Newsletter w/c 27th November 2017

Our weekend trip to Carcassonne worked out well. We had an early start on Saturday morning, but it meant we were in the main square for the Saturday market which, as I’ve mentioned before, is fantastic. The range of fruit, veg, seafood, meat, cheese and bread is phenomenal. There are so many stalls as well. The prices are lower than the local shops and supermarkets for the best of local produce. I have a feeling it may be state run, which may help keep overheads to a minimum. The cost of running farmers markets in Scotland means prices reflect the cost to the producer of hiring a stall.

This cold snap we’re having may affect the fruit a little again. I’ll do my best to keep the bananas etc at a decent temperature, but it doesn’t take long for the skins to get affected. Please use your bananas up within a day or two if possible if you see any darkening of the skin.

We’ll be delivering Brussels sprouts and parsnips in your Christmas bag, but since they’re looking so good, I’ve added sprouts to this weeks bag to help you get into the Christmas spirit now we’re heading into December. If you want to get really organized you could start cooking your Christmas dinner and store it in the freezer bit by bit over the next few weeks. There will be parsnips in next weeks bag.

I’m looking at streamlining the way we take payments from the New Year. I’d like to get as many customers as possible ( around 50% do already) paying straight into the bank account. At the moment, it takes at least 6 days for a cheque to clear, and the bank are moaning again about the number of small cheques we present. Also, with the number of branches that have disappeared, and the cut in the hours that the ones left are open, it is sometimes difficult to work in a bank visit. Could any of you, who are definitely not in favour of online banking, let me know. If enough people prefer the status quo, then we’ll just keep things the way they are.

PLEASE RETURN ALL NET BAGS PLEASE. WE RE-USE THEM.

The veg in the bag this week should be as follows although, substitutions may occur due to availability.

Potato (Desiree), Onion, Carrot, Beetroot, Celery, Garlic, Brussels sprouts.

The Large bag will also include:

Leek, celeriac and cauliflower.

Featured Recipe

Thai Beetroot Soup

Boil the beetroot from the bag as it is. You can peel and chop it after its cooked and cooled down. Take a medium sized onion (chopped) and sauté in a knob of butter for 8 mins over a low-medium heat in a covered saucepan. Add all but a small amount of the cooked and chopped beetroot. The remainder will be used to garnish the soup. Stir-in a teaspoon and a half of thai curry paste and keep stirring for a couple of mins, over a high heat. Then add a tin of coconut milk and 300ml of vegetable or chicken stock. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 15 mins. Puree with a food processor, add the remaining beetroot, the juice of half a lime and serve. Garnish each bowl with a sprinkling of fresh parsley.

Fruit and Vegetables
Organic Vegetables	£13.50 per standard bag
	£16.50 per Large bag
Organic Fruit	£4.00 per Small Bag
	£7.00 per Large Bag
Organic Pasteurised Milk ( full cream/semi skimmed)	£1.20per  litre
Organic Single cream ( 250ml/500ml)	£1.20/£1.60
Organic Double cream ( 250ml/500ml)	£1.30/£1.70
Eggs
Organic Free Range Eggs	£1.80 per Half Dozen Box

Cheques should be made payable to ‘D Murray’

For more information or to place an order please contact us on 07931 738767 or e-mail us or alternatively you can check out our website at  www.thewholeshebag.com or e-mail  thewholeshebag@aol.com

South Cobbinshaw, West Calder, West Lothian, EH55 8LQ

Sort Code 83-18-24  Account no. 00175779 for online payment.

Newsletter w/c 20th November 2017

We’re taking a working jaunt again, next week, for a long weekend fact-finding mission, which will mean having deliveries arriving a day later than usual. So, on week commencing 27^th Nov, if you usually get a delivery on Tuesday, it will be on the Wednesday. If it’s usually Wednesday, it’ll be Thursday and so on. I hope this doesn’t cause any inconvenience.

Apologies are due to anyone receiving bananas in their delivery last week. They started out being a bit too ripe, but I think the cold may have got to them a bit too. They ended up being rather soft. If they caused you any problems let me  know and I’ll sort out something extra to compensate.

