On Monday we had two more deliveries of well-rotted stable manure - great stuff for those who were too late for the first delivery!

I decided to split my plot into five - 4 squarish plots for a 4- year rotation, plus a strip along one egde for more permanent stuff like rhubarb and apples. So far I have planted potatoes on two plots (mainly to break up the soil) and onions and seeds (beetroot, parsnips, pak choi) on a third. The fourth has been dug and covered with very well rotted manure, to plant out lettuce, french beans and (eventually) brassicas. Yes, I know they like un-manured ground, but the soil is so hard (we've had no rain for 6 weeks) that I had to do something! So far, the potatoes have shown through, and some of the seeds have germinated.