Planting Out Time
Hello Everyone,
A Happy Easter Weekend to you all. Bob and I hope you are enjoying some down time with chocolate for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Bob would definitely enjoy this type of menu anytime of the year. We are enjoying some family time and the Crew are taking some well earned time away from the farm and garden over the coming few weeks.
The Walled Garden
To be honest not much has happened in the garden during this last week. We are patiently waiting for July without wishing the time to pass quickly. This is when the greenhouse people will begin constructing the structure. It will take approximately two weeks to complete and we are really looking forward to this transformation within the garden.
The builders are also on a well-deserved long weekend break. They have been establishing the levels of the ground which needs to be completed to ensure all buildings are built to the correct specifications. This has been carried out to the tiniest measurement using equipment which connects to satellites and the ground level. These guys are accurate beyond belief!
The Farm
…and the work continues here on the farm. This time of the year is a lot like ‘ground hog’ day. We are prepping, sowing, planting, watering, seeding, weeding all the time. What is great to see is how quickly everything is growing and establishing. The lush green of growing vegetables and herbs is a delight. It seems they grow a ‘mile a minute’.
The herb gardens are now looking full and plenty. The outside herb gardens are now filling and smelling gorgeous. The inside herb garden has established itself after being moved from polytunnel one to polytunnel two.
The first early Potatoes now have green leaves protruding from the ground. The area has been mounded up with extra compost. This will cover the leaves and make them grow more as they search for the light. This should result in a better harvest of potatoes.
Flowers are beginning to be seen on the Broad Beans…no smell yet but I do check every day as the fragrance of these flowers ought to be bottled…I would buy it! They are over a foot tall now but the eventual height will be way above my head.
The outside growing areas are still being planted into. Summer Cabbages have been the latest crop to go out. Who doesn’t enjoy a coleslaw in the summer.
The next planting of Chard in polytunnel ten is now a tick. Chard (and Spinach – see photo) are in the ‘most popular’ list of the greens we grow. We try really hard to have ‘succession growing’ for many of our vegetables. This ensures continuous availability.
Many will be wondering why, if we are not providing a Box Scheme at the moment, are we growing sooo much produce? Lots of you are messaging us with this very question. You are wondering if we are going to be delivering to our regular and maybe new customers again? More importantly…when?
The answer is…at the moment both Alex the Chef and Anna from Cookhouse and Long Friday receive deliveries each week. They have been getting lots over the last eight months. We will be continuing with these restaurants. We are also starting the Box Scheme again in the Summer months. We do not have an exact date. When we do you will be the first to know.
We are now part of the Freyja Project which means that the scheme will be slightly different from the previous process. However, the vegetables, fruit and herbs will be the Fresh, Local, Organic Produce we have always grown. There will be some changes but we think they are bonus changes. Just keep reading to get the knowledge regarding the future and the Freyja Chefs Box.
The YouTube Channel
Chef Alex has another fab fish recipe this week. The last fish recipe was delicious, and I did try it for myself and Bob. This weeks is really up market. Enjoy this Scallop recipe.
…well now it’s back to the chocolate!
Enjoy,
Ann
