Newsletter w/c 29th March 2010
I’ve managed to figure out how to update the blog now, on the website, so these newsletters now appear each week on the NEWS link on our home page. If you ever miss out on a hard copy in your bag or if you don’t get a veg bag every week, and want to keep in touch, then this will be the perfect answer. I’ve even managed to write a few additional blogs in between the newsletter inserts.
I still haven’t started planting yet, which means I’m behind schedule on previous years, but I’m not really worried as the weather meant that the plants were in the ground far too early and just didn’t do very much for a long time. They ended up maturing at exactly the same time as plants planted 3-4 weeks after them. I think I’ll try to start some of the longer season veggies off in seed trays this week. Hopefully they’ll grow on well in the new poly-tunnel. I anticipated correctly, that I wouldn’t get much time to build it last week, as Andy was off on hols, but I managed to build a little of it at the weekend. The shape looks a little strange in places .
I had a bit of a set-back on Tuesday when one of the tractor tyres had a blowout. They were pretty worn out, so thought it might be time to get a new set of tyres. I was quoted £500 for the supply and fit of the tyres, and once I’d picked myself back up of the ground, from the shock, I realised there was a sale on Thursday for 2nd hand farm implements. I got up really early and got round most of the Edinburgh run and headed out to Lanark for the start of the sale. I love auctions, it’s great trailing through all the junk looking for the nugget of good handy tools and implements. I can get really carried away. However, there were no wheels of the correct size, but I did find a rotovator. Everybody seemed to want it and the bidding went ridiculously high, but I eventually won out. So it’s been an expensive week, as I also had to get the £500 tyres fitted, so that I could trail down to Lanark in the tractor, early on Saturday morning to pick up the rotovator and take it home. Lets hope it works after all this trouble and expense!
Potatoes Solanum tuberosum. Tatties this week are Remarka a good general purpose potato.. The tatties will be various sizes for a while until they’re big enough to go through the grading machine. Potatoes are the only commonly available source of B3 and Iodine. Excellent source of Vitamin C and also Vitamin B6, Potassium and fibre.
Onion Allium cepa. Used in stews, pasta dishes, soups. Source of Vitamins A and C, Iron, Calcium and Potassium .
Carrot Daucus carota Carrots are eaten fresh in salads or cooked in just about any way you like. They are an excellent source of Vitamin A and also contain significant amounts of Vitamins B, C, D, E and K. and Potassium.
Swede Brassica napa (1 head) You’ve had about a months rest from swede and you’re probably going to need the same again, as some of these swedes are whoppers. They’ll last you for ages. It’s obviously the veg of choice to have with haggis, but is also a superb veg to puree for babies. To prepare it just peel it thickly and chop off the top and base of the root. Cut it up or dice it and boil for about half an hour in slightly salted water, or until tender. Mash it with cream and a little butter.
Leek Allium porrum. (2 head) Leeks give a lovely creamy consistency to soups and are great in flans or quiches. Leeks are a great source of Vitamin C. Be sure to wash them very carefully though, as soil gets caught in the leaf axils as it is growing. Cut up the leek then rinse in cold running water in a colander. May be substituted later in the week.
Calabrese Brassica oleracea Italica Group (1 head). Broccoli, or calabrese’ to give it it’s proper name, is an excellent source of Vitamin C and phytochemicals and also contains Vitamins A, B2 and B6, Phosphorus, fibre Iron and calcium. Here’s a recipe for Roast Calabrese with Chilli and Soy that I gave a couple of weeks ago as a romanesco recipe. It is fairly versatile. :
Toss 350g of Calabrese, broken into florets, in a tablespoon of olive oil. Cut the stalks into thick batons. Spread them all out on a baking tray and roast in a preheated oven for 10 mins at 200oC/Gas Mark 6 for 10 mins.Add 2 thinly sliced cloves of the garlic, ½ a red chilli, finely chopped and ½ a tablespoon of sesame seeds and mix through. Return to the oven for 5 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven, sprinkle with soy sauce and serve. I haven’t tried this one yet but I hope to this week.
Jerusalem Artichoke Helianthus tuberosus Source of Vitamin B1, B2, B3, calcium, potassium, iron and fibre. To cook scrub off the worst of any dirt on the root, then boil for a couple of minutes without cutting off the root or the top. This loosens the skin and allows you to rub it off quite easily. Then boil in slightly salted water for a further 15-20 minutes or until tender. Add lemon juice to the water before boiling to keep the roots white. Can also be roasted after parboiling, and makes very good soup. All you really need are the artichokes, some onion, simmered together until soft, add a stock, boil for 30 minutes maybe a little nutmeg. Puree it then reheat with a little milk added and bob’s your uncle. Delicious soup.
Brussels Sprouts Brassica oleracea Gemmifera Group.. Excellent source of Vitamin C and phytochemicals and also contains Vitamins A and B6, potassium, fibre and calcium. Wash the sprouts in cold water and peel off any ragged or marked leaves then cut an X into the base of the sprout. Cook in a minimum of boiling salted water for 8 – 10 minutes, NO LONGER, or they’ll go soggy.
