Polytunnels being filled up!

Hi,

…..and a huge welcome to our customers, new and old (that is length of time you have been with us…not what age you are!). Bob and I are very happy you have decided to try Hexhamshire Organics and our Organic Produce. Each week we send an email to all our lovely customers and provide a little insight into life on our smallholding.

For instance…this week I may tell you about the washing I am doing as everything we wear is covered in wet, claggy mud. Or I may tell you about the escaping pigs! It could be how we have filled four of our seven polytunnels….result! Or, shall I mention how on Monday I actually did some gardening as the weather was balmy? Oh and Bob was at Morpeth Farmers Market over the weekend. We also went on a trip to visit Gilchesters Organics….really interesting.

I shall begin with the pigs…..pigs are supposed to love mud, well Bob and I both agree that even the pigs have had enough of the rain and the mud. We feed the pigs twice a day…morning and early evening. Normally they are given organic pig pellets and, hashtag nothing goes to waste, excess uncooked veggies. However, we are trying a few new items in there diet…..silage….which is not their favourite food and bran…..direct from the organic flour mill of Gilchesters Organics. This they seem to enjoy. So, we realise we have fussy pigs (blame the parents!) as the screeching, which came from the pigs, when we were changing the choice of foods was excruciating….they were clearly explaining to us which type of food they were wanting and it was not the silage!……only organic Bran or organic pellets for our pigs. Bob and I could not feed them quick enough hence the screeching…..and the muddy waterproofs while we were running backwards and forwards with food…..and the escaping pigs who were following Bob and I in search of more food. We call this fun!!!!

So, polytunnel one, two, three and four are all, chock a block, full of organic goodies. At the moment we have growing – broad beans, garlic, shallots, peas, carrots, spring onions, chard, spinach, beetroot, lettuce, cauliflowers, romanesque and broccoli. Not a bad start to the new growing season. The ground in these four tunnels is quite wet in places. Polytunnel five, six and seven are still far too wet to be planted in as yet. We do need the areas to dry out and we are hoping that the weather will warm up and stay dry from next week. We do have fennel, courgettes, celery, brassicas and all the salads to plant out yet.

As a result of our visit to Gilchester Organics we are now selling organic flour as part of the box scheme.

I could go on but I am going to stop with this email.

Enjoy your week,

Ann