Drop in Temperature

Hello Everyone,

If you ordered and received a seasonal box from the farm last week, we hope you enjoyed experimenting with the box of goodies. One item you did have in your box was Tomatillos.

In case you were wondering what to make with these green, round fruits which look very much like an unripened tomato in a little lantern jacket, try a salsa or sauce. Add lemon juice, sugar, chillies, red onion and garlic to create Mexican Salsa. Tomatillos are on the website.

There are a few new Fresh Local Organic Veggies and ‘Pantry’ fillers available on the website. More 'Pantry' fillers will be added as we go through the coming weeks…Tomato and Chilli Chutney and Red Onion Chutney are our first and quite popular jars to make it onto the website. Enjoy! 

The tomatillo plants have now been removed after harvesting the fruits. This means that the tomatoes we still have available are the last of our Summer fruiting crops still in the polytunnels. These will be around for a few more weeks yet. However, some tomato plants may be removed to make way for more of our wintering crops. Our winter crops are nearly all planted into the tunnels. We expect marvellous bunches or plants of crispy and colourful leaves during the months ahead. These will be a welcome addition to the roots and brassicas we have available now. 

There has been a sudden drop in temperature during this weekend with zero to minus numbers over last night. This means that the polytunnel doors will be closed over night. We will open them again each morning. We would like to have a slightly warmer temperature within the tunnels than it is outside the tunnels. Hence, the doors are closed overnight to retain the heat gathered during the daytime. The sides of each tunnel have also been brought down. However, we would still like to retain a good air flow to prevent the plants becoming damp resulting in damaged leaves causing the plant to die. So, even in the darker and freezing days of midwinter, we open the doors each and every day.  

A number of outside beds within the Pond Field are being prepped for our saved Hexhamshire Organics Garlic and Shallots. Each garlic bulb will be split into individual cloves and planted out. Likewise the shallots. I cannot believe how quickly the year has disappeared and here we are again planting out the garlic! 

With the days shortening and the plants being nearly all planted out, we will start to think about tending the plants we do have and rejuvenating the soil ready for next year and the new seasons. We have already been using a sprinkling of our very own, home made, compost on the beds of the tunnels. This makes us all very happy…to be able to use our very own compost which has been created from the ‘waste’ or should I say ‘remnants’ from crops grown here on the farm.

We also have more wood chip to place on the paths around all our growing areas… inside tunnels and outside the tunnels. This will help to retain water and also feed the soil and feed the plants growing within the beds beside each of the paths. There will be lots of action going on under ground which all helps to feed the plants we are growing and eventually passing on to you our lovely customers. 

Thank you for your continued support. Take care, stay safe and wear something reflective when out and about,

 Ann👩‍🌾