Rainy walks and motorbiking yoga gurus
It's been a bit all over the place weather-wise and we keep getting wet taking the dog out but the seedlings are doing well and that's the main thing! Chris spoke at the North Wales Cottage Garden Society meeting on Monday evening, had lots of questions and enjoyed telling them about a bit us and what we've learned in the past few years of growing veg.
The shop is only open on Thursday this week (we're closed Good Friday).
In the field
Outside, just prepping beds and weeding. Harvested rhubarb. Inside, harvesting (more amazing chard). Potted on about 750 leeks (thanks Rosie!! - she's only about half way through the first tray....!), and about 40 tomatoes. Courgettes and cucumbers just germinating now - on our little Salamander 'hobbit' stove (Chris has just discovered that this is a great place for our seed trays....!).
In the boxes
Given where we're at in the year, we're pretty happy with the boxes this week, they're not quite looking full on hungry gap-esque (if that's a word)!!
Potatoes still trying to sprout, but they're from Bryn Cochyn so in terms of food miles they're about as low as you get and we've given you extra to hopefully make up for any dodgy ones.
Small boxes have cauliflower, purple sprouting broccoli. swede, mushrooms, rhubarb, apples.
Regular boxes have swiss chard (from Prion), celeriac, beetroot, spring greens, leeks, sweet potato, bananas, radishes (if you don't eat these quickly, cut the leaves off / leave in fridge to help them stay fresh). Leaving the leaves on anything makes it wilt quicker as a rule.
In the shop
We're only open Thursday (10-1) this week as it's Good Friday.
Plenty of: Potatoes (Cara from Bryn Cochyn), leeks, swede, sweet potatoes, celeriac, beetroot, hard white cabbage, carrots, onions, garlic, ginger, turmeric
Limited: Rhubarb, cauliflowers, radishes, Prion swiss chard, spring greens. Potentially some other leaves from Prion (we'll see in morning what we have!).
Fruit: Oranges, satsumas, bananas, lemons, limes, apples
Also: eggs, sourdough bread, apple juice, other organic pantry staples and organic beer. Ask us when you're in if you're interested and we can tell you what we have/prices.
Just a reminder of quite how fresh some of our produce is - here's Chris harvesting salad last Friday morning at 9am before the shop opened at 10.....lots of you have been loving these salad leaves, more to come.
Recipe inspiration:
Lots of you love celeriac, great for soup but also roasted or in mash (either on its own or with potato). This frying pan celeriac gratin from Riverford also looks great- not tried yet but can't go wrong with a gratin!
We're still to try this one too, but it's from another veg box business and is a other idea for using up the swede - swede and carrot salad with tahini dressing
If you didn't know already, swede is actually really good for you, although doesn't really shout about it through its appearance. It's in the same 'family' of veg as broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, and lots of people use it as a healthier / less starchy alternative to potatoes. Rather than seeing it as another bit of veg to use up, at this time of year I'm going to try to start seeing it as a potato substitute and try reaching for it instead of potatoes (so when the new potatoes come out we can have as many as we want!)
Finally, here's a little news story you might not have come across...One of India’s best-known spiritual leaders is embarking on a 100-day motorbike journey from London to India to raise awareness of one of nature’s most undervalued resources.The journey is part of his #SaveSoil campaign, which is calling on policymakers to make soil regeneration a priority.' Read about him here.
have a lovely week
#enjoy that tasty veg