Huge apologies for not posting anything in absolutely ages, I have been laid up with the flu. It was yuck, enough said!
It seems it's seed catalogue time again, as I have received two in very quick succession. I love a good seed catalogue. Sitting next to the fire on cold winter's nights, pouring over catalogue's and making up lists of what to buy; the buy list always starts off huge, as does the cost! Until I whittle it down. How many varieties of tomato do we actually need anyway?
We are planning to expand the plant and flower side of things next year, trying to up sales and expand our repertoire, so not only have I got veg seeds to look at - as I want to try some different varieties, (my husband is very good at sticking to tried and tested varieties, the same ones every year!), but now I need to look at flower seeds too, and as we all know their lists are even longer! I think I shall have to start small and decide on a few plants to begin with, before I get too excited. Sweet Peas will definitely have to be on the list, along with Carnations, Alliums and Alpines, love Alpines, but then there's all the annuals, of which Sunflowers have got to be grown. Oh dear, I shall have to be brutal with my lists.
Just as an update, all the animals are well. The new additions have settled in well, the pigs are growing - fast, the lambs seem to have got over their weaning day, the ewes certainly have (!) and Red is still here, looking fat, we really must get her to the bull.
Good to be back, will write more often now.
Stats today -
Eggs produced = 4! Hens are molting
Sales -
4 x bags of tomatoes £4.00
1 x 1/2 dozen eggs £1.00
Expenses -
Nil
Saturday 28 September 2013
Thursday 12 September 2013
Interview with a smallholder - Brian & Jane Parkin
Visiting Brian and Jane Parkin at Oak Tree Farm, Shelton, South Norfolk on Tuesday 20th August 2013 makes me wonder if I'll ever visit them here again. Oak Tree farm is an 18 acre smallholding all down to grass, with a wind turbine, two polytunnels, an outdoor veg patch, orchard, wildlife areas and outbuildings.
In 2014 it will be ten years since they started their smallholding journey and are almost ready to sell up and move on.
I'm sure the pair of them will look back on the experience with a lot of memories, both good and bad, and recognise how much hard work they put in over the ten years to achieve their dream.
The pair met in Wiltshire and then moved to South Norfolk to be nearer family. Oak Tree farm was purchased and the realisation of Brian's dream was about to start. Jane freely admits that she had rather a chocolate box view of smallholding and she really didn't know how she'd feel when it came to eating her first 'home grown' animal. That first one soon came around as a small flock of Soay sheep were purchased, duly lambed and fattened. She recollected spending hours trying to catch the lamb in the field; this was pre-sheep dog days; then breathed a deep sigh of relief when it was eventually caught and on its way to the abattoir, only just in time. She cooked a leg joint first and when it was time to sit down and eat, she spent the whole time trying to eliminate the picture in her head of a three legged lamb hopping around the field. What she hadn't considered was the taste, it was fabulous, she recollected to me, 'it tasted so good, that after that I was fine,' she said. She still readily admits that she won't miss that side of smallholding.
Four Large Black breeding sows then arrived and soon after a boar. In their naivety they put the boar in with all the sows and after the allotted gestation period had 38 piglets! It was then they realised they needed a market for all of them. They managed to get rid of 21 of them through the Large Black pedigree society, Norfolk Smallholders group and various other ads, but still had 17 to deal with. A number of freezers were purchased pretty darn quick. Batches of five were sent off at intervals and came back from the butchers frozen, but un-labelled and un-priced. This she managed to sell through the farm-gate and neighbours/friends.
The previous owners had utilised the place as a livery yard and it wasn't until they ploughed up the old outdoor school that they realised how bad the soil was, thick, heavy, sticky clay. The plan had been to use the area to plant daffodil bulbs, harvest the flowers and bulbs every year and sell on, the clay soil soon scuppered that idea. The soil also determined that they had to have raised beds in both the outdoor veg patch and polytunnel; the outdoor veg patch soon became overgrown with weeds, a waste of £500 worth of seeds the first year and they didn't even have a single runner bean to show for it.
