IT’S a funny old thing but even as the sun shines, our summer vegetable crops are still behind due to the cold wet spring, and, despite the strawberries and tomatoes and salad veg available, there are precious few beans, peas or other summer staples.

Of course, there is still plenty of selection, with our wide range of growers meaning the different micro-climates produce things at different times, Paget’s carrots being a good example of this. To mitigate shortages we have Adeline Farm back this week with their early summer veg, whist Newark Farm are on their annual break (waiting for their crops) and Hotch Potch are still a week or two from harvesting. Veg plants are still in good supply from several growers for those still planting and there is an amazing selection of flowering plants for the garden plus Malvern Salvia and The Lavender Garden.

Last week saw the first cut flowers of the year with Julian Harvard’s sweet peas outstanding as always and mixed bunches available too from Julian and at Hotch Potch and Good Small Farm. I’ve had the usual enquiries about cherries. Sorry folks, you are going to have to wait a few more weeks yet!

We will be bidding Adieu to Bow Brook Farm this week as retirement looms for Dallas and her husband, but with Quiggies Piggies now established as a replacement, we won’t be short of selection for the bbq! Dallas and her husband were farmers in Zimbabwe before being ousted from their farm and heading to the north Cotswolds.