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GRAB A SLICE OF THE GOOD LIFE! | JULY 2008 | £3.25

STOP PRESS !Britain's bees in need of saving

HOME BEAUTYHelping your hair with herbs

• MOUTH-WATERING SALAD RECIPES• SALAD GROWING TIPS

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PLANTINGGUIDE

ISSUE FOUR JULY 2008

£3.25

Project1 20/3/08 09:49

3FIRST WORD

REALLY, IT IS wonderful being alive,especially in the early summer when allthe vegetables are shooting up like skyrockets, eggs are in incubators or underchickens, the bees are making headwaywith the summer nectar flow and the skyis mostly blue! Sounds a bit idyllic that,but we do need some idyll in our livestoo. I met a lady at the SmallholderShow yesterday who made me think.Unfortunately I didn’t have a chance toask her name because we were juststarting the butter making champi-onships at the time.

She put her hand on my elbow, likeauthoritative older ladies do, and fixedme in the eye. “You know Home Farmer isquite right, it’s all about responsibility!”On the drive home I regretted not havinga chance to chat with the lady for a longtime, but there was cream to pour intobottles and competitors to sort out.

But she is quite right; this kind oflifestyle is about responsibility.Responsibilityfor our families, for ourcrops and livestock, for our neighboursand for the world at large.

Now it seems that the way we livetoday everything comes down to money.In our news pages we highlight how anallotment site was lost to Birmingham,

only to be replaced when the developerwho built on the land had sold enoughhouses to make it worthwhile. But Iwouldn’t mind betting that the landoriginally was given to the people tobenefit their health, to provide for thepoor or as a grand altruistic gesture.Having this turn into a mere monetoryvalue has not only lost its use for thepeople, but devalues the originalprovider of the land too.

It’s all about responsibility, but topeople, not finance. Of course, ourfinances have to be correctly andhonestly managed, but the ability togrow your own food on an allotment isso precious a gift it cannot be measuredin bank notes.

So, at Home Farmer we are hoping toget every local authority to build at leastone new allotment site, or at least allowordinary people to do it for them. For thecost of a couple of hundred metres ofgood fencing local authorities will beable to increase the health and wellbeingof a couple ofdozen families,and what pricethat?

www.homefarmer.co.uk

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It’s a wonderful life

If you are having anydifficulty finding HomeFarmer please call01772 732800 and wewill rush you a copy!

HF ISSUE 4 P03 EDIT 22/5/08 10:26

CONTENTS4

03 FIRST WORDIt’s a wonderful life!

06 NEWSWorld Butter Making Championships,allotments and some special offers.

10 DIG FOR VICTORY WITHSOPHIE GRIGSON We bring a new slant on wartimeausterity with summertime recipesfrom world famous cook.

14 THE SMALLESTSMALLHOLDINGLucy Debenham brings a youngpersons slant on smallholding.

16 SUMMER SALADSGet those seeds in now before it’s toolate! We look at growing all yourfavourite salads.

22 MAKE YOUR OWN SALADSFrom humus to coleslaw, we show youhow to make the dips and salads youbuy in the shops.

26 FORGOTTEN CRAFTSMaking the worlds most Eco-friendlylighting – beeswax candles.

28 ALL IN A SPINBeth Frear introduces the craft ofspinning with a wheel.

32 SUMMER DRINKSDiana Sutton splashes up some cooling cordials.

36 PERFECT FRUITYou don’t need acres of space for anorchard of your own. Fruit trees canbe grown in pots on a patio andeven the smallest of gardens canhave its share of dwarf varieties oftop fruit says Jayne Neville.

39 GOING TO MARKETIt is all too easy to rush headlonginto a new project such as openinga farm shop, but in any newventure there are a number ofpitfalls to look out for, JaneBrooks reports.

42 VEGETABLE MATTERSTelegraph columnist Lila Das Guptaworks the vegetable garden with children.

44 SUBSCRIBENever lose out on an issue, and order back copies as well as ourfantastic new binder!

46 BEER FOR BEGINNERSWe look at brewing the real stuffbecause thirst is a terrible thing!

48 SUPERMARKET WASTEAnouchka Warren takes a look at goodfood going to waste and what’s beingdone about it.

50 BEGINNERS BEESThis month we look at how to makeframes for supers and brood boxes.

54 HEN HOUSE DIARYYour chickens health and performancewill have a lot to do with diet saysJanice Houghton-Wallace.

58 POULTRY DISEASESThis month we look at Marek’s disease.

61 COMMUNITY HOME FARMER CLUBSGet together with other Home Farmers.Learn, compare and have a brew!

62 SAVE OUR BEES! A lot of people are losing bees, and wedesperately need more people toimprove British beekeeping, can youstand in the gap?

23IN THE KITCHEN22

THE FOLLOWING RECIPES are forthose tasty additions you wouldnormally purchase from the super-market; the pasta salad, coleslaw,hummus and various others that make abuffet meal or any meal a little moreinteresting. Making your own is veryeasy and the shop bought productsseem to always taste the same and canbe a little disappointing, whereas thehome-made versions taste wonderful.

The amounts given in the recipes arefor 4 people and assume they areaccompaniments rather than the mainpart of the meal. But as some, like pastaor couscous salad, can be eaten inlarger quantities then the amountsgiven would be better feeding 2 people.

The only problem I find with thesetypes of salad is that they do not storewell. This is due to the combination ofingredients. So they need to be eaten

on the day of preparation or at thelatest the next day. The only realexception to this is hummus which willkeep for 2-3 days if refrigerated.

The first recipe for coleslaw is theone I seem to make the most often aswe eat it with green salads, pizzas andpies, ham and baked potatoes. Weparticularly enjoy eating it as anaccompaniment to baked mackerel. Theamounts for this are approximate assizes of vegetable vary and also you willfind out how you like it by experi-menting with amounts. I tend to usewhite onion as this gives a strongerflavour, but red onion is fine andlooks interesting. You can use eitherlight mayonnaise or the original ormake you own. Recipes for this will becoming shortly. You will not have toadd any salt as the mayonnaisecontains enough.

Summer Salads

ColeslawINGREDIENTS1/2 small onion, white or red1 medium grated carrot1/2 (approx) shredded white cabbage3 rounded tablespoons good mayonnaise

METHOD1 Chop onion finely and mix into

grated carrot.2 Shred the cabbage as finely as you

prefer and mix that into carrot and onion.

3 Add the mayonnaise and stir wellto combine.

4 Transfer to serving dish and serve.

Hummus is a Greek and Arabic dishthat has become a very popular dip andsalad accompaniment.

It is brilliant served with vegetablecrudités and hors d’oeuvre. It is simple tomake but you have to be careful with theamount of garlic and lemon juice used.The first time I made it I put in too muchlemon juice and not enough garlic andthe flavour was too sharp. The next time Ialtered the amounts and it was a muchbetter balance. Tasting the hummus as yougo is important as you can add more butyou can’t take it away once combined withthe other ingredients. The recipe usestahini, which is a thick paste made fromsesame seeds. In Middle-Eastern cuisine itis used in both sweet and savoury dishes.It is quite oily and needs to be stirred wellbefore use. This can be purchased in Asianfood markets and some big name super-markets, though it costs nearly twice asmuch. Though you can do it by hand, it iseasier if you have a food processor.

HummusINGREDIENTS175g chickpeas soaked in cold waterovernight2 chopped garlic cloves75ml or 5 tablespoons tahini40-50ml lemon juice, freshly squeezedif possible60ml mild olive oilSalt to taste

METHOD1 After soaking, pour enough boiling

water to cover and simmer for 2-21/2 hours.

2 Drain well and puree along with thechopped garlic, either in a foodprocessor or mashing and pushingtogether.

3 Add tahini and lemon juice and mix well.

4 Add olive oil gradually whilst mixingwell.

5 Season to taste and transfer to aserving dish.

6 Add some chopped parsley to varythe flavour, or try ground cumin orcoriander seeds to taste.

Inside July’s issue...

Cover Story

Cover Story

Cover Story

Cover Story

HF ISSUE 4 P4-5 CONTENTS 23/5/08 17:03

5

64 THE STRAWBRIDGE DUOTelevision presenters andHome Farmers, James andDick Strawbridge look atherbs and how to grow aspiral.

66 CRAMMING IT ALL INNo space to grow vegetables?Nonsense! We cram them into thenooks and crannies around the houseand garden.

68 GETTING HELPWe have a lot to learn from the waythings were when it comes to helpingolder people who still want to be self-sufficient.

70 PLANTING GUIDEOur at-a-glance guide to planting your veggies.

72 LIVESTOCK LINEUPWhich animals are best for you? We compare common Home Farmerbeasts.

74 DIARY OF AN URBAN FARMERMike Woolnough gets the shock of hislife from his pregnant goats, no kidding!Well, nearly!

79 BUILD YOUR OWNPOLYTUNNELJoe Jacobs looks at the ins and outs ofthe DIY tunnel.

83 FOOD HEROESThis month we look at the Great LittleCupcake Company – something to dowith all those left over eggs!

84 FAT MAN IN THE KITCHENDesperate Dan Cow Pie, who needssay more?

86 COOKING THROUGH THE AGESGoing back four hundred years with some recipes perfect for theHome Farmer.

90 BISCUITSSo good we baked them twice! DianaSutton looks at some must eat kitchenfavourites.

93 HOMEFARMERBEAUTYConcoctions forthe hair, handsand feet, justwhat you needafter a hardday in thegarden, on theplot or out inthe field.

96 YOUR SAYYour letters toHome Farmer haveparticularly spurred us on togreater things in the garden.

97 COMPETITIONWin some Verm-ex goodies for yourlivestock.

98 CLASSIFIED ADVERTS Go on, grab yourself a bargain!

99 NEXT MONTHWhat’s coming up in the August Issue(Is it that time already?)

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UK, but it is just too early to say if it isactually working.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?I am completely sure, based on theresponse from our features, that HomeFarmer readers are interested inbeekeeping. What is needed is a wholelot more beekeepers. And it is such a

rewarding and absorbingsubject I am sureyou will get

hooked as soon asyou get into it. So

this is a plea to

anyone out there who is thinkingof keeping bees: please get outthere and get on with it!

TRAININGBeekeeping is not something youcan learn just out of a book. Youneed to gain confidence andpick up skills, so please go alongto your local beekeeping associ-ation. It is here that you aremost likely to get a colony and

equipment without having to spend afortune on either equipment or bees.

Almost all of the local beekeepingassociations run beginners’ courses, andyou can go along, get involved and joinin the course as soon as it is convenientfor you and the association.

The other important point is that onthe whole new beekeepers buy newequipment, and so long as the bees youget are clean, the equipment is clean –at least the wax and frames are cleanand the hive burned out – then thelikelihood is that there will be fewerproblems. �

STOP PRESS >> STOP PRESS >> STOP PRESS62

LAST YEAR WAS an awful one forbeekeepers. The rain all but wiped outthe summer and the winter dragged on,wet and cold into the spring. Then thereis the problem of varroa, which seems tobe more serious every time you open abeekeeping magazine, and fueled byfears that colonies are collapsing allover the United States, beekeepers havebeen on tenterhooks to see how thingsare shaping up now the warmer weatheris appearing.

Well the news is bad. Scarily bad.Most people have lost a large number ofcolonies. On average about a third ofhoneybees have died out. This is a hugenumber. In the United States thesituation has got so bad that the tradi-tional almond and top fruit pollinationis now under threat. Something that hasgone on every year since before 1776might now fail!

Back home, to lose an average of athird of colonies means that somepeople have been totally wiped out andthere have been examples of this all overthe country.

WHAT’S HAPPENING?Manchester Beekeeping Association lostaround half of its hives this last winterand of these nearly all of them had asingle celled parasite, Nosema ceranae.This organism is native to Far Easterncolonies and is related to Nosema apis,the dyssentry causing infestation.However, this new one is symptom freeand largely affects flying insects thatforage, leaving the hive, but are so ill asto make returning unlikely. So you don’tknow if you have the problem, almostuntil it is too late. The colony getssmaller and smaller.

This can happen quite rapidlydepending on the time of the year. Thecolony can be wiped out in just 8 days!Research around the world hassuggested a link between Nosemaceranae and the so-called ColonyCollapse Disorder, but it is not assimple as that. Colonies with the pesthave gone on with little trouble, sothere has to be other factors at work.Meanwhile colonies are dying off andshould we have another bad year thenwe will be witnessing one of the biggest

problems in over 100 years when adisease called acarine all but completelywiped out our native honeybeepopulation.

Certainly in Spain the previous year(2005/2006) there were massivecolony losses, and this seems to berepeated here. The Spanish colonieswere largely infected with Nosemaceranae.

The immediate problem forbeekeepers that have lost stock isreplacing bees. Last year a nucleus ofbees (simply a box with frames, a queenand some attendant workers)sold for around £100.This year the sameis selling attwice this

amount atauction.Furthermore, theavailability of clean stock is indoubt. I heard of one man who wascollecting swarms and trying to sellthem on at £150 a time, a very dubiousoccupation.

TREATMENTSThe treatment for Nosema apis hasbeen fumagilin, a huge molecule thathas worked well. However, it isn’t provenon Nosema ceranae. This treatment isbeing tried by beekeepers all across the

Around the country a number of diseases are threatening ourhoneybee populations. We need people to come forward andSAVE OUR BEES! Paul Peacock throws down the gauntlet

SAVE OUR BEES!

Your localbeekeepingassociation There are local associations in everycounty and more or less every town inthe UK. Some associations are losingmembers, so you might need to shoparound to find one where you can geton a course. May and June is the mostimportant swarming time of the year, soyou never know, there might be one ortwo more colonies out there too!

To find your local bee club, go to theBBKA, who organise the insurancescheme for beekeepers, and thereforemost of the associations are members.They have a web site that has all thedetails of the associations and you candownload all kinds of materials andpublications of interest.

The British Beekeepers Association,The National Beekeeping Centre,National Agricultural Centre,Stoneleigh Park,Warwickshire, CV8 2LG.Tel: 02476 696679Web: www.britishbee.org.uk

85

5 Keep some of the gravy for servingand pour the rest back into the meatdish to thicken. 6 Transfer the meat and vegetable mixto a roasting tin or large casserole, or

a dustbin lid if you happen to beDesperate Dan. Cover the pie with asheet of pastry. 7 Make holes in the pastry with a knifeand cook in the oven at 200oC, Gas6, for 30 minutes or until the pastryis cooked.

8 Serve the dish simply, with a single ortwo vegetables. It is traditionallyeaten with piles of onion soaked allday in vinegar. It is remarkable howmoreish gravy and vinegar can be.

The point of this dish is that you canserve a lot of people with a little meat,and indeed it is the basis for a numberof other traditional dishes. If you leavethe pastry off you have scouse or hotpotor Irish stew. If you cook it with fish andno meat, and especially if you putherring peeping out, you have stargazypie. If you cook it with lamb androsemary you have a Lancashire hotpot.

This dish is actually Medieval inorigin. It comes from the time when thecuisine of this country was based on theready availablity of cheap fuel. Disheswere cooked for a long time over a slowfire. There was no such thing as a raresteak five hundred years ago! These daysthis dish can be cooked for a long timewithout spoiling because the cut ofmeat can cope with it.Finally, this dish will keep. It is one of

those that can be warmed up thefollowing day and probably it tastesbetter this way. Another way of eating itis to fry the pie in hot oil, especially ifthere is some cabbage in it. ECONOMICSIt is possible to make this dish, atasty one for six people, for around£5. That is about 80p per portion,and believe me, once you have finished

your plate you really do feel as thoughyou have had a meal. �

FAT MAN IN THE KITCHEN

84

ESSENTIALLY THIS IS food for heroes.It is what makes Desperate Dandesperate, strong and scary. Hismother’s original recipe called for ‘orns,

sometimes ‘oofs and, every now andagain, a tail. The pastry was sometimesold car tyres, every now and againcement, and the odd paving slab. But,alas, we are not all Desperate Dan and amore delicate and genteel version isnecessary. Something nice and soft tostart with so we can work our way up topaving slabs and cow ‘orns when wehave our false teeth!This dish needs to be cooked long

and slow, and can take on any cutof beef, but don’t

waste your money on fillet steak. It ismuch tastier with shin, skirt orshoulder. The very best is shin beef,basically the cheapest you can get. Itcooks for hours and gets better everyminute as well as giving you the verybest gravy too. The higher amount ofconnective tissue makes the meat gelatinous and sticky. Marvellous!This is also a pie that gets rid of any

root vegetables, potatoes, carrots,swede, turnip, parsnip (though I preferit without) along with any greenvegetables you might have, smallamounts of celery, bits of cabbage and

in fact anything. It is not overtly spiced,no garlic but does wellwith a couple of

sprigs ofthyme.

The followingingredients shouldsatisfy six hungry men,or one desperate one.

INGREDIENTS1.5kg beef cut into 3cm pieces3 large onions roughly choppedA collection of washed vegetables cut into 2cm pieces, the vegetablesshould weigh about 1.5kg4 sprigs of thyme

METHOD1 Add a little oil to the pan and slowlycook the onion for a couple ofminutes. Then add the meat and fryuntil all the meat has changed colour.

2 Add 350ml water as season well, andalso add the thyme. Keep on a lowsimmer for 2 hours and then add allthe vegetables except for any potatoes.3 Cook for a further 30 minutes andthen add the potatoes. Cook foranother 30 minutes or until thepotatoes are just becoming soft. (Thepotatoes will be cooked further, sothey do not have to be completely soft.

4 At this point you can take off some ofthe liquid into a separate pan. Bringthis to the boil and thicken in yourusual way. (I have to be honest andsay I use pretty bog standard gravymix, but you could use a roux orflour or cornflour.)

How tomake pastryINGREDIENTS220g plain flour80g lard80g margarinePinch of salt (big one!) About 125ml cold water

METHOD1 Cool the fats and chop them into1cm cubes. Add these to the siftedflour and rub the fat in with thefingers.Try to be as light as you canand incorporate as much air as youcan into the crumbled mix.

2 Then add half the water and kneadthe mix. Carefully add the water untilyou have a good paste.You mightneed more water or not, it dependson the flour and the weather.3 When you have a paste, wrap it incling film and keep it in the fridge forat least 30 mins

before using.

4 Or youcouldcheatwithboughtpastry!

Desperate Dan Pie was made from cow heel and had horns sticking

out of a huge dish which was invariably eaten by Dan as well as

the pie itself. This is a more genteel version!

