The Good Life

Remember the 70s sitcom The Good Life? Where Tom and Barbara decide they've had enough of the rat race and attempt to become self sufficient, growing their own crops and keeping animals?

Well, admittedly my attempt at becoming self sufficient isn't as ambitious as Tom Good's plans, but even so I shared a little of his character's pride and contentment recently as I harvested my first strawberries from my hanging basket! I'd got the idea of growing strawberries this way from watching a Jamie Oliver programme earlier in the spring, and with all the rain we've been having recently, keeping them off the ground has proved a wise decision.

Whilst it's fair to say they won't make a hearty meal (or even just a dessert), they are a decent size and, more importantly, tasty too.

I can't profess to being a strawberry expert though. "What kind are they?", asked Dave next door. "Red ones", I replied. Well, they will be eventually.