Newsletter w/c 19th March 2018

There are no deliveries next week. The family has decided to treat me, to a week away to warmer weather, as I approach a major birthday next month. Of course, they are coming too. I’m being whisked away to the coastal town of Lagos in Portugal and the temperatures there are well into positive figures, which will make a nice change to what we’ve had here for the last couple of months. It’s only customers that are expecting a delivery next week that will miss out. All other deliveries will be as per the usual schedule.

Last Saturday, when we would normally have sat down to watch the Scotland rugby game, Keir and I headed over to an Arctic-blasted, James Young High School’s playing field, to participate in the inaugural training/taster session of the West Lothian Shinty Club. Our friend, Duncan Clark, had organized a shinty coach to come and teach the rules and technique required to play shinty. The age group of men/women/boys/girls participating covered 5 decades and we all had a great time. It’s a fun game and I recommend it to anyone who can wield a stick and walk the length of themselves. There are going to be monthly taster sessions up until June, when a decision will be made on how to proceed. I’ll intimate the date of the April session, and if you’re interested in trying it out (or know someone who might be), get in touch and I’ll get the information you need to get started. It’s definitely a more-the-merrier thing. As social and slow paced as we can make it..

The boys have a really busy week coming up. Finn, preparing for his exams, has the school Spring concert on Wednesday, playing the bagpipes, Thursday is the re-arranged Folk Band concert, where he’s on guitar. On Friday he has a bagpipe competition at St Kentigerns High school then both boys have the first major band competition of the year on Saturday, with Peoples Ford Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band. There’s also the extra practices fitted in where they can. The Dad Cab is going to be on constant call.

On the veg front, the variety is starting to narrow now as some of our veg varieties start to run out or have been affected by the weather. Its important you let us know if you’re getting too much of certain vegetables to make use of it. If this is the case, let me know and we’ll see what we can do to substitute when possible.

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

This is a list of the veg in the bag this week, although, substitutions may occur due to availability.

Potato, Onion, Carrot, swede, chard, pepper and red cabbage

The Large bag will also include:

Cauliflower,

Featured Recipe

Simple Chard with Garlic

Prep the chard by removing the soft leaves from the chunky stem. Cut stems into slices and leaves into inch-wide strips and keep them separate. In a frying pan, bring 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a medium heat and sauté a sliced clove of garlic, a pinch of coriander seeds and a teaspoon of ground pepper and cook for about 30 seconds. Lower the heat a bit and add the chard stalks. Mix in and cover, cook for about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the leaves and toss through the mixture. Cook for a further 3 minutes and serve immediately.

Organic Vegetables	£11.50 per standard bag
	£14.50 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

All deliveries are now subject to an additional delivery charge on sliding scale from £2 to £9

Delivery price will be calculated on enquiry.

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. 00236654 for online payment.

Newsletter w/c 5th March 2018

NEWSLETTER FOR W/C  5th March 2018

Wow, What a week? The weather just got worse as the week went on. Thankfully, my decision to keep going and get as many deliveries out as possible, paid off. Nobody missed out on their order and I managed to get home unscathed, I couldn’t get the van home, though. The farm road was 2 ft deep in snow by the time I reached it, so I left it at a neighbouring farm and walked the last mile or 2. The travel alerts meant that the roads were very quiet. All in all I think it was a good idea or there could have been chaos. I decided to keep off of the motorways as there is no option to turn back if you hit problem conditions. In the event, I had to turn back three times and try different routes on Wednesday evening trying to get away from the East side of Glasgow.

Of course, the boys loved getting the time off school, and Tess, our dog, gets really excited by the whole thing. We had a lot of shovelling to do to clear paths to the sheds or the log store or the holiday cottage, and she must have jumped after every shovel full. She’s lying in her bed now completely worn out.

It’s still snowing with us too, although it’s a lot wetter so I don’t think it will cause any trouble for this week. If it is going to I will let you know. I wont just not deliver. Assume your delivery will arrive, unless I’ve let you know otherwise.

All my other outdoor work has come to a standstill, so I’m left with no excuse. I have to get on with either paperwork or housework. I hope the snow disappears soon.

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

This is a list of the veg in the bag this week, although, substitutions may occur due to availability.

Potato, Onion, Carrot, Brussels sprouts, swede, parsley and parsnip

The Large bag will also include:

Celery, broccoli and spinach

Featured Recipe

Lightly Spiced Carrot Soup

Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a soup pan. Add 1 chopped onion, a crushed clove of garlic, a finely chopped chilli and a grated knob of ginger. Cook for 3-5 minutes then add  a teaspoonful of mild curry powder, 500g of chopped carrot, 500g chopped swede ( or 1kg of carrot if you prefer) 2 stalks of lemon grass, 2 strips of orange zest and sweat over a low heat with the lid on, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to stop it sticking. Add a 400g tin of coconut milk and 750ml of vegetable stock and bring to the boil then turn down the heat a bit and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the carrots a really soft.

Remove the orange zest and the lemon grass and whiz the soup with a blender. Serve in bowls, with a sprinkling of the mild curry powder over the top.

Organic Vegetables	£11.50 per standard bag
	£14.50 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

All deliveries are now subject to an additional delivery charge on sliding scale from £2 to £9

Delivery price will be calculated on enquiry.

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. 00236654 for online payment.

Newsletter w/c 26th February 2018

We’ve all got a wee spring in our step this week, after the fine game at Murrayfield, on Saturday, that saw Scotland deservedly beat England at rugby for the first time in a decade. It was no smash and grab job. Scotland played accurately and with the right mix of steel and creativity to overcome a very good English team, who also played well. Now, Scotland have to start winning away from Murrayfield to take the next step in their development. Finn had a great day. Playing his pipes on the pitch with the band, then dashing up to watch the game in the stands. I had to pick him up in Biggar later on and he sang Flower of Scotland all the way home.