Transfer the mix to a roasting tin or large casserole.

Desperate Dan Cow Pie

Make holes in the pastry with a knife and oven cook.

Cover Story

Cover Story

Cover Story

HF ISSUE 4 P4-5 CONTENTS 23/5/08 17:05

It is reported in the Telegraph thePrince of Wales has warned thatthe world faces a series of naturaldisasters within 18 months unlessurgent action is taken to save therainforests. In one of his most outspoken interventions in theclimate change debate, he said a£15 billion annual programme wasrequired to halt deforestation orthe world would have to live withthe dire consequences.

The Prince explained how hefelt the world should pay to keepthe rainforests free from

exploitation at an earlier eventthis year at Iwokrama in Guyana.

“How do we do it? Theimmediate priority, I believe, is theneed to develop a new creditmarket which will give a truevalue to carbon and theecosystem services thatrainforests provide the rest of theworld. We are content to pay forthe other utilities we receive –water, gas and electricity – soshouldn’t we pay as well for theworld’s greatest utility, - itsrainforests? In other words, pay

for the perpetual retention offorests like Iwokrama in Guyana.

“Of course, none of this is goingto be easy, but surely it should bethe ethical duty of wealthy nations,which have – perhaps unwittingly –created the problem of climatechange, to find a solution.Developing nations, which maysuffer most from climate changeand, consequently, unheard of levelsof poverty, are now calling on usfor help. Climate change means thattheir survival and ours is now moreclosely linked than ever before.”

NEWS AND PRODUCTS6

Thanks to Longley Farm, whoprovided the cream and thebottles, Home Farmer readerstook part in the World’s firstbutter making championships atthe Smallholder Show at the RoyalWelsh Showground, Builth Wells incentral Wales on 18th May. Peoplewere amazed that they could maketheir own butter from cream and anumber of adults and children tookpart.

The event was televised by theCountry channel and will soonappear on the Home FarmerWebsite.The winners proudlybore their sashes and the childrenwon aprons.

“I didn’t think you could do this.It is really interesting to watch,” saidMrs Jones of Powys, who won oneof the prizes.

Actually the whole thing was a bitof fun, and everyone had a goodlaugh as well as learning a bit about

PRODUCTFOCUS:SNAIL AWAYSnail away is a strip,powered by a batterythat lasts a year, thatstops snails and slugsfrom crossing them.They don’t harm theanimals in any way, butdo keep them off theplants.

Invented by Ron andBeryl Turvey, the Eurekamoment hit them oneevening.Whilst walkingin their garden, theynoticed that a snail washaving trouble crossingthe lines of the modelrailway that ran aroundthe garden – thus anidea was born! Usinghis experience as anengineer Ron made aprototype fence whichthey trialled in theirgarden with greatsuccess (the onlyescapee parachutingout on a leaf!).

All this would stillhave remained in theirback garden if it hadn’tbeen for the TVprogramme ‘What’s theBig Idea’ and a veryenthusiastic audience.Ron and Beryl decidedthat it should be madeavailable to otherdesperate would-beHosta growers andrefined the product sothat it could bemanufactured and sold.

Get more details from:SnailAway Ltd.,4 Hembury Cottages,Broadhempston,Totnes TQ9 6BSTel: 08445 616027

butter. But everything has a seriousside.Young people and childrenwho didn’t realise their butter camefrom simply bashing cream aroundhad a great time shaking theirplastic bottles. The winnerproduced butter in about fiveminutes of harsh shaking

Ruth Tott of the Good Life Presssaid,“While being a lot of fun thecompetition carries an importantmessage – we all have the skillsneeded to produce more of ourown food but with more and morereliance on convenience food wehave lost the knowledge,”

18 MONTHS TILL CLIMATE DISASTER

Above: One of the youngest contestantsbeing interviewed for the television.

HOME FARMER READERSARE WORLD CHAMPIONS

Left: Readers at the Smallholder showshaking their cream in the first worldchampionships.

HF ISSUE 4 P6-9 NEWS ETC 23/5/08 17:55

Around the countrythere are people onwaiting lists for allot-ments. One reader ofHome Farmercomplained that,according to the list shehad been put on for anallotment, she was likelyto have to wait around35 years to get a plot!Some local authoritiesare beginning to buildnew allotments, but thetotal number of new sitesare little more than asplash in the oceancompared to the numberof allotments that were‘assimilated’ due to lackof use, built on, turnedinto children’s parks ornew roads during the‘decline years’ of the1970’s to 1990’s.

Now there are notonly large waiting lists for plots,and huge demand for new plots,but some promised plots arefalling foul of the recession.

For example, the Valley Roadallotment site was bulldozed forhouses in Birmingham.The localcouncil entered into a planning

agreement with the developersthat said the allotments were tobe replaced when a certainnumber of properties were sold.However, the new allotments arestill not under construction.Thedevelopers say they have not soldenough properties, and with the

downturn of theeconomy, who knowswhen the site will getbuilt?

There are a number ofgood news storiesregarding allotments.Thecouncil at Rochdale arebuilding a new allotmentsite in Middleton wherethere will be a schoolssection, disabled plots, ashop and a clubhouse.Wewill be following progressof the site as it is createdover the summer.

At Home Farmer wewant to know aboutyour problems getting anallotment.We want tohighlight how difficult itis to get one, and whoknows? Perhaps we canencourage a few councilsto get themselves in gearand build some new

allotments?

PLEASE WRITE TO:Allotment Problems,The Good Life Press Ltd.,PO Box 536,Preston PR2 [email protected]

7NEWS AND PRODUCTS

Valley Road allotments being turned into a housing estate.

SUFFOLKSMALLHOLDER’SSHOWSuffolk SmallholdersAnnual Show is onceagain being held at theMid SuffolkShowground, which ispart of the StonhamBarns Retail andLeisure centre.Theshow is on Sunday July20th from 10am to5pm admission is £5adults and children free.Plus free parking.

There are always lotsof animals at the showfor people to get upclose to, with theirowners on hand toanswer questions. Manymembers of SuffolkSmallholder’sAssociation havestands. Other attrac-tions at the showinclude local producedfood, vintage tractors,old fashioned countrygames, plants and tradestands.

Let’s hope everyonehas a great day!

UN-ALLOTTED ALLOTMENTS

The 2008 Smallholder and GardenShow at Builth Wells Royal WelshShowground was an amazing successover the last weekend. First of allthe weather was kind and thepeople happy. Despite lower thanusual numbers, 23,318 visitors had agreat day out.The drop in numbersfrom last year can be attributed tothe problems of blue tongue.Thegoat classes, for example, werereduced because the animals are notallowed over the boarder fromEngland.

A number of changes saw the pigsentries given greater precedence atthe front of the show leaving moreroom for llamas at the back.All inall, it was a great success, and I hada chance to get my annual fix ofOggie.And if you don’t know whatan Oggie is, you’ll have to turn up tonext year’s show!

Right: Expectant bidders at the Smallholder Show.

SMALLHOLDERS FLOCK TO SHOW


NEWS AND PRODUCTS8

It seems DEFRA have beengetting all hot under the collarabout Gogi berries.They havebeen banned unless producewithin the EU because they might also carry pests to EUcrops.There are reports thatthey demanded an apology

from the BBC about a report in Gardener’s World and dawnswoops and massive fines being levied on companies who have broken the ban.

And there are a number ofcompanies that have done justthat, imported from the Far

East via Holland, and thenpretended that the plants havecome from within the EU.

So if you plan on buying goji berry plants in the future, make sure you knowwhere they were originallygrown!

GOGI BERRY GRUMBLES

Celebrity Chef Gordon Ramsayjoined the wide ranging HomeFarmer debate by stating that hethought restaurants should befined if they didn’t offer seasonalfood on their menus. He said thatfruit and vegetables should belocally sourced and only on menuswhen in season. He went on tosay that he had already spoken toPrime Minister Gordon Brownabout outlawing out-of-seasonproduce. Believing it would cut

carbon emissions, as less foodwould be imported, and lead toimproved standards of cooking.

What caused the furore was hisremark:“Fruit and veg should beseasonal. Chefs should be fined ifthey haven't got ingredients inseason on their menu.

“I don't want to see asparaguson in the middle of December. Idon’t want to see strawberriesfrom Kenya in the middle of March.I want to see it home grown.”

SAVE 10% ONPOT GROWNFRUIT TREESChoose from Apples,Pears, Cherries, Plumsor have a look on thewebsite for list ofvarieties.

• One tree £16.20 each(instead of £18.00)

• Three or more £14.85 each

• Five or more £13.50 each

All trees 2-3 years oldand pruned to 4-5ft tallat time of dispatch.Carriage only £7.95 per order.

Victoriana Nursery Gardens,Challock, Nr Ashford,Kent. TN25 4DGTel: 01233 740529 Web: www.victoriana-nursery.co.uk

GORDON RAMSAY GOES OFF ON ONE


9NEWS AND PRODUCTS

RACHELCARSONHONOUREDON STAGE‘Another Kind of Silence’is the story of RachelCarson, legendaryecologist and 'top inter-national environmentalistof all time'

Rachel Carson wrotesome stunning books.Her ‘Under the SeaWind’ was the story ofan island, the estuaryand the ocean.This wasfollowed by the all timebest book on theenvironment,‘SilentSpring’, where sheoutlined DDT and otherman made chemicalswere killing the planet. Itis the book to read foranyone interested in theenvironment.

And now you can seeRachel’s life on thestage. In a spell-bindingperformance, LizRothschild plays writerRachel Carson, a determined campaignerwho came into sharpconflict with vestedcommercial andgovernment interests in1960s America byspeaking out against thecareless use of chemicalsin our environment.

That Carson was alsoa woman of failing healthand intense privatepassions is just asimportant a storyline asher struggle to get herground-breaking observations writtenand published. ‘SilentSpring’ is Carson’smasterpiece, a book thatbecame a best-seller, isstill viewed as a seminalwork, and was named byBlackwells UK as one of50 books that haveshaped our world. In2007, the centenary year of her birth, Rachelwas also voted top international environmentalist of alltime by the EnvironmentAgency.

International development charityProgressio today criticises the UKand EU for not doing enough toprevent the commercialisation of‘Terminator’ seeds in the devel-oping world, which would threatenthe livelihoods of 1.4 billion peopleand wreak havoc on agriculturalbiodiversity.

Biotechnology companies claimthat ‘Terminator’ – which usesgenetic engineering to make plantsproduce sterile seeds, wouldprevent contamination betweenGM and non-GM crops. Itsdetractors dismiss this claim byarguing that Terminator wouldactually make contamination

worse.The highly controversialtechnology is currently controlledby a temporary UN ban.

If commercialised,Terminatorwould put an end to the practiceof seed-saving, which is essential to1.4 billion of the world’s poorestfarmers who save and re-plantseeds from one year to the nextto feed their families and earn aliving.What makes Terminatordifferent from other geneticallymodified seeds is the fact that itwould:

•Force farmers to buy new seedfrom large companies thatcontrol a global seed marketworth US$19.6 billion.

•Further jeopardise the foodsecurity of the world’s poorestcommunities that are alreadystruggling to cope with risingfood prices.

•Reduce biodiversity by forcingfarmers to abandon local seedvarieties in favour of commercialseeds.

•Make farmers more vulnerableto climate change by forcingthem to use commercial seed

rather than locally adaptedvarieties, which are far moreresilient to unpredictableweather patterns.

The new report,Against the Grain,produced by international devel-opment charity Progressio, revealsthat both the UK and EU areweakening the UN agreement notto develop or commercialise thetechnology.Against the Grainreveals how EU and, by impli-cation, British taxpayers arecontributing to the developmentof Terminator technology througha £3.4 million EU research projectcalled ‘Transcontainer’.

UK AND EU CRITICISEDFOR UNDERMININGBAN ON GENETICALLYMODIFIED SEEDS

Tenants of The Gateshead Housing Company arebeing given the chance to show how good theirgardens are in the 2008 Summer GardenCompetition.

The competition is open to Gateshead residents,schools, commercial and industrial premises andreligious grounds, with three area competitionscovering the borough.

There are 12 classes to enter – ranging from ‘Bestkept large garden’ and ‘Best kept backyard’, to‘Window box’ and ‘Best new entry’. Additionalprizes, in each relevant class, will be awarded to thebest entry from a tenant of The Gateshead HousingCompany, which is currently makingover £1m per week of improvements to local homes.

Entry forms for the competition are now availablefrom housing offices, Gateshead Council libraries andleisure facilities across the borough.

TENANTS GARDENING COMP.


DIG FOR VICTORY10

THE POINT OF Dig for Victory was thatBritain had no food, and if we werestarving we would have to surrenderduring World War II. It is remarkablethat some conditions in 2008 almostmirror those of 1939. We imported over60% of our food then, and we areimporting a bit more than that now.Our farming industry was in a bad wayin 1939 and if anything is worse today,and of course, there was a lot of uncer-tainty then as now.

Ask any Home Farmer reader andthey will tell you that one of the mostimportant things people can do is growsome of their own food, but the words

Dig for Victory sounds all drab,austere and unpleasant becausethey are associated with rationing,shortages and hunger. The truth isquite different.

DIG FOR VICTORY TODAYWe have asked Sophie Grigson toprovide us with recipes and in our turnwe will show you how to grow the ingre-dients. If nothing else it just shows thatmodern, up to date recipes can besourced from your garden or allotment.

Greenest ofGreen Salads

In these summer months, whenso many young vegetables

are sweet enough to eatraw, and herbs are in

their prime, I like toextend the

definition of a‘green salad’ toinclude awelter ofdeliciousgreenery ofcontrastingtastes andtextures.So, takewhat youhave in the

garden,marry it with

lively leavesand a vivid

dressing and youwill have a salad so

good that everyone

will begoing back for

seconds and thirds.Personally, I marginally prefer the

pomegranate dressing (pomegranatemolasses has a beguiling fruitysharpness, and is available from delis,Middle Eastern food shops andSainsbury’s), but the creamy tarragondressing is excellent too.

INGREDIENTSGorgeous green young lettuce andsalad leaves, e.g. lettuce, spinach,rocket, watercress, nasturtium leavesand so onShelled fresh peasSmall broad beansThinly sliced fennelShredded spring onionsSliced mangetouts or sugarsnapsHandfuls of soft-leaved fresh herbs, e.g.basil, mint, coriander, marjoram, sorrelDressing (see below)

METHOD1 Prepare whichever greens you are

using, and store in separate looselyknotted plastic bags in the vegetabledrawer of the fridge until 30 minutesbefore using.

2 Put the dressing in the base of alarge salad bowl. Cross the saladservers over it (this way most of thesalad will be kept out of the dressinguntil you are ready to toss it alltogether. Mix salad leaves and wholeherb leaves on top and arrangeremaining bits and bobs artfully overthat. Take to the table, toss to coatwith dressing and eat immediately.

We’re updating the Dig for VictoryCampaign by bringing it up to date,so we have asked InternationalTV Chef Sophie Grigson for herbest recipes that travel easilyfrom plot to plate

Dig for Victorywith Sophie Grigson

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11

TarragonCreamDressingINGREDIENTS1 tablespoon tarragon vinegar4 tablespoons single creamPinch of sugar (optional)Salt and pepper

METHOD1 Whisk all the ingredients

together lightly. Taste and adjustseasonings.

Broad beans are sown in the autumn andin the spring. They are grown in doublerows. That is, each row is made up oftwo lines of seeds planted 15cm apart.The next double row comes 75cm awayfrom the first.

AUTUMN SOWINGYou need a well-drained soil that willretain a little water but not too much.Cold water chills the seedlings so theygrow very slowly.

The soil needs little preparation; youcan grow them where a previous crophas been cleared – potatoes are best.Some people add a little fertiliser to thesoil, but I tend to wait until springbecause I don’t want to encourage toomuch shoot growth at this time. Simplygive the soil a dig over and mark out yourdouble rows.

Make a small hole with a dibber andpush a seed into each at a depth of 5cm,and cover, firming the soil down.Germination, which might take threeweeks, will follow with growth to about10cm. At this stage they will appear tostop growing.They haven’t actually

stopped growing though; they are sendingout a complex mass of roots and this iswhat promotes heavy crops later.

SPRING SOWINGSow into plastic drink cups and keepthem on the floor near the door of anunheated greenhouse where they remaincool but protected. Once the plants arelarge enough (10cm) they are planted intodouble rows as for the previous method.

The bed should have been previouslywell-dug and a little organic fertilisermixed in to give them a good start. Iusually use a handful of organic fertiliserto a metre length of double row.

Before you finally plant your youngbeans out, leave them out of the green-house during the day and take theminside again at night for a couple of weeks– except in driving rain or hard frosts –to acclimatise them to the outdoors.

Dig a hole with a trowel that willaccommodate the root ball and firm wellin. A small amount of rainwater will setthem off, but don’t over soak them.

Protect from blackfly and pick the podsas they fill out.

How to grow broad beans

How to growRussianTarragonThis is one of the easiest plants togrow, and is brilliant when used inSophie’s dressing. It has a mild 5-spicearoma to it. Growing in dappled shade,tarragon needs little care.

You should sow three seeds in potsof compost and thin out to thestrongest.You can sow them any timefrom April indoors to June outdoors.When the seedlings are a hand’sbreadth tall you can then plant themout into their final positions.

Simply mulch them with well rottedcompost each spring and they willgrow happily.

After three year’s growth, dig up theplants and start again.To have acontinual supply of tarragon, sow insuccessive years.

HF 4 P10-12 DIG 22/5/08 14:59

DIG FOR VICTORY12

PomegranateDressing

INGREDIENTS1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oilSalt and pepper

METHOD1 Whisk salt, pepper and then oil into

the pomegranate molasses. Taste andadjust seasonings.

PetitsPois à la FrançaisePetits pois à la Française is just aboutthe nicest way ever to cook fresh youngpeas. It’s outstandingly simple, as somany of the best recipes are, but needsa little care and attention to prevent thelower layer of peas from scorching. Ifnecessary, add a dash or two of extrawater, although the lettuce and peasshould release just enough all bythemselves. Mind you, a small amount ofbrowning is not entirely unpleasanteven if it is technically incorrect.

For those of you who don’t have freshpeas to hand, dare I mention that itworks with frozen peas, as well. Ssh...

INGREDIENTSServes 430g (1oz) butter

500g shelled, fresh peas1 round butterhead lettuce, or 2 little gem type lettuces, sliced1 onion, chopped3 tablespoons waterSalt

METHOD1 Melt the butter in a saucepan, then

add the peas, lettuce, onion and salt.Stir so that the peas are all coatedwith butter, then add the water.

