The rise of the artichokes

I thought I'd write a quick post while Spadger bottles the beetroot sauce he's made. I've spent the day in the kitchen making various things (pics and story to come) and desperately wanted a bath to easy my aching back but I had one last preserve that needed doing. He valiantly stepped up to the mark.

Yesterday we needed to make a cage out of bamboo poles and jute string to hold our Jerusalem artichokes up. The winds we have had lately had blown them over and we lost a couple of stalks. They're a few weeks of harvesting so we're trying to support them as best we can, They are now almost 3 meters tall so it gets pretty windy at the tops of them. Holding them up while he tied was quite a challenge. We also discovered that the little hairs they have all over the stalks and leaves prickle in a way that you don't notice as it happens but itches like crazy later!

I thought I'd add the progress pics we took next to the tallest of the crop. First is Spadgersdottier looking happy that it is only just bigger than her, than it got a bit taller and she was less pleased. She is about 4 feet tall. Next is me at 5 foot 3 inches (and a half!). Lastly is Spadger who is 5 foot 11. I need to find a 2.75 meter tall person to complete it :o)