Godney greens

Greens certainly play an important role in our diets, but especially in times like the 'hungry gap' when little else can be grown in the UK, without artificial heat, but also at times like we are currently in. Greens are very important and essential in promoting and maintaining a healthy immune system. 

When typically we would in 'normal times' be supplying the Sheppey Inn their greens for Sunday lunch and the Bocabar as a weekly veg, in recent weeks we have been fuelling village folk with rainbow chard and collard greens. Both have been very popular, rainbow chard a little like spinach, but holding more body when cooked. The very different collard greens, which are popular in America, produce more of a traditional cabbage leaf with a taste to match.

The leaves we have been enjoying recently have all been grown in the polytunnel and have benefit from both the protection and the micro-climate that the tunnel creates. However, now they need to make way for the summer produce, especially tomatoes, aubergines, cucumbers and chillies, to name a few. 

However, growing greens outside is a challenge, as not only do people like to eat them so do a long list of pests, such as caterpillars, flea beetles and leather jackets. So appreciating their significance we have been working on installing a dedicated tunnel just for them.

The same size as our dedicated salad tunnel Melv made a start a few weeks back at getting the ground prepared before the frame was up - so he could let the mini digger do the work and allow the girls to finish off scarifying.

Once the ground was opened up it didn't take long to get the basic frame in place

Again, whilst access was easy Melv formed the basic structures for the grow beds and added the muck, to break up the clay soil, provide structure and provide the ground with a bit of a boost.

With as much of the beds constructed that we had timber to complete, the door frame and door, one originally off the main polytunnel, was in place - it fitted a treat.

Next it was the tricky it which required a calm day!! - The netting...

As the tunnel was going to be devoted to cabbage species and greens such as rainbow chard it was designed to provide protection from pests rather than heat and shelter from the weather - and so was to be covered in netting rather than polythene.

In previous years we have used small scale tunnels made from water pipe covered with net like above. Whilst these worked, they were very difficult to access for harvesting, often weren't tall enough for varieties such as purple sprouting and also were never 100% sealed and as a result caterpillars often found a way through and it doesn't take many caterpillars to strip numerous leaves.

Soon draped over the top, I must admit it took a little longer to get the net in position and tight, but as with many jobs in this business perseverance paid off and soon we could start to visualise the completed structure that we had always aspired to have was going to look like.

Finally just the sides and ends were left, which were far more straight forward.

We whizzed round, Sal on the netting, Melv on the timber to secure it from the strong winds that we seem to be having of late.

The end result was very pleasing and we couldn't wait to get the plants that we are holding in large pots in, where they would be safe and could flourish.

Here's to great Godney greens!!