2 Place over a low heat, clamp the lidon and cook for around 10-15minutes, stirring once or twice.

3 Take off the lid and, if necessary,boil hard for a couple of minutesuntil virtually all the liquid hasevaporated. Taste and adjustseasoning and serve. �

There is nothing better than fresh gardenpeas! If you sow from June through to thefirst week in August you will get peas rightthrough to October. The seeds are plantedin well dug loam with plenty of rottedmanure or compost forked in.

There are all sorts of varieties available,from the dwarf varieties to the giant onesthat grow ten feet high.

Simply sow them in drills by a netsupport about 20cm apart and 5cm deep.I sow two seeds together and then removethe weakest plant.Apart from needing good

watering if the soil is dry and protectingfrom mice, pigeons, greenfly and otheraphids, there is little else you need to do.

If you want a crop in May then sow inFebruary under cloches, or sow indoorsand transplant in late April.You can also sowin modules or even gutters, sliding theyoung plants into position when you areready.

Varieties to be sure of include KelvedonWonder in the Spring, which are brilliant,and Onward for the rest of the season forheavier cropping.

How to grow peas

Coming soonThe Home Farmer Dig for VictoryPoster.A quick and easy guide toplanting and cropping.

HF 4 P10-12 DIG 22/5/08 14:59

Project3 23/5/08 14:54

GOOD LIFE BLOGGING14

I CALL MY Mum and enthuse abouthow my chilli seeds have finally germi-nated. I wax lyrical about our awesomenew wooden compost bin – we’ve built agate on the front that allows us to turnthe compost easily. We talk about my‘girls’ Yoko, Pattie and Maureen. Wediscuss the virtues of ‘Stuttgarter Giant’and ‘Hercules.’

But despite what you may be thinking,I’m not old enough to qualify for a freebus pass. And neither Mum nor I areanywhere near entering retirement. At 25I sometimes feel like I’m living on thefringes of society – particularly when itcomes to my own generation.

THE GOOD LIFEIt’s not hard to see why, as a vegetable-growing hen keeper, I don’t fit themould. My generation is often depicted(and often perfectly obliging to satisfypreconceptions) as a cohort of selfish,

money-grabbing, career ladder-climbing,sex-obsessed, gadget-wielding boozyconsumers with little or no interest inmore worldly issues. I’m supposed toparty hard, work to pay to party, and livefor the weekends. By not conforming,I’m made to feel like I’m missing out.

I used to feel like a peculiarity and feltthat some of my peers regarded me with amixture of affection and mockery. Am Iparanoid? Possibly. Supposedly I’m part ofa legion of 20-something non-conformingconformists. We buck the trend by beingall about family values. We enjoy growingour own veg. We’re conscious consumers.We opt for civilised dinner parties ratherthan alcohol-infused hedonistic lostweekends. It all sounds terribly uptight tome. But although I am at pains topigeonhole my way of life, there is someelement of truth in this description.

It also seems that being green and‘self-sufficientish’ is en vogue. Part ofme wants to shout “but I was like this allalong!” probably in an effort to validatethe fact that maybe I was always a bitcool. But I realise that cool only mattersin relation to things like germination.Working outside with nature tends togive you a sense of balance andperspective – like free therapy.

THE INCEPTION OF THESMALLEST SMALLHOLDINGWe’re lucky enough to live in a fairly oldhouse that still has – for this area atleast – a good chunk of land with it.Before they moved out, my parentsacquired a plot of land next to theoriginal long, thin garden. Lack ofaccess to the plot from the road meantthat any planning permission forfurther housing development would notbe granted. As a consequence it was leftto the mercy of Mother Nature for agood two and a half decades.

The plot was an overgrown tangledthicket of 6ft brambles and bindweedwhen my parents finally purchased it.The sprinkling of fruit trees – crab apple,damson and Victoria plum – was hiddenfrom view. Research later revealed thatthey were the remnants from an oldmarket garden that had existed thereuntil the early part of the 20th century.

To tackle the relentless brambles andbindweed, and despite Mum being anavid gardener, the majority of the plotwas turfed. The fruit trees and a fewshrubs were left in place. Once my familymoved out, my partner Rich and I movedback in. We weren’t interested in theland really. Although the space was

A Growing RealisationLucy Debenham describeshow a budding interest invegetables grew into anonline-documented bid atliving the Good Life

HF ISSUE 4 P14-15 SMALLHOLDER 16/5/08 14:47

15

great, the flower borders and poor weed-prone soil were a lot to contend with.

But after a while, a burgeoning interest in vegetable growing was slowlytaking its grip on me. I’d always beeninterested in wildlife, but until thatpoint had never really quite made theconnection with an interest ingardening and growing. I’d grown upwith a grandfather who steadfastly grewvegetables, sweet peas and gladioli. Mymother and aunt were also avidgardeners. As children, my sister, cousinsand I hung upside down in apple trees,munching the fruit. We picked andgobbled fresh raspberries. Sunny after-noons were spent hiding in the runnerbeans and popping pea pods.

When ‘Pappa’ passed away in 2002, itmade me evaluate what connected us asa family. A couple of years after hisvegetable plots had been turfed over, wedecided to resurrect them. My degreetook up most of my time, which meantthat my sister Deborah did most of thework. Nevertheless, I was hooked. Whenmy degree was over I was a relativelyfree agent. So my attention turned tomy own available space.

It just seemed incredible that I’d notthought of it earlier – I had all this space,why on earth wasn’t Iusing it? I adore eatingand cooking, so growingvegetables would ensurethat I could control theprocess from field to fork.I could use organicmethods, and actuallyencourage wildlife. It justall started falling intoplace and making sense.So over the winter of2006 I started digging inearnest. That winter alsosaw the arrival of my 4 ex-battery hens.The Smallest Smallholding was born.

THE GIRLSI was a complete chicken-keepingnovice when I went to collect my hens.The one thing I did know was the namesI wanted to give them. My being over-enthusiastic about the Beatles meantthat they were going to be lumberedwith Beatle wife names – Yoko,Maureen, Pattie and Cynthia.

Seeing all the rescued threadbare andtatty looking retirees for the first time wasquite sad, but also thrilling. They wereout. They were free. We didn’t choose ourgirls – they were randomly picked up, hadtheir nails trimmed and were carefullyplaced in our travel carriers. The journeyhome was quiet. They blinked throughthe carrier bars and shuffled around everynow and then, obviously used to thecramped environment.

A NEW LIFEThe next two weeks saw massivechanges – they learned to perch,scratch and lay in a nestbox. I called mymother to celebrate the arrival of ourfirst egg. If they were pecked, theycould simply walk away. Theyblossomed from pale, robotic andlistless looking creatures to vocal,glossy-feathered chatty girls. Theirarrival here opened up a whole new wayof living for them. And for us too, as Istarted thinking more about where all

my food came from. The hens discovered

sunbathing,dustbathing, thedelights of worms andgrubs, running, jumpingand dozing under ahedge. It was uplifting toknow that I was – andstill am – providing thatfor them. When Cynthiaquietly passed away inMarch, I knew thatbecause of the time

she’d spent with us, she’d known themajority of her life as a free range bird.She’d been happy.

I probably seem overly sentimentalabout my hens, but they are first andforemost pets. So when they’re ill, theirproductivity isn’t the main issue. Weare emotionally attached to them, but Idon’t see it as a bad thing.

As a vegetarian, I have no need tokeep livestock for meat. As the omnivoreof the household, Rich now only buyshis meat from reputable sources. Heeats less of it, and says he gets far moreenjoyment from seeing our animals outand about than he would from a fewmeals of chicken or pork.

However, we both feel that anyonethat can ethically raise their own meatshould be supported and encouraged,not restricted by swathes of red tape.It’s just not something we could ever do– simply a choice that we’ve made.

BLOGGINGVegetable growers and smallholdersare far from being a bunch of wrinklyold Luddites. I found that a glut oftechnically-capable allotment holders,downshifters, home farmers, small-holders and hobbyists of all ages andbackgrounds were using the internetand blogging away. Reading andsharing in their tales of triumph andtribulation made me realise that I’mnot the oddity that I thought I was. SoI decided to give it a try.

By blogging, I don’t profess tobeing an expert in vegetable growing,hen keeping or wildlife gardening. I’mjust a young person who does whatmakes her happy, and I’m still verymuch on a steep learning curve. Ofcourse, I often dream about running a‘real’ smallholding by the sea one day.

But for now I am more than happywith my plots at home, and myallotment. The aim of the SmallestSmallholding has become not only amedium to share my experiences ofmy type of home farming, but a meansto try and reach out to an audienceand prove that you can provide foryourself in some way. Whether youown just a window box, a postagestamp-sized garden, or you’re luckyenough to be blessed with amplespace, you can do something. Itdoesn’t matter where you live or howold you are. It’s easy.

If everybody had a go – ifeveryone made just a few changes –then the impact en masse could berevolutionary. It’s a really excitingprospect. �

More infoLucy’s blog can be found at:www.smallestsmallholding.com

Sowing carrots in a new vegetable plot at the SmallestSmallholding.

Encouraging wildlife is a priority at The SmallestSmallholding.

WORKING

OUTSIDE WITH

NATURE TENDS

TO GIVE YOU A

SENSE OF

BALANCE AND

PERSPECTIVE

HF ISSUE 4 P14-15 SMALLHOLDER 16/5/08 14:48

GROWING SALADS16

IF THERE’S A crop that must be fresh,fresh for flavour, fresh for appearance,it’s a salad. Most of them are nearly allwater and, unless it’s in a bottle, youjust can’t get all that freshness off asupermarket shelf. Try a taste test! Alettuce bought from any supermarketand one from your own garden. Apartfrom one costing a pound and theother a penny, the difference in flavouris completely amazing!

Now a few lettuces do not a summermake, and there are plenty of saladcrops out there that we can grow in thegarden, even in the oddest little placeswe can pack them in, and we’re going tolook at ten of the best.

Stonking Salads

Turn 95pinto £187 injust 50 daysI bought a packet of lettuce seeds for35p.The packet contains 1,700 seeds!Let us pretend that only 10% of thesemake it to the plate, due to poor germination and thinning out.Thisleaves me with 170 plants. I need towater them – let’s pretend I use agallon of water a day (which I won’t).That means in the 50 days I have beengrowing them I will use 50p worth ofwater and maybe another 10p worthof fertiliser. This means that mylettuces are going to cost me 95p for170 plants.

In Morrison’s supermarket iceberglettuces cost £1.10 each. My little cropis now worth £187!

There is always time for salads.You can sow them from Mayright through to August, youcan be harvesting in less thana month, even if all you have is a hanging basket! PaulPeacock takes us through ten of the best

LettuceYou can eat lettuces every day of theyear if you like. The year probably startsin December in the greenhouse, whenyou can sow them indoors. They need aminimum of 10oC to germinate andgrow and plenty of moisture. That said,they grow very well in the winter in thegreenhouse and a sowing on ChristmasDay can be eaten in March, although ofcourse they grow more slowly! You needto sow lettuces indoors right until May,and then sow them outdoors.

TRANSPLANTINGLETTUCESThis is really hard! The problem isthat their leaves grow big but theirroots are under developed and thismakes them difficult plants to transplant. The roots get damaged inthe process and they wilt off. For thisreason they are better grown wherever you start them off.

SOWINGSimply mark a groove in the soil orcompost about 2cm deep and lightlysprinkle the seeds in place with thefinger and thumb. Cover and water theyoung seedlings and protect from slugs.As the seedlings grow, thin them out bypulling alternate ones. Use thethinnings in a salad – don’t waste them!

HF 4 P16-20 SALADS 22/5/08 10:40

17

Make sure they do not dry out, buttry only to water the soil, not the leaves,and watch out for greenfly. I usually killthem with my thumb.

If you start sowing in June, repeat thesowing every two weeks until the end ofAugust. The seed packets say stop in July,but it doesn’t cost a lot to get an extramonth in, and in the middle of September

cover them with a cloche. (I use upturnedand cut off lemonade bottles).

Varieties: Iceberg Great Lakes 659 isa variety that does not go to seed, andis easy to grow. Web is a nice one forthick leaves and you can pull a singleleaf off and leave the plant in theground if you like.

Chard & beetThese plants can be more or less treatedthe same because they are the samefamily. Chard, or Swiss Chard as theycall it, is really only a beetroot withoutthe swollen root.

SOWINGYou can sow these plants outside fromApril to early August, and you shouldsow them every couple of weeks for asuccession of crops. They should besown in drills (straight lines to you andme – a scrape in the soil), a seed per

centimetre or so. The drills should be30cm apart. Keep them well watered andas they grow and thin them out as theygrow by taking every other seedling out,then thin them again a couple of weekslater so you end up with a plant every10cm. Don’t forget – use the thinnings.

CAREWhen you water, which should be atleast once a week, and never let themdry out, add a little general liquid feed,or some of your home made brew. Afterabout a month the leaves will bepickable, and in six weeks they will beperfect.

If you are growing beetroot, try onlyto take a couple of leaves once the planthas become secure. Better still, use thethinnings for salads and then allow therest to root up.

You can sow some in compost in theSeptember greenhouse for a crop intoDecember, especially if it is heated. It isremarkable how frost hardy these are.

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GROWING SALADS18

RocketThis is one of those that you can sow

in the early spring every fortnight untilthe end of September and get saladleaves for weeks into the winter. You caneven sow them in October indoors andget some leaves in February in a coolbut frost free greenhouse or tunnel.

The peppery taste, along with thewonderfully shaped leaves, make a greataddition to the salad bowl.

SOWINGSow in drills but only one at a timeevery two weeks at about 4cm apart.The seedlings germinate in a couple ofweeks, depending on the weather.Water them well in and give them alittle feed once a fortnight. The secondrow should be around 40cm from thefirst, and by the time you are sowingyour third row you should be thinningout the first to a plant every 10-12cm.Don’t forget the mantra: use yourthinnings!

They need little care, save perhapsprotecting from flea beetle in the heightof the summer (I cover with fleece) andkeeping moist.

NasturtiumA plant with a scientific name likeTropaeolum makes you think of thetropics. This hot plant actually comes

from South America and is wellworth looking after. It growsover everything and dies away

in the winter if not cared for.The big peppery leaves and

gorgeous hot house flowers areedible and make for a brilliant salad.The buds and fruits make excellent

caper substi-tutes,pickled invinegar.Monet, in

his Frenchgarden at

Giverny, famouslyallowed them to grow over the

paths. He painted them many times, butate them more!

SOWINGYou should sow them in May – June inwell weeded soil that is in full sun. Onetrick is to sow them in a pot, which youbury in the soil. Then in September youcan bring them into the greenhouse sothat you can eat them through thewinter. Also you can take cuttings inAugust that will take in the polytunneland be ready to plant outdoors again inlate spring.

The seeds need to be planted atrandom, two or three almost anywherein the garden, for extra colour and anedible pretty crop.

You can harvest the leaves as andwhen you need them.

Spring OnionsThese thin bodied, hardly bulbed onionsare a must, not the least because you canuse the whole plant in salads and cookwith them too. They are the sweetestonions to grow considering they don’tspend the whole year growing.

SOWINGYou can sow them from April through toJuly every couple of weeks, like all theother salads so far, and end up with acrop right through to October.

Simply sow them in drills, lightly aseed every couple of centimetres, andwater them in. They need a generalfertiliser and must be weed free. Thinthem out so that you have a plant everyhand width. Keep them moist but notwet and they will do fine over a warmsummer. Pick them as they are ready.From June to July there is time to getthree successive sowings in place.

MizunaMizuna is a brilliant salad. Grow it inwell-drained soil, or containers, and youwill be cropping for weeks. It’s great rawin salads, having a mild mustard taste.Mizuna is a robust plant that grows25cm tall. You can cut it and it will growagain. It won’t last the winter out, butyou can grow it in pots and bring theminto the greenhouse.

SOWINGSow in well-draining soil, in the sun justlike lettuce, and thin in the same way.You can do early sowings in March inmodules indoors and transplant whenthe frost has finally cleared.

The plant can be harvested afterthree weeks and you simply use it on acut and come again basis.

RadishOriginating in the Far East, radish havetraveled the world and become popularbecause they are easy to grow, tasty andversatile. They are, in fact, so easy togrow that many children cut their teethon growing radishes of all sizes. Theyonly take around 50 days to produceedible roots and can be planted atalmost any time of the year.

Plants grow to around 30cm inheight with large, sometimes warty

HF 4 P16-20 SALADS 22/5/08 10:42

19

Hanging baskets are usually higher up thanthe rest of the garden and are in the frontline of wind borne pesticides in the formof droplets blown from other gardens.Make sure yours are protected.

Once filled with compost, plants andthen watered your hanging basket will bevery heavy. Make sure it is very firmly fixedand that you can water it without overstretching yourself or having to balancedangerously, and you can harvest it safely.

THE BASICSA hanging basket is made from a wireframe.You can buy wicker ones, but theyare a waste of space because you cannotplant underneath them.

Inside the frame goes a liner to hold thecompost. Usually made from thickprocessed card, you can also buysphagnum moss, which in may ways Iprefer because you can get a more naturallooking product, but newspaper will dojust as well.

Fill the lined basket with a mixture ofgood quality compost, some slow releasefertiliser pellets, some moisture retainingmaterial and a handful of vermiculite.

NOW YOU ARE READYFOR PLANTINGIt is easier if you have grown your plants in modules first, ready for easytransplanting.

Plant in circles, the very centre of thebasket bearing the largest plant. I like togrow chives, around which I have four‘Little Gem’ lettuces and then anothercircle of radish.

On the underside you can go for ediblecolour. Nasturtium and Marigold make agood combination. Cut through the liner

and push a hole with your fingers beforecarefully forcing the roots into positionand firm the compost all around – fromthe top and beneath.

If you have room for more than onebasket go for variety.Try rocket instead oflettuce and a trailing tomato.All tomatoestrail if you let them. Gardeners Delightis a good variety to use.

CARE Hanging baskets need regularwatering. Once a day is not toomuch to make sure theplants are doing well.You cannot relyon even thestrongestrain to

sufficiently water the basket.There isnot much compost and there are a lotof competing roots, so make surethat every other watering has afeed.You can use liquidtomato feed if you like.

