Back in February 2009 we published an article at the start of the project that was to become the giornaledibarganews vegetable garden.
In that article we wrote the following words: Gradually the economic problems besetting world finances and markets starts to make itself felt here in Barga. The “happy island” is not imune after all. Effectively we are all connected up and intertwined – its a world market economy after all. The far extremes of the disposable society where goods are constructed marketed, sold, used and then thrown away once broken or a newer model supersedes them has come home to roost. The system has now broken. Whose fault it is is up for discussion but what is clear is that huge shifts in expectations are about to take place. Things are not going to be the same ever again.
It is time to get the spade out and start digging. We are talking about a market garden, a vegetable patch – the orto.
Over the next few months we will be documenting the progress, or otherwise, of the barganews vegetable garden as we move from a hazy project on a sheet of paper to fresh vegetables delivered to the kitchen sometime this summer (hopefully)
How true those words have turned out to be as recent events here in Europe and Italy have shown.
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Images from the lorto taken today as the sun sets over Barga and the end of the season
The project has now been running for three years but news has been a little scarce recently concerning the vegetable garden so now is probably a good time to bring everyone back up to speed.
To sum up, we could say that the season was good in parts but mostly it was a terrible year once again for home grown vegetables.
The hot dry summer meant that water stopped flowing down the stream by the side of the fields in July which then caused some serious problems for the tomatoes, peas and beans plants, most of which shrivelled up and died without water. The only thing that seemed to grow on regardless of the dry conditions were the weeds which managed to overpower the electric fence, shorting out of the current and allowing animals into the field which promptly demolished the maize which was just about ready to be harvested.
Still, the potatoes which managed to escape their nasty little teeth were dug up in September and have since been stored inside. Not a huge amount but still, some good quality potatoes.
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Now it is time to take down the electric fence, wind up all the useless water hoses, gather all the tools and get ready for thoughts on just what to do for the next season.
Maybe its time to dig a well as the lack of water this year ruined all that hard work at the start of the season. It could have just been a fluke year but probably not.
No water – no l’orto.
So, does anybody know any well diggers looking for some work ?
ok.. so its time then to plant garlic. Never mind the stream that dried up, the badger or Cinghiale. Just plant Garlic.