Newsletter w/c 16th April 2018

NEWSLETTER FOR W/C  16th April 2018

Deliveries for most of you will be a day later than usual. Lynda and I attended a funeral up in Aberdeen on Tuesday so it has meant a delay in the regular schedule. Apologies if it has caused you any difficulty. It was a sad reason to be there, but nice to see Aberdeen again. I worked there for a landscape company for 3 years in my 20’s, and it was during that time that I met Lynda. We haven’t been back up for a few years, so it was a chance to visit some of the old haunts too.

There has actually been some growth at last and a little warmth in the air. We’ve started sowing in earnest now and some seedlings have broken the surface already. The soil is still a bit heavy, so haven’t had the rotovator out yet, but cultivation will be imminent and then things really swing into action. I’m in the middle of the first grass cut of the season (very late) and have been given the job of building a patio for the house before the worst of the busy season starts which, I’m glad to say, I’m more than half way through already so there’s hope we may have a completed job by the end of next week.

After much pressure from the family, I’ve succumbed to having a party on Saturday, to celebrate my 50^th birthday. It’s not even at home, but at the local golf club, so I hope we can fill the dancefloor. I’ll let you know how it goes next week.

The bag is quite ‘rooty’ this week with both swede and beetroot included. This could be the last swede for the season now as they’re getting a bit thin on the ground. I’m sure that will be a relief to some of you.

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, white cabbage, beetroot, swede, garlic

The Large bag will also include:

Mushroom, spinach, celery,

Featured Recipe

White Cabbage with Garlic and Coriander

Preheat the oven to 180oC/350oF/Gas Mark 4. Take your cabbage and remove the outer leaves, cut into quarters and remove the solid husk from the central core. Now wash the 4 pieces of cabbage quarter and pat them dry as best as possible. Take a casserole dish and add 2 tablespoons of groundnut oil and 1 large clove of garlic, crushed and put it in the oven to heat through. When it starts to sizzle add a heaped teaspoonful of crushed coriander seeds and the cabbage. Baste the cabbage a little and add seasoning to taste. Place back in the oven and cook for about 40 minutes, or until the cabbage is tender. 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.

Change to Delivery days

Lynda and I are attending a funeral in Aberdeen on Tuesday 17th April. Deliveries this week will be a day later than usual for most customers. Apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.

Newsletter w/c 9th April 2018

Sorry we didn’t get a newsletter out last week. It was all a bit of a rush, coming back from hols to get straight into work and trying to catch up with what had been missed while we were away. Also, coming back to snow and Arctic conditions after the heat of The Algarve was a bit of a shock to the system.

Unfortunately, next weeks run is going to be disrupted again. Lynda and I are attending a funeral in Aberdeen on Tuesday so deliveries will be a day later than usual, Tuesdays will be delivered on Wednesday, Wednesdays on Thursday etc. apologies for any inconvenience caused.

Its so much more pleasant to be working out in the field or garden when we get the temperatures we’re experiencing this week. I’ve been out getting prepared for the new season, although the ground is still pretty wet. However, that doesn’t stop the seeds getting planted into trays and peas and beans planted in pots. The season is definitely under way. I even saw a swallow this morning, so that’s definitely a sign that Spring is here.

The sooner we can get some plants into the ground the better. The stored crop from last season has kept well through the cold spell but we’re starting to get to the end of it now. We’ll have to buy in a bit more produce until the crop is ready to start picking. It wont grow very fast until we get some consistent high temperatures to warm the soil.

The gardening side of the business is starting to get busier now too, with customers starting to sign up for regular grass and border maintenance over the summer months, or for one-off hedge trims and tidy-ups. Again, the season has been late starting due to the cold. Usually, we’ll have had to visit for first cuts to lawns and greens by this time, but its just been so cold, there has been virtually no growth yet. Should you like any further information, or a price to have your garden maintained, send me an email and I’ll organize to come out and see whats required.

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, cucumber, broccoli, celery and courgette

The Large bag will also include:

Butternut Squash, leek and pak choi,

Featured Recipe

Broccoli and Sage Pasta

Boil 150g of spaghetti for 1 min then add your broccoli, trimmed and cut into small lengths (around 5cm) and boil for 4 minutes more.