NO ROOM? TRY A BASKET

HF 4 P16-20 SALADS 22/5/08 10:43

GROWING SALADS20

leaves that are lime green in colour.The leaves are completely useless foreating – not that they are poisonous,they just taste bad and are quite tough!However, the young leaves are fantasticand can be picked for salads or used instir fries.

The root swells quickly into its finalshape, some long and cylindrical, othersthe traditional round ball. The balltypes are referred to as summer radishwhile the cylindrical ones are winter.This is a little misleading because youcan grow either type at different timesof the year.

SOWINGRadishes like full sun but do best incool conditions. This paradox is typicalof the brassica family of which radishis a member. You have to rememberthey grow very quickly and if you go onholiday, or are not able to eat thewhole of your crop, they easily becometoo mature to eat, being fibrous.Ideally in the summer you need to sowevery two weeks.

Sow a variety like ‘Black Spanish’into modules in December and keepthem in a cool greenhouse. In Marchplant them out and then follow on witha sowing directly into the soil a coupleof weeks later.

You can also plant directly into thesoil in November and cover with acloche to heat the soil with whatever

warmth the daybrings. You

have to becareful

of

bolting if you plant them too early. Thiscan be avoided by keeping them frostfree and using bolt-resistant varieties.You might have a crop for December ina warm year, but the leaves will beedible while they are young. Of courseyou can plant in a polytunnel at almostany time.

Sowing in late spring and summerevery couple of weeks until late July willkeep you in radishes until the lateautumn.

Like carrots, make sure your soil iswell fed and finely worked. They prefer awell dug, water retaining soil which hasplenty of nutrients. Make a drill and sowthe seeds at a rate of around one percentimetre. Cover and water. If you aregrowing more than a row at a time theyshould be about 30cm apart.

As the seeds germinate, and youshould expect near 100% success, theleaves will peep out of the soil and youcan take every other plant in the row toensure a decent sized crop. Those youhave taken to make room for the otherscan be used in salads and stir-fry; theyare much too good to waste.

OutdoorCucumbersFor ease of growing and reliabilityoutdoor varieties can’t be beaten. Theycan cope with low temperatures and donot need any support, but the fruits aremore likely to be straighter if the plantsare supported.

SOWING Sow in individual pots, 2-3 seeds perpot and about 2cm deep. Sow in lateSpring to avoid the risk of late frosts.Do not over water the seedlings andpinch out all but the best growingplant. Once the plants have at leasttwo ‘true’ leaves, they can be plantedinto their growing positions.

Add plenty of compost to the soiland make a little hill into which

you transplant your cucumber.They like high heat andhumidity, and some peoplemulch them with straw. Theyare ideal plants to grow notthat far away from a pond.

Keep them well watered andfeed them with tomato feed at

least once a week.Once the fruits are

produced, pick them assoon as they areuseable. If you let acucumber mature theplant will stopproduction.

BorageBorage is an annual with hairy leavesand stems and beautiful sky-blueflowers in a star shape. The plant growsabout 2-3 feet tall. The flowers areused in a wonderful drink calledPimms, and you can add the flowers toall kinds of drinks by making ice-cubesout of them.

Bees are attracted to the borageplant so it is a really eco-friendly plantto grow in the garden.

SOWINGSow the seeds in the spring just underthe surface of the soil and 30cm apart.Keep the soil weed free and fine, well-worked moist soil and partial sun.Borage will bloom nearly all season andwill self-seed from year to year. Theshallow-rooted prolific plants are easyto thin when overgrown. Planting inthick clumps provides support to top-heavy plants; extra support isbeneficial. Pick the leaves in spring andsummer when flowering begins. �

The writingis on the wallFood is getting more expensive. It’sofficial! Over 70% of our salad plantsare grown abroad and these arebecoming so expensive that shortagesare occurring right now.As thesummer rolls on fuel is supposed toincrease to 150 pence a litre, and thecost of driving relatively low value saladcrops across Europe will be crippling.As I write this there are no lettuces inTESCO, only a very few in ASDA andthose that are on sale have gone up inprice by 15% in a couple of days. Surelyit is time to grow your own!

HF 4 P16-20 SALADS 22/5/08 10:43

ADS 23/5/08 15:12

IN THE KITCHEN22

THE FOLLOWING RECIPES are forthose tasty additions you wouldnormally purchase from the super-market; the pasta salad, coleslaw,hummus and various others that make abuffet meal or any meal a little moreinteresting. Making your own is veryeasy and the shop bought productsseem to always taste the same and canbe a little disappointing, whereas thehome-made versions taste wonderful.

The amounts given in the recipes arefor 4 people and assume they areaccompaniments rather than the mainpart of the meal. But as some, like pastaor couscous salad, can be eaten inlarger quantities then the amountsgiven would be better feeding 2 people.

The only problem I find with thesetypes of salad is that they do not storewell. This is due to the combination ofingredients. So they need to be eaten

on the day of preparation or at thelatest the next day. The only realexception to this is hummus which willkeep for 2-3 days if refrigerated.

The first recipe for coleslaw is theone I seem to make the most often aswe eat it with green salads, pizzas andpies, ham and baked potatoes. Weparticularly enjoy eating it as anaccompaniment to baked mackerel. Theamounts for this are approximate assizes of vegetable vary and also you willfind out how you like it by experi-menting with amounts. I tend to usewhite onion as this gives a strongerflavour, but red onion is fine andlooks interesting. You can use eitherlight mayonnaise or the original ormake you own. Recipes for this will becoming shortly. You will not have toadd any salt as the mayonnaisecontains enough.

Summer Salads

HF4 P22-25 SALADS 16/5/08 14:59

23

ColeslawINGREDIENTS1/2 small onion, white or red1 medium grated carrot1/2 (approx) shredded white cabbage3 rounded tablespoons good mayonnaise

METHOD1 Chop onion finely and mix into

grated carrot.2 Shred the cabbage as finely as you

prefer and mix that into carrot and onion.

3 Add the mayonnaise and stir wellto combine.

4 Transfer to serving dish and serve.

Hummus is a Greek and Arabic dishthat has become a very popular dip andsalad accompaniment.

It is brilliant served with vegetablecrudités and hors d’oeuvre. It is simple tomake but you have to be careful with theamount of garlic and lemon juice used.The first time I made it I put in too muchlemon juice and not enough garlic andthe flavour was too sharp. The next time Ialtered the amounts and it was a muchbetter balance. Tasting the hummus as yougo is important as you can add more butyou can’t take it away once combined withthe other ingredients. The recipe usestahini, which is a thick paste made fromsesame seeds. In Middle-Eastern cuisine itis used in both sweet and savoury dishes.It is quite oily and needs to be stirred wellbefore use. This can be purchased in Asianfood markets and some big name super-markets, though it costs nearly twice asmuch. Though you can do it by hand, it iseasier if you have a food processor.

HummusINGREDIENTS175g chickpeas soaked in cold waterovernight2 chopped garlic cloves75ml or 5 tablespoons tahini40-50ml lemon juice, freshly squeezedif possible60ml mild olive oilSalt to taste

METHOD1 After soaking, pour enough boiling

water to cover and simmer for 2-21/2 hours.

2 Drain well and puree along with thechopped garlic, either in a foodprocessor or mashing and pushingtogether.

3 Add tahini and lemon juice and mix well.

4 Add olive oil gradually whilst mixingwell.

5 Season to taste and transfer to aserving dish.

6 Add some chopped parsley to varythe flavour, or try ground cumin orcoriander seeds to taste.

HF4 P22-25 SALADS 16/5/08 15:00

IN THE KITCHEN24

Pasta salads are very easy and canbe made fairly quickly. You can use anyingredients that you may have in thefridge from fish to vegetables, tochicken and dried fruit. I always usewholewheat pasta but you can useordinary.

The following recipes are the mostpopular with my friends and family.

Prawn PastaSaladINGREDIENTS150g wholewheat dried pasta1/2 chopped cucumber 100g large shelled prawns2 rounded tablespoons mayonnaise2 tablespoons crème fraiche1/2 level teaspoon sweet paprikaSalt and black pepper to taste

METHOD1 Cook pasta and cool in cold water.

Leave to drain.2 In a large bowl mix together the

prawns and cucumber, salt and black pepper.

3 Mix the crème fraiche and mayon-naise together with the paprika.

4 Stir the cooked pasta into the prawns and cucumber.

5 Add the mayonnaise and crèmefraiche to the pasta and stir well tocombine.

6 Transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle a little more paprika on top of thesalad.

Cheese andPasta SaladINGREDIENTS150g wholewheat pasta of your choice50g cheddar cheese1 tablespoon chopped chives2 tablespoons mayonnaise2 tablespoons crème fraiche

METHOD1 Cook pasta as before and place in a

large bowl when cool.2 Mix mayonnaise and crème fraiche.3 Add cheese and chives to pasta.4 Stir in crème fraiche and mayonnaise

mixture.5 Transfer to serving bowl and serve

topped with extra chives.6 You can add a few olives for colour.

Mexican PastaSaladINGREDIENTS150g wholewheat pasta1/2 chopped red pepper1/2 chopped green pepper4 tablespoons sweet chilli sauceSmall can red kidney beans, drained wellCrème fraiche to serve

METHOD1 Cook pasta as before and combine

with all ingredients.2 Transfer to a serving dish and serve

with crème fraiche.3 This is really good as an

accompaniment to prawn fishcakesor egg and ham pie.

4 You can hot it up with a few slithersof a hotter chilli if you dare.

HF4 P22-25 SALADS 16/5/08 15:01

25

Couscous is a traditional NorthAfrican ingredient and is basicallywheat. It is an ideal substitute for riceor pasta. The next salad is deliciousserved with steak and precludes theneed for potatoes or rice.

CouscousSaladINGREDIENTS150g couscous, cooked as packetinstructions1 red pepper 1small courgetteshallots2 cloves garlic, crushedFresh thyme and parsleySalt and pepper to taste

METHOD1 Chop shallots and fry lightly in a

little olive oil.2 Chop pepper and courgette and add

to the shallots. Fry till tender, adding

the garlic during cooking.3 Remove from pan and allow to cool.4 Once cool mix the vegetables with

couscous and finely chopped herbs.5 Add salt and pepper to taste.6 Serve with a mixture of virgin olive

oil and balsamic vinegar.

Rice salads are also very easy and canbe a very colourful accompaniment oreven a main meal. The first one is one Ihave adapted from a favourite ricerecipe, Kedgeree.

All the recipes use 150g of cookedand cooled rice. You can use eitherwhite or brown rice for all these recipes.

KedgereeStyle Salad

INGREDIENTS150g rice

1 medium tin tuna inbrine, well-drained

3 tablespoonsfrozen peas,cooked2 tablespoonsolive oil

2 level teaspoonscurry paste

2 hard-boiled eggs,chopped

Chopped parsley to decorate

METHOD1 Add oil to a pan and stir in curry

paste. Heat gently and add tuna andpeas, coating them with the spicy oil.

2 Remove from heat and add the riceand eggs. Stir well and transfer to aserving dish.

3 Serve with chopped parsley sprinkledover the top of the salad.

Coronation chicken was originallymade for the Queen’s coronation in 1953by Constance Spry and Rosemary Hume.It became a popular treat in the 1950s, asit was easy to reproduce in the home. Thiscan be used as an accompaniment tosalads or is also delicious on sandwicheslayered with lettuce and cucumber or in abaked potato. It is also good to take onpicnics. It can be served straight on crispyrolls or eaten with tortilla chips.

CoronationChickenINGREDIENTS150g cooked chicken or any leftovers

1/2 small onion1 heaped teaspoon curry paste2 tablespoons lemon juice5 finely chopped ready to eat driedapricots3 tablespoons mayonnaise1 tablespoon double creamSalt and pepper to taste

METHOD1 Sauté onion until tender.2 Add curry paste and lemon juice.3 Leave to cool thoroughly then add

mayonnaise and cream.4 Mix in chopped chicken and apricots

and season to taste.5 You may use sultanas or raisins as an

alternative to apricots if you wish.

This next salad is great for using upany leftover chicken from a previousmeal.

Chicken andRice Salad INGREDIENTS150g rice100g chopped cooked chicken2 tablespoons sweetcorn1/2 red pepper, chopped1/2 cucumber, cubedSalt and pepper to taste

METHOD1 Combine all ingredients together in

a large bowl and mix well.2 Transfer to a serving dish, adding a

few chopped herbs if desired.

There are many other ingredientsyou can use to make rice salads. Here are a few ideas:

� chopped cooked mushrooms andcrispy bacon

� a drained can of kidney beans andsome chilli flakes

� cooked peas, prawns and chorizo �

HF4 P22-25 SALADS 16/5/08 15:01

FORGOTTEN CRAFTS26

YOU CAN FORGET all your high output,low energy light bulbs. They are bad forthe environment! How can I say this?Well for a start the amount of energyneeded to make the light bulb and thento transport them around the countryand then sell them in the shops is fargreater than the bulb will ever consumein its lifetime.

The most Eco-friendly lighting youcan get, apart from the sun and themoon, comes from beeswax candlesmade at home. They are virtuallycompletely free from net polluting. TheCO2 they produce came from the atmos-phere, collected by thousands of beesfrom millions of flowers.

DIPPING CANDLESThe traditional way to make a candle isto simply tie your wick to a stick andrepeatedly dip it into the hot wax. Youcan tie lots of wicks to a stick and makea number of candles at the same time.The best way to melt the wax is in awater bath and, particularlywith beeswax, too muchheat can scorch andburn it.

You can buycandle wax,

Let There Be Light

So much effort was put into eveninglighting, there was a solution for allpockets and sizes of home and fromthe earliest times, the dark wasshunned away with home madelighting. Paul Peacock sheds alittle light on the subject

HF4 P26-27 CRAFT 22/5/08 10:53

27

which is basically paraffin wax, fromcraft stores, and you can add all sorts ofcolours and fragrances too. You canalways tell a dipped candle by theslightly uneven shape - and the price ofcourse.

In order to dip your own candles youneed a large water bath. You can buycandle-making kits, but a couple ofpans and a deep dish is good enough.

WICKThe best wicks are twisted ones that youbuy. The problem is that the wick needsto fray outwards to be burned as thecandle burns. Otherwise the wick willremain too long and the flame will behuge. Older candles had to have theirwicks trimmed daily.

CANDLES IN CUPSYou can make a candle in a cup easily bysimply melting the wax in a water bathdirectly in the cup. This is then dressed

with a wick. Ialwaysweight my

wicks so theygo straightdown, but theother way ofdoing it is todip the wicks acouple of timesfirst so youhave a moresolid thing towork with.

You should tie thewick to a pencil so thatit stays upright until thecandle is set. If you wantto remove the candlefrom the cup, make surefirst of all that the mouthis wider than the base!Secondly, dip thecontainer in boiling waterfor a minute and allow thewax to melt, thus allowingyou to remove the candle by thewick. You should make sure thewhole of the wax is completely solidfirst, though.

HOW MUCH LIGHT DO YOU GETBy eye, without much in the way ofscientific study, you get about a tenth ofthe light of a 60W bulb for a candle,but then your eyes do get used tohaving less light around. Of coursethere is always the problem of fire to beconsidered. The Victorians thought upan impressive array of ways of usingcandles in the home.

RISING CANDLESObviously, as the candle is consumed,its height decreases. In order tocompensate for this a candlestickevolved with a sprung floor. As theweight of the candle decreased, thespring pushed it up so it was always atthe same position.

REFLECTORSCandlesticks with polished brassreflectors, often meant for wall mounting,directed more light in a certain direction,thus allowing a person to read with onlyone candle burning.

ONE, TWO OR THREE?Poor people’s candle sticks only carriedone candle, often a stub. It had noreflector because this heated up andwasted the wax by melting it. Richpeople’s candlesticks had more than a

single candle.They gave off more

light, but there wasa problem in that

the heat from eachcandle melted the

other. Three candlesburned the middle one

more quickly than theouter two and so peoplewould forever move the

candles around to keepthem at the same height.

Consequently an early version ofthe party game musical chairs wascalled candlesticks.

Holders big enough to burn fivecandles always had the central holdermuch higher than the outer four. �

RushlightsOf course all our lighting came fromflames at one time.The poor hadrushlights, and these give out muchmore light than a candle, but are sooty.You can use any fat for a rushlight.Youneed a long stem, usually of the bullrush.This plant is completely edible andis a cottager’s dream.The long stemswere cut to size and then soaked inwhatever fat was available. Duck orgoose fat was the best, but lanolin fromsheep was also used as well as pork fat.

Special rushlight stands were made tokeep the flame from falling overbecause it often burned upwards of sixinches.You can make rushlights withsedges too, which are much morecommon in damp fields.

When the candle became popular inthe eighteenth century in wealthyhouseholds, it was a mark of status that the poor rarely achieved, andconsequently candles were taxed andrushlights were not.

Melting beeswax (I am using some old beeswax foundation). Dropping the wick. The wick in place.

HF4 P26-27 CRAFT 22/5/08 10:54

SPINNING WITH A WHEEL28

All in a Spin!All in a Spin!Beth Frear introduces the craftof spinning with a wheelBeth Frear introduces the craftof spinning with a wheel

Margaret Vaughan of the Dumfries Guilddemonstrates spinning on a traditionalwheel in a Borders Cottage Museum.

HF4 P28-31 SPIN 22/5/08 11:03

29

“THE TROUBLE WITH you,” said myMother, “is you have Champagne ideason lemonade money!” “Then I’ll justhave to learn how to make things formyself,” was my reply.

It has been that way ever since andso 12 years ago I finally got around tobuying myself a spinning wheel. It was amistake – an expensive one! But by nowyou may have realised I’m particularlygood at making them. My first wheel, aHaldane Lewis traditional wheel, waspurchased second hand over theInternet. It arrivedjumbled up in a boxwithout even a hint ofhow to assemble it. Itwas well worn and italso came with thewrong bobbins – aserious problem. Itadorned my hearth asan accusing dustcollector for years untilI discovered and putright the bobbinproblem and sold it on.

Although I did find the right wheelfor me, I’ve gone on to make some verydesirable things. Large pure wool rugswith a three inch deep pile, hand spunNordic sweaters that really do fit my 6’5” tall son, hats of all shapes and sizes,Tam O’ Shanters, shawls, silk embroiderythreads and even modern felted bags.I’ve long ago lost count of all the thingsthat little wheel hasbeen used to make. Itfits on the back seat ofmy car and I take it upinto the Lowther Hillsevery fine sunny dayand sit among thesheep in perfect restfulbliss. Mind you somestartled tourists havenearly come off thesingle track hill roadsat the sight of me asthey swung around ablind bend.

