Check out our weekly newsletters - published every Friday - which include information about the Farm, Café and Store and events and workshops. You’ll also find lots of facts and figures, hints, tips and recipes, and up to date articles on important issues, such as animal welfare and climate change. If you have anything important you’d like to share, please contact us!
Church Farm Your Weekly Newsletter Friday 17th August 2012 A Note from the Grower Cucumbers are now spilling out of polytunnel 2 at the rate of fifty a day. T hese are about the only vegetable I don’t like to eat; there is something about their flavour, aroma and texture that I’ve always found unappetising. Yet they are beautiful plants and a joy to grow and harvest, so I suppose I should be thankful that somebody likes them. Cucumbers are plants of the cucurbit family, related to pumpkins, squashes, courgettes, marrows and melons. T hey originated in India more than 3000 years ago, but nowadays they are among the most widely cultivated vegetable crops on Earth, fourth only behind tomatoes, cabbages and onions. T heir habit is one of a creeping vine with grasping tendrils. Provided with vertical strings as they are in our polytunnel, they will happily climb upwards to present their fruits as green cylindrical pendulums, otherwise they would become an unmanageable sprawl where many of the fruits would go unnoticed and become overgrown. We are growing several varieties this year as usual. Some are “mini” types about 15 -20 cm (6 – 8 inches) in length, whereas others are the longer kind familiar to supermarket shoppers, where they often come shrink-wrapped in plastic (ugh!). We also have some old fashioned types with a prickly skin. T his is quite normal, the prickles are easily removed by scrubbing or rubbing, and many connoisseurs insist these types have a superior flavour. Finally we have the most unusual, “Crystal Lemon”. With its round shape and deep yellow colour, it’s something a bit different for the salad drawer in your fridge. It’s said to have a sweetish flavour all its own and children love them. Also in polytunnel 2 we are growing the cucumber’s sweet little sister, melon, about which more later….. Rik Image source: www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/basics/techniques/growfruitandveg_growingcucumbers1.shtml The first of our blackberries will be in store next week. We’re planning to make a bramble jelly at the height of the harvest with these sweet fruits, so keep an eye out for this. We also have plenty of our tasty raspberries in store, and a few more punnets of strawberries. There will be lots of fresh summery vegetables being gathered from the fields. You can enjoy a lovely colourful salad with some rainbow chard, beetroot, patty pan squash, and salad onions. To add to our latest range of farmhouse preserves, which includes a new mint jelly and plum jam, we’ve also made ‘Beard’s Oak Chutney’, named for our horticulture field. This uses tomatoes, courgettes, onions, and other delicious seasonal produce. It goes well with cold meats and cheeses. Try a jar today. The Latest from the Harvest Sautéed caramelised fennel Serves 4-6 Ingredients 4 medium heads fennel 25g/1oz butter 1 rounded tsp granulated sugar 275ml/10fl oz medium cider 55ml/2fl oz cider vinegar Salt Method 1. Cut off the leafy fronds and reserve them for a garnish. Trim off the green shoot by cutting diagonally to make a V-shape. Slice off the root part at the other end, keeping the bulb intact, and remove any tough or brown outer layers, then slice across each bulb to cut it in half. 2. Place the fennel in a fan steamer set in the saucepan with 2.5cm/1in of boiling water under it. Cover and steam for 10 min, then remove them from the steamer, throw out the water, wipe the inside of the pan with kitchen paper and return it to the heat. 3. Melt the butter and sugar in the saucepan and when it starts to foam, stir it around the pan until the sugar dissolves, then add the fennel, cut side down. Keeping the heat fairly high, brown it for five min, then turn over and brown on the other side for another three min. 4. Combine the cider, cider vinegar and a little salt, and pour this into the pan; simmer gently with fennel cut side up for 20 min. After that turn the fennel over again. Then continue to cook for a further 20-25 min (this time uncovered). Watch carefully during the last 10 min and test if cooked. 5. When the fennel is tender enough, raise the heat so that the remaining juices reduce to a glaze. Shake the pan carefully to give an even covering of the caramel glaze. Serve garnished with fennel fronds. http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/ sauteedcaramelisedfe_67187 Feeling a lull after the excitement of the Olympics? Come and join us to watch the Paralympics. Cheer on Team GB from the 29th of August. Join us on 8th Sept to celebrate Adrian’s 1st anniversary as landlord. What’s on at the Jolly Waggoner?
