Jenny mollison: Sir Roy Strong spoke about his ambition to make 30 summer puddings to keep him going through the winter

I know that our household expenditure really takes a dip in the summer when there is a plentiful supply.

While it's great to be able to eschew over-priced supermarket lettuces, I am quite taken aback at the cost of small punnets of gooseberries and currants. They are among the easiest of soft fruit to grow, but probably the most fiddly to pick, which is why they are so expensive.

However, settling down for a picking session, preferably with a friend for company can be very relaxing.

In a good year, my lovely mildew-resistant gooseberry bush, variety Invicta, will yield 15kg of fruit. I've given up keeping records of the weight of redcurrants as my single bush is so prolific.

Back in the kitchen, my husband is making summer puddings to keep pace with the glut of fruit. Being a mathematician, his skill in shaping bread to fit the pudding bowls, is far superior to mine. Sir Roy Strong, erudite garden writer and historian, spoke about his ambition to make 30 summer puddings to keep him going through the winter. I think my husband is trying to challenge his record.

We fix our annual open day for the height of the harvest season. It's a pleasure to welcome friends and neighbours and pass on some of our surpluses. I like to have a peek at what fellow plotholders are growing as we prepare the stalls. Our site may look traditional, but we're certainly not afraid of trying new things. Albert is growing the new Flower Sprout, which is a cross between a Brussels sprout and curly kale. Its purple and green miniature cabbages will intensify in colour as the weather gets colder. Multi-coloured Rainbow Lights chard, striped beetroot, and dozens of shapes and sizes of squashes are flourishing in spite of some mixed weather. It remains to be seen if my Ferlinn tomato is blight-resistant, as promised.