underground burrows or take flight in their search for food.

Butterflies and moths are a constant source of wonder with their camouflaged patterns or brightly coloured displays but they are so difficult to photograph clearly as they soon spook and take flight.

The pond and bog garden are havens for the wildlife and especially for insects. Spiders, water skaters, water beetles, dragonflies and damselflies are regularly seen going about their business, feeding, laying eggs or scavenging.

In the garden and the vegetable beds we occasionally get infestations of black-fly and aphids but it is great to see increasing numbers of ladybirds about this year which will help reduce their numbers. The birds have been very active feeding their young grubs and caterpillars, spiders and moths. The cycle of life is all around us.

The woodlice and other scavengers have been busily recycling our green waste and leaves, helped by the worms and beetles. Helping us to produce heaps of nutritious crumbly compost for the garden and rich peaty leaf mould that goes into our home made potting compost. Elsewhere, stick insects, glow worms, ground bugs, flies, crickets, grasshoppers and hundreds of other insects inhabit every conceivable nook and cranny.

With over 1 million different kinds of insect documented on planet Earth, you will never be short of something new to seek out and observe. Why not make a start in your own garden, you might be surprised with what you will find.

Visiting Gijon Sunday Market

The Sunday market in Gijon is a great way to spend a few hours. The market was particularly busy this week with people jostling for position in the huge car-park next to Gijon football club. The market keeps relocating but this time it was at the rear of the large sports centre opposite the football ground. It seems as though that will be its home for the foreseeable future.

The market is split into two halves: new and second-hand. We went specifically for the second-hand market as Luis was looking for interesting dishes that could be mosaicked and used for garden birdbaths. We get so many more birds in the garden since we introduced bird baths.

The market was very busy but relaxed. The Spanish don't rush, they stroll, parade and meander.

The second-hand market is like a UK car boot sale but the difference here in Spain is that all the sellers have to be licensed and registered. The tat is much the same as you would find in the UK but prices probably higher. Saying that, haggling needs to be mastered if you are to get a bargain as they can spot you are not a national and will charge you top whack. Luis usually does the negotiations with me prompting him when required.

The last time we came to the Market we bought a wonderful artist's palette that is now displayed in the lounge. At the time I wrote an account of our purchase which can be found here:  The Palette

Sadly on this occasion we didn't find anything but that's the nature of second hand markets I suppose, sometimes you find treasure and sometimes you don't.

We wandered round the numerous other stalls and ended up buying some wonderful sweet deep red cherries at 3 Euros a kilo and some linseed. Clothes seemed to be getting cheaper with lots of buy three offers and other incentives. The range of goods is not as good as some markets but the competition does help with pricing.

The cherries were wonderful...

After we had toured the market we took a long walk through Gijon's main park where there are numerous birds, some free and others in semi-captivity. Then onto the promenade that stretches for several miles in each direction. We walked, we sat and had a picnic lunch, watched the world go by, commented on the sights we saw and discussed a couple of new ideas. There is nothing like a break from the routines of life to get creativity flowing.

You say potato and I say...

Growing potatoes in our temperate but high humidity climate during late Spring is a challenge we face every season in the veggie plot at La Pasera. The results of this challenge vary every year but in the main we are always pleased with the crop we get.

The potato growing season commences during Winter with the digging in of green manure (oats) we have sown several weeks earlier. This not only provides nutrients for the developing potatoes (a hungry crop) but also helps to improve the texture of the heavy clay we have here at La Pasera. If you remember, earlier on in the year we created some raised beds and we imported several tons of sandy soil to help improve our soil.

With the soil warming as the sun got hotter, we planted about 100 seed potatoes and this year we tried an early variety called Espunta we sourced from a local agricultural shop. We tend to bury the seed potatoes deep into the soil, about a spade's depth which slightly delays their sprouting but means we do not need to worry about earthing them up later on. This practice enables us to grow more potatoes when space is at a premium.

Our main challenge with potatoes is keeping the crop blight free. Blight comes quickly especially on the dull damp days of late spring when sea mists roll in from the coast. As we try to grow our vegetables in an organic way, we only spray the potatoes with copper sulphate prophylactic-ally and our own home made fungicide based on a horse tail infusion. In spite of this, it comes a point when the potatoes just succumbs to the blight and within a few days the plants just deteriorate rapidly by which time, according to some village people, you need to harvest the crop otherwise they will rot in the ground. This year we harvested about 75 kilos on total.

