Autumn is here

Hello Everyone,

Bob and I hope you are all really well and coming to terms with the darker mornings and evenings. 

Autumn is upon us. This is the season of amazing colours provided by Mother Nature herself. The picture above is of a sunrise from earlier last week. The sun was just peeping above the horizon and I just had to run to the top of the Green Field and watch for the Mediterranean orange glow which took over the sky. Just beautiful. It meant for a fresh, crisp, autumnal day of sun and blue sky. We have also had very windy and wet days during this week, so you have to grab and enjoy the fine days. 

The trees are all turning into beautiful shades of golds, reds, oranges, bronze and yellows. I have to say that the change in colours has crept up on me this year. Just hoping that the strong winds keep away. We do not want Mother Nature to actually steal the colourful views of the trees away from us just yet.

The weather, once again, will also dictate the jobs we do on the farm. As you now realise, we always have jobs to do. As the weather provided blue sky and sun the squash and red onions were all able to be harvested. When it rains, the planting out into the polytunnels can be completed or the onions, which have thoroughly dried, can be topped and tailed, ready for storing. The crew have started or completed some of these jobs this week.

Graham has also cut the grass in part of the paddock and then covered this area with weed suppressing fabric. This is a new growing area of 600 square metres. Come the Spring of next year, this area should be weed free and we will be planting out ALL of our potatoes in this area. This will be the first time the paddock area has been used for growing, so it will be interesting to see the results next summer. We are hoping that this large area will provide enough of a crop of potatoes for the whole of next year’s requirement.

We are well on our way to becoming ‘self sufficient’…we just need to master growing more carrots throughout a whole year. Bob and I feel that we have nearly cracked the ‘self sufficiency’ situation we so want to be at. We are really trying to be able to supply you, our lovely customers, with only the produce we grow alongside the idea that we will provide more vegetables that you dont see on the supermarket shelves. Sugar loaf chicory was in the vegetable box last week (some did ask what the vegetable was). Next week you may be getting some other less common vegetable. I will leave you all to guess (and then Google for any recipe). My suggestion would be to peel and roast in rapeseed oil, adding some butter at the end and season with salt…to discover which vegetable, you will have to wait and see if you buy the vegetable or fruit and vegetable box.

We have lots of squash being put into your boxes. These are great for soups or just baked whole in the oven. The cooked squash can then be used as a mash, again with lots of butter and seasoning. A very easy meal to prepare and enjoy. Along with the squash there are lots and lots of the root vegetables being harvested…parsnips, swede and turnips will all be on the website soon. Ooooo! Winter dinners, all warming and filling.

Bob and I are still juicing today and maybe, no probably, next week too. Hopefully, those who have sampled the juice, literally hot off the presse! enjoyed the refreshing drink. 

Thank you for your continued support, we really appreciate you all.

Have a great week,

         Ann👩‍🌾