Learning to spin is like learning toride a bike, drive a car or swim. It takesa little while for the brain to rememberthe correct sequence and rhythm butonce learnt it is never forgotten. As adyslexic I’ve never found multitaskingmy eyes, hands and feet at the sametime comes easily, so it will come as nosurprise that the style of wheel thatsuited me (a Louet S15) comes withjust one foot pedal and one tensionadjuster. It has large chunky parts anda drive band that stretches easily backinto place if it has come off when thewheel is moved. As an unrepentantLuddite, give me simple technology anytime!

SPEEDSpinning on a wheel is much faster andmore efficient than with a spindle. It’spossible to produce a 50gm hank of twoply double knit weight wool in aboutthree hours. The foot pedal and thedrive band on the big wheel turn yourpedalling energy into the fast turningmotion of the “flyer”, a wooden Ushaped piece of wood that holds thebobbin securely in place as it spins. Asthe flyer rotates rapidly it draws in thewool from your hands through the

orifice and twists it as itgoes. The twisted or spunwool is stored on thebobbin until it is full.

Spinning can bereduced to a series ofmathematical ratiosbetween the turns of thebig wheel and the turns ofthe flyer. All the spinnerhas to do is count therevolutions of both at thesame time as you feed thewool into the wheel. O.K.

So that left you as cold as it left me?Precisely! Just try counting the turns oftwo spinning objects simultaneously.Your eyes cross and your fingersdisappear down the orifice so fast thereis hardly time to pull them free. I’d beenspinning happily for years before I triedcounting the mathematical ratios andnow I’m happy to settle for a less

precise, “looks alright, feelsalright,” method that worksfor me.

The different parts of awheel have some lovely oldnames. The bobbins ofcourse are obvious butcome in an almost infinitevariety of shapes and sizesand each make andsometimes model of wheelhas its own specificbobbins. You need threematching bobbins to spin

wool. They sit one at a time in a flyerthat spins extremely rapidly to twist theyarn and draw it onto the bobbin. Thehooks on the flyer guide the spun woolalong the bobbin so that it loads evenly.Be careful - they will also rip yourfingers open very badly if you try to stop the flyer with your fingers when it’sin motion.

The wool enters the flyer via theorifice that again varies in size with thewheel design. I have no troublethreading mine with my fingers, butsome wheels need a special threadinghook. Upright wheels have the flyer andbobbins mounted on the top of theactual large spinning wheel and arecalled castle wheels. Traditionally

MY FIRST WHEEL,

A HALDANE LEWIS

TRADITIONAL

WHEEL, WAS

PURCHASED

SECOND HAND

OVER THE INTERNET

LEARNING TO

SPIN IS LIKE

LEARNING TO

RIDE A BIKE,

DRIVE A CAR

OR SWIM

SpindlesLast month we said we would bring youa step by step guide to spindle spinning.

Whilst the spindle is turning use both hands tostretch a length of unspun fibre, then slide thefingers of the lower hand up the wool and allowthe spin to build up in the thread.When sufficientthread is spun, wind it on the spindle below thedisc. Let the spare combed fleece drop over theupper arm and out of the way.

Hold the frayed end of the wool against thecombed unspun wool with your top hand.With thelower hand start the spindle spinning clockwise.Allow the fibres of the wool to twist securely intothe starter thread.Wrap the spare unspun woolaround the palm of your hand and release it asrequired.

Tie about 18” of commercial knitting yarn underthe disc of the drop spindle.Thread the long endover the disc and through the hook. Fray the longend of the wool.

HF4 P28-31 SPIN 22/5/08 11:47

SPINNING WITH A WHEEL30

designed wheels have the componentsarranged horizontally and usually sit onthree legs. But the most colourful partof all is called the Lazy Kate on whichthe full and empty bobbins are stored.This part can even be separate from themain wheel but is essential to regulatethe flow of spun yarn back onto themachine during the plying process. MyLazy Kate sits on the base of my wheelon the side opposite to the foot pedalso I am never without it. And the lastpiece of quaintly named equipment youwill need is the gloriously evocativeNiddy Noddy. This is essentially a stickwith a bar at each end that is used totake the finished yarn after it has beenplied from its bobbin and wind it into ahank. The winding process requiressome concentration and the NiddyNoddy assumes its characteristicbobbing up and down motion in thehands of a skilled user.

MAKING YARNMaking a yarn actually involves twodistinct processes. The first is to spintwo matching bobbins of yarn to anequal thickness and length. It’s simply amechanised version of the same processused in spindle spinning. As the foottreadles the wheel, the motion is trans-lated by drive belts to the flyer. Thespinner releases a thin stream of fibrethrough the orifice and the flyer spins itto a set thickness and tension. All theprocesses are controlled by hand andeye and spinning always takes place withthe big wheel spinning clockwise. Onmy basic wheel I can spin wool so thickthat it makes rug pile or down so thin itwill produce a baby weight yarn. It willeven accept the finest Mawatta silk.

When I have two full matchingbobbins I load them onto the Lazy Kateand thread the loose ends back throughthe orifice onto the spare bobbin that isloaded ready in the flyer. This timewhen I pedal, the big wheel turns anti-clockwise. The threads are drawn backthrough the orifice and twist togetheragainst each other to make a pliedthread. Because they are now spinningin the opposite direction to which theywere initially spun they become slightlyuntwisted. The two slackened threadsgrip together and are then plied by theanti-clockwise spin into a firm anddurable yarn. Finally, I disconnect thedrive belt and wind the bobbin offinished yarn onto the Niddy Noddy sothat it can be tied into a secure hankand washed to relax the fibres.

Once spinning has become anautomatic skill the fun really starts.Buying and blending different colouredwool to make unique yarns is a veryempowering process. From there it’s a

short step to designing your owngarments or woollen items. A simplewheel like mine will make mohair andangora yarns, spin camel and silk,alpaca and even the rare and expensiveArctic Musk Ox. Yarns can be two, threeor even four ply with a bigger Lazy Kateand more bobbins, or you canproduce expensive bouclé or slubbedyarns, all by hand spinning on awheel.

WHAT WILL A WHEEL COST? The cheapest kit wheels areabout £175 + postage butincreasingly they are made ofMDF fibreboard, which Iwouldn’t recommend. Woodenwheels will last a lifetime evenwith regular use and are muchnicer to handle. Prices startaround the £300 mark. Modernwheels are usually castleshaped, sleek and simpleto operate. It is possible tobuy cheap EasternEuropean wheels that look asif they come straight out ofa fairy tale, but the elabo-rately turned wooden legsand uprights have noadvantage and are justdust collectors. Theyare also less easyto transport – animportantconsideration asspinners like tomeet and spintogether socially. Trybefore you buy ifyou possibly can.Your local Guildof Spinners,Weavers andDyers will havewheels of mosttypes and can teachyou how to spin as well as whichwheel is best for your height and anyspecial requirements you may have. �

Right:The author’s trusty Louet S15 spinning wheel -“Castle” design.At the base is the pedal and the “LazyKate” with two spare bobbins.The main wheel istreadled by a single plastic drive belt. On top is the Flyerloaded with the bobbin in use. On this wheel the drivebelt turns the bobbin, not the flyer.Above the word“Louet” is the round black orifice through which thewool is fed onto the flyer.The black leather strap overthe orifice can be used to control tension but isn’tessential to spinning.

Far right:A few of the many items made by Beth fromwool spun on her Louet wheel. Clockwise from the top ajacket, a felted bag, a child’s pink frilly hat, a selection ofTam O’Shanter berets, a large man’s Nordic sweater,two hand made hooked rugs, simple pull on hats and apurple felted bag.

HF4 P28-31 SPIN 22/5/08 11:04

31

SuppliersInformationSome of the many suppliers of Spinningequipment – but always try before youbuy. Not every wheel suits every heightor physical type of spinner and mistakescan be very costly.

SUPPLIERS OF SPINNING WHEELSScottish Fibres,23 Damhead, Lothianburn,Edinburgh, EH10 7EA.Tel/Fax: 0131 445 3899Web: www.scottishfibres.co.uk

P & M Woolcraft,Pindon End, Hanslope,Milton Keynes, MK19 7HN.Tel: 01908 510 277Web: www.pmwoolcraft.co.uk

Wingham Woolworks,70 Main St.,Wentworth,Rotherham, South Yorkshire,S62 7TN.Tel: 01226 742926 Web; www.winghamwoolwork.co.uk

Ashford (based in New Zealand,but found the world over)

UK DistributorFrank Herring and Sons,27 High West Street,Dorcheaster, Dorset,DT1 1UP.Tel: 01305 264449/267917Web: www.ashford.co.nz

Twist Fibre Craft Studio,Newburgh, Fife, KY14 6AQ.Tel: 01337 842843

Moondance Wools,Springhill Farm,Coldingham Moor Road,Eyemouth, Berwickshire,TD14 5TX.Tel: 01890 771541Web: www.moondancewools.com/spinning_kromsky_wheels.htm

The association of Guilds of Weavers,Spinners and Dyers can be found at:www.wsd.org.uk and they will directyou to your nearest branch. If you livein a remote area or can’t leave homebecause of disability, mobility or stockkeeping responsibilities, you mightprefer to join the very popular onlineGuild.You’ll find full details at:www.onlineguildwsd.org.uk.

HF4 P28-31 SPIN 22/5/08 11:05

COOL SUMMER DRINKS32

A WONDERFUL WAY to use up a glut ofsoft fruit is to make a syrup. This can bethen be used to make thirst quenchingdrinks by adding sparkling water ormaking milk shakes and added to whitewine spritzers. They also make deliciousice-cream sauces. They are very easy tomake and require only a few ingre-dients. The syrup freezes well and canbe kept successfully for three months.Make sure you de-frost thoroughlybefore use.

The secret is to keep the heating ofthe fruit to a minimum to retain thefull fruit flavour. Fully ripened fruitshould produce enough juice, butusing a pectin-destroying enzyme willimprove the yield.

Use 1/2 level teaspoon of enzyme to220g fruit or as instructions on pack.

The only other ingredients are sugarand water. You can use ordinary granu-lated sugar, but I find caster sugardissolves easier.

Making your Syrup� Raspberries and strawberries

don’t need any water.

� Blackcurrants need 250ml to every 500g fruit.

� Blackberries need 50ml to every 500g fruit.

METHOD1 Wash the fruit and remove stalks etc.

Place in a heatproof bowl and crush thefruit well with a fork or potato masher.

2 Add the water if necessary and placebowl over a pan of boiling water andheat the fruit gently till the juicebegins to run.

3 Using a clean cheese cloth or muslin,strain the juice into another bowl orpan and add the sugar. Approximately250g sugar to every 500ml juice. Ifyou strain the juice into a pan thathas measurements up the side thismakes it easier. This also helps if thesugar doesn’t dissolve well, as you canheat the juice gently over a low light,stirring slowly.

4 Pour the cooled syrup into sterilisedbottles using a funnel.

5 The syrup will keep for up to 6 weeksif stored in the fridge.

This drink will whisk you away to theCaribbean, well in your imagination. Ifirst tasted this in Majorca actually andit was the bar tenders speciality. Hemade lots of fruit drinks that were non-alcoholic but could easily be made so ifyou wished.

PineappleCoolerINGREDIENTS1 can crushed pineapple1 carton of fresh pineapple juiceJuice of 1 lime2 tablespoons powdered coconut milk,mixed with 4 tablespoons warm water100ml sparkling water or soda waterPlenty of ice

METHOD1 Pour all ingredients into a jug except

for water and ice and, using a handblender, whisk for a few seconds toblend the pineapple.

2 Add the water and the ice, perhaps astraw, a cherry on a stick and an umbrella just enjoy it.

There is nothing more refreshing onhot, sunny days than a glass of oldfashioned lemonade.

It is obviously best served chilledwith ice and slices of lemon.

Old Fashioned LemonadeINGREDIENTS4 un-waxed large lemons or 6 smaller ones400-450g sugar depending on howsweet you want it2 teaspoons citric acid2 teaspoons tartaric acid1 litre water

Summer Thirst Quenchers

Splash into summer with some soothing, cooling drinks

that really tickle the tongue and quench the thirst

HF4 P32-34 DRINKS 22/5/08 11:15

33

METHOD1 Using a lemon zester pare the rind

away from the pith.2 Juice the lemons and put into a bowl

with the sugar, tartaric and citric acid. 3 Bring the water to the boil with the

lemon rind and simmer for 3minutes.

4 Remove from heat and strain waterover juice and sugar mixture.

5 Stir well to dissolve the sugar, strainagain if necessary and pour intobottles.

6 Store in a cool place for up to 4weeks. Chill well before drinking.

Barley water was traditionally madeas a soothing drink for invalids in theMiddle Ages and I remember my Daddrinking it when he had a bout ofcystitis. But my main memory of barleywater is the commercially produced oneat Wimbledon each year. I used to see itwaiting for the players and would alwaysask my Mum to buy some, it was verythirst quenching. My favourite flavourwas the orange. But the following recipemy use oranges or lemons.

Orange Barley WaterINGREDIENTS50g pearl barley500g waterJuice and zest of two oranges1-2 tablespoons of sugar, depending onhow sweet you like it or try a tablespoonof honey.

METHOD1 Blanche the barley by pouring

boiling water over to clean it.2 Place all the ingredients in a pan

and bring to a simmer, DO NOTBOIL, for 20 minutes.

3 Strain and leave to cool beforedrinking. This beverage does not keep well so make sufficient to be consumed in 24 hours.

Summer Fruit PunchINGREDIENTS200g strawberries, hulled and quartered100g raspberries, hulled50g stoned cherriesJuice of 3 oranges100g sugar1 litre water1 litre white grape juice

METHOD1 Put water and sugar into a pan and

bring to the boil.2 Place fruit in a serving bowl and pour

over hot syrup.3 Leave to cool and add juice of the

oranges and the grape juice.4 Just before serving add plenty of ice.5 If you want to make this alcoholic

add as much brandy or white wine asyou wish.

HF4 P32-34 DRINKS 22/5/08 11:49

34

Summer beverages don’t have tobe alcoholic, but the next recipe is foran old favourite of my family’s, goodhome made Ginger Beer. It was particularly popular with farmworkersduring harvest time and can bedrunk cold but is still verydelicious and thirst quenching if itgets a little warm. You will need asterile brewing bucket and glassbottles. The amount of bottles willdepend on their size. Using bottleswith reinforced corks is advised asginger beer has a habit of blowing itscorks, so do take great care after thebottling stage.

Ginger BeerINGREDIENTS20g root ginger, grated1 un-waxed lemon, juiced and zested400g sugar4 litres water20g cream of tartar20g brewing yeast

METHOD1 Put the ginger, sugar, cream of tartar

and lemon zest into a brewingbucket, one that holds around 9 or10 litres.

2 Boil the water, this can be donebatches in the kettle and pour overthe ginger mixture.

3 Add the lemon juice and stir well.4 Allow to cool till just warm and

cream the yeast with a little liquidfrom the bucket. Stir into the gingerliquid and cover.

5 Leave in a warm place for 24 hoursbefore skimming off the frothwithout disturbing the sediment.

6 Using a jug,carefully pour the

ginger beer intostrong glass beerbottles. Leave agap at the top andcork each bottle.

7 Store the bottles in a coolplace and check regularly. Thecorks may need to be releasedif fermentation is vigorous. Thebeer is ready in 2-3 days.

I also like to makefruit and herb infusions

that may be drunk warmor cold. They are verylight and refreshing,they don’t have a strongflavour but quenchyour thirst.

Lemon& Ginger

INGREDIENTSGrated zest 1/2 lemon

Juice 1 lemon1/4 teaspoon crushed ginger

1 teaspoon honey

METHOD1 To make a mug of this put all

ingredients into a small jug and pourover the mug full of boiling water.

2 Stir well and allow to steep for 5-6minutes before drinking.

Lavender andChamomileINGREDIENTS4 lavender flowers 1 chamomile tea bag or 5 chamomileflowerheads2 tablespoons home made blackcurrantsyrupBoiling water

METHOD1 Put flowers and/or teabag into a

small teapot and pour over sufficientboiling water to make a mug sizedrink.

2 Stir well and leave to brew for 10minutes.

3 Add the syrup and fill a mug withthis soothing drink, straining awaythe flowers. �

COOL SUMMER DRINK

HF4 P32-34 DRINKS 22/5/08 11:49

To advertisecontact Bob Handley:

0845 226 0477 [email protected]

ADS 23/5/08 15:13

GROWING FRUIT TREES36

SOME CAN EVEN be grown againstwalls, as espaliers or fan-trainedspecimens that take up even less space.The good news is that you will be ableto find the right size tree to suit yourrequirements wherever you live. In thisfeature we are looking at two favouritefruiting trees: apples and pears.

Your location will also affect whatyou can grow, but even in the furthestreaches of the north in the UK, thereare still plenty of varieties suitable forshorter summers and harsher condi-tions – you just need to check thesuitability of the trees to your areabefore you buy.

The fruit you buy in the supermarketor greengrocers will most likely never beas flavoursome or nutritious as the onesyou will harvest off your own trees, andcertainly won’t be as fresh. The lengthof your garden path is probably thefurthest your crops will have to travel(or maybe not as far as that, if you can’tresist eating them straight off the tree!).

SIZES OF TREEAll apple and pears are grafted ontorootstocks, a practice that has beencarried out for centuries. The type ofrootstock used determines the ultimate

size of the tree, and concentrates moreof the tree’s energy into producinglarger crops of fruit.

ROOTSTOCKSAPPLESRootstock Ultimate height of treeM27: 4ft (extremely dwarfing

and best for container growing)

M26: 8ft (dwarfing)MM106: 12-15ft (semi-dwarfing)M25: 16-18ft (vigorous)

PEARSRootstock Ultimate height of treeQuince A: 16ftQuince C: 10-12ft

BUYING YOUR TREESWhen purchasing your trees you willhave a choice between container grownand bare rooted. Container grown fruittrees are normally found in gardencentres and local nurseries, sellingdirect to the public. The advantage ofthis is that container trees can beplanted at any time of the year. Bare-rooted specimens are more oftensupplied by specialist fruit treenurseries, usually via mail order – they

are easier to transport. They will only beavailable for sale during what is knownas the ‘dormant season’ – betweenNovember and March which is whenthey have to be planted. Bare rootsobviously need treating more carefully,especially once they have arrived andwill require planting as soon as possibleafter delivery. If you anticipate there willbe a delay before you are able to plant,then dig the trees in somewheretemporarily and make sure you give thesoil a good soaking so they havesomething to drink. Before you plant

Up the Apples and PearsYou don’t need acres of space for an orchard of your own. Fruit trees can be grown in pots on a patioand even the smallest of gardens can have its share of dwarf varieties of top fruit, says Jayne Neville

The good oldcooker, Bramley

The traditional English pear, ‘Conference.’