Over the few years we have been growing potatoes at La Pasera, we have found out that if we plant the potatoes early enough, by the time the humid sea mist season starts the potatoes have been growing close to three months and are developed enough for us to harvest them. We always seem forced to do the harvesting as the plants start blossoming. Some locals cannot understand our reluctance to apply a chemical fungicide on a weekly basis to guarantee a trouble free crop like theirs. For us, it is a question of choice and a desire to grow vegetables in a manner that would cause the least impact on the environment and for health reasons.

This year it was nice to notice a greater number than ever before of ladybirds, always a much welcomed ally in the garden. The orchid season continues with beautiful Bee Orchids punctuating the meadows and hedgerows.

After drying the potatoes for a few days in a dry and cool environment, we will store them in paper sacks  check them from time to time as there are always a couple that may need disposing of as they start deteriorating.

We would like to hear about your experiences growing and storing potatoes as well as any other tips regarding potato blight. Home-grown potatoes, I love to eat them, fresh out of the ground, cleaned, boiled with a sprig of mint and eaten with a blob of butter.

Donkey picnic at el paraiso del burro

This weekend we went to visit our old friends at the Donkey sanctuary El Paraiso del Burro in Arobes. It's a while since we were there and as it was one of their planned open days we decided to pop along and show our support. Marleen, the owner, and the volunteers work so hard providing a safe and caring environment for the 24 retired donkeys, several horses, a mule, dogs, cats and whatever else happens to stroll into paradise including visitors...

The sanctuary is set amongst 8 or so hectares of lush Asturian valleys and hills. The stunning setting really makes it feel as though you are miles from civilisation but in fact you are only a few kilometres from the town of Arriondas and the village of Arobes.

We were really pleased to see that a quite a few people had turned up for the open day. There were quizzes, refreshments and cakes, t-shirts for children to draw on and colour in, gifts to buy and best of all 24 very individual donkeys to fuss over.

About 1.30pm, the donkey picnic was laid out in readiness for the onslaught. Carrots, bread, cabbage, cauliflower, apple and a few other bits were on offer, all of which donkeys devour with gusto. Marleen and some of the volunteers wandered off into the pastures and meadows to lead the donkeys up to the waiting feast.

One by one they jostled for position and soon cleared the tables. Luckily, there were further supplies tucked away under the tables. Not surprisingly, some of the donkeys had already discovered the secret stash and were already helping themselves.

Samantha (a volunteer) and I went into the fields to feed one of the Donkeys that was too lame to make the journey to the picnic tables.

The donkey sanctuary has its own website and blogs (English and Spanish) so please check them out here: El Paraiso del Burro.

Marleen dishing out extra supplies

Their work is funded by Marleen, by donations and sale of goods. Raising funds is difficult here in Spain, especially here in the north where donkeys are still viewed as working beasts that when they can no longer work, are worthless. If you can help with a small donation, there is a page on their site for you to contribute. Mention our blog when you do. It is useful to know where contributions come from.

Top soil and manure

This last week saw the delivery of a further 3 tons of top soil. That makes 13 tons in total we have added to the vegetable beds. It sounds a lot but it doesn't go that far. We are trying to improve our heavy clay beds by adding a sandy top soil, well rotted manure and home-made compost from the bins. It is working but we could do with more manure.

Many of the small dairy farms with antiquated faciities have been closed down by the EU, so our local supply has dried up. There are no stables nearby or any that can readily supply an accessible supply of manure however we have found a huge mound of black gold. We walked past one day and Luis spotted a 3 meter high pile of around 25 sq m. It was overgrown with weeds but one corner had been dug so we could see the layers of extremely well rotted manure crumbling away. Luis asked the owner of the plot if we could have some. He just happened to be related to a lady in our village (so he already knew of us), he said we could take as much as we wanted at any time and was pleased to be making space to add yet more. We have bagged and transported a couple of estate cars worth and need to continue collecting over the coming months.

Spot the cat...

We have two large compost bins that take grass clippings, fruit and vegetable waste, cardboard, dried grass or straw and anything else that remains from vegetable growing, pruning or reduction. Two bins for leaf collection provides a source of nutrient rich leaf mould.

Preparations for young vegetable plants

Our two neighbouring houses are holiday homes and the gardens are mainly lawns. Both sets of neighbours are happy for us to have their grass clippings which will help increase the volumes. A third supply of grass clippings is delivered by some other neighbours from the village who visit their Asturian home regularly otherwise it would be binned as they have no use for it.

Since boarding the vegetable beds and adding sandy topsoil we have noticed less slug and snail activity and fewer problems from land voles.

Birthday treats - walking in Asturias

For many years now both Luis and I have celebrated our birthdays by forsaking unnecessary presents and choosing a favourite walk instead. This past weekend I celebrated my birthday in style by choosing to set off from La Pasera along the coast towards Cuevas del Mar.