Transcript
Church FarmYour Weekly Newsletter
Friday 17th August 2012
A Note from the Grower
Cucumbers are now spilling out of polytunnel 2 at the rate of fifty a day. These are about the only vegetable I don’t like to eat; there is something about their flavour, aroma and texture that I’ve always found unappetising. Yet they are beautiful plants and a joy to grow and harvest, so I suppose I should be thankful that somebody likes them. Cucumbers are plants of the cucurbit family, related to pumpkins, squashes, courgettes, marrows and melons. They originated in India more than 3000 years ago, but nowadays they are among the most widely cultivated vegetable crops on Earth, fourth only behind tomatoes, cabbages and onions. Their habit is one of a creeping vine with grasping tendrils. Provided with vertical strings as they are in our polytunnel, they will happily climb upwards to present their fruits as green cylindrical pendulums, otherwise they would become an unmanageable sprawl where many of the fruits would go unnoticed and become overgrown. We are growing several varieties this year as usual. Some are “mini” types about 15 -20 cm (6 – 8 inches) in length, whereas others are the longer kind familiar to supermarket shoppers, where they often come shrink-wrapped in plastic (ugh!). We also have some old fashioned types with a prickly skin. This is quite normal, the prickles are easily removed by scrubbing or rubbing, and many connoisseurs insist these types have a superior flavour. Finally we have the most unusual, “Crystal Lemon”. With its round shape and deep yellow colour, it’s something a bit different for the salad drawer in your fridge. It’s said to have a sweetish flavour all its own and children love them. Also in polytunnel 2 we are growing the cucumber’s sweet little sister, melon, about which more later…..
The first of our blackberries will be in store next week. We’re planning to make a bramble jelly at the height of the harvest with these sweet fruits, so keep an eye out for this. We also have plenty of our tasty raspberries in store, and a few more punnets of strawberries.
There will be lots of fresh summery vegetables being gathered from the fields. You can enjoy a lovely colourful salad with some rainbow chard, beetroot, patty pan squash, and salad onions.
To add to our latest range of farmhouse preserves, which includes a new mint jelly and plum jam, we’ve also made ‘Beard’s Oak Chutney’, named for our horticulture field. This uses tomatoes, courgettes, onions, and other delicious seasonal produce. It goes well with cold meats and cheeses. Try a jar today.
The Latest from the Harvest
Sautéed caramelised fennel
Serves 4-6
Ingredients4 medium heads fennel25g/1oz butter1 rounded tsp granulated sugar275ml/10fl oz medium cider55ml/2fl oz cider vinegarSalt
Method1. Cut off the leafy fronds and reserve them for a garnish. Trim off the green shoot by cutting diagonally to make a V-shape. Slice off the root part at the other end, keeping the bulb intact, and remove any tough or brown outer layers, then slice across each bulb to cut it in half.2. Place the fennel in a fan steamer set in the saucepan with 2.5cm/1in of boiling water under it. Cover and steam for 10 min, then remove them from the steamer, throw out the water, wipe the inside of the pan with kitchen paper and return it to the heat.3. Melt the butter and sugar in the saucepan and when it starts to foam, stir it around the pan until the sugar dissolves, then add the fennel, cut side down. Keeping the heat fairly high, brown it for five min, then turn over and brown on the other side for another three min.4. Combine the cider, cider vinegar and a little salt, and pour this into the pan; simmer gently with fennel cut side up for 20 min. After that turn the fennel over again. Then continue to cook for a further 20-25 min (this time uncovered). Watch carefully during the last 10 min and test if cooked.5. When the fennel is tender enough, raise the heat so that the remaining juices reduce to a glaze. Shake the pan carefully to give an even covering of the caramel glaze. Serve garnished with fennel fronds.
