Got new "babies"

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Today we went to visit Joe Maidens’ (Gardener on Radio Leeds") Nursery, you can’t call it a garden centre, it’s definately a plant place.

He sorted us a Loganberry, Raspberry, Gooseberry and Black Current. They are to go in tubs at the back of the Garage.They look good, so hopefully they will be productive. The Raspberry still has an odd couple of fruit on it.

Joe was very helpful, we had gone by appointment, we will go back again in February for our seed potato and Rhubarb.

You might be interested to know that where I live is the “Rhubarb Triangle”
where most of the English rhubarb is grown. There are lots of forcing sheds for the early rhubarb, they offer tours round the forcing sheds, and you can actually hear and see the rhubarb growing. Wakefield City in February, puts on Rhubarb tasting events – even rhubarb beer! All the Hotels have special recipe days during the two week festival.

Incidentally too, Pontefract has its Liquorice festival in the Summer.

Some suggestion for gastronomic trips. (Ive not spelt that right)

13 Nov, 2008
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Comments

Gardengem

Sounds berry good! I have only had rhubarb in pies. It's not too common here.

13 Nov, 2008

David

Okay, I'm the only one in this household who grows and eats rhubarb - I love it! This will go into my garden diary for next year (Feb). Meanwhile, the liquorice festival will be entered into my wife's 2009 diary, as the rest of us hate that!

Many thanx for this news - we'll all feel divine in 2009!

14 Nov, 2008

Terratoonie

Hello Marge ~
Sounds like you had a very interesting visit.
And "gastronomic" looks spelt right to me !

David's garden is fast becoming not the Rhubarb Triangle, but the Chocolate Triangle. Lol.

Isn't that the green-wrapped chocolate in Quality Street ?

Liquorice Festival sounds great. But we don't want too many Bertie Basset Liquorice Men trying to compete against us in the GoY Wellie Olympics. :o)

14 Nov, 2008

Ams

We love your rhubarb Marge but the price is astronomical now. I can remember when it was cheap at the market and sold wrapped in old newspaper. I am now salivating at the thought of my Mum's rhubarb crumble and custard.

14 Nov, 2008

Sarraceniac

Too true about the price of the modern rhubarb stalk Ams. I dug my rhubarb crown up a few years ago because I figured that as people were literally giving it away why grow it? I had to get a new crown last year because the bank manager would I am sure have refused me a loan to buy rhubarb.

John.

15 Nov, 2008

Terratoonie

Why is rhubarb generally so expensive ?
Is it because of the very wet summer ?

15 Nov, 2008

Ams

I understand that there are few growers now compared to ten years ago. Supply and demand again!

15 Nov, 2008

Marge

Rhubarb commercially needs specialised conditions, I think now it is expensive to produce. The forced Rhubab starts coming late Feb/Mar., then the general crop follows on. It is fairly plentiful to buy here (West Yorks) but as you say, expensive. When we were younger it was a more common thing, everyone had their Rhubarb plot.

I have one plant, that did very well for me this year. Will buy more for next year - the husband loves it.

15 Nov, 2008

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