Finn missed out on piping for the Scotland and New Zealand rugby teams last weekend, as he has an ear infection. The Scottish performance certainly had him in good spirits watching the tv at home though. On the farm, I’m getting through my list of autumn chores. Aside from harvesting, I’ve managed to fill the log store for the first time ever, so the weather can do what it likes, I’ll be ready for it. We’ve also just about got all the leaves up and stacked for composting.

PLEASE RETURN ALL NET BAGS PLEASE. WE RE-USE THEM.

Potato Solanum tuberosum. We’re onto our maincrop potatoes now. This week the variety is Nicola(white) or maybe Desiree Red skin). They’ree very easy to prepare when they’re fresh and really only need a wash and a scrub. Potatoes are the only commonly available source of  vitamin B3 and Iodine. They are also an excellent source of Vitamin C and 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) The staple of the Scottish winter vegetable garden. Just peel the tough skin off and chop up and boil the sweet, crunchy, orange root. Best served mashed with a dribble of cream and a dod of butter through it. A spoonful of this will partner mashed tatties wherever they’re used and, of course, you can’t have haggis without it.

Kale Brassica oleracea Acephala Group.. Some of the kale is still on its stalk so remove it before preparing. Kale is an excellent source of Vitamins A and C and also a source of potassium, copper, calcium,  fibre and phytochemicals. To cook, strip the leaves off of the tough midrib, then shred and wash in cold, running water. Then steam for 10 minutes and serve with melted butter and season with pepper or ground cloves. You can make Colcannon by draining the kale after boiling then setting it aside. Take a finely chopped onion and put it in a pan with 150ml of milk. Bring it to the boil then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 10 minutes. Blend about 375g of mashed potatoes with the finely chopped kale, then heat through gently, adding as much of the milk and onion mixture as it will absorb to give the consistency of creamed potatoes. Put in a serving dish, and pour in some melted butter.

Leek Allium porrum  Excellent source of Vitamin C. Particularly used to give soups a lovely creamy texture. As leeks grow they tend to lock soil into their leaf axils, so be sure to rinse them well after slicing them up. A nice idea for cooking leeks is to sweat finely sliced leeks in butter for 5 minutes, pour in a glass of red wine and simmer until reduced. Season and serve as an accompaniment to grilled fish or roast meat.

Red Cabbage Brassica oleracea Capitata Group..(1 head) Excellent source of Vitamin C and phytochemicals and also contains Vitamin B6, potassium, fibre and calcium. Braised Red Cabbage: Remove the outer coarse leaves and cut the cabbage into quarters. Remove the  has contiutough coresand shred the cabbage finely. Peel core and grate 2 cooking apples and mix with the cabbage. Melt 2oz.(50g) of butter in a pan, add 5fl.oz.(150ml) white wine vinegar and mix in the cabbage; coat thoroughly; then cover with a tight fitting lid and simmer over a gentle heat for 1 hour. Add a little more vinegar or water if the cabbage threatens to stick. Stir in 5fl.oz. (150ml) of red wine or blackcurrant juice, season to taste with sugar. The cabbage will have a fairly sharp flavour. Cover and simmer until tender.

Fruit and Vegetables
Organic Vegetables	£13.50 per standard bag
	£16.50 per Large bag
Organic Fruit	£4.00 per Small Bag
	£7.00 per Large Bag
Organic Pasteurised Milk ( full cream/semi skimmed)	£1.20per  litre
Organic Single cream ( 250ml/500ml)	£1.20/£1.60
Organic Double cream ( 250ml/500ml)	£1.30/£1.70
Eggs
Organic Free Range Eggs	£1.80 per Half Dozen Box

Cheques should be made payable to ‘D Murray’

For more information or to place an order please contact us on 07931 738767 or e-mail us or alternatively you can check out our website at  www.thewholeshebag.com or e-mail  thewholeshebag@aol.com

South Cobbinshaw, West Calder, West Lothian, EH55 8LQ

Sort Code 83-18-24  Account no. 00175779 for online payment.

