Last ADAPT market of the season

ADAPT Saturday Market. Saturday 25th October – Lord Combermere Carpark.

Well, it s our last Market of the season this Saturday and the weary marketeers will then have a well-deserved rest and will hibernate until next Spring. Their sleep will be briefly interrupted on Saturday 6th December when they will be giving away their famous FREE Mulled apple juice at a jolly Christmas jaunt in conjunction with the Methodist Chapel.

The market always comes up with some surprises and last week was no exception, with home grown walnuts and giant Chard for sale which were quickly snapped up -- to a chance meeting with a recently retired Professor of Nutrition who has offered to add nutritional data to our ADAPT recipes.

Now when it is dry, is a good time to collect seeds for next year. Remember F1 Hybrid seeds do not breed true, so only collect seeds from open pollinated varieties. From my plot, I shall be collecting sweet pea, tomato seeds, runner beans and many wild flower seeds. When dried keep them sealed and cool to get a better germination next year.

Its also time to prune back soft fruit. But what ever you do DO NOT prune Plums and damsons, the open wounds in the Autumn harbour Silver Leaf fungus which kills the trees. They should be pruned in late spring when the trees will quickly heal any pruning cuts.

On the market this week will be tomatoes, Jerusalem Artichokes, eggs, beeswax candles and tealights, bedding plants, cakes and apples. Cakes will be Tea Fruit loaf, St Clements loaf and Victoria sandwich. To use up your apples, we have an excellent recipe for apple tray bake.

It s the last time to stock up on Jams, Chutneys (including matured spiced Damson Chutney), Apple Juice, Honey, Beeswax Lip balms.

We have a request from our gardeners. If anyone has any small plant pots they don t need, we can give them a good home.

Another note about Jerusalem Artichokes is that they will grow anywhere, so if you have an out- of the way corner collect a few artichoke tubers from the market --- plant them and you will have a good crop next year. They are members of the Sunflower family, so you may get a flowering bonus as well. PS. They grow up to 10 foot tall!!.

Come along to the market 10am till noon this Saturday, and take something home that is locally grown or made.

Chris Knibbs

ADAPT Secretary.