Thursday, 6 April 2017

Potatoes Growing and Azadas Having a Rest In The Algarve.


Some more pictures from the sunny Algarve.
Potatoes about a foot high.  I reckon they are eight weeks growth in front of us.  It's eight degrees in Ireland this morning.  It was 24 Degrees at the beach in Portugal on Sunday afternoon.
The council workers had just laid their Azadas down for a rest in Quarteira last Wednesday.  They were busy weeding out Ice plants.  Plants that you would love to grow in your garden back home.  One Azada is heavy and one is light.  You can buy the heads in hardware shops for 5 and 8 Euros.   Perhaps I should start importing them? I paid 28 Euros for my "Crocodile" Azada.  Chillington tools make them in dear old Blighty.  Why do they never say England on the news any more?  It's always:  "The UK".  

 Must do some weeding with my Azada today.  Have you planted or sown anything yet?  It's still very cold here and we have only planted spudatoes and onions so far.

 More Algarve photos tomorrow.
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9 comments:

  1. Sol6 April 2017 at 05:48

    I have an azada but for years, until I saw it on your blog previously, I had always called it a mattock. I have no idea why my parents call it that. As everyone else seems to say azada...

    did you look at the yachts in Villamoura? We stumbled about a bit lost and went through some really dodgy streets and found ourselves at a marina! lol I think it will have been 1990. as my parents were looking at buying a cork farm and us all moving. We were looking for the estate agent at the time we found the marina.

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    1. northsider 6 April 2017 at 09:24

      Hi Sol. Yes the mattock is a much thicker blade and can grub out stones and soil... The Irish call the mattock a Grafan or Grubber. Apparently (good old Google) Grafan is old Englisg meaning "to dig". The shovels are diferent in Ireland and the rest of the world too. Most use use the "Celtic" or "Devon" long handled shovel. In England the small T shaped shovel is used and you have to bend one's back to use it. I use both kinds myself.

      Yes I saw the Billionaires play ground that is the Vilamoura Marina. I have some photos of it for a blog later in the week. We ate and and had a drink in a bar a few yards away from the Marina. Prices fluctuated dramatically according to our near the yachts the bars were. Thanks Sol!

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  2. local alien6 April 2017 at 08:31

    Azada. Strange name. We call it a chuppa here. And we have many. Dont remeber where all the ends came from but K renews the handles from our hardware store. They eventually rot and wear out. Grandson was wielding one the other day when the head fell off, fortunately not on anyones heads or toes.

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    1. northsider 6 April 2017 at 09:29

      Hi Linda. Never heard of a chuppa. I looked it up again on Google and a chuppa is a canopy the bride and groom stand under at a Jewish wedding ceremony. They are very good for the back unlike the shovels and can understand why the Azada is so popular in warm countries. You don't need to use a great deal of physical effort to use them. I swear by mine and I would recommend them for any body wanting to clear an over grown allotment or to earth up their potatoes. Thanks!

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  3. Rachel Phillips6 April 2017 at 13:25

    We call it a hoe! I like the pictures. The area I know best is Lagos and Portimao. Is your property near either? Both are on the railway!

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    1. northsider 7 April 2017 at 02:02

      Thanks Rachel. The property is inland not far from Silves. We wanted to sample real Portugal and get away from the crowds. The nearest town is on the main line railway to Lisbon. Will tell you more in a week or two if all goes well. Thanks!

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  4. Vera7 April 2017 at 00:54

    Nothing planted here except seeds, .... the potatoes and beans are waiting to go in but Lester has not finished ploughing yet!

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    1. northsider 7 April 2017 at 01:59

      Hi Vera. We have planted our early potatoes outside and there are peas and onions growing in the poly-tunnel. Still too cold to sow anything here. Look forward to reading about your smallholding and produce shop on your blog.


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  5. sanpiseth406 August 2017 at 19:50

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