Newsletter w/c 6th February 2012

Well, after the build-up to the massive sporting weekend, our two results couldn’t have been worse. Kille out of the Scottish Cup and Scotland beaten by an England team who almost looked embarrassed to have won the Calcutta Cup. Still there’s always next week – ever the optimist. Finn decided it was too cold for busking on Saturday – I didn’t try to hard to talk him out of that decision. It must have been perishing on the stands at Murrayfield.

The weather affected last weeks bags a little. Trust me to re-order bananas for the fruit bags on the week when we get to -5 degrees. I have tried to keep the fruit warm but in some instances the bananas got chilled in the back of the van or on the chilly doorsteps. Let me know if you didn’t manage to use them and I’ll compensate you in the next delivery. I thought I had lifted enough Jerusalem Artichokes to see us through the whole week, but it turned out I only had enough to get us to Thursday. Most customers on the Friday delivery run ended up with a substitute instead of the leeks and artichokes because we couldn’t get them out of the ground.

The hard ground isn’t all bad news – I’ve managed to start getting manure onto the plots for this year’s crop. The rhubarb has been weeded and composted and the plan for this week is to give the fruit bushes the same treatment although I may decide to transplant them again if I can figure out where the best place for them is. I’m also trying to clear out our log storage area and get a good covered storage area with a concrete floor, to make it clean and easy to work in. We’ve also got to repair the polytunnel in the next couple of weeks as it’s time to get some seedlings going. If the tunnel was still intact I would probably have done some sowing already.

It’s Keir’s birthday at the weekend, with his Uncle and 2 cousins all one day after the other so we’ve got a few surprises laid on for him and some of his mates. Lets hope it’s a bit warmer than last weekend.

This is a list of the vegetables included in the standard bags this week. Substitutions may occur.

Potato Solanum tuberosum. We’re onto our own new potatoes now. The variety for the most part is Pentland Javelin. They are very easy to prepare when they’re as fresh as this and really only need a wash and a scrub. 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.

Garlic Allium sativum.( 1 head) Good for Vitamins A and C, calcium and iron. A crushed clove of garlic can enhance many savoury meals. May be substituted with pepper if you received garlic last week.

Beetroot Beta vulgaris Contains Vitamin C folic acid and potassium. Can be cooked in various ways, but don’t peel the beet until you’ve boiled it as this stops it ‘bleeding’. Super Boost Juice – Put on the rubber gloves, spread out a newspaper and peel your beetroot and cut it into chunks. Take 4 apples and quarter and core them. Take 4 carrots and trim and peel them. Take 1cm/1 inch of fresh ginger and peel it. This is easily done by scraping the skin off with the side of a teaspoon. Process all the ingredients through a juicer. Stir and serve immediately, adding ice if desired.

Savoy Cabbage Brassica oleracea Capitata Group..(1 head) Excellent source of Vitamins B6 and C and also a source of potassium and fibre and phytochemicals. To cook, cut into quarters, cut out the hard core shred and wash under running cold water, then boil or steam for 7-10 minutes. This recipe is quite close to the traditional bubble and squeak:- Prepare the cabbage as above and put in a pan of lightly saltd boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain thoroughly. Remove the rind and gristle from 6oz ( 175g) of bacon, chop crossways into narrow strips and put in a heavy based pan. Fry the bacon until crisp, and the fat begin to run then add a finely chopped onion and cook until soft. Add the drained cabbage, stirring continuously until well coated. Season to taste with salt, pepper and cook through.

Celery Apium graveolens (1 head) This biennial veg is high in Vitamin C, folic acid, potassium and fibre. The stalks are generally eaten fresh or used in soups and stews. To cook it, boil it in a little salted boiling water for 15-20 minutes or steam it for 25-30 minutes. Serve in cheese or parsley sauce or smothered in butter.