The West Lothian School Bands (Folk, Brass and String) have their annual concert this weekend, in Livingston. If you’re in the area, I think it’ll be a great advert for young local musical talent. This has been Finn’s first year of involvement with the folk band and he really enjoys the practices, even though it means an early start on a Sunday morning.

On the farm, we’re just doing what we can through this prolonged cold spell. I’m still repairing dykes, and am patching up collapsed walls around our holiday cottage garden. I’ve also picked up a fairly sizeable landscaping job forming a herbaceous border at a house nearby, so when the ground isn’t frozen or snow-covered, I’ll be heading over there to try to get that completed before the growing season starts. Never a dull moment!

Keir’s rugby team played at Melrose on Sunday. What a beautiful place it is, and a great day for it too. Keir’s team lost again, but they did manage to score a few tries and put some passages of play together that will give them encouragement and a bit of hope that results may turn round soon.

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

This is a list of the veg in the bag this week, although, substitutions may occur due to availability.

Potato, Onion, Carrot, Celery, Garlic, Savoy and Leek

The Large bag will also include:

Fennel, Mushroom and Swede

Featured Recipe

Creamy Celery Gratin

Cut the thick celery stocks in half lengthwise, then cut all the stalks in to thumb sized lengths, rinse and set aside wet. Melt a knob of butter in a saucepan and slowly cook a small chopped onion, the rinsed celery and a bay leaf for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While this is cooking, prepare the breadcrumbs. In a frying pan, melt another knob of butter and fry a 75g breadcrumbs and 30g of crushed walnuts until golden and toasted, then set aside.

Heat the grill to medium. When the celery is tender, add 150ml of veg or chicken stock and 50ml of white wine. Turn the heat right up and reduce by two-thirds. Add 50ml of double cream and reduce for the final few minutes until you have a syrupy sauce. Check the seasoning and pour it into an oven proof dish. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top and a dusting of parmesan. Grill for 2-3 minutes until the sauce bubbles, then remove from the grill and let it rest for 5 mins before serving.

Organic Vegetables	£11.50 per standard bag
	£14.50 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

All deliveries are now subject to an additional delivery charge on sliding scale from £2 to £9

Delivery price will be calculated on enquiry.

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. 00236654 for online payment.

Newsletter w/c 12th March 2018

NEWSLETTER FOR W/C  12th March 2018

After the stresses of trying to keep things running in the adverse weather, it was great to make use of my Christmas present for a couple of nights away near Loch Lomond. A wee re-charge of the batteries never does any harm.

There’s still snow lying at Cobbinshaw. I was out trying to continue the repairs on the walls, but the stones are still under slowly-reducing drifts, so I had to abandon the attempt.

On that subject, the whole family are going away at the Easter holidays, so there will be no delivery in a fortnights time (w/c 26^th March). No other deliveries are affected. If you are due a delivery that week, your next delivery will be on the date you would have expected the next delivery. It tends to cause more confusion if I try to postpone deliveries. I’ve found its better just to cancel the one week, and only affect one weeks worth of deliveries. Please just ask if you are in any doubt about when deliveries will be.

The Spring School Bands Concert was a victim of the weather too. Its now been re-arranged as a much smaller affair for the families of the performers. We’ve also just had the bad news that the council has decided to cut the funding for the School bands. Finn has gained so much from being part of the project. There are a lot of children out there who struggle with academia, whose strengths lie in the arts or creative subjects. To them, music or art, as a subject, is as important as Maths or English to everyone else. There would be an outcry, quite rightly, if either of those was cut. A petition has been raised to try to raise awareness of the cuts and gain support for a campaign against the closure of the bands. If you’d like to add your name the link can be found at https://www.change.org/p/west-lothian-council-save-our-strings-and-percussion-before-it-s-too-late/d?source_location=combo_psf. Alternatively, an email to Cathy Muldoon or David Dodds, our councilors at West Lothian Council would be helpful.

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

This is a list of the veg in the bag this week, although, substitutions may occur due to availability.

Potato, Onion, Carrot, Beetroot, Kale, Spring Onion and Broccoli

The Large bag will also include:

Brussels sprout, Red Cabbage and Mushroom

Featured Recipe

Warm Beet, Chorizo and Pear Salad

Boil the beetroot in a large pan of water for 20-40 minutes depending on the size. Once cooked through, drain and leave to cool in a colander. When cool enough to handle, remove the skin, root and stalks and roughly chop the flesh. Take 100g of chorizo, skinned and thickly sliced. Place it in a cold frying pan and bring up to a medium heat and fry until crisp. A lot of oil should collect. Remove the chorizo with a slotted spoon and keep warm. Add 50-100g blanche whole almonds to the pan and just as theyre starting to brown at the edges, whip them out of the pan with the slotted spoon and leave to dry on some kitchen paper. Make a dressing by adding 2 tablespoons of quince paste (membrillo) to the oil in the pan, along with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 4 tablespoons of sherry vinegar and season to taste. Core and thinly slice a pear and toss in a little lemon juice to stop it browning. Arrange on a plate with the beets, chorizo and almonds. You can mix together with the dressing or serve the dressing on the side.

Organic Vegetables	£11.50 per standard bag
	£14.50 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

All deliveries are now subject to an additional delivery charge on sliding scale from £2 to £9

Delivery price will be calculated on enquiry.

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. 00236654 for online payment.