I borrowed this word from a plotter on the Allotments4all forum. It’s used to describe the act of checking to see if the first earlies are ready to harvest. It would be a shame and a waste to pull the whole plant only to discover a few tiny pea sized, not-ready-yet potatoes, so instead plotters firtle about the soil with their fingers and pluck a few conker sized potatoes for that first meal.
According to Wiktionary, the word firtle is a Cumbrian term to describe someone who is wasting time. I’ve also discovered there’s another 21st century meaning for the word, which I can’t mention here but probably best to not mention that you’ve been firtling to a twentysomething!
Firtling for new potatoes is certainly a time intensive activity, but worth every minute for the pleasure of holding a handful of baby potatoes; even better is their hot, buttery taste a few hours later.
The variety is Casablanca grown in the poltyunnel, new to me but very delicious – tasting just the way new potatoes should.
They sure look good. I always look forward to having a firtle…for potatoes that is! xx
With a side-line in the village panto I can see firtling making a theatrical appearance this year! Shades of Rambling Sid Rumpole as well.
Potato newbie, have only just finished prepping the plot so I’ll have to see how my first crop goes
Thanks for the introduction to Syd. Mr Williams would have loved a word like firtle. I can hear him now…
I may go a cord-wangling later…
Thank you for an introduction to the forum! I can’t wait to firtle for potatoes!