Newsletter w/c 8th October 2012

My plans to run the marathon next Spring have hit the buffers at the moment as I’ve torn something in my Achilles area and there is nothing for it but to rest and hope it gets better soon. It’s so annoying as, despite the pain now and again, I felt I was running really well. Never mind, I won’t give up hope. There’s plenty of time yet.

In the meantime, with daylight getting more scarce each week, Lynda and I are spending as much time as we can finishing off our log store. The roof is almost complete so we have logs protected in the store already, but we need to get it finished completely to move on to our next project. We have boarded all the walls now except for one gable end but have run out of wood. So it’s a case of buying the wood to finish that, put the last section of roofing sheet on after cutting it to size, fit gutters and finally dig a drain to stop water running in along the ground. The final job will be a door at either end and I’d also like to run a light inside.

The next project will be a shepherds hut. It’s a type of cabin which will act as overflow accommodation for the holiday cottage. The cottage is getting more and more popular each year but it is limited to the number of people it can handle so the idea of some kind of bothy or cabin seems to be a good idea. Lynda found the shepherds huts on the web and they seem to fit the bill and are definitely ‘in-keeping’ with the environment.

The field is greening up nicely now and we’re starting to look at plans for crops next year. It’ll be a new start again and I think I’d be wise to grow on a smaller scale than I’ve attempted in the last few years. My time is limited and the weather is so unpredictable that it is the only sensible option. I’ll grow the produce that I know does well and let others grow the things I don’t grow so well.

We’ve reached the point where we have maincrop potatoes at last, so the bags are back to full strength again. This is 6 weeks later than it would usually be, so I’m sorry to all of you who’ve had reduced tattie portions. On the other side of the coin, if you feel you can cope better with the summer amount, roughly half of what you get for the rest of the year, let me know and I’ll substitute something else for the other half.

Here’s a list of whats 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.

Kale Brassica oleracea Acephala Group. Excellent source of phytochemicals and a source of vitamins A and C, calcium, copper, potassium and fibre. Don’t over do the cooking. Just needs gentle treatment. A light steam or boiled in very little amount of water until just wilting. Scatter in a few cloves for a bit of extra flavour. Can be used fresh in a winter salad, but can be a bit over-powering if you use too much.

Swede Brassica napa. (1head). Swedes are one of Scotlands Winter staple veggies. It is completely frost resistant so needs only to harvested as required rather than having to be stored. The only problem is lifting when the ground is frozen I’ve seen us lifting them with pick axes in frosty weather. Cut off the top and bottom of the swede then peel thickly. Cut into cubes or big chunks and boil for 30-40 minutes or alternatively, parboil then set around a roast in the oven for the last 30 minutes of cooking time. Excellent boiled, then mashed with butter and cream.

Courgette Cucurbita pepo .  Good for Vitamins A and C, calcium, fibre and iron. The courgettes may be green or yellow this week. Courgettes can be eaten raw or cooked in butter or stirfried or even roasted, so very versatile. Just give the skin a good wash first and drain it off then prepare.

Spring Onion Allium fistulosum.  Good source of vitamin C and A. Also, a good source of potassium. Wash thoroughly, dry, then slice up to use to add a little strong flavour to salads. Occasionally used in soups.