Newsletter w/c 21st May 2012

It looks like we might have a good week of dry weather this week, so by Friday, I hope to be able to get the plough out and turn over the beds that are supposed to be already showing signs of verdant growth. One week of good weather won’t be enough so lets hope it continues for two or three weeks and we can seriously catch up with where we’re supposed to be. The ground needs lots of sunshine to warm it up and dry it out. We’re not panicking yet, but it would just be good to be out there planting the crops that we all want to be eating later in the year.

I struggled to drag myself out of the house to get any wee projects progressing in the right direction, the weather was so wet and cold. I managed to get a bit more of the base area of the old shed sorted out. It’s right in front of our house so I just want to level it out and get grass down just now, then work on adding plant beds through time. There’s quite a step down from the level of the house to the level of the excavated bottom of the shed and loads of rubble. I’m trying to use the rubble to form the base of a slope that I can eventually grass seed and join the two areas. It has to be a slope that can be mowed easily. I’m in the process of blinding the rubble with smaller gravelly subsoil and once that’s done, I’ll spread some topsoil then seed it. I was out in the pouring rain last week pouring barrowloads of the gravelly stuff onto the rubble and got about half way. At least it was something but it definitely was not enjoyable.

This is a difficult time of year for us from now until the first of the crops are ready to harvest. We’re getting towards the end of the stored veg from last year and the over-wintering crop in the field is past it’s best or setting seed. Carrots and tatties may have soft bits or sprouts now. If you do receive any veg that is less than top-quality, let me know and I’ll compensate you in your next delivery. We do have a good quality control system during packing but when dealing with dirty veg, some small blemishes can slip through. I’d rather know about them than not, so please believe me, I do appreciate the feedback.

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 is Valor. 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.

Courgette Cucurbita pepo (1 head) Source of Vitamins A and C , calcium, iron and fibre. Prepare by wshing and trimming both ends. Courgettes can be coked whole or in slices, or they can be cut in half lengthways filled with stuffing and baked. Boil courgettes in lightly salted water for 15-20 minutes. Sliced courgettes may be steamed in butter for 10 minutes. Halved courgettes may be parboiled for 5 minutes the finished in the oven, in a well-buttered dish for 25 minutes at 190oC (375oF) Gas Mark 5.

Calabrese Brassica oleracea Italica Group (1 head). Calabrese is and 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.

Rocket –Excellent source of phytochemicals and a good source of Vitamins A, B and C, calcium, fibre and potassium. The ground was pretty wet when we picked the salad so some grit may be mixed in. Rinse it well. To store, it is best to rehydrate the rocket. Rinse well, two or three times, renewing the water with each rinse, then drain thoroughly in a colander or salad spinner. Store in the fridge and you should get it to last all week

Beetroot Beta vulgaris Beetroot can be eaten fresh, cooked or pickled. The least messy way to cook them is to wash them but boil them before you peel them. After boiling the skin rubs off very easily and the flesh doesn’t bleed all over the place. The small beetroot we have this week will cook in only half an hour. They can be used for soup, grated into risottos, boiled and eaten as an accompanying veg, pickled or roasted. Very versatile indeed.