It’s a Grand Finale | Autumn Abundance in my English Vegetable Garden

[@jimmyconnolly3461]

Well done you! You’re now one of the most experienced gardeners on KZbin. 😉❤️xxx

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

I nearly choked on my sourdough toast then!! 😂 I’m probably one of the oldest, definitely not one of the most experienced 😂😂😝

[@jimmyconnolly3461]

Don’t be daft. You’re doing a fab job. I’m 50 and I haven’t a clue about gardening. 🙄😂❤️

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

I’m the wrong side of 50 too. Wing and prayer with a generous helping of good fortune and polite slugs 😂

[@StellasVegetablegardens]

fantastic harvest but even more cheering is your joy ❤

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Thank you…It’s such a buzz, isn’t it Stella? I was blown away by all of those carrots especially. The luffa was 10 months of looking after them. I’m so glad we got sponges ❤️

[@TheBlueShedGarden]

Well done Clare 👏

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Tha you so much. 🤩❤️

[@BloomingFlowerGarden121]

You are one of my favorite gardeners to watch! Your excitement & enthusiasm is half the fun!!🎉

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Wow! What a truly lovely thing to say. Thank you so much! I have so many exciting plans for the garden that I can’t wait to share, over the coming months, with equal enthusiasm and excitement ❤️❤️

[@BloomingFlowerGarden121]

@@TheFarmyardGardenI am excited for you & am excited to watch what you grow! 🎉 There is a KZbinr who grows luffas named Bre Ellis she has ideas of drying them inside & she makes her chickens laying beds from them! I think it’s cool to think outside the box like that! I love gardening & trying new things, it’s so fun to see what we can grow ourselves & the flavors!!❤

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Oh wow.. that sounds interesting. I’ll have to look Bre up. It’s wonderful to grow unusual crops for ourselves, especially things we never see in shops. It’s opened my eyes, for sure. Utterly addicted now. 😉

[@growingmyown]

Wonderful harvest, thanks for sharing my friend.

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Thank you so much. It’s all under snow now. What a difference a week makes 😱

[@dogontheplot]

What an incredible year you've had - and the cherry on the cake has to be the loofas. To think they were in your garden room all that time getting HUGE and it's all been worth it ❤ But so many other harvests too. Those carrots!!! Horribly jealous 😂😂😂 An amazing first year Clare. Be proud 🎉

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

I’m genuinely thrilled with the luffas. It’s been such a labour of love getting them to this point. Really hope my own seeds do well for next year too. Must try again. I was so pleased with the carrots. Really should learn to thin them … or even just to sow more thinly in the first instance. I’m very grateful for how lucky I’ve been this first season ☺️

[@michelleskitchengardendiar6934]

Absolutely fantastic seeing your reaction to your luffer havest. Loved it, great autumn harvest Clare.

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Thank you so much Michelle. It was the icing on the cake for sure ❤️

[@Lisa.Gypsy.C]

Love your enthusiasm Clare, brilliant harvest, well done 🌱🌿💚

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Thank you so much Lisa. I was blown away. I just cannot contain myself. I had no idea I made so many little noises when harvesting, until I started filming harvests 😂🙈🫣

[@jennyfromtheplot]

What a harvest!!! Congratulations!!

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Thank you Jenny. I’ll catch up with your latest shortly. That intro of yours puts me in the best mood. So funny 🤣

[@ThatBritishHomestead]

Luffa is so cool

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Need to get my crafting head on to make soap next

[@trold1969]

"I can't stop picking them!" 😂 You've obviously done brilliant with the soil for the carrots, no forking. Aaah, the luffa reveal was a definite highlight! I didn't think those who were still green would've sponged up, but there we have it. Learning how to grow luffas from The Farmyard Garden, amazing!