Newsletter w/c 13th November 2017

We’re taking a working jaunt again, in a fortnight’s time, for a long weekend fact-finding mission, which will mean having deliveries arriving a day later than usual. On week commencing 27^th Nov, if you usually get a delivery on Tuesday, it will be on the Wednesday. If it’s usually Wednesday, it’ll be Thursday and so on. I hope this doesn’t cause any inconvenience.

At the last minute the boys and I were given the opportunity to buy tickets for the rugby at Murrayfield between Scotland and Samoa. We certainly got our money’s worth of tries, but I think the Scottish defence will need to tighten up before the visit of New Zealand, this Saturday. Finn’s going to be part of the pipe band on the day, playing the players off the buses when they arrive at the stadium. Usually, he’d want to be playing the Scots off, but he wont mind if it’s the All Blacks he gets to pipe for. They’re THAT good.

Keir’s team were playing again this weekend, and at halftime were within a couple of points of the opposing team, Biggar. Mistakes cost them dear in the 2^nd half again, so they’re still searching for that elusive first win of the season. There are signs that a win may not be completely outwith the realms of possibility though.

I’ve added bank details to our contact details at the bottom of the newsletter. If you miss a payment or forget to put a cheque out it will give another option for paying for the veg. There’s no pressure. I know not everyone likes to pay online so I am still happy to take a double payment the following week. The information is now in place if you’d like to use that option.

PLEASE RETURN ALL NET BAGS PLEASE. WE RE-USE THEM.

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

Potato Solanum tuberosum. We’re onto our maincrop potatoes now. This week the variety is Nicola(white) or maybe Desiree Red skin). 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  vitamin B3 and Iodine. They are also an excellent source of Vitamin C and 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.

Celeriac apium graveolens Celeriac is rich in Vitamin K, Iron, Magnesium and Phosphorus. It is edible raw or cooked. It can be roasted, boiled, stewed or even stir-fried. Our favourite recipe is celeriac and apple soup which is a great thick hearty soup for a frosty day after a long walk. Also good mashed through potatoes to add an extra flavour to your tatties.

White Cabbage Brassica oleracea Capitata Group..(1 head) . To cook, remove any damaged outer leaves, cut into quarters and remove the central core. It can be cooked in quarters like this in boiling salted water or else shredded and boiled or steamed. Here’s a recipe for Cabbage soup which will use up a few items in the bag this week: Prepare and wash the cabbage and shred it finely. Prepare and roughly chop, 2 carrots, the leek and 1/2lb(250g) potatoes. Put all the vegetables in a pan with 3 pints(1.5l) stock and a bouquet garni, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Season to taste, sprinkle with parsley and serve at once.

Broccoli Brassica oleracea Italica Group (1 or 2 head) Excellent source of Vitamin C, folic acid and phytochemicals and good for Vitamn.B6. Also contains Vitamins A, B2, B6 and phosphorus, fibre, calcium and iron. It is best eaten raw or quickly blanched in boiling , lightly salted water. Broccoli is also good in stir-fries as it has a lovely crunch to it if you don’t cook it for too long.

Garlic  (1head). Use a clove of garlic to flavour savoury dishes. Split a clove off of the bulb, peel off the skin and crush or chop finely. Mix with butter and spread on bread or  toast to make a tasty snack.

Fruit and Vegetables
Organic Vegetables	£13.50 per standard bag
	£16.50 per Large bag
Organic Fruit	£4.00 per Small Bag
	£7.00 per Large Bag
Organic Pasteurised Milk ( full cream/semi skimmed)	£1.20per  litre
Organic Single cream ( 250ml/500ml)	£1.20/£1.60
Organic Double cream ( 250ml/500ml)	£1.30/£1.70
Eggs
Organic Free Range Eggs	£1.80 per Half Dozen Box

Cheques should be made payable to ‘D Murray’

For more information or to place an order please contact us on 07931 738767 or e-mail us or alternatively you can check out our website at  www.thewholeshebag.com or e-mail  thewholeshebag@aol.com

South Cobbinshaw, West Calder, West Lothian, EH55 8LQ

Sort Code 83-18-24  Account no. 00175779 for online payment.

