Email Us 01392 832729
Shillingford Organics
'in tune with nature'
Vegetable Box Bulletin
May 2010
CONTENTS
1. MAY EXTRAS
2. HUNGRY GAP
3. EMMA'S BREAD COURSES & BAKERY HOLIDAY
4. RECIPES
5. SPRING AT WEST TOWN FARM, IDE
6. CROP & OTHER NEWS
1. May Extras
Shillingford Organic Eggs: £1.60 per half dozen
Laydilay Organic Mayonnaise: £2.20 per 175ml jar
Remarka Potatoes : £3.00 for 5kg bag
Remarka Potatoes: £7.00 for 12.5 Kg bag
2. Hungry Gap
The 'Hungry Gap' is nearly upon us (that time of year when last year's plantings have all finished and the new season sowings have not yet reached fruition.) We are planning to keep the boxes going right through this period, with a mixture of early crops grown in the poly tunnels, lots of different salad crops grown in the tunnels and no dig area and early crops grown under 'fleece' cover, as well as some roots stored in the cold rooms and some bought in produce from local suppliers.
3. Emma's Bread Courses & Holiday
Bread-Making courses with Emma Parkin at Shillingford Organics
Learn some basic bread making skills with Emma in the bakery at Shillingford Organics. Small classes (max 6): Saturday, 22nd May & Saturday, 26th June 2010; 10.30am - 2.30pm - Cost just £25 including ingredients. To book or for more information contact Emma on:
01392 490009 or em.parkin@blueyonder.co.uk
'IMPORTANT INFORMATION'
Bakery Holiday
Please note that Emma and her team are taking a week's holiday over the summer half-term. This means NO BREAD IN BOXES delivered 3rd & 4th June 2010. Remember to order extra the week before if you need a top up for the freezer.
4. Recipes
I have recently added more recipes to our website, which I hope you will find useful. In the scrolling marquis on our website homepage I usually try to add recipes that relate to the week's box contents. If you would like to see more recipes for any specific item/s please let me know or please feel free to submit your own recipe.
5. Spring at West Town Farm, Ide
Celebrate Spring at West Town Farm Sunday, 9th May 11am - 4pm where wild flowers are the theme. A bluebell & wildflower walk, flower pressing, clay workshops, moth ID & talk, pumpkin planting, straw bale den, craft activities, tractor-trailer rides, etc live music, Farm BBQ, Vegetarian Cafe and Farm Shop too!
£3 Per Child - £4 Per Adult or £10 Per Family
01392 811257 www.westtownfarm.co.uk
6. Crop & Other News
I am undecided as to whether this April has been good or bad, but I guess that is me trying to add meaning to the weather. It just does what it does.
The positive side is that the dry has meant we have been able to get ahead with the sowing and planting. Furthermore, we have gone with taking advantage of the conditions to prepare a lot of ground for sowing/planting later in the season and being so dry has meant there is no risk of compaction or damaging the soil. When it is so dry there is a risk of the soil drying out too much and being difficult to make a really fine seed bed. We have found the best way is to get a rough tilth and then wait for it to rain. Then as the soil is drying and with perfect timing, a light roll and this soil will just crumble easily to create the perfect tilth.
April is actually a great month for production. The kales, sprouting, spinach and chards start growing rapidly with the intention of producing a flower head, but to us that is good fresh leaves for harvesting, so we cut them back and then they try again.
The kales have been fantastic this year, firstly the winter curly kales and then the Red Russian keeps on producing the tender side shoots. Finally, by late April (just as the others in a desperate attempt to avoid being picked produce a stem and flower with barely any leaf) the Hungry Gap kale comes into its own.
The cold has meant other crops like leeks have held on really well before finally starting to bolt. However, new crops have been held back.
...and then there are the cauliflowers, which I mention surreptitiously as there have been rather a lot of them!! It is just that all the March, April and early May cauliflowers all decided to crop together; unpredictable as always! There, I did that politically without mentioning politics......however if anyone could promise warm rain next week they would get my vote!!
by Martyn Bragg
26th August 2010
This week's box will
contain items from
the selection below:
New Potatoes (Bambino)
New Season Carrots
Onions
Lettuce/Salad
Sweet Corn
Chard
Tomatoes
Courgettes or Cucumber
Melon, Aubergine or Pepper (M & L Boxes Only)
NB: Due to availabilty box contents may vary
The boxes may not always contain the same number of items as shown in the list.
However, this is more likely to apply to the mini and small boxes.
Make up crops may vary from the list !