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Aww thank you Trude. I honestly couldn’t stop. As soon as I had pulled out those onions, I was worried about the rats smelling the carrots and returning. Took mr 2.5 hours to process them all. 😅😅 The carrot boxes are potting compost, mixed with my usual vegetable topsoil, that’s in the raised beds, and a few bags of play sand thrown in. I am the same as you and never expected to see a sponge in the green luffas. They’ve been growing the actual luffa since late June/early July but it just wasn’t hot enough, consistently over summer, for them to ripen faster. Of cities I’ll have to try again next year now I have my own saved seed 😅 Hope you’ve had a lovely week ❤️

[@sarah3136]

Did you ever think you'd cry over a loofah?! 😁 Well done on all your successful veggies! ❤

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

When I sowed them.. NEVER! As time was moving on I was very emotionally invested, as seen. Thank you for the kind words. I can’t wait to make luffa soap next 😂😂

[@sarah3136]

😅❤​@@TheFarmyardGarden

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

10 months of praying they’d survive … it was a rollercoaster 😂

[@bristolveggiebeds5310]

Very jealous of your carrots!

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

They’ve done so well this year. I’m so pleased with them ❤️

[@adysveggarden]

Hi Clare, your plot keeps on giving, that's a great harvest especially the carrots and top off with those three luffas.

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

It really does! I’m so pleased with everything. It’s been a fantastic first season with this plot. Let’s hope the winter crops do well ❤️

[@susiespearing6165]

Well done Clare ! luffas ! 😍

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Thanks Susie. I never expected to succeed at luffas! Utterly blown away. I have some soap making kits now. Need to get my crafty head on next (if I can find it ha)

[@derekjackson5548]

That was a lovely fun video to watch, well done x

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Thank you Derek. It was super fun to harvest so much. I had no idea I had the plot would be so productive this time of year. Thanks for watching ❤️

[@ThatBritishHomestead]

Very interesting tip about sowing the celeriac. I didn't know what they are like celery then!

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Yeah. I had a few things I needed to sow like that this year. Caught me out a couple of times

[@bewoodford2807]

Hi Claire, great video. I harvested my first red cabbage 4 weeks ago. It was so large we are still eating it in our salads. Just a bit left now which we'll finish in a couple of days. Yesterday i harvested my 4th celeriac. I had to throw the 2nd & 3rd harvest away as so slug damaged- holes everywhere and right through the root- Bed is right next to the council allotment path whish is hardly ever cut by the groundsmen, so it harbours a lot of slugs. Fortunately I had planted celeriac in another bed on my plot and the bed looks slug free so my 4th one was good. Have to say I have been looking forward to eating celeriac for ages, I love it too. We had mashed celeriac with the roast last night- so yummy! WoW Great Loofahs too. Happy growing 🙂

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

I’m glad I’m not the only one growing celeriac. Seems it’s not popular amongst commenters. We are in the minority. Sorry to hear some of yours were slug damaged. Goes to show how having something growing in two areas is a good idea… and how impactful grass paths can be. Mashed celeriac is just the best. Have you tried it as a soup yet? I really like that too. Hope you avoid the snow .. big changes to the plot this week in preparation for winter arriving early

[@jammy.r.p]

Oh Clare, I'm so happy for you. What a beauty of a harvest. And the loafers 😍 Brilliant love. I know you're all going to have a fantastic Christmas with all your lovely fruits and vegetables. Have a lovely Xmas Clare and keep the great videos coming 🥒🥕🍄🫛🍆🌾🌽🥔

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Thank you so much. Christmas seems a long way off still! I can’t think about it yet 😅😅🙈😝 I’m so excited to harvest my Christmas veg though. It’s going to be great. Hope you and yours have a lovely Christmas too 🎄

[@jammy.r.p]

@TheFarmyardGarden ah, thanks Clare. I'm sure it will be amazing 😍

[@bethanskitchengarden]

Fantastic harvests Clare, pulling carrots is so addictive 😂 Your artichokes look great too. Ah bless you, I've never seen someone so happy about a luffa but congratulations as it is always a great feeling to grow something for the first time 🥳🥳🥳 Hope you enjoy your stews and soups. Take care 😊

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Thanks Bethan. Have you grown luffas before? I’ve been dreaming of making luffa soap bars all year. Can’t believe it’s going to happen! ❤️ I love pulling carrots. Probably one of my favourite things to harvest, more so as it’s an ongoing thing throughout the season. Celeriac is in the pressure cooker as I type! ❤️

[@bethanskitchengarden]

@@TheFarmyardGarden No I've never grown luffa's, I don't have great success with cucumbers so I thought I wouldn't try luffa's. Enjoy your celeriac 😊

[@lindajones3015]