The clay soil has been a massive factor in everything they have undertaken; in fact for the first time last winter they put all their livestock indoors. Last winter was terrible Jane recollected, the land was un-walkable, the water pipes froze solid, certainly no good for keeping pigs on, they even sold a few sows to alleviate part of the problem.
They began starting to sell their produce in 2006 at Farmers markets, initially just veg, their meat was still being sold out of the farm-gate. At this point each sow was down to one litter per year as they really didn't have the outlet. They found that there was not a lot of profit in veg. The veg stalls at markets are always busy but they are not high value products and it is a huge amount of work, picking and packing, with a high initial set-up cost with calibrated scales etc. Disaster struck as one February the rabbits got into the plot and demolished the lot, all that survived was the leeks, it meant that as they were doing only two markets a month at that time, that they had no income for a whole month.
A stroke of luck did strike them though, the pork producer at Southwold Farmers market stopped going, they stepped in and their takings quadrupled. A chiller cabinet was purchased which meant they could sell fresh meat and were shifting a pig a week; three markets a week are now satisfied, at least until the end of the year.
Jane recollects that one winter she had seven pigs at slaughter weight and didn't know how she was going to shift them. She told me a story about how her father had left her a table, that was worth quite a bit of money and she wanted to invest that money. The idea of hog roasts was born. Her first lucky break was an offer of work from the company who sold her the hog roast machine. There was nobody in the area to fulfill the booking - their first hog roast was booked. They are busy at all kinds of events now with their hog roasts - Weddings, 40th Birthday parties, foodie shows and festivals.
So the ten year plan is nearly up. They have achieved what they set out to do and that was make a living out of smallholding. But there are other things on the cards for Brian and Jane, they want to travel, live a little (live a lot!), spend some time with each other. As Jane said to me, neither of them want to keep going at this pace, last winter was just dreadful and neither of them are getting any younger! So its off to pastures new, hopefully Cornwall to do holiday lets, glamping that kind of thing. I wish them well in whatever they decide to do, I'm sure it will be a success.
I'm sure the pair of them will look back on the experience with a lot of memories, both good and bad, and recognise how much hard work they put in over the ten years to achieve their dream.
The pair met in Wiltshire and then moved to South Norfolk to be nearer family. Oak Tree farm was purchased and the realisation of Brian's dream was about to start. Jane freely admits that she had rather a chocolate box view of smallholding and she really didn't know how she'd feel when it came to eating her first 'home grown' animal. That first one soon came around as a small flock of Soay sheep were purchased, duly lambed and fattened. She recollected spending hours trying to catch the lamb in the field; this was pre-sheep dog days; then breathed a deep sigh of relief when it was eventually caught and on its way to the abattoir, only just in time. She cooked a leg joint first and when it was time to sit down and eat, she spent the whole time trying to eliminate the picture in her head of a three legged lamb hopping around the field. What she hadn't considered was the taste, it was fabulous, she recollected to me, 'it tasted so good, that after that I was fine,' she said. She still readily admits that she won't miss that side of smallholding.
Four Large Black breeding sows then arrived and soon after a boar. In their naivety they put the boar in with all the sows and after the allotted gestation period had 38 piglets! It was then they realised they needed a market for all of them. They managed to get rid of 21 of them through the Large Black pedigree society, Norfolk Smallholders group and various other ads, but still had 17 to deal with. A number of freezers were purchased pretty darn quick. Batches of five were sent off at intervals and came back from the butchers frozen, but un-labelled and un-priced. This she managed to sell through the farm-gate and neighbours/friends.
Their pedigree Large Black pigs
The previous owners had utilised the place as a livery yard and it wasn't until they ploughed up the old outdoor school that they realised how bad the soil was, thick, heavy, sticky clay. The plan had been to use the area to plant daffodil bulbs, harvest the flowers and bulbs every year and sell on, the clay soil soon scuppered that idea. The soil also determined that they had to have raised beds in both the outdoor veg patch and polytunnel; the outdoor veg patch soon became overgrown with weeds, a waste of £500 worth of seeds the first year and they didn't even have a single runner bean to show for it.
