Thursday 24 July 2008

Spring finally springs?





At last we have some fantastic weather. After what seems like non-stop rain for the whole of last week we had a fantastic sunny weekend and this week too seems to be going well.

Its been enough to finally get the veggies into action with our long suffering tomatoes turning from green to red after hanging around for a few months waiting for some sun to ripen them up.
We have had our first berry crop this week so some may have berries in the boxes others will get them in the next week or two.

We've been enjoying cooking outside mostly and had the best leg of lamb I have ever tasted last night. B slow cooking it on an open fire, spiked with garlic and some of our berries and then dowsed with all manner of lotions (mushroom ketchup, soy sauce, brown sauce) we ate this with fresh new potatoes boiled in a wok(?) and salad from the garden with a home made mustard.
The lamb was the same as went in the boxes last week and had the benefit of a weeks hanging in the chiller as the rest but then we hung it for a further week to really bring out the flavour, it was fantastic.

The puppies are up and about now, they are wanting our constant attention. First to be let out, then to be let back in, then back out. They just can't seem to decide where is more fun! Attacking laces and trouser legs seems to be the order of the day. We have earmarked half with new owners but still have five to go. Do tell your friends...if they don't go soon B will start hatching plans to keep them all, which will destroy my plans for another terrier.

We also managed to get out and do some much needed leafleting in our local areas, we have been neglecting the new business side of things whilst setting up the farm but now things are coming out of the soil rather than just going in all the time, we can concentrate on getting some more lovely customers. We've added a lot more products to the website in the hope that we can help people find the good organic things they need and make it more convenient to get them. Although adding excellent Italian wines was an expensive idea with us drinking to selling at a 6:1 ratio! Check out the site at http://www.gandsorganics.com/ and register with the site to receive event information, offers, news and other nice stuff that may be handy.

We also had a reminder of how obsessed we've become with the box scheme when last night George climbed into a box and started telling us he wanted to be delivered...so if theres any interest......

Monday 7 July 2008

The family grows


What a month June has been. We've been run off our feet with the various tasks associated with running a food/agricultural business.

We started the month with a good head of steam getting all the paths and paved areas in, ready for our open day. The open day was a great push to get all the unneccessary jobs done that bring the farm together like painting steel containers green, putting nice bark chippings around the polytunnel and hardening off areas, paving round the cold frames and the 'field kitchen'. Steve and Kate spent an afternoon erecting our marquees for Steves organic wine tasting and only to be left a bit deflated when 20 minutes later we were jumping on there bent, unturned frames trying to hold them down in the forthcoming gails!

We have spent a day going through our first vat inspection which went surprisingly well, don't believe the hype when it comes to the inspectors. We found ours very approachable and helpful.
Add to this a environmental health inspection and over a day spent on the phone trying to sort our new herd and flock marks with variuos councils and government agencies and you get an idea of whats been keeping us away from the blog.


The good news has been flooding in from all directions throughout the month, with the slowest soil in Northumberland gradually starting to wake up..we will be harvesting our strawberries, rhubarb and various berries and currants very shortly albeit in very small quantities this year.


Lettuce and salads are doing well, as are the tomatoes despite the polytunnel being completely under water at one end. We have lost a few plants but nothing major. We have lots of flowers coming on the courgettes, squashes and melons promising a healthy crop. We managed to get all the brussell sprout plugs planted along with our romanesco brocolli.


The bad side of all the growth is that the rabbits are now our constant companions but we will start working our way through these when they are nice and fat!


New additions to the family this month have been Mr. Lovage the foal, who is huge but very friendly and surprisingly easy to handle. Treacle finally gave birth to a litter of ten strong, fat puppies. So we are now looking for homes for five lovely chocolate labs and five sleek black labs of both sexes. Do let us know via the website http://www.gandsorganics.com/ if you would like to come and have a look at them. We'll add some pics as soon as they open there eyes and are settled in.


Hugh and fearnley the pussy cats have also taken up residence in B's garden store, and love to venture out when the dogs are running around outside. Although Pip, our jack russell has taken to taking them around in his mouth. I'm sure the cats will get there own back when they get a little older with those nasty claws that cats seem so happy to deploy on interested doggies noses.