In a frying pan, gently sauté 1 small, finely chopped onion and a finely chopped clove of garlic in a tablespoon of olive oil. After 5 minutes, add one quarter of a teaspoon of crushed chillis and 12 shredded sage leaves. Cook this gently for 2 minutes then mix with the pasta, sprinkle with parmesan if you like it, and serve. It should only take 15 minutes from start to finish.

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

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.

Newsletter w/c 19th February 2018

I didn’t get the chance to write a newsletter last week, as we took a wee half-term holiday/Keir’s Birthday excuse for a few days away. We booked a self-catering cottage in Gartocharn, near Loch Lomond and had a snowy, long-weekend there. I came back on Tuesday morning and headed straight out on deliveries, so if you noticed I was maybe a bit late, that was the reason. As you’ll have noticed, if you read the newsletter a couple of weeks ago, the weekend also involved taking Keir all the way back over to Murrayfield on Sunday for his first experience of being part of the pipe band on the pitch for the match against France. At least Scotland won and performed a lot better than the week before, but they’ll need to be better yet to beat England this Saturday.

After a very broken 2 years of sporadic effort, I’ve managed to turn a pile of stones at a new gate entrance to the sheds, into a reasonable dry-stane dyke. I don’t think I’ve done anything to it in the last year, but with a concerted effort, this month, it is finally finished. It’s definitely not perfect, but it is sheep proof. I have a small section at the other side of the gate to rebuild yet. I wonder how many years it will take me to complete it.

The weather hasn’t been helping me to get some of my winter jobs done. I’ve found it to be an unusually uncomfortable period of weather. Maybe its just my age kicking in. There doesn’t seem to have been many of the crisp, still, frosty mornings when I can get out and work up a bit of heat, digging or chopping wood. It’s just snell winds and wet slushy snow as far as I can see, this Winter.

While I’m on the subject of the weather, I’ve put kale in the bag this week, and I think it may be coming to an end soon. You may need to trim a bit off the edge of some of the leaves as there seems to be some yellowing to the outer margins.

Thanks for all the positive comments about the re-introduction of the newsletter. If you’d prefer that I saved paper and sent an email rather than a firm copy, please let me know and also which email address you’d like it sent to.

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, Butternut squash, leek, kale and Swede

The Large bag will also include:

Red Cabbage, parsnip and Celeriac

Featured Recipe

Roasted Butternut Squash and Sage Risotto

Preheat your oven to 200oC/400oF/Gas Mark 6. Peel your butternut squash and cut into 6-8 wedges, removing the seeds. Crush or chop 2 cloves of garlic and spread both in a baking tray with a sprinkling of salt and pepper and approx 7 or 8 sage leaves. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil and mix around to cover all the ingredients in oil then bake for 40-50 mins until the squash is softened and golden in colour. Tip all the ingredients into a bowl and mash the ingredients adding any residue from the baking tray. Take a frying pan and heat a tablespoon of olive oil and a knob of butter. Add a chopped large onion to the pan and fry slowly until softened. Add 400g Arborio rice and stir in, then add 2 glasses of white wine after about a minute. Keep stirring until this is absorbed into the rice. Mix up 1 litre of chicken or vegetable stock and add a good ladleful to the pan along with another 7 or 8 sage leaves and seasoning. Turn down the heat to a simmer and keep adding ladlefuls of stock and moving the mixture around the pan as the rice absorbs it. In 15-20 minutes, the rice should be soft, with a little bit of bite in it and a creamy texture. Remove the pan from the heat and add the butternut squash mixture and a bit of parmesan to taste. Mix in then put the lid back on for a couple of minutes. If the risoot seems dry add a little more stock to get the correct consistency. Serve with a sprinkling of pinenuts and parmesan.

Newsletter week commencing 5th February 2018

The excitement, in our household, for the weekend, was palpable. With the start of the 6 Nations rugby Championship, on Saturday afternoon, and Scotland playing so well lately, we looked forward to an enthralling championship. Things started well when the Kilmarnock football team, we support, beat the mighty Celtic at lunchtime. By the time kick-off in the rugby arrived, we were in jubilant mood. There, as you probably know, it ended. Scotland were thoroughly overwhelmed by a solid Welsh team making few mistakes, who capitalised fully on the most error-strewn performance I’ve seen in a while. The positives for next weekend must be that we play France in Edinburgh, at Murrayfield and, surely Scotlands play can only improve.

Its going to be an exciting day for Keir, as he’s drumming in the band, for the first time, that’s playing the national anthem on the pitch. Finn gets his turn in the match against England in 2 weeks time. That’ll be Finn’s third time, piping at Murrayfield, and Scotland have won both of the other times, so we’re hoping that run continues in the Calcutta cup match.