Newsletter w/c 6th November 2017

We’ve managed to clear half of the poly-tunnel, in preparation for dismantling it. Unfortunately, it’s the useful stuff we’ve removed. We now have all the plant trays and crates that should have been disposed off years ago but are just too handy/good to waste or throw out. I’m just a hoarder I suppose. I have about 200 solid stacking blue crates that are just the right size for A4 sheets. I have 5 of them stacked beside me in the office as my filing trays. If anyone would like to try them out I’d be delighted to hear from you.

At the weekend, we were busy clearing out our holiday let in Kirknewton. We decided to sell it and concentrate on the ones closer to home and Peebles (which has been going really well). We’ve owned it for 10 yrs and although it was always a business interest, it was surprisingly sad to leave it today for the last time.

Keir’s rugby team-mates were back to their old ways, where most of the team spectate, while the other team runs in huge amounts of tries. They’ve vowed to do better next week. They never seem to let defeat get them down.

PLEASE RETURN ALL NET BAGS PLEASE. WE RE-USE THEM.

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

Potato Solanum tuberosum. We’re onto our maincrop potatoes now. This week the variety is Nicola(white) or maybe Desiree Red skin). 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  vitamin B3 and Iodine. They are also an excellent source of Vitamin C and 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.

Savoy Cabbage Brassica oleracea . To cook, remove any damaged outer leaves, cut into quarters and remove the central core. It can be cooked in quarters like this in boiling salted water or else shredded and boiled or steamed. Here’s a recipe for Cabbage soup which will use up a few items in the bag this week: Prepare and wash the cabbage and shred it finely. Prepare and roughly chop, 2 carrots, the leek and 1/2lb(250g) potatoes. Put all the vegetables in a pan with 3 pints(1.5l) stock and a bouquet garni, bring to the boil  as it has a big and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Season to taste, sprinkle with parsley and serve at once.

Parsnip Pastinaca sativa. Source of Vitamin C and Folic Acid.  Peel the root thickly and slice the flesh. Boil in lightly salted water for 30 minutes. Alternatively, parboil for 10 minutes then roast for 20 – 30 minutes. Here’s a recipe I found for: Fried Parsnips; Trim the tops and roots off the parsnips then peel and cut in half lengthways. Put the parsnips in a pan of boiling water ( lightly salted)  and cook for 15 minutes. They should still be firm and not quite tender. Drain thoroughly. Lightly beat an egg and dip the parsnips in it before coating them with breadcrumbs seasoned with salt and pepper. Melt 2oz(50g) of butter in a frying pan and shallow fry the parsnips until they are golden and crisp on both sides, turning once.

Courgette (1 head) Great sliced, julienne-style, into stir-fries or slice into thin discs and sauté in salted butter with a clove of garlic crushed in for good measure.

Kohl-rabi Brassica oleracea Gongylodes Group (1 head) Excellent source of Vitamin C and of potassium. Peel the outer skin off of the swollen bulb then eat either raw or cooked. Here’s a recipe for Sugar-browned kohl-rabi Peel the kohl-rabi and cut into finger-wide strips. Blanch for 5 minutes then refresh in cold water. Return the kohl-rabi to the pan with a small amount of boiling lightly salted water. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Drain and allow to cool slightly. Melt 1oz (25g) sugar in a heavy based frying pan without stirring, until it bubbles and is pale brown. Add 1oz (25g) of butter and stir until blended. Stir in the kohl-rabi strips and shake the pan frequently to coat all the strips evenly with caramel.