Oh Clare, once again, a delight to watch! Your pure joy is very heartwarming. The loofah reveal was fantastic. I cried with you! I would also have taken all the carrots. Damn those rats! I'm also going to try and grow celeriac next year because of your sheer joy 😅 My husband bought me a metal sink and drainer for the garden to wash my veg in. As you said, the soil makes a right mess in the kitchen 😮 😂 I'll tune in next week. Keep smiling 😊

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Hi Linda. Happy Sunday. I hope you were enjoying a nice cuppa in the warmth whilst watching this week. The celeriac is in the instant pot as I type! Ready for our roast later. I’ll make a soup with some too. Those luffa/loofah sponges blew me away. I really didn’t expect any success and I’m super excited to hopefully have viable seeds for next year too. I cannot wait to make luffa soaps in the next few weeks. I get so giddy harvesting. It really didn’t occur to me what a buzz it would be, until it happened and every harvest since has been pure joy. I feel so grateful to be able to have the space to grow our own food. Very lucky indeed. I think I’d like an our door sink too. I did actually mock up a metal mesh grid over the bins to help wash things off this week. Game changer. I’ve told Duncan I need that making in a structure outside of the new wash house probably. He rolls his eyes at me 😂

[@lindajones3015]

@TheFarmyardGarden I was! Coffee and a kitkat after doing all the housework. Watching your episode was my reward and definitely worth waiting for.

[@siggiroberts7432]

Wow😮 what a brilliant harvest. You done really really well this year. 👏 The cherry on top are those luffa sponges 🧽, congratulations 🎉❤

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Thanks Siggi. They really are the grand finale of a wonderful first year with this new garden. I’m so happy with this harvest. Never imagined, back in spring, that’d I’d have such wonderful harvests right through to November. I have been very lucky. ❤️❤️

[@GanggangPeanut]

Clare loved the video,love your enthusiasm,thats what its all about 👍👍

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

It’s addictive and such an endorphin hit! I can see why gardening/growing is good for mental health. I don’t suffer with mine but even mine is enriched since I started growing food. ❤️❤️

[@GanggangPeanut]

@ I know the feeling ,completely 👍

[@Littlesheddiaries]

What a wonderful harvest. I haven’t watched much You Tube lately (trying to reduce time on screens), so it was lovely catching up with your video. Your progress over the year has been amazing and the garden is really established now. I’m back to square one putting in my first beds on my new plot. Cracking loofah 🎉🎉🎉

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Thanks Clare, lovely to see you pop back up again. I’m really looking forward to seeing how you get on with your new plot. It’s very exciting! I wonder if there’s any big changes you’ve got planned, in terms of the actual infrastructure planning, after having the first allotment this season? Things you’ll do differently now…. I’ve so pleased with how this first season has gone. I feel very fortunate.

[@Littlesheddiaries]

@ I’m not going to used raised beds, just wooden sides when I start to establish the beds, then remove them. I’m going to try and minimise slug habitat because I don’t like killing things if I can deter them instead. I know. I’m naive 😆😆

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

@Littlesheddiaries not naive at all… I don’t pork the idea of killing things either, but I’m thinking I’ll use nematodes in spring instead.. somehow seems less spiteful. We have more slugs than snails in the garden, so nematodes will work well. They’re free to live in the main gardens.. just not chopping my cabbages too much 😅

[@Garden-of-weeden]

Absolutely brilliant Clare! I have to stop myself over picking! But I’d of done the carrots for your reason too! ❤

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Yeah, it’s so easy to get carried away isn’t it? I was really concerned, as soon as I picked some of the pickling onions, as I am sure the smell of those had put off rodents I’ve left the carrots in the other boxes for now ❤️

[@Garden-of-weeden]

@ least carrots never go to waste ❤️ you can’t beat them against shop bought x

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

@ definitely nicer, by a country mile

[@LindaCurrivan]

Fabulous well done

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Thank you so much Linda. I was thrilled to get such a good harvest in November.

