Let’s get one thing straight – I love marmalade. Generally I like food – a lot, and, on a par with marmalade, I rate rhubarb. Rhubarb is one of those quintessentially English foods that remains largely seasonal. Each year in the garden, together with courgettes, it’s the vegetable I always tend to have a glut of. This… Continue reading For the love of rhubarb…
I love this time of year, when leaves begin to unfurl and the garden starts to come to life. We took the bold step (that’s what it feels like!) this week of making the first grass cut of the year. Everyone seems to have a different theory about whether you should have done it week ago… Continue reading Leaves begin to unfurl…
It’s no secret that I love marmalade. I love its sticky oozy-ness and golden orange colour. Seriously, what’s better than some bitterly sweet marmalade on top of freshly toasted bread slathered with lashings of butter? Earlier in the year I entered two jars of Seville Orange marmalade to the World Marmalade Awards. Having heard nothing I assumed I needed… Continue reading The World Marmalade Awards…
Having said in an earlier post that 4am starts either signal the start of a holiday or a trip to the abattoir, this morning’s 4am start was for logistical reasons only, dropping the other half off so he could attend a conference. As I returned to the farm at 6am, the dogs and I enjoyed… Continue reading Farm find of the day…
The past week has been so gloriously sunny here in Norfolk. I’ve been making the most of it by getting on with tasks in the garden in an attempt to get ahead before it gets much warmer and the weeds take over. Tasks completed so far: Pruning roses, dogwood, honeysuckle, hydrangea and fruit trees Mulching borders Planting vegetable… Continue reading …getting my gardening on
At the end of last week we took delivery of our beef. Having sent two beasts to slaughter in February, after more than 21 days hanging, and a vigorous cutting process, it arrived. Luckily, in the week before its arrival we made sure we used up all the things that get pushed to the bottom… Continue reading A freezer full of beef…
For me, steak on a Saturday night is something I revere and a proper treat (and yes it always tastes better on a Saturday). Not only because a tasty steak can’t be beaten but because ours are home grown. All of our cattle spend the majority of the year outside – growing slowly in order to produce the best meat. Now,… Continue reading Beef – our cutting list for the butcher…
As I started gardening a couple of days ago, the sun came out and I just had to remove a layer, it felt so warm. I hung my trusty Barbour on a redundant fork and realised how tatty it had become. Day in and day out the coat hangs loyally in the boot room until… Continue reading My trusty stalwart…
It’s that time of year again when I find myself knee deep in seed packets, deciding what to plant and where. The challenge for me is deciding what vegetables to grow and how many of them. For the past two seasons we’ve ended up with what seems like thousands of courgettes and broad beans. I’m… Continue reading Kitchen garden planning…
For the past couple of days the weather has been mild and sunny, so I’ve been making the most of it and tidying the garden ready for the season ahead… Weeding the borders ready for mulching Pruning roses and figs Clearing moss Washing down the greenhouse It’s truly wonderful to be back out in the garden,… Continue reading Farm find of the day…