HF4 P36-38 FRUIT 16/5/08 16:45

them into their final positions, plungethe roots in water for around 1-2 hoursto give the trees the best possible start.

Fruit trees offered for sale are usuallybetween one and four years old and theyounger they are the cheaper they willbe. One year old trees are referred to as‘maidens’ and consist of one singlestem, which later forms the trunk. Thesewill need to be carefully pruned for thefirst 3 years after planting toachieve the shape youwant. Two year old treesand over will already bepartially trained or fullytrained into shape.

SETTING FRUITPollination is an importantfactor to consider when buyingboth apples and pears. Somevarieties are self-fertile,which means they canbe grown on their ownand still produce fruit.Others will need whatis known as a pollinationpartner nearby. This isanother variety whichflowers around the sametime and one will cross-pollinate with the other. If youhave neighbours with fruit trees intheir gardens this won’t be aproblem; otherwise you will need toplant another tree yourself.

A few varieties of apple areknown as ‘Triploid.’ These arevarieties which need two other non-Triploid varieties to aid pollination.Triploids are poor pollinatorsthemselves so need a bit more moralsupport from their neighbours!Fortunately there are not too many ofthese, but one which does fall into thiscategory is the popular cooker,‘Bramley’s Seedling.’

If you are really pushed for space,one solution might be to buy a ‘family’apple or pear tree. This is where 2, 3 oreven 4 different varieties are graftedonto a single rootstock. It ensures that

effective pollination can take place –and you get several different varietiesfor your money!

WHICH VARIETIES TOCHOOSEYour choice of fruit is, of course, apersonal one and will reflect thevarieties you want to eat or plan to usefor a particular purpose such as makingjams or jellies or for turning into cideror perry.

Most varieties of pear are listed asdessert types, but usually they can all beused in cooking. There are very few truedual purpose pears.

However, you’ll be spoilt for choicewhen it comes to apples – dessert,culinary, cider varieties, just check theyare suitable for growing in your areabefore you buy. If you live in the North,in an exposed area, oryour garden

Pruning abush appleor pearYEAR 1To prune a maiden tree, count four budsfrom the base of the tree and cut themain stem about 2-4cm above this bud.

YEAR 2From now on all pruning takes place inthe winter, no later than the end ofJanuary. Cut all the side branches backby a third of their length.

YEAR 3From now on, every year, cut back thenew growth by a third.

Do not cut the old wood unless it isdiseased. You are trying to keep the

mass of branches light.Always cut just

above an outwardsfacing bud then the tree

will branchoutward.

37

HF4 P36-38 FRUIT 16/5/08 16:47

GROWING FRUIT TREES38

seems to suffer from late frosts, thenchoosing mid-season or late floweringvarieties is a safer bet. For example, thatpopular favourite ‘Cox’s Orange Pippin’is not suited to northern climes andsometimes fails even in southerndistricts; ‘James Grieve’ is a much betterchoice, as is ‘Blenheim Orange,’ a 200year old dual purpose variety withdelicious fruit and heavy crops. Anexcellent late dessert suitable for allareas is ‘Ashmead’s Kernel,’ introducedmore than 300 years ago and stillregarded as among the best late eatingapples. You might want to do a little bitof your own research into trees thatoriginated in your local area. In ourorchard, for example, we have a dessertapple which was apparently originallybred in a village less than 10 miles from our garden! Why grow run-of-themill varieties when you can choosegems like this?

PLANTING FRUIT TREES IN CONTAINERSGrowing apples and pears in pots hasthe advantage of being able to movethe trees into more sheltered positionsduring the winter and early spring inorder to protect them from frost andhigh winds. You will have more controlover drainage but you will have towater your tree every day over thesummer. They will also need feedingregularly.

Containers should be as big aspossible with a minimum depth of 45-60cm (18-24”); a half woodenbarrel is ideal. Fill the bottom withclay crocks or large stones to helpdrainage. Good quality topsoil mixedwith a handful of bonemeal and well-rotted manure will fit the bill nicely asfar as soil is concerned.

Annual pruning to keep the trees in

shape and topdressing (mulching)each winter with a 5-10cm (2-4”) layer of organic compost of well rottedmanure (do not let this actually touchthe base of the tree) will be all themaintenance it needs to keep ithealthy. �

2.Tease out the roots before setting in hole.1. Dig a reasonable sized hole. 3. Position tree, fill in and stake, then water well.

If you’re planting directly into your garden,then three important things to consider aresite, soil and drainage. Fruit trees needprotection from strong winds and if yourgarden is sheltered and sunny then that isideal.Tall hedges or fencing can provideeffective windbreaks and are particularlyuseful when the trees are in flower.

All top fruit needs good, fertile soil and,most important of all, good drainage. Fruittrees won’t do well at all if their roots areconstantly waterlogged.A sunny position inthe garden will aid pollination and ripeningof the fruit.

For planting you need to dig a reasonable

sized hole about 18” x 18”. A mixture ofthe topsoil taken from the soil you have dugout ideally needs to be mixed with somerich garden compost and a handful ofbonemeal. If your soil is really lacking infertility add a higher portion of compostand less topsoil. Don’t use manure at thisstage unless it is extremely well rotted,because fresh manure can damage the tree’sroots if it comes in contact with them.Position your tree in the hole, making surethe graft is above the soil level (you shouldbe able to see the old soil level on the treeanyway), then gradually fill in the soil aroundit, making sure it is well firmed in.

Drive in a stake for support, positioning itso that it doesn’t damage the roots under thesoil.Then tie the tree to the stake with anadjustable rubber tie.Water the tree in well.

The first year after planting is the mostcritical, and it will help if the tree is nothaving to compete with weeds. Using athick layer of mulch or material such asMypex, will suppress weed growth butallow water through. If you have a problemwith rabbits, then a tree guard (eitherbought or home made with wire netting)should keep them off. During the firstsummer in particular, make sure that thetree always has enough water.

WHERE AND HOW TO PLANT DIRECT INTO YOUR GARDEN

HF4 P36-38 FRUIT 16/5/08 16:48

39GOING TO MARKET

FOR BOTH THE small and largeproducer a farm shop can be an idealway to expand a business and, althoughlarge supermarkets dominate the foodsector, numerous farm shops of allshapes and sizes have opened in recentyears. Food scares such as BSE andconcerns about GM food have madepeople far more interested in theorigins of the food they eat. Customerswant to meet the people who producetheir food and many are keen to showtheir support for local farmers.Environmental and animal welfareconcerns also encourage many peopleto buy locally produced and welfare-friendly food.

Some of the most successful FarmShops are those that offer ‘a full basketshop,’ providing everything to make ameal. It is really all about how long youcan keep your customers on site andmaking sure they feel their visit isworthwhile. Whilst location of the shopis an important factor do not be put offif you are a little out of the way.

Our family farm shop inNorthamptonshire is a small enterpriseselling fresh eggs and homegrownvegetables as well as supplying them tolocal hotels and other retail outlets.

There are a number of factors that

need to be taken into account whensetting up a farm shop. Your localplanning authority, environmentalhealth department and tradingstandards will all usually need to beconsulted. In addition business rateswill probably be charged on the newbusiness premises which will beregarded as a non-agricultural enter-prise. This may also have inheritance taximplications and it is always wise to seekadvice before going ahead with a newscheme. The new business may also betreated differently to any existingbusiness by the VAT and tax authorities.

Firstly there is the planning aspect;any proposed new building or change ofuse to an existing one will generallyneed planning permission where anyoneintends to sell meat and poultry, whichare defined as processed food. There isa misconception that planningpermission is not needed to open afarm shop, but this only applies toplaces which plan to sell fresh producei.e. vegetables, most local authorities

Fools rush in!It is all too easy to rush headlong into a new project such as opening a farm shop or on farmbutchery, but in any new venture there are a number of pitfalls to look out for. Jane Brooks reports

DON’T

At Harefield Farm shop in Northamptonshire homeproduced eggs and vegetables sell to a number of localcustomers as well as being supplied to local Hotels andother shops.

HF4 P39-41 MARKET 22/5/08 11:29

insist that at least 90% of the stockin the shop is home produced and eventhen it is advisable to write to your localplanning authority with details of whatyou propose to do. If you are planningto convert an older building and it isoccupied by bats or owls, the provisionsof the Wildlife and Countryside Act1981 protect these creatures’ roosts andthe building will need to be surveyed.

It is a good idea to seek consultationwith your local planning authoritybefore putting in a planning applicationand it is generally easier to getpermission to convert an existingbuilding than to put up a new one. Theplanning authority will take into consid-eration such things as access, traffic flow,site suitability and whether or not ascheme is sympathetic to its localsurroundings, you will also need toprovide sufficient parking space for yourcustomers. Planning permission may alsobe needed for signposting the premises.The advice of a planning specialist priorto putting in an application often helpsto identify potential problems.

Once you begin selling raw meat froma farm shop to the public, there arestringent rules and regulations thatmust be adhered to and you will need tobe registered with the local authority,both as a food business and as a retailbutcher. Applications to register shouldbe made to your local Environmental

Health Service, which is usually part ofyour District Council, before you starttrading because it is illegal to commencetrading without being registered.

Comprehensive health and hygienelegislation applies when it comes tohandling raw meat. Any meat sold from afarm shop will need to be cut up in acutting premises licensed by the FoodStandards Agency. There are certainexceptions in areas where licensedpremises are not available. In thosecircumstances the local authority mayallow a farmer to use a local butcherprovided hygiene is not compromisedand the meat is only intended for sale ona local basis at a Farm Shop or Farmers’Market. One way to ensure that the meatis cut up in adherence to the regulationsis to set up your own small cutting room.

In order to cut up meat on thepremises, livestock must be taken to alicensed slaughterhouse and broughtback to a dedicated cutting area. Inmost authorities the Environmental

Health Officer will advise on structural,hygiene and regulatory requirements.The person doing the meat cutting musthave sufficient knowledge and skill tocarry it out in a professional way andthere are butchery courses available at anumber of Agricultural Collegesthroughout the country.

Anyone handling or processing foodin its raw form will need a FoundationCertificate in Food Hygiene, thisinvolves attending a one day trainingcourse and information about thesecourses is available from both your localEnvironmental Health Department andmost local Colleges of FurtherEducation. Supervisors will need ahigher level of training, currently anintermediate certificate. In addition,regulations introduced in 2006 meanthat the Hazard Analysis and CriticalControl Point (HACCP) system of foodsafety management will need to be used,basically this is a systematic way ofidentifying food safety hazards andmaking sure that they are beingcontrolled on a daily basis. Once againHACCP training is available from a lotof local authorities and colleges offurther education.

The cutting room itself will need tobe a dedicated area with walls that canbe easily cleaned down, the floor mustbe well drained and ceilings will need tobe finished so that they do not flake orget dirt trapped on them. Unwrappedmeat must be kept on racks orsuspended, wrapped meat must be keptoff the floor, on a pallet for example.Cutting tables and utensils are generallystainless steel. Meat temperaturesshould not exceed 7OC during cutting,

A cheery welcome sign at the shop lets you know it is open.

Below: Just a simple wooden hut houses the farm shopwhilst a Wendy House in a small orchard providessomewhere safe for children to play whilst mum or dadbrowse inside the shop.

GOING TO MARKET40

HF4 P39-41 MARKET 22/5/08 11:30

41

hanging or storage, and minced meat isrecommended to be kept at 2OC sorefrigeration facilities will be required.

Your local Trading Standardsdepartment is responsible for suchthings as testing your scales to makesure they are accurate and making sureany claims made about the origins ofyour stock are true. They can also adviseas to labelling requirements. Currentlyall labels on meat or meat products forsale to the public must include: theprice; a product description; meatcontent and metric weight and details ofany additives; if the product needs to bechilled the temperature it should bestored at and finally a best before date.There are a number of further labellingrequirements for pre-packed foodswhich are supplied to another retailerand it is always best to check withTrading Standards.

Insurance cover will be needed,public and employer’s liability isessential and it is also advisable to takeout product liability, so consult aspecialist insurance provider. Thereare also legal requirements whenemploying staff. A written contract canprotect both employee and employerand the department of trade andindustry can provide up to date infor-mation on employment legislation.

Whilst many people are happy totackle the conversion of buildingsthemselves there will be expensesinvolved in setting up a new business,costs vary according to the size of theproject, but as a rough guide,converting an existing building costsaround £1,200 sq. m this shouldinclude all building work, putting inservices, kitchen, toilet and floorcoverings. Equipment costs depend onwhere it is sourced, if you are thinkingof preparing ready meals or makingpies, then a medium sized cateringkitchen will cost about £25,000 if allthe equipment is bought new, howeverthere are plenty of sources of goodsecond hand equipment. ‘The Caterer’magazine is a good place to look, as isthe internet.

With any new enterprise adequatefinancial planning and a realistic viewof the potential of a new business isvital. Grants may be available towardssome of the setting up costs, althoughthe DEFRA Rural Enterprise SchemeGrants have closed it is anticipatedthat the Government may be puttingtogether some new funding schemes forassisting rural businesses in the future.Some Local Authorities may have fundsavailable for discretionary grants or lowinterest loans and it is worthcontacting your local Business Link for advice. �

ContactsLANTRA Tel: 024 7669 6996Web: www.lantra.co.uk

FOOD STANDARDS AGENCYTel: 0207 276 8000Web: www.food.gov.uk

MEAT TRAINING COUNCILTel: 01908 231062Web: www.meattraining.org.uk

NATIONAL FARMERS’ RETAIL & MARKETS ASSOCIATIONTel: 0845 45 88 420Web: www.farma.org.uk

HF4 P39-41 MARKET 22/5/08 11:30

LILA DAS GUPTA42

JUST RECENTLY WE dug up one side ofour small city garden to make avegetable patch. All kids being terri-torial, the two younger ones shriekedwith excitement at getting their ownpatch then proceeded to squabble overwhose was the largest allocation (JohnMcEnroe was never so stroppy with thejudge). Not wishing to leave the 13-year-old out, I asked him if he wanted a patchas well – initial enthusiasm plummetedto critical wilt as car magazines and thenoxious fumes of Lynx deodorant turnedhis head to mush. The only gardeningexperience he now willingly partakes ofis a picnic on the allotment, which hasmore to with the quality of the food hegets down there and the fact that wehave a dart board in the shed.

None of this worries me too much,because I know from my own experiencethat gardening is something transmittedby osmosis. My mother was an obsessivegardener, who, much to my embar-rassment at the time, carried a small pairof scissors around in her handbag topinch bits of cutting from here andthere – I suppose this was before thedays cut price garden centres.

Of all seven children, I was the onewho hated gardening the most anddeeply resented being asked to doanything by my mother concerningMother Nature. Our house had aroundfour hundred pot plants in it (I knowbecause I counted them all), I can evenremember giving my mother a copy of‘The Day of The Triffids’ in the hope ofspooking her into getting rid of some ofthem. So who is the garden writer of thefamily and the keenest of all now? I don’tknow what career my eldest will end upfollowing, but at least his mother taughthim that chips don’t grow on trees.

WHERE HAVE ALL THEBROWN PEOPLE GONE? At this year’s Chelsea Flower show I wasinvited to a lunch by the RHS and hadthe great pleasure to sit next toRaymond Evison, the number oneBritish clematis grower and holder ofthe National Collection, based inGuernsey. Mr Evison also happens to beon the council of the RHS as well as

being a judge on the show. Impeccablydressed, beautiful manners, not anounce of stuffiness: I felt encouraged toask him why was it that organisationslike the RHS and BBC find it so hard toshowcase the gardening efforts of ethnicminorities? So many people who cometo this country have a strong interest ingardening, a fact recognised by cannysuppliers ‘Seeds of Italy’ which alreadyhas a section in Polish selling seeds toPoles living in the UK. Obviously they’vefigured out the future of things to come.

So, where have all the brown peoplegone? I see them everywhere on allot-ments growing all manner of things, butall Gardener’s World seems to be able tooffer us is Joe Swift Rotavating weeds onhis plot. The Coriander Club, a group ofBengali women based at Spitalfields CityFarm, near London’s Brick Lane seems tobe the one story that magazine editorslove to trot out; after that they’ve runout of ideas.

I wondered out loud if perhaps MrEvison would like to come on a visit toan allotment open day where he wouldfind plenty of charismatic West Indiangardeners, or one where the Portuguesecrank up their generator to power thetelly when there’s a special football gameon. Gentleman that he is, Mr Evisonaccepted the invitation there and then.From little acorns, all things are possible.

COURGETTES GALOREBack to my obsession with courgettegluts. One of the great things aboutgrowing your own courgettes is theplentiful supply of fresh flowers, whichare both rare and expensive in specialistshops. Many people like to stuff themwith ricotta cheese, which is a good foilto the rich, but subtle taste of the flower.I’ve discovered a new way to cook them,which is to make a tempura batterfor them and fry them. Themixture of crunch and flavour isexquisite. My favourite way toserve them is with venisontortelloni – expensive, but a majorday out for the taste-buds. If you cutsome lettuce and make a green salad,you can have a meal ready in aroundten minutes. �

Getting their hands dirty Deep Fried

Courgette(ZucchiniFlowers)INGREDIENTS50g plain flour1/2 tea spoon salt2 tea spoons olive oil 80-125ml warm water3 egg whites8-12 courgette flowersOlive oil suitable for frying

METHOD1 In a bowl sift the flour and add the

salt. Mix in the oil with a woodenspoon. Using a whisk, slowly add thewarm water – the batter should besmooth and thick.

2 In a separate clean bowl, whisk theegg whites until stiff, then add to thebatter mix.

3 Check your flowers for any strayinsects that may be hiding and trimthe stem to 2cm so that you havesomething to hold on to whendipping.

4 Heat the oil and test by dropping apiece of bread in (it should turnbrown in about 15 seconds) Dip theflowers in the batter coating bothsides.

5 Fry on both sides, turning once tomake sure flower batter is evenlygolden brown. Serve immediately.

From ‘The Food of Italy – A journey for food lovers’By Sophie Braimbridge and Jo GlynnPub. Murdoch Books £16.99

It’s the holy grail of gardening for parents: how do you get children involved in horticulture? It’s easyenough when they are little and want to get their hands dirty, but what about spotty teenagers?