[@kitchengardengrows]

Success!!! Well done Clare! Brilliant haul! I'm about to go outside and check on the 4 carrots that survived this year...🤣🤣

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Thank you so much. May those four carrots be WHOPPERS! ❤️

[@Feelgoodgardens]

Loved your intro Clare ❤ Your manual lawn mower brought back lively memories of me as a little girl cutting our front lawn. Nice swede, lovely cabbages too. I've noticed how tough the stems are on cabbages too.. Never tried celeriac, does it taste like celery? Always admire your gorgeous carrots 😍 I definitely need to get my act together regarding carrots 😂 Well what can I say about your parsnips, nice and straight. Mine are quirky just like the biggest parsnips at Malvern 😂 Can't believe how emotional you were over a loofah, bless you and big congratulations 🎉 🥳 ❤️ Happiness is growing loofahs! 😂 Good on you Clare 👍😊 Have a great week ❤ x

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

There is nothing wrong with quirky parsnips, especially big ones. You could exhibit some next year at Malvern. 😂❤️ The stems of the celeriac do smell like celery, which incidentally I don’t like. It’s quite a sort of peppery flavour. Definitely worth a try next year for you. I’m sure you can find a spot ❤️ I love the little manual mower. Such a lovely job it makes and it’s light and free to mow the lawn. Bonus. So emotional but it really was quite epic to finally get to harvest them after 10 months of waiting and watching (and a lot of flapping over them) 😂❤️

[@Feelgoodgardens]

@TheFarmyardGarden I think I'll try master carrots before growing celeriac 😂 Well done on those amazing loofahs you must be so proud of yourself ❤️ xx

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

@Feelgoodgardens celeriac are such an easy crop. Plant and ignore until harvest time. I’ve not had to nanny them at all 😂

[@lindahedley9049]

What an amazing haul well done. I think I might have a go at luffa growing next year they turned out great.

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Yes.. do it! They’ve been so much fun to watch grow and such a striking addition to the polytunnel this year. Proper jungle feel. Thank you so much ☺️

[@ThatBritishHomestead]

That's a lovely cabbage! Both funny coz I have issues with the green cabbages not the red ones! Funny every garden is so different

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

I don’t find many red leaved things getting eaten normally

[@BexMcmovesherplants]

Amazing harvest- I’ve managed to grow a few celeriac too- quite a bit smaller than yours but I normally roast chunks for a curry so I must try mash or soup next. Huge congratulations on your loofahs 🎉

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Oooo roasting it sounds a good idea too! I’ll give that a try too. Thanks Becky. Kerry is trying her own luffa to peel 😂❤️❤️

[@BillBoulton-js8ns]

Idea.... All your sweet winter roots, swede , turnip, yellow beetroot, celeriac, parsnip, carrot, and onions, Make creamy root veg stew flavored with big lumps of fresh root ginger and ground coriander seed........ justa thought !!

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Oh wow Bill.. that sounds divine! I have made some winter vegetable stew but it never occurred to me to add Ginger to it. What a fabulous idea. Thank you for sharing ☺️

[@siobhancooke2161]

Well done. Charles Dowdings luffas didn't even do as well as yours this year. 👏

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Wow. That’s high praise! Thank you! I am so excited by them. I’ve got melt and pour soap kits now, so need to get my crafty head on soon ❤️❤️

[@TheLottiePlottie]

Amazing harvest in November. My victor’s were small too, tender and true next year for us. I will be standing very much south of you after you’ve eaten any artichoke 😂😂 I have enjoyed seeing your enthusiasm and joy with the luffas. And you did it on your first attempt!!! I now know what’s in my Christmas stocking 🥰 I do have a question though does Duncan ever receive a wow as enthusiastic as the luffa!?!?

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Yeah, I think I’ll go for tender and true and gladiator next year. I do love a honey roast parsnip. Bet you can’t wait for your luffa soap. 😂😂😂 Duncan knows his place in the pecking order 🫣

[@RobinGardens]

Excellent harvest. I love carrots! I also did pretty good with 3 varieties, but the Nantes in my center circle were got by root knot nematodes...ugh. So, I have to fumigate with caliente mustard. Luffa's are marvy. Well done on a tricky crop! Your going to need a couple days in the kitchen.