The clay soil has been a massive factor in everything they have undertaken; in fact for the first time last winter they put all their livestock indoors. Last winter was terrible Jane recollected, the land was un-walkable, the water pipes froze solid, certainly no good for keeping pigs on, they even sold a few sows to alleviate part of the problem.
They began starting to sell their produce in 2006 at Farmers markets, initially just veg, their meat was still being sold out of the farm-gate. At this point each sow was down to one litter per year as they really didn't have the outlet. They found that there was not a lot of profit in veg. The veg stalls at markets are always busy but they are not high value products and it is a huge amount of work, picking and packing, with a high initial set-up cost with calibrated scales etc. Disaster struck as one February the rabbits got into the plot and demolished the lot, all that survived was the leeks, it meant that as they were doing only two markets a month at that time, that they had no income for a whole month.
A stroke of luck did strike them though, the pork producer at Southwold Farmers market stopped going, they stepped in and their takings quadrupled. A chiller cabinet was purchased which meant they could sell fresh meat and were shifting a pig a week; three markets a week are now satisfied, at least until the end of the year.
Orchard
Jane recollects that one winter she had seven pigs at slaughter weight and didn't know how she was going to shift them. She told me a story about how her father had left her a table, that was worth quite a bit of money and she wanted to invest that money. The idea of hog roasts was born. Her first lucky break was an offer of work from the company who sold her the hog roast machine. There was nobody in the area to fulfill the booking - their first hog roast was booked. They are busy at all kinds of events now with their hog roasts - Weddings, 40th Birthday parties, foodie shows and festivals.
Their Wiltshire Horn sheep and Collie dog, plus the last two remaining Soay's
So the ten year plan is nearly up. They have achieved what they set out to do and that was make a living out of smallholding. But there are other things on the cards for Brian and Jane, they want to travel, live a little (live a lot!), spend some time with each other. As Jane said to me, neither of them want to keep going at this pace, last winter was just dreadful and neither of them are getting any younger! So its off to pastures new, hopefully Cornwall to do holiday lets, glamping that kind of thing. I wish them well in whatever they decide to do, I'm sure it will be a success.
Wednesday 11 September 2013
Easy Carrot cake recipe
I don't know about you but as I've got older I've started with a tendency to feel guilty about eating cake. Maybe it's the thought of all that cake going on the hips! But I feel less guilty if the cake has some redeeming qualities e.g. containing some form of fruit or nuts. So when I found this cake recipe, well I knew I couldn't go wrong! It's the carrots you see, makes you feel like you're eating something good, even though you're eating cake!
Again it's another clipping from a magazine, but can't remember which one.
Ingredients -
225g / 8oz Butter or margarine
350g / 12oz Caster sugar - I use granulated if I haven't got any caster
4 eggs, medium
175g / 6oz Self raising wholemeal flour
115g / 4oz Plain flour, sieved with 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
350g / 12oz Peeled and grated carrots
Topping -
115g / 4oz Soft cheese, Philadelphia type
Icing sugar to taste
Rind and juice of half a lemon - I don't tend to use this as it can make the icing quite runny, then you have to add more icing sugar
Method -
1. Place all ingredients into a mixing bowl and beat together until well mixed - I did say it was easy!
2. Spoon into a greased and lined 20cm / 8" cake tin and bake in a pre-heated oven 180 Deg C / 350 Deg F / Gas Mark 4, for 45 - 55 minutes.
3. Turn out onto a wire rack and allow to go cold.
4. Mix together topping ingredients and spread over the cake.
Enjoy and don't feel guilty about eating it - it's got carrots in it! And home-grown ones too, I hope, another way of using an abundance of veg!
Stats today -
Eggs produced = 9
Sales -
1 dozen eggs £1.80
3 x bags tomatoes £3.00
1 x Cucumber £0.70
Expenses -
Nil
Again it's another clipping from a magazine, but can't remember which one.