HF4 P42-43 LILA 23/5/08 19:51

43

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BREWING46

AROUND ABOUT 5,000 years ago,when the UK was in the middle of whatwe call the Iron Age, a number ofcultures around the world more or lesssimultaneously invented ale. When youtake grain and crush it and add a littlewater and yeast it becomes bread. Ifyou soak the grain and allow the starchto convert into sugar, the same yeastproduces ale. Largely that’s all you haveto do, but the leap forward to realisethat soaking grain becomes sweet is ahuge step for human technology.

Wine had been known of for manythousands of years previously, so theart of fermentation was very wellunderstood. But fermenting grain wastotally new.

Beer is simply flavoured ale and inthe 13th century the flavouring ofchoice was hops, and that has prettymuch stuck ever since. The grains usedare mostly barley, but wheat, corn andother seeds have been used.

MALTINGThe basic idea is to steep grain in waterso that it starts to grow. Then, enzymes in the seed convert the insoluble starch

into soluble sugar. At this point, and it isusually barley, the material is calledmalted barley.

This is then put into a vessel andcooked to kill the plants. The flavouringsare added and then the liquid is calledwort. This is then yeasted and allowed toferment. That’s all there is to it!

KNOWING WHEN TO STOPIf you allow the beer to ferment until allthe sugar is used up you will get a strongbeer and the yeast will die. Thediscovery that the viscosity of the liquidchanges as the sugar is converted toalcohol made it possible to measureexactly how much alcohol is in the brewand then stop the brewing accordingly. Ahydrometer is a standard sized bubble ofa known weight. This floats in the beerand you read off the number on theside. There is a formula that convertsthis number to alcohol content, but we’llleave that for a later issue.

Brewing is stopped by addingCamden tablets which release sulphurdioxide into the brew, killing the yeast.

ANCIENT BRITISH ALEYou will have realised that to have ale

you need grain, and 5,000 years agowe didn’t really grow much grain

for baking, let alone drinking.But we did have honey, and

there is evidence fromthe late Iron Age, andwhen the Romanscame, that we madeale with commonweeds and honey.

BEER FROM A KIT

Now I know I amgoing to get into

trouble here. Some ofyou will start fretting

about the kit itself. “Itcan’t be organic or natural

if it comes out of a tin, canit?” Some of you will get all

upset about what I am going to sayabout lager and probably the kit

manufacturer will get all upset with whatI am about to do with it.

NEW DANDELION BEERThis is based on a recipe that is manycenturies old. It originally called for

Beginners’ BeerThirst is a terrible thing, and so we kick off this series with somebackground to brewing ale and beer for those with a dry throat

BrewingIn warm weather this brews outside onthe shelves in the garden. It takes abouttwo weeks, and then the beer can besiphoned into bottles, or directly into apressure vessel so it can be poured offlike draught beer.

HF4 P46-47 BEER 22/5/08 11:38

47

malted barley and dandelions asflavouring. Now to save all the boiling,and probably most people do not haveenough space or equipment anyway, weare going to use the blandest beer kitthere is. And what could be blander thanlager? (Now don’t shout!)

The basic idea is thatthe beer kit is a wort in atin. You can get organicbeer kits if you like. Quiteliterally, most of themcontain no preservatives ornasty chemicals, just beerjuice. Then you add boilingwater to dissolve the thickliquid and then you top upto 25 litres with cold water.Somewhere in this processyou add a kilo of sugar as afood source, and finally the yeast itself.

SUGAR – A LITTLE TIPIf you add sucrose – ordinary packetsugar in any of its guises – you get funnyflavoured beer. This is because glucose isa disaccharide (or double sugar) andwhen the yeast breaks it down you get amixture of flavours. Instead, buy glucosefrom the chemist, in the same quantity –usually 1kg. You will then get a beer thattastes like pub-bought only better.

Now, in order to add that old flavourto the beer we are going to add acouple of litres of boiling dandelionwater. Since lager is blandish (it is thenearest beer there is to tea you can get) the dandelion will add a really

interesting flavour – nearerto golden bitter thananything else.

Follow the recipe on thecan but the first boilingwater is made by collecting2 very large handfuls ofdandelion leaves boiled forten minutes in water. Thisis then strained into thefermentation vessel. Thewort is added, the sugar(don’t forget – glucose),the rest of the water and

the yeast and away you go!

KEEP IT CLEANOne last note, brewing is a culturewhere you are growing yeast. Thealcohol produced becomes a preser-vative, but you can also grow bacteriaand unwanted fungi in the brew. Somake sure everything is sterile beforeuse. The best way of doing this is withmilton or sterilising tablets dilutedappropriately. �

NEXT TIME,

IN TWO ISSUE,

WE LOOK AT

MAKING

BEER FROM

SCRATCH

Collect a good two handfuls of dandelion leaves and boilthem in a pan full of water.

Open up the wort can and sterilise your vessel. Strain the boiling dandelion juice into the vessel.

Add the wort – you can rinse out the can with boilingwater to get the last dregs.

Add the sugar to the boiling water and top up with cold water.

Add a good teaspoon of yeast.

Dandelionbeer fromhoneyINGREDIENTS1kg whole dandelion plants includingflowers and roots1kg honeyJuice of a lemonBrewer’s Yeast

METHOD1 Wash dandelions and boil with

lemon juice. Add to 5 litres of coldwater in a fermentation vessel (in this case a demijohn will do).

2 Ferment to 1.010 on hydrometer and stop with a couple of Camdentablets.

3 Keep a few weeks before drinking.

This is almost like wine, and is not what you might recognise as beer.

HF4 P46-47 BEER 22/5/08 11:38

ESTIMATES ARE THAT retailers cangenerate up to 2 million tonnes of foodwaste each year. Seventeen milliontonnes of food is being ploughed intoBritain’s landfill sites every year, butwhat is worse, around four milliontonnes of this food is perfectly fresh andgood to eat.

THE OFFENDERSWho’s to blame is of course a tough oneto pin down. Contributors include largesupermarkets, smaller retailers, suppliersand the companies who run the landfillsites. Sainsbury’s appear to be one ofthe more open about the fact that foodwaste is a problem andthat they are trying todeal with it. Their dealingwith it includes givingsurplus food to a largenumber of differentcharities.

Tesco, M&S and Asdaall also acknowledge theproblem by havingsections about food wasteon their corporatewebsites. M&S state ontheir site that one of theircorporate aims is to send no wastewhatsoever to landfill sites by 2012;Asda aim for the same by 2010. All ofthe above except Asda send aproportion of their food waste to thosein need through a national charitynamed FareShare.

Other supermarkets are less vocalabout their food wastage and how theydeal with it, or perhaps don’t deal withit. Landfill sites are particularlyreluctant to comment and thecompanies that run them are also quitehard to actually put a name to,preferring to lie low.

WHY IS IT THROWN OUT?As with many such issues, much of theproblem is driven by consumerdemand. Shoppers want their super-markets to be full and plentiful whenthey visit, with plenty of choice and,more importantly, full of healthylooking, pretty food of a regular shapethat isn’t about to go out of date.

How many people would choose aslightly bruised fruit over a firm, shinyone? Most, if not all, would choose thefirm one even if the bruised one was ata reduced price. Most readers will beaware of the EU regulations on bananas;they now need to be straight ratherthan excessively curved. Most would alsoagree that this is ridiculous but it isnevertheless true that the majority ofcustomers would choose a product ofregular shape rather than a moreunusually shaped one. How many timeshave you rejected an ugly, lumpy carrotto go for a long straight one instead?

What about the dates on packaging?Surely you can’t argue withthem? There isn’t just onedate though, there seem tobe many. To start with thereare ‘Display Until’ or ‘Sell By’dates. These are simply thereto advise shop staff abouthow long something shouldbe on the shelf for. If thisthen is the date at whichproducts are removed fromthe shelf and thrown away, itwould be lovely to think thatthis is the date at which the

food is no longer safe to eat. But no,that’s the ‘Use By’ date. The use by dateis probably the most meaningful as it’s todo with the consumers’ health. Theother date often seen is the ‘Best Before’date which literally means that a productwill taste better before a certain date butnothing to do with your safety.

Without saying ignore the dates onfoods, I think there must be some leewayfor common sense. Surely it is far betterto know for yourself when different typesof food are safe to eat, than to have tofollow the guidelines by the book.

Many larger supermarkets have centraldistribution centres through which allthe stock passes regardless of its finaldestination. It may make sense from abusiness point of view but the food milesincurred are significant and needless andthis extended route must certainlycontribute to the dates on the packagingbeing that much nearer by the time thefood reaches the shelf.

Although, people will not pay the full

price for something going out of date ordamaged, most supermarkets do have areduced section. However far moreproduce could be reduced than is doneso at present. One study for theDepartment for Environment, Food andRural Affairs (DEFRA), found that super-markets often throw away food that wasapproaching its sell by date rather thanmark it down in price because of theextra cost and time that would beincurred by staff walking around theshop adjusting the prices!

So there we have the reasons for foodbeing removed from the shelves butsurely it could be given to those in needor used as compost rather than thrownaway. This does happen and happily isincreasing but is still in the minoritybecause it is easier and cheaper todump the food.

WHO IS DOING ANYTHING ABOUT ITThere is a government funded company

HOME FARMER INVESTIGATES48

Supermarket Waste

What’s the problem this time? As if supermarkets don’t getenough bad press already, yet another complaint is beinglaunched against them. The problem is the amount of food thatis wasted each day, much of which is not even recycled butsimply thrown onto landfill sites. Anouchka Warren investigates

RETAILERS CAN

GENERATE UP

TO 2 MILLION

TONNES OF

FOOD WASTE

EACH YEAR

HF4 P48-49 WASTE 22/5/08 15:23

called Waste and Resources ActionProgramme (Wrap) which has three mainaims: reduced packaging, raised publicawareness of waste issues and reducedfood waste. All of this is done throughcollaboration with businesses and localauthorities but they have been criticisedfor not doing enough, working too slowlyand focussing solely on excessivepackaging and not on food waste.

I mentioned that some supermarketsand retailers work with a nationalcharity called Fareshare who work toprovide healthy, nutritious food to manyorganisations across the country whowork with the disadvantaged. Theycontribute to 12,000 people in over420 community projects. They haveeight schemes running at locationsnationwide, and receive daily donationsfrom supermarkets and other foodmanufacturers. FareShare maintain thateverything they redistribute is in perfectcondition and is surprisingly varied,often including organic meat and

vegetables as well as ready meals andeven cakes and desserts.

Sainsburys now send less than halftheir food waste to landfill sites but thisis not common across the largest supermarket chains across the UK.Although an increasing number ofretailers have a waste food reductionplan (Waitrose being a more recentconvert to FareShare), most food is stilldestined to be dumped.

There are other projects in place ona more local scale for example, onesupermarket chain launched an “ugly”fruit range, selling irregularly shapedseasonal fruits at reduced prices. Thefruit which was sold at roughly half theprice of its prettier counterparts, wasmarketed as suitable for use as ingre-dients in cooking or perhaps jamproduction.

If large food retailers do embraceworking with the environment, notagainst it, the impact could be huge.Whether it’s saving electricity, cutting

down on food miles or ridding theirfood waste effectively and sensibly, theimpact would be far larger than couldbe made by an individual family or asmall local shop.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?Of course, once you’ve eaten homegrown, you’ll be unlikely to find a super-market equivalent to rival the taste. If,however, this isn’t possible yet or you’restill building up to it, it is certainlypossible to let your supermarket knowhow you feel. Let them know that notwasting food is important to you, or thatyou would like to see fruit and veg thatisn’t all the same size, shape and colour.

Even if their motivation is simply tomake money, supermarkets are becomingmore and more competitive over whocan be the most green. As so much ofthis is driven by consumer demand, wecan make a difference even whenshopping at supermarkets by supportingthe more green companies. �

49

HF4 P48-49 WASTE 22/5/08 15:24

KEEPING BEES50

Frames are essential to the way wecollect honey from hives. In a way I dowonder if they are detrimental to beehealth. If they build their own comb,without a sheet of foundation to forcethem into a certain cell size, the beesmake both larger and smaller cells. Thelarger cells become drone comb andvarroa mites prefer these. So it is easyto remove a large population of varroaby putting a half sized, super frame inthe brood box and removing thegrubbed drones when they are capped,along with a high proportion of themites in the hive.

Foundation comes in all kinds ofsizes to fit the various frames and wasinvented back in the 1850s. It is apressed sheet of beeswax with a zig-zagged piece of wire that allows you toanchor the sheet in the frame. Theframes themselves come in six pieces; atop, two sides, two bottom pieces andan anchor bar for the top. They are

already cut with theappropriate slots forfitting togetherwhich are sometimestoo tight and youhave to get the sandpaper out.

You can orderframes, frame pinsand foundation enmasse from thelocal bee club, andthey frequentlyhave demonstra-tions of how toput themtogether.Youneedto

Everything in beekeeping is DIY. When you buy a new hive it comes in bits and you have to knock it together. This month we look at frames and foundation

Knocking It Together

HF 4 P50-52 BEES 22/5/08 15:31

51

specify the particular type of hive,national, WSB, commercial etc.,because the frames can be different.

The steps on building the frame areeasy, if a bit fiddly, butyou’ll soon be hard at itmaking all your frameson a winter’s eveningready for the comingspring.

The frame is funda-mental to modern hivesbecause it allows us todo so many useful thingsin the hive. Firstly, youcan remove a part of thecolony and examine thebees, the eggs and thedeveloping grubs frame by frame.Secondly, it gives you an easier way tocheck on the health of the queen.You can remove the frames one byone and look for the queen, andshould she be completely impossible to find you can be sureshe is fit and laying by recognisingeggs and grubs in the cells.

Then, of course, frames are aconvenient way of removing

honey, and just enough honey from thehive. You can remove a single frame oreven a whole super full of them if youprefer. This makes it possible to remove

honey more than once aseason without overbur-dening the bees. Remember,when you remove frames youalso remove wax, and this ismuch higher. So to remove ahoneycomb represents agreater charge on the hivethan simply extracting aframe.

In normal years emptyframes are returned to thehive for the bees to glean thehoney from and refill. I do

wonder if this practise should continuein these troubled times to cut down thechances of passing on disease.

So, frames are fundamental tomodern beekeeping and without them the process is a lot more hit andmiss. You cannot always see where thequeen is, you cannot look at brood so easily and harvesting, and moreover extracting, honey is so much more difficult.

The hoops on the foundation go towards the top so theframe is held in place by the top bar retaining piece.Thehoop is bent over by 90 degrees to allow the sheet to sitin position.

The top bar and sides fit together in a fairly easy way,but do make sure that the grooves in the sides faceinward to take the foundation.

The foundation sits in the grooves and the space in thetop bar.

One of the bottom bars can be pushed in place. The final bottom bar and top bar retainer can be put inplace. Notice the top bar retainer is now trapping thehoops you bent over.

All the joints are now pinned into position. It is wise alsoto pin through the top bar retainer into the top bar atan angle through the hoops to give extra support.

YOU’LL SOON

BE HARD AT IT

MAKING ALL

YOUR FRAMES

ON A WINTER’S

EVENING

HF 4 P50-52 BEES 27/5/08 09:06

KEEPING BEES52

The beekeeping year really startswhen you have to make frames. If youdon’t make frames in the spring you willend up with a few problems. In thesetimes when bees are under all sorts ofstress, we need a way of removingdisease from the hive. My beekeepingassociation has lost six out of a dozenhives in the last year. Onexamination, many of thehives had nosema, thedysentery causing bug,and there were alsoassorted problems withother diseases.

One of the ways ofdealing with this is tomake sure the hives areclean as possible at thebeginning of the season.Do not simply rely on thefact that the previousframes are good enough, and certainlydo not transfer frames from one hive tothe next. This is an important point –disease travels fast around here!

Clean out hive boxes before puttingthem onto the hive, making sure theyhave been blow-lamped and the woodhas become very hot indeed. The same

goes for old frames that need newfoundation – give them a completeburning, getting into all the nooks andcrannies. It is probably best, in these

days of bee problems, tomake new frames with newwood and replace as manyof your old ones as possible.I know it is expensive and Iknow this doesn’t mean thatyour hives will be diseasefree, but think of it as a wayof investing in the future.Besides, a few extra poundson the annual spend isnothing compared to theloss of a colony.

These days it seems thatevery colony lost is not just a loss to thebeekeeper, but a loss to the nation. Beesare that important! So every attempt tokeep and multiply them should betaken. In future issues we will belooking at dividing and increasingcolonies, or the reverse, combining twocolonies into one. �

June/July Jobs� Be vigilant against swarming.

Assuming you have a young queen,remove queen cells, make sure thereis plenty of space in the hive. Addanother super if you wish, and youmight just be able to take a coupleof frames of capped honey.

� If the weather is poor considerfeeding your bees.

� Look for increasing numbers of beesand healthy stocks of eggs and grubs.

� Do a varroa count and considertreating with the appropriatematerials.

� Go along to a bee auction and grabyourself a bargain

� In late July close down the entranceto a small gap to allow the bees abetter chance at fighting wasps.

Above: Even last year’s frames can carry disease and Ibelieve while times are bad we should consider replacing as many old frames as we can.

CLEAN OUT

HIVE BOXES

BEFORE

PUTTING

THEM ONTO

THE HIVE

HF 4 P50-52 BEES 22/5/08 15:33

ADS 23/5/08 15:14

HEN HOUSE DIARY54

Your chicken’s health and

HF ISSUE 4 P54-56 CHICKENS 23/5/08 18:05

55

FEEDING POULTRY A correct ration iseasy these days as commercially baggedfeeds come in ranges for all species.The feed should contain all thenutrients needed to grow muscle, bone,internal organs, fat andfeathers. These will be inthe form of carbohy-drates, proteins, fats,minerals and vitamins.The protein levels will behigher in the crumb formfor day-olds onwards anddecrease in the growerand layer/breeder rationsas the birds develop.Layer and breederrations also contain extracalcium to prepare thebirds for egg production. Goodnutrition is essential for birds toproduce good quality eggs and in turn,if hatched, for strong, healthy young-stock.

A GUIDE TO FEEDCRUMBSChick crumbs are essential for day-oldsuntil four to six weeks old.

GROWER PELLETSFor youngstock, gradually weaned fromcrumbs. These are fed from about sixweeks until 15 -16 weeks of age.