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

I really hope your treatment on the bed goes well. Will you be able to put carrots back in there next season? It’s took me 2.5 hours to wash, peel and chop carrots 😂

[@RobinGardens]

@@TheFarmyardGarden Well I think I will not grow carrots there in 2025. But who knows. It should be ready for a fall harvest if I change my mind. Oh ya, carrots take a minute. I have some carrot cleaning gloves. They have a a slight rough surface and are easier for a huge batch. It still takes a minute. I don't have a huge quantity left over this year, as I made a delicious couple huge batches of carrot, fennel, pepper soup. We really enjoyed that.

[@doras.allotment]

Those cabbages look wonderful!! Regretting not planting any earlier for a winter harvest now! Your celeriac look like whoppers and those carrots are amazing 🥕🥕 are you going to grow carrots and parsnips in the same spot again next year? Clare you’ve done SO well this year 🥰🥰 Ps your cheeky laugh is always a delight but cutting your fringe on the video really has made me chuckle 😂😂

[@doras.allotment]

You 100% should be proud crying for those luffas - go you!!

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Oh Dora.. those luffas. 10 months in the making.. it’s been a long journey to get to this point. I’m so pleased with them. ❤️

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

I think getting to know what you can sow and plant for later harvests is one of the things I’ll never stop learning about. It’s so tricky to time it all. I have to admit, some of the cabbages were bought because I simply didn’t work things out effectively. Thankfully we have a local independent nursery that is great for plug plants whenever we forget something or have an unexpected space in the garden. I was so pleased with the carrots but must learn to thin them more for bigger ones. They’re so much less of a chore to peel if you have larger ones. The earlier harvests I just scrubbed the skins and didn’t peel them, but this late in the season they seemed to need peeling. I’m so so proud of this season. Really happy with how everything has been. Lots to learn to take forward to next year. ❤️

[@myrustygarden]

Are there fish in the lake? Do you see yourself getting chickens 🐓 any time soon? The harvests are still coming fast and furious 👍👍. You are one happy chappy grower Clare ❤. Have an awesome week hope the snow stays away, Ali 🌧️🥶🇨🇦

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Hey Ali. There’s perch, roach and enormous carp in the pond. (It’s called Back Pond, I presume because it’s at the back of the house lol). People do sometimes fish but there’s a lot of tree debris in the bottom of the pond and the carp are very clever! I’m genuinely overwhelmed by how well the plot has produced this year. I’ve been very, very li oh and I truly appreciate that. Thinking I need to expand though. 🫣 Snow forecast tomorrow night 😅😅 What’s it like there? Hope it’s a bit drier now. Have a lovely week. Stay safe xx

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Forgot to say we used to have chickens but the flock downs for bird flu got us to a point of feeling it was cruel to keep having time shut away. We have so many wild birds and waterfowl here that it seemed the risk was great. I wouldn’t mind a few in an omelet style enclosure on the plot, but I really don’t see it any time soon

[@myrustygarden]

@@TheFarmyardGarden I can definitely understand that as the bloody bird flu just keeps getting worse every year 😢😢. I don’t know what we would do if they stopped “growing” chickens it’s a huge part of our diet

[@myrustygarden]

Ps it’s 2c here and overcast 😭😭😭

[@Ragt0p]

Self-sufficient in carrots is awesome! My climate is best suited to root veg and brassicas. So, of course I want to grow anything but those 😂 I winter sowed some carrots in milk cartons this year, and was very happy with them. I will do the same for the coming season, even if it means using up a raised bed to house them. They may get to hang out with the second round of carrots I sowed in late july. Those have done nothing except grow a bit of green, making them into a seed experiment for next year 😅

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Ha! I love that you love a challenge! Mission Impossible was my slogan for the Luffas this year. I’m so pleased they worked out though. I guess it’s always exciting and inspiring to try to grow something that is a challenge and not suited to our climates. Pushing the boundaries is fun.. when it comes off for us. That’s an interesting idea for winter sowing of carrots. I Like that! Carrot top pesto is good too.. if you don’t need quite that many seeds. 😝🤗

[@mags9536]

Amazing harvest. Well done

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Thanks Mags. I was really surprised myself ❤️

[@suemcdonagh7650]

Yes well done Clare super crops and keep being you as I think most of us get just as excited, makes it real for me 👍🏻 x

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Aww thank you so much Sue. It’s such a buzz isn’t it? The harvests are the richest reward from all the time, planning and caring for our plants. Really feels like beating the odds, with every single thing I pulled, when you consider the pests who all want to get in there and devour our crops before us ❤️❤️

[@suemcdonagh7650]

@ we’re like kids at Christmas 🎄 🤭 when you think the size of a carrot seed then several weeks later you’re pulling up whoppers…….

