Busy, Busy, Busy

Hello Everyone,

Bob and I hope you are all very well. We would both like to say a huge thank you to our regular and new friends who have messaged to say how much you are enjoying the updates and information regarding the Freyja Project. Personally, it is good to know that the Journal is being read and also that it is of interest. 

There are days when we are busy. But there are also days when we are really busy. This last week is when we seem to be really busy…

The Walled Garden

The garden is showing huge signs of life as all the trees are now full of blossom. The Pear trees are especially pleasing to see as we have had some really cold, probably freezing, mornings. The Pear blossom is holding which bodes well for fruit later in the year. The blueberry bushes are particularly full of blossom which is great as the fruit is a favourite of Chef Alex. 

The builders have been busy again. The foundations for the gardeners shed have been prepared. This is no mean task as to level the ground to make a flat surface for the building, quite a lot of ground had to dug out. The foundations were built and now the ground needs to be replaced before the building is constructed.  It will be excellent having a good solid shed for the Crew to enjoy lunch in as well as prepping the produce, if required, before it travels the few meters to the kitchen. 

The Farm

It is still “all go” on the Farm. More crops have been planted out, with still such a lot more to go from the greenhouses to the growing beds. 

The seeds sown from now-on take only a very short time to germinate and grow…the benefit of lighter, warmer and longer days. This means that we now tend to have a backlog of produce to plant out…the backlog will be from now and onwards into the Summer months. We are now beginning to chase our tail. There will always be leaves to plant out, including as I speak Spinach, Lettuce, Mesclun and Kales. But there are now all the brassicas of Cabbages, Cauliflowers, Calabrese and the next lot of Beans and Peas. The Leeks, Spring Onions and Shallots are standing tall. They are all piling up ready to be removed from the greenhouses into the outside and into the growing beds. However, to go outside we do need the night-time freeze to be over. This week has proved that the temperatures are still far too low for half of the day. We dare not take the chance of losing the seedlings. We shall remain patient, wait for better night-time temperatures with the knowledge that when May arrives we will not have enough hours in the day. This happens every year…we think we will never have sufficient time to plant everything out in time. We think we are going to lose the plants. But. we never do. We always find the time and always fill the beds. What am I worrying about!

As you can see from the above picture of a luscious green leafy clump, the new Lettuce like plant we planted is coming on a dream. Chef Alex requested this vegetable after a culinary trip to Hong Kong last year. It is a Celtuce…a Chinese Lettuce. The leaves can be used raw in salads or cooked in stir fries or sautéed. However, it is the stem which is the highlight of the vegetable. The stem can be pickled, grilled, roasted and stir fried. The taste is said to be mild and nutty with a smoky aftertaste. It is “chock a block” full of vitamins. Sounds interesting. Chef Alex will, no doubt, create a stunning dish. The Celtuce Lettuce is one of lots and lots of lettuce we are growing. All the produce is blooming at the moment. The plants are fresh, clean and crisp. However, we are on guard and ready for any bugs and tiny critters which will and I mean WILL be heading our way.

The overwintering crops are now being left to go to seed. This means that lots of our plants are now covered in beautiful yellow flowers. Some flowers can be used as a decoration. Mostly we watch and listen to the busy buzzy bees and wasps drinking in the pollen. It is a great way to entice an assortment of buzzy friends into the tunnels. In turn they will help the farm by pollinating the trees and even eating the green flies. Good old Mother Nature and the circle of life. 

The YouTube Channel 

In this week’s episode we have gone with a Good Friday seasonal recipe, with Alex showing how to cook Smoked Rainbow Trout.

Click the photo below to watch the episode.

Have a great week and don’t forget that you can follow the Journal each week by checking in on the website for your weekly read.

Take care,

Ann