Sunday, August 8, 2010

Oh dry up !

The shallot harvest was on me unexpectedly, these little critters were planted on the fourteenth of March and as can be seen from the photo below most of the leaves had fallen over and were dying back. I decided to pull them all and dry for storage. But how do I dry them ? The good book says let them on the bed or on trays for up to two weeks to dry while moving them in when raining. It's August in Ireland, two weeks of no rain here would be akin to a biblical plague. Actually it's August everywhere isn't it !!



My darling wife wouldn't part with the child's buggy so I could convert it into a movable drying rack. How inconsiderate is this ? Here I am supplying enough shallots for the rest of the year and all she can think about is the welfare of our only child ..... some people !!

So plan B it was then, I simply cut some rabbit wire and put it on the floor of the coldframe. The wire takes on a natural curve and so allows air to flow freely through the shallots. The coldframe is easily closed when inclement weather is expected and the damn thing retains heat during the night aiding the drying process.



I checked this evening and it appears to be working a treat, so the next step is to tie em up and hang em from the rafters until needed. The onions will be dried in much the same manner and hopefully they will be harvested soon.



There they are now all snugsy wugsy.

Oh, and I'm still suffering with atrocious bad wind after them shallots .... just thought you'd like to know.

4 comments:

  1. I think the hallmark of home growing is being inventive when it comes to needing something.Making rather than buying results in some strange structures aroundour plots but the bottom line is they work beautifully just like your shallot drying 'thingy'!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I was struggling to come up with a name for it, but you just nailed it there ....... " Shallot drying thingy " it is then.

    ReplyDelete
  3. and all 'snugsy wugsy' in the 'shallot drying thingy!' :) love it :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Well Suzy Wuzy I might just start my own dialect !!

    ReplyDelete

Go on you're here now you might as well get it off your chest !!