Ingredients -
225g / 8oz Butter or margarine
350g / 12oz Caster sugar - I use granulated if I haven't got any caster
4 eggs, medium
175g / 6oz Self raising wholemeal flour
115g / 4oz Plain flour, sieved with 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
350g / 12oz Peeled and grated carrots
Topping -
115g / 4oz Soft cheese, Philadelphia type
Icing sugar to taste
Rind and juice of half a lemon - I don't tend to use this as it can make the icing quite runny, then you have to add more icing sugar
Method -
1. Place all ingredients into a mixing bowl and beat together until well mixed - I did say it was easy!
2. Spoon into a greased and lined 20cm / 8" cake tin and bake in a pre-heated oven 180 Deg C / 350 Deg F / Gas Mark 4, for 45 - 55 minutes.
3. Turn out onto a wire rack and allow to go cold.
4. Mix together topping ingredients and spread over the cake.
Enjoy and don't feel guilty about eating it - it's got carrots in it! And home-grown ones too, I hope, another way of using an abundance of veg!
Stats today -
Eggs produced = 9
Sales -
1 dozen eggs £1.80
3 x bags tomatoes £3.00
1 x Cucumber £0.70
Expenses -
Nil
Monday 9 September 2013
Post Food Festival sampling
Well, we've devoured, digested, ooh'd and aah'd through mouth's full of food from my purchases at Saturday's Norwich Food Festival.
Saturday evening's tea was a late affair in front of a film. The coffee table was groaning with bread, home grown tomatoes, chutney, crackers, crisps and cheese, all washed down with apple juice, tea and coffee. What a Saturday night!
Firstly the bread, from Pye Bakery, Norwich, www.pyebaker.co.uk. I bought a long Ciabatta loaf, a cheese and onion loaf and a granary seeded loaf (which has gone in the freezer). We ate the majority of the ciabatta and cheese and onion loaf. I loved the cheese and onion loaf, cheesy with plenty of onions within it, if I have one criticism it is that I thought it could stand more cheese. The loaf itself was soft and light, a springy texture, that lent itself well to cheese and pickle, it would make a great loaf for a picnic. The ciabatta was again soft and springy with plenty of holes as befits a ciabatta, my husband preferred this to the cheese and onion loaf, but then he prefers to have something plain to eat with a flavourful cheese. It made fabulous toast this morning for breakfast, crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle and those holes let the butter melt down - my tummy's rumbling again, shame we've eaten it all. Which brings me onto the jam.
Or should I call it a conserve? Sorry but I'm originally from Yorkshire, so it's jam to me. I bought the raspberry and cranberry jam from Sarah at Essence foods - www.essencefoods.co.uk. Now my favourite jam is raspberry in all its forms and this one didn't disappoint. It was packed with fruit, which you could see when I spread it on my toast. The cranberries were evident too, again showing up whole when it was spread in all its glory. It tasted sweet, but not mouth cringingly sweet, if you get what I mean, just right. I shall look forward to having some more tomorrow, shame the jar isn't twice as big really!
The cheese bought from Norton's Dairy www.nortonsdairy.co.uk, was just lovely. Rich and creamy and very flavoursome. It was the plain version of their soft cheese, as they do one with apricots in and one with lavender. I did taste the lavender one at the festival, it wasn't for me I'm afraid. But the plain one, I could eat all day.
The obvious thing to eat it with the cheese was a good chutney and the one I bought from Norfolk Finest Foods was excellent. I purchased the Red Onion Marmalade; it was sweet and sticky with an abundance of red onions in. It was just the ticket to go along with the cheese and bread.
I must say I was extremely pleased with my purchases, none of this stuff is cheap, but then I wouldn't expect it to be, as these products are premium products, love and care and passion has all gone into these to make them taste as good as they do. I shall be looking out for these products at the next foodie 'do' I go to, but have also asked to do some interviews with some of these people in the future - check them out right here - I'll let you know when they are coming up.