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

It’s mind blowing isn’t it? Such a sense of achievement, and amazement that we actually did it! We grew a thing or two ❤️❤️❤️ It’s addictive. I had no idea the endorphin high that could come from growing veggies.. but now I’ve experienced it, I’m hooked!

[@ThatBritishHomestead]

They are very good. If you put them in a bag for life and tap up the wholes they will store for months in the fridge. I know what your thinking time to buy a new fridge

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

We have a new fridge freezer coming today 🤣

[@amandar7719]

It’s a joy to watch you harvest your winter warming veggies!! Have you decided yet if you’re going to make more space for them next year. Would love to hear your thoughts after your first year growing on what you’re growing more of and what you won’t grow again. What an awesome first year you’ve had!!! Will you be adding more space for potatoes, for example? We’ve got quite a few cabbages ready for harvest but nowhere to put them! I check on them daily to make sure they’re keeping healthy. We also have third plantings of savoys that have only just begun to head up. When I groomed off the dying lower leaves about a month ago I gave them a little diluted worm juice tea feed (don’t tell Mr Dowding 🤫) and they all perked up and have no sign of slug damage or whitefly so I hope they can stay happily in situ under insect mesh for a while longer. They’re all large enough to withstand a period of frost. Not seen any larger slugs for a few weeks now. Only hundreds of tiny little ones that cosy up in the leaves before they were trimmed. Might try a beer trap to see what’s going on during these long dark nights. Will report back!!

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Hi Amanda I’ve enjoyed everything this year. So much. It’s been a steep learning curve for sure. I think I’ll do a video at some point about my first season, to really get in that. I would like to expand, and can expand the actual plot, but i think we’ll do a little move around first to streamline some areas, which should give me more bed space on the same footprint. I’d like to grow some potatoes in the ground, and will be growing less dwarf french beans, so it might work out ok Good luck with the weather this next week. It’s not looking great is it? Sounds like you have a lot growing too. I’ve seen less slugs lately and will use nematodes in spring this time.

[@amandar7719]

@ Nematodes work really well. Tried it once and it was wonderful not having to worry about the seedlings. I collected the affected slugs and tried Neil’s method to make my own. That also worked really well but I’m afraid I couldn’t stand the smell. Looking forward to minus temperatures next week but not the freezing rain! You’re all set up for it in your polytunnel. It’ll make all the difference for you. I love Jerusalem artichokes as much as you love celeriac! And yours look easy to prep…. Not too knobbly. They’re yummy with pheasant! And it is the season!

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

@amandar7719 we have a severe weather warning for heavy snow tomorrow night now! That escalated 😅😅

[@amandar7719]

@ Noooooo! Wth?

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

It’s currently snowing! 😱

[@Tea_and_thyme_2012]

Oh Clare that was such a lovely video. The pure joy you got from harvesting is incredible. Well done you. You’ve inspired me to grow carrots and celeriac next year. Deb

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Morning Deb. I adore celeriac, I think I may have said that once or twice in the video, so I’m so pleased it’s inspired you to grow some next year. ❤️ It does feel like I’m harvesting joy, along with the veggies. Those carrots are in a mix of potting compost/play sand and some of my vegetable topsoil that’s in all of the raised beds. They seem to predominately grow nice and straight with this set up. They’d obviously grow better if I remembered to thin them too 😅😅😅

[@Tea_and_thyme_2012]

@ Cheers for that re the carrots Clare. Ive got the perfect growing space for them. I’ve never had celeriac so that’ll be a first. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

@Tea_and_thyme_2012 Hope you have a great Sunday too Deb. Intermittent monsoon showers and sun here. Weirdest weather x

[@TheGrowUpChannel]

What an amazing haul clare! I've not grown celeriac yet.. next year I plan to grow them. The parsnips.. wow! I've a few gladiator still growing so fingers crossed! The luffas are a success! Welldone!!!! Danny 🌱