Fruit and Vegetables
Organic Vegetables	£13.50 per standard bag
	£16.50 per Large bag
Organic Fruit	£4.00 per Small Bag
	£7.00 per Large Bag
Organic Pasteurised Milk ( full cream/semi skimmed)	£1.20per  litre
Organic Single cream ( 250ml/500ml)	£1.20/£1.60
Organic Double cream ( 250ml/500ml)	£1.30/£1.70
Eggs
Organic Free Range Eggs	£1.80 per Half Dozen Box

Cheques should be made payable to ‘D Murray’

For more information or to place an order please contact us on 07931 738767 or e-mail us or alternatively you can check out our website at  www.thewholeshebag.com or e-mail  thewholeshebag@aol.com

South Cobbinshaw, West Calder, West Lothian, EH55 8LQ

Newsletter w/c 30th October 2017

Plans are afoot for a proper, solid glasshouse to be built as a lean-to structure onto the end of the shed. This will replace the poly-tunnel, which has done well, but is always a worry in the wilder weather conditions. So, I’ve been clearing the stuff out of tunnel to allow me to get the cover off of it before it blows off. I hope to get started on the foundations of the glasshouse in November.

At the weekend we headed over to Kilmarnock to help Brian, my wee brother, to celebrate his birthday. The football result was a good start, then we had a meal then off to Cumnock town hall to watch the soul band Counselled Out. Great fun.

The boys have been busy too. Finn had his first tuition day with The West Lothian Schools Folk Band and Keir was playing rugby in Hamilton with his team. Finn came back full of enthusiasm and Keirs team, who haven’t won all season, lost again, but managed to score 5 or 6 tries so feel it’s a step in the right direction.

Hope you’re having a good Halloween. We sent out Swedes last week for the Scottish version and pumpkins this week for the American version of Halloween lantern. Have fun carving them.

PLEASE RETURN ALL NET BAGS PLEASE. WE RE-USE THEM.

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

Potato Solanum tuberosum. We’re onto our maincrop potatoes now. The variety for the most part is Nicola. 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  vitamin B3 and Iodine. They are also an excellent source of Vitamin C and 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.

Leek Allium porrum  Excellent source of Vitamin C. Particularly used to give soups a lovely creamy texture. As leeks grow they tend to lock soil into their leaf axils, so be sure to rinse them well after slicing them up. A nice idea for cooking leeks is to sweat finely sliced leeks in butter for 5 minutes, pour in a glass of red wine and simmer until reduced. Season and serve.

Beetroot Beta vulgaris (400g ) 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’. My recipe for you  this week completely disregards this, so have a pair of rubber gloves and newspaper handy. I’m going to tell you how to make 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.

Kale Brassica oleracea Acephala Group..(200g) Some of the kale is still on its stalk so remove it before preparing. Kale is an excellent source of Vitamins A and C and also a source of potassium, copper, calcium,  fibre and phytochemicals. To cook, strip the leaves off of the tough midrib, then shred and wash in cold, running water. Then steam for 10 minutes and serve with melted butter and season with pepper or ground cloves. You can make Colcannon by draining the kale after boiling then setting it aside. Take a finely chopped onion and put it in a pan with 150ml of milk. Bring it to the boil then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 10 minutes. Blend about 375g of mashed potatoes with the finely chopped kale, then heat through gently, adding as much of the milk and onion mixture as it will absorb to give the consistency of creamed potatoes. Put in a serving dish, make a depression in the centre and pour in some melted butter.

Pumpkin . The pumpkin in the bag this week is a very versatile vegetable. It can be roasted or cut into stews. It makes delicious and hearty soup, but can also make a dessert pie. We quite often make a curry with ours, so just google yourself a recipe. Cut the pumpkin into quarters remove the tough outer peel and the inner seeds and cut up the inner flesh to your desired recipe’s requirements

Fruit and Vegetables
Organic Vegetables	£13.50 per standard bag
	£16.50 per Large bag
Organic Fruit	£4.00 per Small Bag
	£7.00 per Large Bag
Organic Pasteurised Milk ( full cream/semi skimmed)	£1.20per  litre
Organic Single cream ( 250ml/500ml)	£1.20/£1.60
Organic Double cream ( 250ml/500ml)	£1.30/£1.70
Eggs
Organic Free Range Eggs	£1.80 per Half Dozen Box