Stats today -
Eggs produced = 9
Sales -
1 dozen eggs £1.80
Expenses -
Nil
Saturday evening's tea was a late affair in front of a film. The coffee table was groaning with bread, home grown tomatoes, chutney, crackers, crisps and cheese, all washed down with apple juice, tea and coffee. What a Saturday night!
Firstly the bread, from Pye Bakery, Norwich, www.pyebaker.co.uk. I bought a long Ciabatta loaf, a cheese and onion loaf and a granary seeded loaf (which has gone in the freezer). We ate the majority of the ciabatta and cheese and onion loaf. I loved the cheese and onion loaf, cheesy with plenty of onions within it, if I have one criticism it is that I thought it could stand more cheese. The loaf itself was soft and light, a springy texture, that lent itself well to cheese and pickle, it would make a great loaf for a picnic. The ciabatta was again soft and springy with plenty of holes as befits a ciabatta, my husband preferred this to the cheese and onion loaf, but then he prefers to have something plain to eat with a flavourful cheese. It made fabulous toast this morning for breakfast, crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle and those holes let the butter melt down - my tummy's rumbling again, shame we've eaten it all. Which brings me onto the jam.
Or should I call it a conserve? Sorry but I'm originally from Yorkshire, so it's jam to me. I bought the raspberry and cranberry jam from Sarah at Essence foods - www.essencefoods.co.uk. Now my favourite jam is raspberry in all its forms and this one didn't disappoint. It was packed with fruit, which you could see when I spread it on my toast. The cranberries were evident too, again showing up whole when it was spread in all its glory. It tasted sweet, but not mouth cringingly sweet, if you get what I mean, just right. I shall look forward to having some more tomorrow, shame the jar isn't twice as big really!
The cheese bought from Norton's Dairy www.nortonsdairy.co.uk, was just lovely. Rich and creamy and very flavoursome. It was the plain version of their soft cheese, as they do one with apricots in and one with lavender. I did taste the lavender one at the festival, it wasn't for me I'm afraid. But the plain one, I could eat all day.
The obvious thing to eat it with the cheese was a good chutney and the one I bought from Norfolk Finest Foods was excellent. I purchased the Red Onion Marmalade; it was sweet and sticky with an abundance of red onions in. It was just the ticket to go along with the cheese and bread.
I must say I was extremely pleased with my purchases, none of this stuff is cheap, but then I wouldn't expect it to be, as these products are premium products, love and care and passion has all gone into these to make them taste as good as they do. I shall be looking out for these products at the next foodie 'do' I go to, but have also asked to do some interviews with some of these people in the future - check them out right here - I'll let you know when they are coming up.
Stats today -
Eggs produced = 9
Sales -
1 dozen eggs £1.80
Expenses -
Nil
Saturday 7 September 2013
Norwich food festival
I am not embarrassed to say that I am a foodie, but only if I know where it's come from and I know what's in it, so visiting the Norwich food festival today was a joy.
I am always amazed when you go to these sort of events that stallholders expect you to buy without trying the stuff first, but that was not the case today. All stallholders, that I visited, had plenty of produce on offer for you to try, taste, discuss and ponder over which one you liked best enough to take home.
This is my haul from today's event -
I am always amazed when you go to these sort of events that stallholders expect you to buy without trying the stuff first, but that was not the case today. All stallholders, that I visited, had plenty of produce on offer for you to try, taste, discuss and ponder over which one you liked best enough to take home.
This is my haul from today's event -
The above will be forming the basis of my tea, along with produce from the garden.