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Thanks Danny. I was so shocked to have so much to harvest still. I don’t think, way back in early spring, I thought I would have big harvest baskets full in November. It’s amazing how the garden keeps giving isn’t it? I can imagine you’d love celeriac mash. Perfect on a roast with lashings of gravy ❤️ The luffas blew me away! Question is.. if I can prove the seeds are viable… got space in that new tunnel for luffas next year? 🤩❤️

[@TheGrowUpChannel]

​@TheFarmyardGarden haha maybe I've some room yes 😂

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

@@TheGrowUpChannel woo hoo! 😂❤️

[@JoesPatch]

What an abundance of produce to still have available! Really aced this growing lark Clare 😊👏. Nice to see the luffas turn out well, must admit I wasn't sure but should never have doubted it 😂

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

I wasn’t sure either Joe! I honestly didn’t expect them to have any useable sponges inside. It’s been a phenomenal year and I’m still pinching myself. The real hard work starts now.. meeting the benchmark in subsequent seasons I had no idea I would be able to harvest so much this time of year. ❤️❤️

[@petro3441]

Wow congrats on a great harvest. May i ask how do you prepare the carrots and freeze them or do you just freeze them raw??

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Hi Petro. It was a bumper harvest wasn’t it? I wash, peel and chop them and just shove them straight in the freezer raw, in freezer bags. They taste absolutely fine. I’ve only started peeling them really since the rats ate a few. Feels like an extra layer of cleaning. Before that I just scrubbed and chopped.

[@petro3441]

@TheFarmyardGarden thanx then i am going to do the same. You are a star

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

I try my best. We are all here helping each other with our own experiences ☺️

[@robbieg3014]

I thoroughly enjoy your vlogs. Have you thought about innovation eg, using digital technology through the winter grow tents, lights etc.. do they produce quality veg?

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Hi Robbie. Firstly, thanks so much. Always good to hear you enjoy the videos. I do have a germination station, lots of grow lights and head pads that I use over winter/early spring to start everything off. I don’t have a grow tent but most of my veg this year were started off in the house under grow lights. The celeriac was sown in February under lights, for example.

[@kirstypollock6811]

Hello Claire! I always look forward to your videos. That's going to be a mighty fine stew! Well done on the carrots. And the luffas are awesome! I harvested all my carrots last week because the deer were in and munching them (I was away a few days). 🐈‍⬛ Felix says "not my job, get a dog" 🐶. My parsnips are the opposite to yours - shorter but really fat. For the Jerusalem Artichokes, see the latest video from Martin at "Gardens for Life". He says 1-2 weeks curing in the light will reduce the famous effects. I have tons and will also take it steady!

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

That’s a lovely thing to say. I’m glad you enjoy the videos. 🤗 Ooo I’ll check out Martin’s video. Thanks Kirsty. I had been trying to cure them in the light but they seem to be going soft. Wasn’t sure if I was ruining them . Those deer can certainly munch a large number of carrots in one sitting. I don’t blame you for pulling and harvesting all of yours too. I also don’t blame Felix for saying it’s not his job! Ha. We took the fluffy black and white kitten to be neutered on Friday. He is now a house kitten and absolutely the weirdest thing happened….. he is just so tame. The most loving, not hissy at all. We expected it to take a while to bring him around. Shocked.

[@kirstypollock6811]

​@@TheFarmyardGarden Felix was super sweet and friendly from the start and he was a feral kitten too. I read somewhere that breeding some animals for tameness (foxes?) they got black and white ones first as a side effect. So maybe black and white cats are just nicer by nature? I know another channel where the lady has a big farm and needs her barn cats, but hates them all except one black and white boy who is super sweet and friendly! Anyway, enjoy the FLUFF! I've just pulled 1/3 of the smallest of my 4 J. Artichoke patches and laid them out to cure. Let's see how it goes... Plan B is lacto fermentation...

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Oh that’s a good shout on the lacto fermentation! Thank you. This little boy is super friendly, so you may be on to something. ❤️

[@ThatBritishHomestead]

Wana come and sow my carrots next year? Remind me how did you sow them?

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

The carrot boxes are a mix of potting compost, play sand and my bulk bags of vegetable topsoil sieved.

[@ThatBritishHomestead]

All of my swede have lost their leaves what verity have you got?