There are so many walks in Asturias it is difficult to choose just one but the fact that we could set off from home and leave the car helped me make up my mind.

After a leisurely start, we packed up lunch, plenty of drinks and a few essentials: camera, binoculars, sunscreen... The weather forecast was good with plenty of sun and a slight breeze, perfect walking weather.

Leaving home

Setting off around 10am we decided to walk the caminos (country lanes) and footpaths through local villages and return via the coastal path. It was good to see that many of the holiday and weekend homes were occupied and that one or two new houses were being built and several renovations of older properties were in progress. Despite the downturn in the economy, Asturias still attracts many Spaniards from the cities who have holiday homes here or who rent apartments and village houses for short breaks.

The small network of caminos that connect the villages are very quiet and provide a good vantage point for the numerous vegetable plots, orchards and meadows along the way. Luis took the opportunity to compare onion size and blight progress as we walked and was heard to say on more than one occasion "mine are bigger than them..."

The Roman Bridge

The hedgerows and fields were busy with birds and insects, with numerous lizards soaking up the sun's rays or making a mad dash across the road as we approached. Bird song and the sound of strutting crickets accompanied us and the heady scents of orange blossom, mint, wild roses and roasted meats wafted in and out of our space.

We arrived at Cuevas del Mar around 12 noon after stopping en route several times to look at birds, take photographs or to chat to people we met along the way. Being such a small community means that most permanent residents know who you are or know someone who knows who you are... In general, they are a friendly bunch and the chance to chat for a while is welcomed by both parties (although I often lose my concentration or cannot understand their strong accents so I revert to the fixed half smile and nodding head syndrome with the occasional Si, Bale, or shrug of the shoulders...).

Cuevas del Mar

The water is still very cool

We explored the beach and rocks for a while, took refreshment and decided to commence our return along the coastal path where we could find a shady spot for lunch. Along the route there is a pond with shade where a few ducks and geese have taken up residence. There is something really nice about nibbling your favourite snacks and foods outside on a summer's day whilst enjoying the sights and sounds of the countryside.

We made our way back and stopped for ice cream in Llames de Pria arriving home about 3.30pm. It isn't a long walk, probably about 14 miles but never-the-less we welcomed the chance to relax in the garden with Wentworth and Gawber back at La Pasera with a cup of tea and a large slice of Luis' apple and walnut cake. A great birthday treat.

Nearly home

What's hot in the plot?

Asturias is renowned for it's unpredictable and changeable weather patterns. May this year has been unseasonally cool with lots of showers and days of chilling north easterly winds. This has resulted in plants and vegetables being a bit behind compared with other years but a few days of warm sunshine last week caused a sudden spurt of growth and vigour. The plot is looking hot and it's always exciting to see the results of planning and preparation.

In the vegetable garden, the addition of boards to create raised beds plus lots (but never enough) of well rotted manure and 8 tonnes of sandy top soil seems to have helped with the soil structure. Following where possible our crop rotation system, we were able to plan what goes where thereby minimising the chance of infections and poor growth. Luis keeps a record of germination dates, planting times and space allocation which helps a lot in keeping track of when to do what.

The potatoes are growing well and to date, there isn't much evidence of blight so fingers crossed they will continue to grow and produce a decent crop. The 400 onions are looking perky and beginning to swell and with a bit of regular weeding, they should do well over the next few months.

We are trialling 4 kinds of tomatoes this year and have planted 4 of each. Due to the climate and the possibility of sea mists, we grow the tomatoes under plastic supported by a metal frame. Just enough ventilation to keep an air flow but not constrained as to promote fungal infections. It seems to work well.

Coppiced hazel has been used to erect two sets of bean supports and we will be growing twice the amount we grew last year to harvest and dry. The peas, mange tout and sugar-snaps are still producing well and the challenge now will be to keep the Jays and Magpies away.

Sage flowers

Salad crops are blissfully happy and we have so much self seeded rocket, I might have a go at making some jars of rocket pesto for use on pasta and bean salads. Carrots are a first for us this year as until the soil was improved it was impossible to get them to grow in such heavy clay. They seem to be growing well and we look forward to fresh young carrots. There is still a lot to plant out including: squash, marrow, cucumber, aubergine, celery, fennel, peppers, celariac...and so on.

We have just ordered another 3 tonnes of sandy soil to complete the work needed on the vegetable beds and hopefully the weather will continue to improve so we can get the young vegetable plants in and established before the heat of summer.

Elsewhere in the garden the peach trees are setting fruit as are the apples. The pears this year seem disappointing but it is early days so we will see. The flower beds are looking good with lots of colour and many visiting insects to help with pollination. 