Other scenes from today's festival -
Courtesy of Norfolk Young Farmers club, encouraging children and young adults to become involved in the countryside
One of a number of beer stalls
The excellent bread stall from Pye Baker in Norwich, where my bread came from
Kitchen Garden who run a veg box scheme, at Sisland, South Norfolk
The excellent Saffire chocolates, delicious handmade Belgian chocolates - the freebie Irish coffee liquer truffle was just to die for - Thank you
Norton's Dairy cheese, which will form part of my tea tonight. They were also selling butter and cream. Very friendly and happy to talk cows/milk/cheese - will hopefully be visiting them to do a further blog post solely on them
Sarah from Essence foods. Conserves with a high fruit, low sugar content, looking forward to having some of her award winning Raspberry and Cranberry conserve on my toast in the morning
Richard from Stones Throw Food Co - a food delivery company based at Elveden, supplying and delivering local produce
Happy people at Norfolk Finest foods, where my Red Onion Marmalade came from, again forming part of my tea tonight
The excellent Samphire with Jeff in attendance
Ethnic Fusion foods - Indian Cuisine
Again the excellent bread stall of Pye Bakery, hopefully going to visit them and do a blog post on all things bread - really looking forward to that one!
The Norfolk Pure Apple Juice company, looking forward to a glass with my tea tonight also. Since I stopped drinking, cider was always one of my favourites, I have a tendency to lean towards good apple juice and this certainly is!
I also spoke to the lovely Moya of FACE - Farming and Countryside Education, who is the East of England coordinator, 'an educational charity that helps pupils to learn about food, farming and the countryside.' This is a nationwide charity, which as far as I'm concerned is an excellent one. See www.face-online.org.uk for more information and/or to get your kids involved. A worthy cause I think you'll agree.
Overall I think it was extremely successful. There were also stalls outside cooking and selling meat products - sausages, burgers etc, from home produced and rare breed meat. It was so packed that I couldn't get anywhere near the stalls never mind talk to anyone. They seemed to be doing a roaring trade which is excellent. A fabulous day all round, that was very well attended.
Friday 6 September 2013
Weaning time
We finally managed to get the lambs weaned this afternoon, it's a job that's needed doing for a while now, but as usual, life gets in the way!
Separating lambs, ewes and ram into different fields, takes three people and a trailer!
Worming at the same time
'Who's next?'
Separated lambs
Ewes waiting and wondering!
'I don't care, I've got the bucket of food!'
All separated now
Loaded ready to go
'Oh no, you've forgotten us'
'Bye!'
Pastures new
Good to see the ewes off into another field to rest, eat and relax without their lambs, before the cycle starts for us again on Bonfire night.
It is rather noisy around here now though!
Thursday 5 September 2013
Update on the new arrivals
Just thought I'd update you on the new arrivals.
Today was scorchingly, stupidly hot, 34 degrees centigrade at lunchtime. When I let the laying hens out, they all ran straight under my horse trailer to dust bath and chill. Now the new ones, apart from Colin the Buff Orpington cockerel who's in with the laying hens, are in temporary accommodation in a large shed until their new hut is built. Now this shed has an openable window, but that's all for ventilation, so on welfare terms I opened the door and left it open.
Three hours later they still hadn't come out!
Today was scorchingly, stupidly hot, 34 degrees centigrade at lunchtime. When I let the laying hens out, they all ran straight under my horse trailer to dust bath and chill. Now the new ones, apart from Colin the Buff Orpington cockerel who's in with the laying hens, are in temporary accommodation in a large shed until their new hut is built. Now this shed has an openable window, but that's all for ventilation, so on welfare terms I opened the door and left it open.
Three hours later they still hadn't come out!
'I'm not looking. If I ignore it, it will go away'
'Don't look Elsie'
'Maybe you're right Mavis'
He's getting braver
'Hey Ladies, look out here'
'Now, how do I use this again?'
'On second thoughts'
'Right, come on, follow me'
'Look Mavis, I did it'
'Thats enough for one day'
He is darn handsome
Bless them, I am so impressed with them, really glad we bought them, AND, they all went back in the shed for bed, what clever little chickens they are.
Stats today -
Eggs produced = 14, including one from the Exchequer Leghorns girlies
Sales -
1 & 1/2 dozen eggs £2.70
2 x bags Tomatoes £2.00
Expenses -
Nil
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