I still haven’t started planting yet, which means I’m behind schedule on previous years, but I’m not really worried as the weather meant that the plants were in the ground far too early and just didn’t do very much for a long time. They ended up maturing at exactly the same time as plants planted 3-4 weeks after them. I think I’ll try to start some of the longer season veggies off in seed trays this week. Hopefully they’ll grow on well in the new poly-tunnel. I anticipated correctly, that I wouldn’t get much time to build it last week, as Andy was off on hols, but I managed to build a little of it at the weekend. The shape looks a little strange in places .
I had a bit of a set-back on Tuesday when one of the tractor tyres had a blowout. They were pretty worn out, so thought it might be time to get a new set of tyres. I was quoted £500 for the supply and fit of the tyres, and once I’d picked myself back up of the ground, from the shock, I realised there was a sale on Thursday for 2nd hand farm implements. I got up really early and got round most of the Edinburgh run and headed out to Lanark for the start of the sale. I love auctions, it’s great trailing through all the junk looking for the nugget of good handy tools and implements. I can get really carried away. However, there were no wheels of the correct size, but I did find a rotovator. Everybody seemed to want it and the bidding went ridiculously high, but I eventually won out. So it’s been an expensive week, as I also had to get the £500 tyres fitted, so that I could trail down to Lanark in the tractor, early on Saturday morning to pick up the rotovator and take it home. Lets hope it works after all this trouble and expense!
Potatoes Solanum tuberosum. Tatties this week are Remarka a good general purpose potato.. The tatties will be various sizes for a while until they’re big enough to go through the grading machine. Potatoes are the only commonly available source of B3 and Iodine. Excellent source of Vitamin C and also Vitamin B6, Potassium and fibre.
Onion Allium cepa. Used in stews, pasta dishes, soups. Source of Vitamins A and C, Iron, Calcium and Potassium .
Carrot Daucus carota Carrots are eaten fresh in salads or cooked in just about any way you like. They are an excellent source of Vitamin A and also contain significant amounts of Vitamins B, C, D, E and K. and Potassium.
Swede Brassica napa (1 head) You’ve had about a months rest from swede and you’re probably going to need the same again, as some of these swedes are whoppers. They’ll last you for ages. It’s obviously the veg of choice to have with haggis, but is also a superb veg to puree for babies. To prepare it just peel it thickly and chop off the top and base of the root. Cut it up or dice it and boil for about half an hour in slightly salted water, or until tender. Mash it with cream and a little butter.
Leek Allium porrum. (2 head) Leeks give a lovely creamy consistency to soups and are great in flans or quiches. Leeks are a great source of Vitamin C. Be sure to wash them very carefully though, as soil gets caught in the leaf axils as it is growing. Cut up the leek then rinse in cold running water in a colander. May be substituted later in the week.
Calabrese Brassica oleracea Italica Group (1 head). Broccoli, or calabrese’ to give it it’s proper name, is an excellent source of Vitamin C and phytochemicals and also contains Vitamins A, B2 and B6, Phosphorus, fibre Iron and calcium. Here’s a recipe for Roast Calabrese with Chilli and Soy that I gave a couple of weeks ago as a romanesco recipe. It is fairly versatile. :
Toss 350g of Calabrese, broken into florets, in a tablespoon of olive oil. Cut the stalks into thick batons. Spread them all out on a baking tray and roast in a preheated oven for 10 mins at 200oC/Gas Mark 6 for 10 mins.Add 2 thinly sliced cloves of the garlic, ½ a red chilli, finely chopped and ½ a tablespoon of sesame seeds and mix through. Return to the oven for 5 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven, sprinkle with soy sauce and serve. I haven’t tried this one yet but I hope to this week.
Jerusalem Artichoke Helianthus tuberosus Source of Vitamin B1, B2, B3, calcium, potassium, iron and fibre. To cook scrub off the worst of any dirt on the root, then boil for a couple of minutes without cutting off the root or the top. This loosens the skin and allows you to rub it off quite easily. Then boil in slightly salted water for a further 15-20 minutes or until tender. Add lemon juice to the water before boiling to keep the roots white. Can also be roasted after parboiling, and makes very good soup. All you really need are the artichokes, some onion, simmered together until soft, add a stock, boil for 30 minutes maybe a little nutmeg. Puree it then reheat with a little milk added and bob’s your uncle. Delicious soup.
Brussels Sprouts Brassica oleracea Gemmifera Group.. Excellent source of Vitamin C and phytochemicals and also contains Vitamins A and B6, potassium, fibre and calcium. Wash the sprouts in cold water and peel off any ragged or marked leaves then cut an X into the base of the sprout. Cook in a minimum of boiling salted water for 8 – 10 minutes, NO LONGER, or they’ll go soggy.
posted by thewholeshebag at 2:27 PM
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