Please note that these are standard items and are subject to change. If you have asked not to be supplied with a particular item, a substitute will be provided in your box.
Real Ales: Real Food : Warm Welcome at the
Jolly Waggoner
Book a table today to avoid disappointment on 01438 861 350!
Special Offers for Booked Tables:“Pimm’s & Pitchers” in celebration of
Summer - free cheesy chips with every pitcher of Pimm’s, lager or bitter
Celebrate your birthday with us and get a free bottle of wine for each table of 6 or
more people.
www.thejollywaggoner.co.uk
This week at Rural Care we have been going through our co-farmer appraisals. This allows our co-farmers to assess their time on the farm, looking at the jobs they have carried out and providing them with new goals. This ensures our co-farmers always have something new to work for and achieve in the future. Goals can include working in the shop, helping another co-farmer to complete a task and trying out woodwork or gardening.
This week we have also been litter picking in the woods and fields around the farm. We’ve even moved chicks from Home Field to new pastures in the Walnut Orchard. This required a great team effort from our co-farmers. Everyone got stuck in and it made sure of a pleasant journey for all chicks involved!
Appraisals and Activities at Rural Care
In the vegetable world, few tasting experiences can compare to a fresh corn on the cob straight off the BBQ, smothered in fresh butter and freshly ground black pepper (with a liberal sprinkling of chilli flakes if that takes your fancy!)
Sweetcorn, a form of maize, has only been around since the 1700s. It has a much higher sugar content than the other forms of this grass, hence the deliciously sweet flavour of the kernels. Sweetcorn is a vital source of vitamins A and C as well as folic acid and contributes to a balanced diet across the globe. We are all familiar with the famous chicken and sweetcorn soup, standing proud at the front of all Chinese takeaway menus, but both tinned and fresh sweetcorn are widely used in many cuisines from Indian and Japanese to European.
In the USA, they love sweetcorn so much that there is a National sweetcorn festival. The festival goes back to 1938, when the self titled sweetcorn capital, Hoopeston in the state of Illinois, set up the event to celebrate the yearly sweetcorn harvest.
Sweetcorn is notoriously difficult to store; ideally, it needs to be eaten on the day that you receive your box. If you need to freeze it, par boiling first will help maintain its freshness and keep the kernels sweet.
Ceejay, who runs the box scheme, has suggested a great recipe for sweetcorn salsa, which she says is easy and goes well with BBQ ribs or chops. Simply par boil your corn on the cob, and leave to cool before standing on its end and using a sharp knife to slice the kernels away from the husk. Mix the kernels with a few chopped cherry tomatoes, a little diced red onion, some chopped coriander and mint and the juice of half a lime. A little paprika tossed in is also nice if you like a bit of kick. The best thing about this salsa is that you can alter the amounts to taste, its really up to you!
Getting the Best from your Box
Vietnamese Style Pork and Noodle SoupServes 1
Ingredients1 tbsp vegetable oil2 pork ribsSalt and freshly ground black pepper½ red chilli, chopped1 garlic clove, chopped150ml/¼ pint hot beef stock100g/3½oz dried egg noodles, cooked2 tsp sesame oilHandful fresh coriander, chopped
MethodHeat the oil in a pan. Season the pork ribs with salt and freshly ground black pepper and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until lightly browned.Add the chilli and garlic and stir fry for one minute. Add the beef stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for ten minutes, or until the pork is completely cooked through. Add the cooked noodles and sesame oil and stir.To serve, pour the soup into a serving bowl and sprinkle over the chopped coriander.http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/
