Possible idea...............
surely not new ...BUT
WHY not invite trade off pick your pears, apples and plums in exchange for someone elses
surfeit of tomatos, courgettes and cabbage?
Set up your groups here....discuss....who, what and where.
Time to do this now that we are in hibernation mode?
In 87 Haute-Vienne.
I've got what should be a veggie patch, except it's in the shadow of the house, and on a north-facing slope! At least I've got river water for irrigation.
It will be completely the wrong weather when I arrive but you've got me started on the idea now. I'm only going to have a small little veggie patch (small garden) but hey, I can make a start and see what happens. Plus it's another way to torture Shaun - when it warms up make him do several runs with a half full watering can (too heavy for him otherwise). He might enjoy growing 'stuff' and it could even encourage him to eat something green. Definitely worth a try. Thank you for the advice!
Barbara - your message just popped up so I checked the map. Maybe 150 miles?
So anyone near Me?
33890
Depends on your soil and bedrock but cabbages fine if you can irrigate. Broad beans do well if autumn planted but big bean varieties that thrive in the UK do not do so well, try mid-sized ones and import seeds because most French varieties are tiny. Runners, if you have the irrigation then easy enough. Two years ago I had far too many to cope with so gave loads away, last year probably had less than I count fingers on a hand because it was soooo dry.
No chance here, it gets to dry for decent ones. I grow really broccolli as against the calabrese everybody calls broccolli. Buy seeds in England for that, but this year it is now going to be a pig because I should have made seed beds by now and the ground will stay too hard to dig for a few days meaning that the fine line before spring rain turns to dry summer may be crossed...
Is it difficult to grow cabbages out there then or it's just 'not done'.
Yep, I could go for runner beans.
runner beans.....RUNNER beans....
Spring greens GOLD DUST
I need to think of some crop which is difficult to find and everyone will want. I'll be getting there in good time for spring planting. Any ideas, let me know.
Oh yes, walnuts gluts galore here too...
Oh blimey - I was looking for houses down there.
A bit of a drive then if I've a boot full of walnuts.
This is a good idea though. It's early days - perhaps when more members join the discussion, we'll find 'neighbours' who are keen.
SW under Bergerac and Lalinde
Brian, are you north or south in the 24? We'll be in 87 - a bit too far from Barbara.
So we will not be swapping our gluts of cherries, mirabel and big dark plums and figs... We also have sloes hanging out of our ears and local people now make sloe gin after lessons from me (easiest thing in the world) but elderflowers and berries (excellent cough syrup from those) are almost non existent... However, we are a bit too far apart (24150 to 33890).
YES people need to be close enough...
But it can be done and can be very helpful even sociable.
So who is near me and interested I am in 33890 and I get lost of cherries May;
July plums galore...OR SHOULD I say MIRRABELS...
apples and pears...FIGS.
Some one could go in for jam making?
Elderflowers of course.
People need to be close enough though, but we would do it...