Cheques should be made payable to ‘D Murray’

For more information or to place an order please contact us on 07931 738767 or e-mail us or alternatively you can check out our website at  www.thewholeshebag.com or e-mail  thewholeshebag@aol.com

South Cobbinshaw, West Calder, West Lothian, EH55 8LQ

Newsletter w/c 23rd October 2017

It’s been a busy week. We picked Finn up from Kilmarnock, last Friday, having finished his week of work experience with McCallums. He seems to have enjoyed it and the company would have him back to work again. I suppose that’s really what the whole process is about.

The holiday let had a booking for Sunday, so we had to turn it back from a building site, to comfortable accommodation again. The shower room isn’t finished but the partition is complete and has door that can be shut to block out the scene of  (organized) chaos.

Keir and I spent the day in Glasgow on Saturday. The annual World Solo Drumming Championships to place at Glasgow Caledonia Uni. Keir was a bit disappointed not to make the final, but other members of the band did well with 5 or 6 getting top 3 prizes.

Veg-wise, the quality of the potato crop has improved at our quality control side. I hope that reflects in those you are receiving too. If you are still receiving diseased potatoes in your bag, please let me know. We have broccoli again this week, it was only in the bag a fortnight ago, but when it’s ready, it’s ready and needs picked. If you are getting too much for your taste, let me know.

I’ll get back outside and rake up some more leaves. I seem to have been doing it non-stop since the high winds last week. Still if I can collect them and get them in to the compost pit, it means I have a good base for compost in a couple of years.

PLEASE RETURN ALL NET BAGS PLEASE. WE RE-USE THEM.

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

Potato Solanum tuberosum. We’re onto our maincrop potatoes now so we’re back to the full amount in the bag. The variety for the most part is Nicola. 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  vitamin B3 and Iodine. They are also an excellent source of Vitamin C and 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) The staple of the Scottish winter vegetable garden. Just peel the tough skin off and chop up and boil the sweet, crunchy, orange root. Best served mashed with a dribble of cream and a dod of butter through it. A spoonful of this will partner mashed tatties wherever they’re used and, of course, you can’t have haggis without it.

Garlic  (1head). Use a clove of garlic to flavour savoury dishes. Split a clove off of the bulb, peel off the skin and crush or chop finely. Mix with butter and spread on bread or  toast to make a tasty snack.

Broccoli Brassica oleracea Italica Group (1 head) Excellent source of Vitamin C, folic acid and phytochemicals and good for Vitamn.B6. Also contains Vitamins A, B2, B6 and phosphorus, fibre, calcium and iron. It is best eaten raw or quickly blanched in boiling , lightly salted water. Broccoli is also good in stir-fries as it has a lovely crunch to it if you don’t cook it for too long.

White Cabbage Brassica oleracea Capitata Group..(1/2 head) . To cook, remove any damaged outer leaves, cut into quarters and remove the central core. It can be cooked in quarters like this in boiling salted water or else shredded and boiled or steamed. Here’s a recipe for Cabbage soup which will use up a few items in the bag this week: Prepare and wash the cabbage and shred it finely. Prepare and roughly chop, 2 carrots, the leek and 1/2lb(250g) potatoes. Put all the vegetables in a pan with 3 pints(1.5l) stock and a bouquet garni, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Season to taste, sprinkle with parsley and serve at once.

Fruit and Vegetables
Organic Vegetables	£13.50 per standard bag
	£16.50 per Large bag
Organic Fruit	£4.00 per Small Bag
	£7.00 per Large Bag
Organic Pasteurised Milk ( full cream/semi skimmed)	£1.20per  litre
Organic Single cream ( 250ml/500ml)	£1.20/£1.60
Organic Double cream ( 250ml/500ml)	£1.30/£1.70
Eggs
Organic Free Range Eggs	£1.80 per Half Dozen Box

Cheques should be made payable to ‘D Murray’

For more information or to place an order please contact us on 07931 738767 or e-mail us or alternatively you can check out our website at  www.thewholeshebag.com or e-mail  thewholeshebag@aol.com

South Cobbinshaw, West Calder, West Lothian, EH55 8LQ

Newsletter w/c 16th October 2017

The poly-tunnel is still standing with polythene intact, (well, not any more damaged than it was before) and the trees have survived, so it looks like former hurricane Ophelia has left us unscathed. There hasn’t even been a power-cut. We were in Kilmarnock at the weekend, so when we returned yesterday, we swept the area round the buildings for anything that could take off in the wind and cause damage.

