July is the start of the holidays, and when harvest gets into full swing.
If the first of July be rainy weather, ’twill rain, more or less, for four weeks together.
English Proverb
The hazy memories of youth (at any age) are often associated with the long, hot summer days, where anything seems possible. Although the solstice has gone, the days are still long and July and August can be the hottest months. Harvest gets into full swing – it’s the month of plenty. So many seasonal foods, it’s a delicious time of year. Busy roads become empty, empty roads become full. Deserted beaches are more crowded than the city streets. No better thing to do on a hot day than sit in the shade of a mighty tree and watch the world go by.
Dates, events, holidays and festivals.
July 2024
Seasonal, astronomical and nautical events
2nd July – New Moon
3rd July – Spring Tide
9th July – 1st Quarter
10th July – Neap Tide
17th July – Full Moon, Buck Moon
18th July – Spring Tide
25th July – Third Quarter
26th July – Neap Tide
31st July – New Moon
1st August – Spring Tide
Festivals and events, religious, traditional and sporting
29th June – Round the Island Race
2nd – 7th July – Henley Royal Regatta
6th – 7th July – Wales Airshow
6th July – Teignmouth Airshow 2024
6th July – Wallop Wheels and Wings, Middle Wallop Airfield
6th – 7th July – The Capel Military Show
7th July – Ironman UK
8th – 13th July – RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show
12th – 14th July – Tunes on the Sands
13th July (TBC) – Devizes Carnival
16th – 19th July – Great Yorkshire Show
19th – 21st July – Royal International Air Tattoo 2024
20th – 21st July – Wings and Wheels, North Coates Airfield
22nd – 26th July – Farnborough International Airshow 2024
22nd – 25th July – The Royal Welsh Show
24th July – Driffield Show
24th – 28th July – RHS Flower Show Tatton Park
26th – 28th July – Sunderland International Air Show
30th July – Ryedale Show
30th July – 3rd August – The War & Peace Revival, Hop Farm, Paddock Wood
30th July – 3rd August – Glorious Goodwood Festival
1st – 4th August – Camp Bestival, Dorset
27th – 29th July – The Big Cheese Festival
29th July – Borrowby Show
29th – 30th July – Old Buckenham Airshow
TBA – World Snail Racing Championship
TBA – Bristol Harbour Festival
Also, see the Red Arrows UK display schedule 2024
Find more events and notable dates throughout the year
July seasonal Foods
What foods are seasonal in July.
Greens and leaves: Basil, Chervil, Cavolo nero, Cabbage, Lamb’s lettuce, Lettuce, Mint, Pak choi, Radicchio, Samphire, Sorrel, Spinach, Swiss chard, Watercress.
Roots and other veg: Aubergine, Beetroot, Broad bean, Carrot, Courgette, Courgette flower, Fennel bulb, Garlic, Globe artichoke Onion, Spring onion, Mangetout, Pepper, Potato, New potatoes, Peas, Radish, Runner bean, Tomato.
Meat: Beef, Chicken, Lamb, Pork.
Fruits: Blackcurrants, Cherry, Gooseberry, Raspberry, Redcurrant, Strawberry, Tayberry.
Seafood: Crab, Halibut, Salmon, Kipper, Mackerel, Tuna.
Exotics: Banana, Pomegranate, Nectarine, Watermelon.
Find out more about seasonal foods throughout the year with a guide to Seasonal foods.
In nature
Fair weather is the friend of all.
On the Farm in July
Harvest begins. Oilseed rape (Canola), winter barley and wheat.
Sheep shearing. Lambs are given worm dose vaccinations and footbaths.
Haymaking & Silaging.
Irrigate potatoes to encourage growth and ‘filling out’. Irrigation of other crops as required (especially market garden crops).
Spray potatoes.
Baling and carting straw or straw chopped fine and left.
Find out more about what is happening in the Year on the farm
Things to do in July
In the July garden
What to plant and sow
Gardening hints
Ipsum text
Out and about
Also, see the Out and about Blogs
Long summer days.
