July harvest: week one

No pictures this week, I'm afraid.

Totals for week 1st-7th July:
3rd: 2.090kg raspberries, 82g shallots, 250g strawberries, 10g gooseberries (day total: 2.432kg)
Total for week: 2.432kg
Year to date total: 14.023kg

The shallots weren't planned. Most of the plants in the main bed have started falling over, which is a sign they're getting ready for dormancy (which is the time to harvest them), but I was clearing some raspberry canes that had infiltrated them, and some of the smaller bulbs lifted out accidentally. They are really good - intensely flavoured. These were the variety 'Red Sun', with a pinkish tinge under the skin.

I set another mini goal for this week, of reaching 15kg. Again, it was possible, but not guaranteed, which is what these things are for - to motivate me, and make me feel good about what I've achieved. The larger goals - for my tomatoes, for example - are based more on what I think I can practically expect. Shorter-term targets are easier to set high, because I can judge how much the garden is producing now. A month down the line is still beyond me.

Well, if I'd gone out yesterday and picked some more fruit, no doubt I would have found more than a kilo to make up the total, but the weather has been mixed recently, and I have been concentrating on the new kitchen (it's edging closer!). Still, over 14kg is great, and as I'm likely to pick a lot more in the next week, I'll set a new total of 16.5kg for seven days' time.