The trip to my parents, in Kilmarnock, was primarily to drop off Finn. He’s staying with them this week to attend a week of work experience at McCallum Bagpipes. He’s looking forward to the experience, but cursing the fact he’s losing his school holiday. Keir, his wee brother, has his first working day this week too, as he’s becoming a member of the packing team in the shed.

The weather is wild but still quite mild. To make the most of your veg selection each week, greens like broccoli, kale and leek need to be cooked reasonably quickly after receiving the bag to get the best out of them. Broccoli is best cooking within a day of arriving on the doorstep. As we get further into the year and the temperature drops this will become less of an issue. Cabbages and roots tend to last a lot longer but still need to be kept cool to extend their life.

Here’s a list of whats in the bag this week. As ever, if you have any problems with quantity or quality, please let me know. Substitutions may occur depending on availability.

PLEASE RETURN ALL NET BAGS PLEASE. WE RE-USE THEM.

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

Potato Solanum tuberosum. We’re onto our maincrop potatoes now so we’re back to the full amount in the bag. The variety for the most part is Nicola. 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  vitamin B3 and Iodine. They are also an excellent source of Vitamin C and 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.

Pepper Capsicum sp. (1 head) Good source of vitamin C. Wash the pepper, then slice off the top. Scoop out the seeds and membranes. Can be eaten cooked or fresh in various dishes including pasta sauces, pizza, salads. Peppers can also be stuffed with various fillings.

Courgette (1 head) Great sliced, julienne-style, into stir-fries or slice into thin discs and sauté in salted butter with a clove of garlic crushed in for good measure.

Red Cabbage Brassica oleracea Capitata Group..(1 head) Excellent source of Vitamin C and phytochemicals and also contains Vitamin B6, potassium, fibre and calcium. Here’s a recipe for Braised red cabbage which uses apples rather than the orange based gravy I gave you last time. Braised Red Cabbage: Remove the outer coarse leaves and cut the cabbage into quarters. Remove the  has contiutough coresand shred the cabbage finely. Peel core and grate 2 cooking apples and mix with the cabbage. Melt 2oz.(50g) of butter in a pan, add 5fl.oz.(150ml) white wine vinegar and mix in the cabbage; coat thoroughly; then cover with a tight fitting lid and simmer over a gentle heat for 1 hour. Add a little more vinegar or water if the cabbage threatens to stick. Stir in 5fl.oz. (150ml) of red wine or blackcurrant juice, season to taste with sugar. The cabbage will have a fairly sharp flavour. Cover and simmer until tender.

Celeriac apium graveolens Celeriac is rich in Vitamin K, Iron, Magnesium and Phosphorus. It is edible raw or cooked. It can be roasted, boiled, stewed or even stir-fried. Our favourite recipe is celeriac and apple soup which is a great thick hearty soup for a frosty day after a long walk. Also good mashed through potatoes to add an extra flavour to your tatties.

