Apple Wine part 2 + Garden

Apple Wine part 2
Originally uploaded by Owen Rhys Williams.

Everything seems to be going ok, touch wood. Moved it out of the bucket after 4 days, then strained it into the demi john. Remembered to put water in the air lock this time and it is plopping away nicely.

My dad came over on the weekend to help me "sort out" the garden (secretly I think he likes moaning about how much of a mess it was!)
We (he, mostly!) cleared the old "compost heap", which was mostly full of rubbish and then put the vines in the ground.

We attempted to put up a greenhouse, but failed miserably..... going to have to save up my pennies I think, so I can afford to buy a new one, with proper instructions!

Next garden job is clearing the remainder of the lawn, so I can dig it over, ready for next season.... should be a fun job!

Celeriac

Celeriac
Originally uploaded by Owen Rhys Williams.

Well dug up some of my Celeriac, looks ok very rooty, but I've never grown them before, so not sure if that's ok or not!

Given this lot to my mum, who said she'd make some stilton and celeriac soup out of them, which we would split 50/50! Seems like a good trade to me!

Apple Wine

Start of the apple wine
Originally uploaded by Owen Rhys Williams.

After the disaster that was my Rhubarb wine

(how was I supposed to know;

C6H12O6 > 2 C2H5OH plus CO2
( SUGAR) > (ALCOHOL) plus( CARBON DIOXIDE )
This reaction only takes place in ANAEROBIC conditions
and a temp of between 60 and 75 F (cheers Dad!)

i.e. I was supposed to put water in the airlocks to stop the air getting in!!!)

I've thought I'd give it another try. Need to perfect it before my vines start to become productive (Would help if I cleared the space where they are going into the ground first!) so should have a good few years yet!

My next door neighbour had a cabinet in one shed she wanted moving to a different shed, in return for me moving it for her, she offered me a bag full of windfall apples (I would have done it for nothing, honest! But she did insist!!)

So I'm giving apple wine a try. Following this recipe
Hope it turns out better than last time

Leeks and Carrots

Had the first of my leeks last night and the last of my carrots!



Leeks were very nice, I haven't got many in and these were the smallest of the ones I have got, but still they were well formed and tasty. Must remember to grow more next year.

Got the last of the carrots out as well, they had been left in a bit too long, bit tough, not nearly as sweet as the first few I had. I made soup http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/carrotandcorianderso_1919.shtml with them though, so they were fine for that.

Why are odd shaped veg still funny??

Funny shapes!
Originally uploaded by Owen Rhys Williams.