It's not been the best of years regarding our unpredictable weather but we haven't done too badly. New seedlings for our late Autumn and winter harvest are now going into the ground. Our world food polytunnel is crammed packed with a few exotics including okra, tomatillos, early Amaranth (an ancient grain), prickly Bitter Melon (or sometimes called Bitter Gourd which usually grows in Sub-tropical regions such as South America, Asia and the Caribbean and here it is thriving in our World Food Polytunnel in little New Addington, Croydon. It is reputed to lower blood glucose levels. For more information see www.diabetes.co.uk. You can buy Chinese fresh Bitter Melon on the internet but they cost between £9 and £11 each. It did give me a sneaky desire to grow a polytunnel full of it to help maintain our whole growing area but I will resist and steam, stuff and bake a few instead. Our tomatoes are at last ripening and our melons and cucumbers, including those tasty little ridge ones are growing by the minute. Sweet corn soon and our outdoor Quinoa and Amaranth plants are ripening fast. We should be able to harvest the grains mid September.
At last after a wait of 3 years, this year we will be harvesting our very own Good Food Matters New Addington honey. Harvest date 22nd August. We will take photos and blog the event.
Thanks to the gardening team, all our volunteers and the rest of the staff for all the hard graft that goes into maintaining our beautiful centre.
Evelyn CEO and Founder