Fruit and Vegetables
Organic Vegetables	£13.50 per standard bag
	£16.50 per Large bag
Organic Fruit	£4.00 per Small Bag
	£7.00 per Large Bag
Organic Pasteurised Milk ( full cream/semi skimmed)	£1.20per  litre
Organic Single cream ( 250ml/500ml)	£1.20/£1.60
Organic Double cream ( 250ml/500ml)	£1.30/£1.70
Eggs
Organic Free Range Eggs	£1.80 per Half Dozen Box

Cheques should be made payable to ‘D Murray’

For more information or to place an order please contact us on 07931 738767 or e-mail us or alternatively you can check out our website at  www.thewholeshebag.com or e-mail  thewholeshebag@aol.com

South Cobbinshaw, West Calder, West Lothian, EH55 8LQ

Newsletter w/c 9th October 2017

The holiday cottage has been the taking our work time up this week. We’ve decided to take a section off of the back of what is the dining room at the moment, and make it a shower room. The current bathroom only has a shower head over the bath on the taps, and the room itself is built into the coomb of the roof, so is restricted for space and head room. Our friend Gordon is doing most of the work, with Lynda project managing and me as main gopher or spare pair of hands. Of course, I get any digging jobs required, as usual.

We took Finn down to Ayr, last Wednesday, to attend their Open Day. This meant that I ran out of time and didn’t finish my Wednesday delivery run until Thursday morning. Apologies to all those affected. The campus is very new and really central for town. Finn is interested in a career in music and the University of the West of Scotland runs a Commercial Music course. I think we were all impressed by the facilities and the enthusiasm of the staff was tangible. I think he came away quite inspired.

There’s nothing that should cause me any delays this week, so everyone can expect their bags to arrive on the correct day.

I hope you’re enjoying getting the newsletters again. I had meant to do one or two to get us through the weeks where the deliveries were disrupted, but I’ve had so many comments about how good it is to see them again that I’ll try to keep them going. I am aware that I need to get some new recipe ideas down rather than cutting and pasting the same ones that I’ve done for the last 10 yrs, and I promise I will get onto that as soon as I can.

PLEASE RETURN ALL NET BAGS PLEASE. WE RE-USE THEM.

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

Potato Solanum tuberosum. We’re onto our maincrop potatoes now so we’re back to the full amount in the bag. The variety for the most part is Nicola. 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  vitamin B3 and Iodine. They are also an excellent source of Vitamin C and 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.

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.

Broccoli Brassica oleracea Italica Group Excellent source of Vitamin C and folic acid. Also contains Vitamins A, B2, B6 and phosphorus, fibre, calcium and iron. It is best eaten raw or quickly blanched in boiling , lightly salted water. Also good in stir-fries. Please use as quickly as possible as it doesn’t keep well..

Savoy Cabbage Brassica oleracea . To cook, remove any damaged outer leaves, cut into quarters and remove the central core. It can be cooked in quarters like this in boiling salted water or else shredded and boiled or steamed. Here’s a recipe for Cabbage soup which will use up a few items in the bag this week: Prepare and wash the cabbage and shred it finely. Prepare and roughly chop, 2 carrots, the leek and 1/2lb(250g) potatoes. Put all the vegetables in a pan with 3 pints(1.5l) stock and a bouquet garni, bring to the boil  as it has a big and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Season to taste, sprinkle with parsley and serve at once.

Leek Allium porrum  Excellent source of Vitamin C. Particularly used to give soups a lovely creamy texture. As leeks grow they tend to lock soil into their leaf axils, so be sure to rinse them well after slicing them up. A nice idea for cooking leeks is to sweat finely sliced leeks in butter for 5 minutes, pour in a glass of red wine and simmer until reduced. Season and serve.

Fruit and Vegetables
Organic Vegetables	£13.50 per standard bag
	£16.50 per Large bag
Organic Fruit	£4.00 per Small Bag
	£7.00 per Large Bag
Organic Pasteurised Milk ( full cream/semi skimmed)	£1.20per  litre
Organic Single cream ( 250ml/500ml)	£1.20/£1.60
Organic Double cream ( 250ml/500ml)	£1.30/£1.70
Eggs
Organic Free Range Eggs	£1.80 per Half Dozen Box

Cheques should be made payable to ‘D Murray’

For more information or to place an order please contact us on 07931 738767 or e-mail us or alternatively you can check out our website at  www.thewholeshebag.com or e-mail  thewholeshebag@aol.com

South Cobbinshaw, West Calder, West Lothian, EH55 8LQ