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

I think my variety are Helenor F1 ☺️

[@Jacqui-Pen]

Congratulations on your loofahs. Your reaction was priceless 😊🎉

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Thank you so much Jacqui. Mind blown by them. Truly overly the moon. ❤️❤️

[@Jacqui-Pen]

@TheFarmyardGarden I watched Charles dowding harvest a couple a few days ago. He chopped the end off & tapped it. The seeds came straight out. He really struggled getting the skin off his though 😊

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

@ yes, I saw that but his were very much drier than mine. They’d truly ripened on the vine. Mine are wetter inside because they’re not fully ripe. Was a good video wasn’t it

[@Jacqui-Pen]

@TheFarmyardGarden it was, you definitely made peeling them look easy in comparison. I'm just amazed & looking forward to seeing you process them 🙂

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

The rolling of them Demeter helped. I’m sure I saw Charles doing that too. I have bought some soap bases. If they work out I may do a giveaway 😂😂

[@Ragt0p]

You are the most adorable harvester 💕 Cannot stop smiling at your little squeals and near-teary moments. Well done, you, for growing the luffas! You may have seen it already, but I saw Charles Dowding drying the luffa fruits off the vine as they did not mature on the vine properly. Could be an idea for next year if the weather again doesn’t cooperate 🤷‍♀️

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Aww thank you. I nearly edited out all of the little noises this week, as feedback suggested they were maybe a bit jarring for viewers.. but at the final hour I added them back in. This was very timely for me to receive as a positive, so again thank you ❤️❤️🤗 Yes, I have seen Charles did video on this. I’m going to harvest my green ones in a couple of days and see if I can get them to mature. They’ve been growing almost as long as the three I harvested in the video. I’ve been out and bought some soap making kits. ❤️

[@Ragt0p]

Jarring? Not a chance! I’m a firm believer in being oneself. If you have to edit yourself, it’s more work than it’s worth, both physically and psychologically 💕 Ooh, soapy sponges 🤩🤩 - you will have to take us along. I must admit I was secretly adding luffa seeds to my list for that very reason. But watching you may save me some garden space as well as space taken up by craft materials 🤞🤞🤞

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

@Ragt0p absolutely!! I watched it back and even I didn’t get the joy and I knew it was exciting for me.. so I put them back in. I do laugh at myself. I had no idea I did this untiI started filming it 😂

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Or I could just send you some seeds and watch you spiral like me …. 😂

[@Ragt0p]

@@TheFarmyardGarden oh, noooo 🤣🤣 Do not tempt me, I might take you up on that offer 🤭

[@chrissiehart22]

💚💚💚 3 oh wow! That's absolutely amazing! I guess I thought you had to do something with luffas and it wasn't that easy. Never really thought about it before though but makes sense. What an amazing harvest yet again! Your hard work had paid off sweetheart x Have a great week x

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Thank you so much Chrissie. I’m so pleased with this harvest, even more so listening to the awful weather out of the window right now. I always thought Luffas/loofahs came from the ocean, no idea why! I blown away when I realised we could grow them ourselves. They’ve taken a lot of effort, especially early in the season, to get them even to the polytunnel stage. I’m so proud of them. I hope you have a lovely week too ❤️

[@Hoebeg-Hebrideans]

Brilliant harvest Clare

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

I had no idea, when I started, that I’d be harvesting so much in November. Blown my mind ❤️❤️

[@jimmyconnolly3461]

You and those carrots 🥕 🤦😂😂😂❤️

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

I got carried away didn’t I? 😂😂😂

[@ThatBritishHomestead]

You chokes are so different to mine! Shape wise.. don't resow them... they will come up anyways everywhere even in you living room

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Even in your living room 😂😂😂😂😂💀

[@ThatBritishHomestead]

Celeriac mash 🤢

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Not a fan? lol

[@ThatBritishHomestead]

Celeriac 🤢🤢🤢🤢

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Nooo it’s yummy!

[@elizabethjames1053]

Well done brilliant harvest 👏

[@TheFarmyardGarden]

Thanks Elizabeth. I have been so lucky this year with harvests. I feel very grateful to have been able to grow so much food for the family ❤️

[@elizabethjames1053]

@TheFarmyardGarden that's what it's all about 😁 we take the up's with the down's 👍