Productive Team

I stated with the productive team this week; this team covers the fruit and vegetable production in what is known as the kitchen garden.  It is getting to that time of year when things are ready to be planted.  So this week we have been doing lots of planting and sowing of seed.  This week I direct sowed Pak Choi, Swede, and Radish into their planting beds.  We also have been planting out plants like spinach, lettuce, cabbage, violas, cauliflower, and peas.  Also part of the kitchen garden they have a small pen of laying chickens.  So part of the daily tasks is to take care of the chickens feeding, watering, and collecting eggs.  The productive team also have a small display glasshouse where they display some of their sowing plants like lettuce, carrots, and beet.  They also have nice flower displays like violas, narcissus, and hyacinth.  Part of the daily tasks is to tidy up this glasshouse replacing plants that have gone over and watering.  This week the rhubarb has reached harvesting time.  Yorkshire is known for their forced rhubarb.  This is achieved by placing a large terra cotta dome over part of the rhubarb crown in midwinter after they have had a cold spell to break their dormancy.  You can cover the entire crown or only part of the crown.  Covering part is recommended because forcing the plants drains the plants of energy and leaves the plants weak and vulnerable.  Placing the dome over the crown starves the stems under it of light and they will grow fast to try to reach light.  The resulting growth will be long, soft, and a lovely pink color.  Forced rhubarb is of much higher quality than non-forced rhubarb.  However a crown can only be forced every few years continually forcing a plant will cause its eventual death.  Also with mature rhubarb plants they should be divided every five or so years to bring vigor back into the crowns.  Well enough about rhubarb.  When I walked out the front door on Tuesday I heard a strange noise and I looked up and there was a massive hot air balloon.  I was quite jealous it was a gorgeous morning for a hot air balloon ride.  The bit of house you can see on the right in the picture is my house.