Thanks for the kind emails and messages, we do appreciate them. As always we would love to hear from you and hear about what's hot in your plot.

The Enchanted Path - Walking in Asturias

In a green luscious valley not too far from La Pasera is a magical, enchanted path. In the tiny village of Puente Nueva, a hollow wooden tree full of climbing Imps marks the start of the walk. If you are very, very lucky and start the walk early, you will be greeted by Chisin the fox terrier. After having sussed you out, Chisin will, or will not accompany you on your circular walk around the enchanted path.

The fox terrier is one of several village dogs that have discovered the delights of visitors wishing to explore their beautiful valley. Although we have walked the path several times before and once before with Chisin, today he also decided to enjoy our company.

The walk climbs the valley side, twisting and turning on woodland paths and country tracks. Along the way there is a series of beautifully crafted carved wooded statues that represent the mythology of Asturias, each having a story to tell or a secret to hide. Passing through sleepy villages and rustic farmsteads, the enchanted walk provides lots of opportunities to enjoy the views of rolling hills and luscious meadows.

As we descended along an ancient roman road towards lower lying villages we were somewhat baffled when we were joined by another Fox Terrier who also decided to join our party. We later learnt her name was Guindilla (Red hot chilli pepper).

Arriving at Rio Caliente we picked a perfect spot next to the river for our picnic lunch. Chisin and Guindilla wandered off or a few brief moments to check out a few other walkers they spotted in the distance before settling down next to us on the river bank. I wonder if the aroma of tortilla and home-baked bread had anything to do with their decision to stay?

Having shared our meal we set off along the quiet country lanes back the the car. Chisin led the way whilst Guindilla meandered off in another direction, probably back to her pick up point for more walkers. We arrived back at the car and said goodbye to Chisin and thanked him for his company, his dignified companionship truly did make the path enchanted. The walk is about 10km and we hear that Chisin may do the walk several times a day.

Guindilla

Chisin

Mange tout recipes and ideas

We planted peas, sugar-snap peas and mange tout this year. The sugar snaps have not performed that well, the peas are swelling daily and the mange tout are cropping abundantly. Each day we are collecting a good bowl full. This year they are particularly sweet especially if eaten soon after picking.

In addition to eating them raw in salads, they are so tasty we have been processing and cooking them in a variety of ways.

At their simplest, the mange tout are lightly steamed until tender but with some bite. Served as a side dish with a drizzle of minted vinaigrette or a dash of butter the are a delicious accompaniment to nut roast, lentil loaf or home-made spicy bean burgers.

We used today's excesses to make a fresh vegetable soup comprising: mange tout, carrot, celery, onion, rice, stock, oregano, mint, sage, salt and pepper, a dash of vinegar. Cooked until tender, then take out about a third of the finely chopped vegetables and stock, blitz with a liquidiser the remainder, add back the third you removed, mix and re-heat. Served with fresh crusty bread and a dash of good olive oil, there is nothing tastier.

Stir fried with a splash of oil, then quickly sautéed in a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, great as a side dish.

We will freeze some and also dry some in the Excalibur as a trial for use in soups and stews later on in the season. If you have any recipe ideas for using mange tout please get in touch, we would love to hear from you.

Salad days

Being able to walk around the garden and harvest a mixture of fresh salad leaves is a treat. Our temperate climate means that we can grow salad crops most of the year however, now is the time when we get an abundant crop of leaves such as various lettuces, rocket, young beetroot leaves, chives and fresh herbs. Plenty of variety readily available to make the basis of a good fresh salad.

Crisp and vibrant mange tout add variety and sweetness to any salad and are best eaten within an hour of picking if you are going to get the full benefit of the natural sugars.

We eat a lot of salad during the year and I enjoy coming up with new ideas to try. This weekend we put together a Chestnut and date salad with an orange and garlic vinaigrette. Served on a thick bed of lettuce, cooked, chilled chestnuts and dried dates were topped with rocket and orange segments. A generous helping of Orange and garlic vinaigrette is drizzled over the salad. We also added some sweetcorn but it really wan't needed.

The orange and garlic vinaigrette worked very well as it cut through the dryness of the chestnuts and its slight acid taste worked well with the sweetness of the dates.

With a glass of wine, home-made bread and a lovely sunny terrace, what more could you ask for?

This is the vinaigrette recipe is really worth a try - I usually make up my own recipes, and adjust to taste, as I go on but here are the approximate quantities for two servings:

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 tablespoon of sherry vinegar

1 teaspoon of honey

1 teaspoon of English mustard

1 glove of minced garlic

Juice of half an orange

Salt and black pepper to taste.

Mix ingredients well and leave to infuse for 30 mins before using.