Recipe of the month.
Summer garden soup
Soups are not just winter warmers, but a celebration of what is seasonal. Soups can also be quick, tasty, and nutritious – not always a worthy use of bones or other leftover items.
This soup is a real summer celebration of summer seasonal specials, with the fresh flavours from garden produce.
I admit, I got very excited about this recipe when I found it, it’s by Gill Mellor, who along with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is a food hero of mine. I hope he doesn’t mind me sharing it on here – please visit his site, and maybe get one of his excellent books ( I really should have a link for this). Both Gill and Hugh celebrate the ingredient, respect the seasonal, and make the food rather than the chef the star of the show – as it should be.
Ingredients
2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed, halved and diced
4 new potatoes, scrubbed, cut into 1cm cubes
1 litre well flavoured vegetable stock
1 medium courgette, cut into 1cm cubes
2 large handfuls freshly podded broad beans
2 handfuls freshly podded peas
6 spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 small lettuce, washed and shredded into 1-2cm pieces
Large handful mixed fresh herbs, (such as mint, flatleaf parsley, basil, fennel tops or chives), leaves picked and chopped
Squeeze fresh lemon juice
Equipment.
Nothing specialised. You should be able to make this using what you usually find in a kitchen.
Preparation
wash and prep the veg. Chop the courgette, potato, and fennel – shred the lettuce. Pod the peas and beans.
Make the stock.
Cooking
Set a large heavy-based pan over a medium heat.
Add the olive oil followed by the fennel and potatoes. Season them lightly and soften gently, without colouring, for 6-8 minutes.
Add the vegetable stock and bring to a low simmer (see tip).
Make sure your broth is simmering, then drop in the courgette, broad beans (see tips), peas and spring onions. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the shredded lettuce and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Stir in the herbs and season to taste with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Ladle the soup into warm bowls, then add a trickle of your best olive oil just before serving.
For more inspiration see the Food Blogs
July Jobs in the vegetable garden or allotment
General Jobs
Weeding and Mulching. As much as your plants will be growing, the weeds will be twice as fast.
Watering when required, helps fill out the produce and prevents bolting.
Earth up potatoes and brassicas.
Feed tomatoes and peppers.
Take cuttings of herbs.
Net fruit against birds, finer net for brassicas against butterflies.
Trim and tidy fruit trees and plants as required.
Remove Pea and Broad beans after harvesting.
Dry out and ripen Onions, Shallots and garlic.
Sowing and Planting
Outdoors: Sow – BrBeetroot, Cabbages (spring), Calabrese, Carrots, Chicory, Endive, Fennel, French beans, Kale, Kohl rabi, Lettuces, Oriental leaves, Peas, Radishes (winter), Rocket, Spring onions, Sprouting broccoli, Swiss chard, Turnips.
Plant: Chicory, Endive, Lettuces, Radishes, Rocket, Salad leaves, Spring onions.
Harvest
Aubergines, Apricots, Beetroot, Blackberries, Blackcurrants, Blueberries, Broad beans, Broccoli, Carrots, Celery, Cherries, Chicory, Chillies and peppers, Courgettes, Cucumbers, Fennel, French beans, Garlic, Globe artichokes, Gooseberries, Kohl rabi, Lettuces, Marrows, Melons, Nectarines, Onions Peas, Peaches, Peaches, Potatoes, Radishes, Raspberries, Redcurrants, Rhubarb, Rocket, Runner beans, Shallots, Spring onions, Spinach, Strawberries, Tomatoes, Turnips, Whitecurrants.
Find out more about what is happening in the allotment or vegetable garden
Activities, things to see and do in July
With lengthening days arise more opportunities to get out and about. To see what is happening in nature and the countryside. There is also a lot more to see as they year really starts to get going.
Thinking about getting out and about, then perhaps Buy OS Landranger maps direct from Ordnance Survey to discover new places or see the latest handheld GPS devices with bundled mapping from Ordnance Survey.