While the snow disappeared for a couple of days, I’ve managed to get some dyking repairs started. The time just flies by when I’m busy at the walls. It’s like a big jig-saw and really addictive. Once I start, I don’t want to stop. Youre sure the next stone in the pile will be exactly the right shape for the space you’ve got to fill. Some days every stone you put your hand on seems to sit perfectly in the wall, and other days you look for one stone for an hour. It’s a real feeling of satisfaction when you build the wall just right. You know that its going to stand there for the next hundred years if its given the chance.

This week, I’m hoping to move our fruit growing section to an area closer to the house. This tactic is to try and encourage other members of the family to help me pick the fruit when its ready. I don’t hold out a great amount of hope, but if we get some decent weather in July and August I may get some company for picking the raspberries.

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, White Cabbage, Garlic, Brussels sprouts, Swede

The Large bag will also include:

Kale, Cucumber, Mushroom

Featured Recipe

Neeps and Tatties Soup – I should have had this recipe in a couple of weeks ago, but I’ve only just found it.

Melt 25g butter in a pan over a medium heat. Add ½ teaspoon of ground coriander along with a large chopped onion, 2 chopped carrots, 2 sticks of celery chopped, a peeled and chopped swede, and 200g of peeled and chopped potatoes. Fry this gently for about 5 minutes then cover with 800ml of water and bring to the boil. Simmer until all the veg is soft (approx 25 mins). Season with salt and pepper and a good grating of nutmeg. Blitz it with a blender then return to the pan and adjust the seasoning to suit. In a frying pan fry 200g of cooked haggis or black pudding until sizzling. Pour the soup into bowls and top with a sprinkling of haggis or black pudding and a swirl of double cream.

Fruit and Vegetables
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 29th January 2018

For those who didn’t get a delivery, or a newsletter, last week, please note that I have had to change the bank account details for payments. Please note the new account number at the bottom of the newsletter. I apologise profusely for not giving you the correct details in the first place. I think I caught myself out with too many changes at once. Of course, if you have any queries at all, please get in touch and we’ll sort it out.

As usual, I have an apology to make. Maybe nobody noticed, but I listed savoy on the list of veg in the standard bag last week, when, in fact, everyone was supposed to get celery. As it turned out, not everyone did get celery, as it ran out and was substituted by something else. I guarantee that savoy will be in the bag this week.

Finn has one more prelim to sit this week and then that’s him free of the pressure for a wee while. He’s been quite keen on basketball lately, after playing at PE in school. He found that some of his mates played once a week in the evening at a local Sports Centre, and decided to join them, so I’ve been running him along to that. It’s only an hour so I hung about waiting for him most weeks. Last week he suggested I join in, and always keen to try something new, I did. How hard can it be? I thought. I was gasping for air after about 2 minutes on the court, but once I learned to pace myself a bit it got easier. I didn’t score a basket at all, and a lot of muscles I didn’t know I had were making their presence felt over the next couple of days, but I’ve been asked back, so I better start practicing.

Keir’s rugby team haven’t had a game this year yet, but they’ve been training hard. They have their first match this Sunday and, as they haven’t won a game all season, they mean to put that to rights. I’ll let you know how they get on.

There’s not a lot happening on the growing side of things just now. The ground was covered in snow for about 10 days and is now completely water-logged, so I’ve been getting some time to work on the dinghy I mentioned last week. Its not going to be a quick job, but I’m enjoying the challenge.

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, Savoy, Leek, Celeriac and Parsley

The Large bag will also include:

Fennel, Courgette and Broccoli

Featured Recipe

Easy Roasted Carrot Houmous

Heat your oven to 200oC/ 400oF / Gas Mark 6. Wash 500g carrots and pat them dry. Tip them into a baking tray with 2 cloves of garlic (no need to peel the cloves). Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the veg and shake the tray to coat everything in oil.

Cook for 25-30 minutes or until carrots are cooked through. Take the tray out of the oven and leave to cool.

Squeeze the garlic out of its skin and into a blender along with (the drained contents of) a tin of chickpeas. Add 3 tablespoons of orange juice and a teaspoon of cumin, the carrots and season to taste.

Blend until you get a houmous consistency.

Serve with finger foods for dipping.

Fruit and Vegetables
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.