With migration being a hot topic in the news recently, Comms Coordinator Jo has been catching up with the team at the Plot and reflecting on where the Autumn harvest originally comes from.
The drought of the summer is already a distant memory and the joys of the Autumn harvest are upon us at The Plot with the last months of toil producing some delicious results.
From the fiery Hungarian Hot Wax Pepper, or our first crop of delightful Sweet Snack Pepper ‘Arwen’ to the humble turnip or carrot, The Plot is producing the ingredients to keep both YOU and the environment in top condition ready for the winter.
The carrots have grown in abundance this year after 2024 when conditions were perfect for slugs, followed by the first ‘Sputnik’ shaped Kohl Rabi of the season. It’s mild, sweet flavour is somewhere between a turnip and a water chestnut, with a crisp, crunchy texture. You can roast it, steam it, stir fry it or eat it raw and the leaves can be cooked like cabbage.
The team have enjoyed harvesting the runner beans – a true gift of early autumn. Runner beans (Phaseolus coccineus) are among the most striking plants, with their tall climbing vines and brilliant scarlet-and-white flowers.
Locally grown but with global connections and roots – just like us!
Like the people in our community, our volunteers and staff, although grown and nurtured here in Lancashire or travelled from a distant shore, the Plot’s diverse range of produce hails from the far flung corners of the world.
With runner beans originating from the cooler, high-altitude regions of Central and South America, they first appeared in Europe during the 17th century whilst the Hungarian wax pepper is called that for a reason. And turnips? Well they were grown in the wild from Europe to Asia, and the very ‘English’ carrot is actually from ancient Egypt. They were in fact, once cultivated in a rainbow of colours – purple, white, red, yellow, and even black. The orange carrot, now the most familiar, was bred in the Netherlands during the 17th century by crossing older white and purple types, as a tribute to the ruling Orange-Nassau dynasty – ancestors of today’s Dutch royal family.
As well as the harvest of veg from the fields, the Plot produces many other yields. The volunteer group on a Wednesday share connections and company (as well as working hard physically on the farm!), the FarmStart trainees are learning about local food production and the organic system which is kind to nature and provides compost to re-nourish the land.
Thanks to the FoodFriends for their financial support which enables the Plot team to continue growing and nurturing produce that’s resilient to the rapidly changing environmental conditions – migration whether of food or people is a fact of life enriching our diets, culture and friendships.
PS Just saying – in Roman times, the turnip was the weapon of choice to hurl at unpopular public figures, – although the Plot turnips, are of course far too tasty for that!
