First snowdrops
First snowdrops spotted in Prion this week. Such small flowers but so full of hope and promise. Speaking of which, we're finally in a position to give you a bit of news on what we've been up to behind the scenes here at The Vale Grocer. Have a read here if you want to know a bit more but if you don't make it to the detail here's a summary:
We've moved our box packing to the Colomendy industrial estate (where Motorworld used to be)
We'll be moving the shop to the same place from March onwards - first day in new shop is Friday 4th March
The last date for the shop on Mount Pleasant is Friday 18th Feb (we are closed on Friday 25th)
In the field it's still quiet, we're going to hit go on sowing seeds (using our trusty hot bed in the greenhouse) from start of March. Rosie has been helping in the unit whilst things are slow in the field.
Eat Your Greens veg boxes:
Small boxes have Braeburn apples, sprout tops, Harlequin squash, parsnips and kohlrabi. Regular have beetroot, white cabbage, celeriac, sweet potato, kale, leeks, palermo pepper, blood oranges.
Very excited to get a delivery of potatoes from Bryn Cochyn organic farm (Henllan) this week so we cancelled our potato order from the wholesaler and these beauties will be in your boxes in the coming weeks. If we can get produce that is certified organic that has been grown locally we'll always choose this over produce from further away, we just don't often have the choice! Hoping we can change this by talking more about what we're doing and creating a market for farmers growing organically.
The Vale Grocer shop:
Please note: the shop will be closed Friday 24th Feb. The new shop at the Colomendy (the old Motorworld) will be open on Friday 4th March 9.30-1.30.
Lots of lovely fruit in this week if you're needing some extra Vitamin C!
Plenty of: Red cara potatoes, kale, green cabbage, beetroot, sweet potato, purple/orange carrots, squash, palermo peppers, yellow / red / Roscoff onions, fresh garlic / turmeric / ginger
Limited: Sprout tops, January King cabbages, kohlrabi, sprouts, Aaran Victory potatoes / Blue salad potatoes (blue flesh!)
Fruit: Clementines, Navelina oranges, Blood oranges, Bananas, Crimson crisp apples, Braeburn apples, Grapefruit
+ local free-range eggs (avian flu restrictions means the hens aren't free range at the moment but are in normal times)
+ local Cae Main & Bryn Cochyn apple juice
+ local sourdough bread from Nant y Felin restaurant
Recipe inspiration:
We tried this spiced parsnip soup this week. And made a really good puttanesca sauce - which is a great pantry staple for when we come into the hungry gap months where there just isn't much veg around.
If you are new to the boxes and aren't sure what to do with any of the veg, Riverford's A-Z of veg is always a good start for getting ideas.
have a lovely week
#enjoy that tasty veg