LAYER PELLETSChickens are gradually introduced tolayer pellets or ornamental breedingpellets from 14 -17 weeks.

MEALThis is an alternative to layer pellets andcan be given dry or have just sufficientwater added to make a mash. It is morewasteful and less hygienic than pelletsas fouling of drinkers and groundaround the feeders is usual.

PELLETS FOR BREAKFASTAND GRAIN FOR TEAPellets are fed in the morning as theyare easily digestible and it is importantthat the birds have a good nutritional

diet at the start of the day.When the young are twelveweeks old they can be intro-duced to grain. Grain is notfed before this age becausethe digestive system will nothave developed sufficientlyto be able to deal with it.Grain is normally in theform of wheat but nakedoats can be given, especiallyto meat birds. Just give asmall amount at first and doso in the afternoon. It

should always be the second feed of theday because it is less nutritious than theformulated pellet feed. Also, grain staysin the crop longer so will help to keepthe birds content overnight. Cut maizecan be given in small amounts; however,it should only be fed during the winteras it is a warming feed.

Organically reared poultry need feedthat is organic itself. This can bepurchased as specific organic feed orcan be conventional feeds that aresuitable for organic systems.

Buy your feed from a reputablemanufacturer. It may be a little moreexpensive but feed that is markedlycheaper than others usuallycontains inferior rawmaterials. Always readthe labeland

check you have the feed you requirebefore leaving the agriculturalmerchants. Often, a manufacturer’srange of bagged feed can look similar inpattern and colour and the label may bethe only distinguishing mark betweendifferent feeds for different species.Once you have the feed it should bestored in a cool, dry place away fromany rodents or wild birds. Ideally, thefeed should be emptied out of the bagsand put in a rodent free containerbecause paper bags are subject to beingnibbled and susceptible to damp. Aplastic or galvanised dustbin will holdtwo bags of feed.

KEEP AN ADEQUATELARDERAlways order the feed you require inadvance so that it is available when youneed it. However, don’t be tempted toorder too much at a time because thelast thing you want is for feed to besitting in your containers beginning togo mouldy. Freshly made up pellet feedhas a shelf life of about three months,so aim to order an amount that will beeasily used up before it goes stale andpast its sell-by date.

For poultry to be able to digest feedthey will need a supply of grit. The hardwork of grinding up the feed to

lth and performance will have a lot to do with diet says Janice Houghton-Wallace

Feeding Your Birds

JUST GIVE A

SMALL

AMOUNT AT

FIRST AND DO

SO IN THE

AFTERNOON


56

produce the goodness the birdneeds is done in the gizzard. Feed istaken up by the beak, swallowed andstored in the crop. From there it passesto the proventriculus (stomach) andthen to the gizzard. The gizzard is avery strong muscle and with the addedassistance of grit it grinds the feeduntil it is fine enough to pass throughinto the small intestine. Although free-ranging birds will find small stonessuitable for their needs, all poultry willbenefit from having extragrit provided. By startingto give grit at an early ageyou will be helping thedigestive system todevelop.

Chick grit is especiallyfine - almost sand-like -and a little can be added tochick crumbs when thebirds are a few days old. Atthe grower and adult stagemixed poultry grit is given.This may contain brokenpieces of oyster shell but never giveoyster shell alone as this is far toosmooth and can lead to crop impactionand even death over time. Place a smallheap of mixed poultry grit in a containereither in their shed or outside pen, nearthe feed trough or even mixed in thefeed on a monthly basis.

All speciesof poultrywill welcomebeing outon grass.Short grassis morebeneficial andsafer than longgrass, whichcould impact thecrop. Lawn or hedge

trimmings shouldnever be given topoultry. Wiltinggrass and leavesquickly gomouldy andthese canferment in thecrop andcause toxicityproblems.

Poultry will also enjoylooking for insects,especially in the early

autumn when they are plentiful. If youneed to keep birds housed hang upsome greenery - either cabbages,Brussels sprout tops, kale or lettuce -whatever is in season and plentiful.Do not feed household scraps unlessthey are raw vegetable or fruit materialor stale brown bread.

Finally, try tofeed and water

your poultry away fromwild birds. This will help reducethe risk of spread of disease. �

ALL SPECIES

OF POULTRY

WILL

WELCOME

BEING OUT

ON GRASS

HEN HOUSE DIARY


ADS 23/5/08 15:20

POULTRY DISEASES58

JOZSEF MAREK FIRST described thiscondition in 1907, though he had noway of knowing what the cause was. Infact it is a viral infection of chickens ofthe herpes type. In the last hundredyears various mutations have appearedthroughout the USA and Europe,particularly in response to broilerproduction.

SYMPTOMSThe main problem first noticeableis the grey iris and eyes with agranular or lumpyappearance. This is causedby tumors forming inthe eyes and the birdbecoming blind.Associated with thisis a definite andworseningparalysis, first ofthe legs, then thewings and neck.The bird losesweight andbecomes blindand hair folliclesbecometumorised,making it roughand lumpy.

Birds alsosuffer from‘floppybroilersyndrome’that iscaused bytumors inthe centralnervoussystem. Thentumors occurinternally in themajor organs.Clearly, when underextreme physical stressfrom MD, birds often fall toother diseases.

Once the birds are infected,and if they don’t die, they willremain infectious for the rest oftheir lives. On the whole thedisease is spread by infections inthe lungs. The dust in a broiler

unit or communalhut is infected andthis is how mostbirds get thedisease. It has

been suggestedthat various insects have

become a pool for infectiontoo, though the actual modeof transmission is unclear.

It is known that verticaltransmission does not

occur, so eggs are hatchedvirus free and this gives

a plausible way out forthe home keeper. The

virus does survivewell out of thebird and has beenknown to beresistant tocertain disinfec-tants. Butkeeping youngbirds away from

older ones is animportant step.

TREATMENTSThere is no known

treatment for MD,although chicks from

large, commercial hatcheries are routinely

vaccinated with a number ofserums. There are increasinglysuppliers who treat thedisease in the egg, probablyfor commercial reasons.

Genetic selection for agene that infers some natural

resistance to the virus wasunder way with white leghorns,

which have a large measure ofimmunity, were crossed with other

breeds. However, the use of serumimmunisation has put this research onthe back boiler for economic reasons.The problem with this way of dealingwith disease is that, as new strains ofthe virus appear, new serums will haveto be designed to counteract them. Thisway of looking at things is somewhatdangerous because, as we see inbeekeeping, who knows if a virus will

appear that effectively wipes

Otherwise known as MD, it is likely that infected poultry will die and that the rest of your flock will becomeinfected. MD is a world-wide killer of poultry that hasdisastrous effects

Marek’s Disease

HF ISSUE 4 P58-59 POULTRY 23/5/08 18:08

59

out the population before we are ableto deal with it?

Prevention is further improved bythe way we keep hens. Commercialkeepers use a combinationof excellent hygiene andan all in – all out systemof farming. If youintroduce new birds to alarge number of old onesyou are more likely to passon the disease. Similarly,hen material left behindin the hut will be conta-gious, and therefore shedsneed to be completelycleaned and disinfectedbefore new stock arrive.

We said earlier that insects could actas reservoirs for infection. Making anenvironment that is not conducive toinsects is not an easy task, but certainly

a clean, well mucked out shed and runfor the home keeper is an importantand helpful factor.

If you are interested in rearingyoung chicks they shouldbe kept away from olderbirds for the longestperiod, possibly 16 weeks.This allows them to developtheir immune system to itsfullest extent before beingexposed to possiblyinfected material.

Finally, some reportshave shown that theprovision of plenty ofcalcium in the diet,crushed shell and the like,

helps the young bird to develop astrong immune system, and this mighthelp in the fight against many diseasesas well as MD. �

KEEPING

YOUNG BIRDS

AWAY FROM

OLDER ONES IS

AN IMPORTANT

STEP

This is not an exhaustive list, but is just enough to give you a clue if your birds arepoorly. Next month we will look at the other diseases, parasites and psychosocialproblems that can appear in your flock. Please do not rely on this list for diagnosticpurposes, it is not meant as such.

BACTERIAL DISEASES

Botulism Birds are weak and then paralisedE. coli Can be listless and have ruffled feathers, often dieNecrotic Enteritis Become listless and die rapidlyUlcerative Enteritis Can be listless and have ruffled feathers, white diarrhoeaErysipelas Yellowish or greenish diarrhoea, listless, dead birdsInfectious Coryza Facial swellings around the eyes and wattles, nasal discharge Mycoplasmas CRD Nasal swelling, wheezing, dischargeOmphalitis Drowsy chicks, no interest in food, stood near lampPullorum Salmonella type disease causing chick mortality

VIRAL DISEASES

Fowl Pox White scabs on skinInfectious Bronchitis Difficult breathing, gasping, sneezing Infectious Bursal Disease Ruffled feathers, tremor, strained droppings, wobbly gaitMarek’s Disease Paralysis of legs, wings and neckNewcastle Disease Nasal discharge, mucous in the trachea, cloudy air sacs,

cloudiness in the cornea

FUNGAL DISEASES

Aspergillosis Loss of appetite, coughing, loss of weightMoniliasis Thrush Listless, pale, ruffled feathers Mycotoxicosis Reduced growth, loss of egg production

PROTOZOAN DISEASES

Blackhead Loss of appetite, increased thirst, droopiness,darkening of the bottom

Coccidiosis Young birds appear pale, huddle for warmth,off feed, diarrhea

Heximitiasis Watery diarrhoea and rapid weight loss

Quick guide to bacterial,viral and fungal diseases

HF ISSUE 4 P58-59 POULTRY 23/5/08 18:10

ADS 23/5/08 15:32

IT ALL STARTED when one of our forummembers (www.homefarmer.co.uk)posted an idea.

“I was wondering whether therewould be a possibility of CommunityHome Farmer Clubs being set up so wecould meet up and build a morecommunity feel, support each otherand get advice from others with moreexperience. We could swap produce,seeds, young plants etc. and have teaand cake!”

That was Gail Macer who lives inWoking with 6 chickens, 3 rabbits, 2gerbils, 1 hamster, 2 collies, 3 poniesand a horse, but she describes herhome as ‘tiny’. She works herallotment and grows her produce inraised beds, pots and anywhere shecan fit them in! Little did she knowher suggestion would cause anavalanche of replies and requestsfrom people around the countrykeen to get together, learn somenew skills, swap tips, just to getto know each other and makenew friends, and eat cake.

New venues are popping upall the time and eventually wehope to have a representativein each county who can thenput people in touch with othersin their locality. But for now,until we get up to speed, we areasking people to write to us.

WHAT’S GOING TOHAPPEN?In a way this is up to the host.Obviously this is a chance tosee how they do things, howtheir veg grows, how they dealwith their livestock and find outwhere they are at. One thing istrue, you will learn a lot fromevery single person involved.

ONLY ONE RULEThere is only one rule, but ithas two outcomes. The rule isnever, ever criticise someoneelse’s situation. I know, I amteaching you all to suck eggs,but if we are tempted to have a go about something we havealready missed the point ofwhat they can teach us andsecondly, they won’t learn from you if you do.

Home Farmer Clubs

Write to:Home Farmer Clubs,The Good Life Press Ltd.,PO Box 536,Preston, PR2 9ZY.Or email: [email protected]

HOW TO GET INVOLVEDAt the moment we don’t want to puttelephone numbers and contacts in themagazine. But if you would like toattend a local meeting, or even hostone, please write in to the office andmark your envelope Home FarmerClubs. We will then get in touch andpass your details to the various people in your area who are holding a club. �

In response to demand from our readers we are thrilled toannounce that Home Farmer Clubs are about to hit the nation.So what are they, where are they and how can you join in?

AreasWe currently have people willing tohouse in the following areas

� Bury, Lancashire�Mid Wales� Staffordshire,�Guildford, Surrey� Bacup, Lancashire�Cumbria� Bedfordshire� Shetland – yes! All the way up there!�Woking, Surrey�Kent�Middlesex�Cheshire�Worcestershire�Newcastle – the ‘up north one’.

61GETTING TOGETHER

HF4 P61 CLUBS 22/5/08 15:17

STOP PRESS >> STOP PRESS >> STOP PRESS62

LAST YEAR WAS an awful one forbeekeepers. The rain all but wiped outthe summer and the winter dragged on,wet and cold into the spring. Then thereis the problem of varroa, which seems tobe more serious every time you open abeekeeping magazine, and fueled byfears that colonies are collapsing allover the United States, beekeepers havebeen on tenterhooks to see how thingsare shaping up now the warmer weatheris appearing.

Well the news is bad. Scarily bad.Most people have lost a large number ofcolonies. On average about a third ofhoneybees have died out. This is a hugenumber. In the United States thesituation has got so bad that the tradi-tional almond and top fruit pollinationis now under threat. Something that hasgone on every year since before 1776might now fail!

Back home, to lose an average of athird of colonies means that somepeople have been totally wiped out andthere have been examples of this all overthe country.

WHAT’S HAPPENING?Manchester Beekeeping Association lostaround half of its hives this last winterand of these nearly all of them had asingle celled parasite, Nosema ceranae.This organism is native to Far Easterncolonies and is related to Nosema apis,the dyssentry causing infestation.However, this new one is symptom freeand largely affects flying insects thatforage, leaving the hive, but are so ill asto make returning unlikely. So you don’tknow if you have the problem, almostuntil it is too late. The colony getssmaller and smaller.

This can happen quite rapidlydepending on the time of the year. Thecolony can be wiped out in just 8 days!Research around the world hassuggested a link between Nosemaceranae and the so-called ColonyCollapse Disorder, but it is not assimple as that. Colonies with the pesthave gone on with little trouble, sothere has to be other factors at work.Meanwhile colonies are dying off andshould we have another bad year thenwe will be witnessing one of the biggest

problems in over 100 years when adisease called acarine all but completelywiped out our native honeybeepopulation.

Certainly in Spain the previous year(2005/2006) there were massivecolony losses, and this seems to berepeated here. The Spanish colonieswere largely infected with Nosemaceranae.

The immediate problem forbeekeepers that have lost stock isreplacing bees. Last year a nucleus ofbees (simply a box with frames, a queenand some attendant workers)sold for around £100.This year the sameis selling attwice this

amount atauction.Furthermore, theavailability of clean stock is indoubt. I heard of one man who wascollecting swarms and trying to sellthem on at £150 a time, a very dubiousoccupation.

TREATMENTSThe treatment for Nosema apis hasbeen fumagilin, a huge molecule thathas worked well. However, it isn’t provenon Nosema ceranae. This treatment isbeing tried by beekeepers all across the

Around the country a number of diseases are threatening ourhoneybee populations. We need people to come forward andSAVE OUR BEES! Paul Peacock throws down the gauntlet

SAVE OUR B

HF 4 P62-63 BEES 22/5/08 15:40

63

UK, but it is just too early to say if it isactually working.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?I am completely sure, based on theresponse from our features, that HomeFarmer readers are interested inbeekeeping. What is needed is a wholelot more beekeepers. And it is such a

rewarding and absorbingsubject I am sureyou will get

hooked as soon asyou get into it. So

this is a plea to

anyone out there who is thinkingof keeping bees: please get outthere and get on with it!

TRAININGBeekeeping is not something youcan learn just out of a book. Youneed to gain confidence andpick up skills, so please go alongto your local beekeeping associ-ation. It is here that you aremost likely to get a colony and

equipment without having to spend afortune on either equipment or bees.

Almost all of the local beekeepingassociations run beginners’ courses, andyou can go along, get involved and joinin the course as soon as it is convenientfor you and the association.

The other important point is that onthe whole new beekeepers buy newequipment, and so long as the bees youget are clean, the equipment is clean –at least the wax and frames are cleanand the hive burned out – then thelikelihood is that there will be fewerproblems. �

R BEES!

Your localbeekeepingassociation There are local associations in everycounty and more or less every town inthe UK. Some associations are losingmembers, so you might need to shoparound to find one where you can geton a course. May and June is the mostimportant swarming time of the year, soyou never know, there might be one ortwo more colonies out there too!

To find your local bee club, go to theBBKA, who organise the insurancescheme for beekeepers, and thereforemost of the associations are members.They have a web site that has all thedetails of the associations and you candownload all kinds of materials andpublications of interest.

The British Beekeepers Association,The National Beekeeping Centre,National Agricultural Centre,Stoneleigh Park,Warwickshire, CV8 2LG.Tel: 02476 696679Web: www.britishbee.org.uk

HF 4 P62-63 BEES 22/5/08 15:41

GROWING HERBS64

HERBS ARE A key component of mostgood cooking. They add huge amountsof flavour and are often inextricablylinked to certain dishes, for example;salmon and dill, lamb and mint, beefand rosemary and so on. However, lotsof us don’t grow the herbs we want dueto a slightly lazy mindset and end upresorting to expensive plastic wrappedplant pots from the supermarket or asachet of dried herbs to be kept in acupboard for occasional use. Nowimagine an extra dimension! Fresh,fragrant and cheap, growing your ownherbs has never been easier. You don’teven need much space as most peoplestart by attempting a few pots of basiland coriander or maybe some parsleyon window sills and patios. But, sadlythe perennial herbs like sage, thyme androsemary often get neglected.

Here at New House Farm we havebeen growing incontainers forages, and

have only recently started to put downsome herbal roots. The latest devel-opment was our herb spiral. An herbspiral works on basic ‘permaculture’techniques that consider the ultimategrowing conditions for each differentplant in relation to each other, a kind ofcompatibility arrangement. Anothermassive advantage of an herb spiral isthat if you are short of space then you

are using the vertical potential as wellas horizontal, almost like a gardeningskyscraper! We used stones that werelying around for ours but there is noend to the different materials you couldtry; from wood to old wine bottles.

Additionally, if you locate it close toyour kitchen it makes collecting herbs forcooking incredibly easy and accessible.The rationale behind the shape works on

the basic premise that someplants require

more

Spiralling into ControlFather and son Dick andJames Strawbridge build aspiral herb bed

HF4 P64-64 HERBS 22/5/08 15:44

sunlight and drainage, others like shadeand damp soil. So, the design of a spiralallows some herbs their own little micro-climate; oily herbs like rosemary, thymeand sage on the top southerly side whilstthe moist north side is ideal for greenfoliage herbs like mint and wild garlic.

From the top of the spiral downwardstowards the bottom:

SOUTH FACING NORTH FACING

Rosemary Sage

Oregano Tarragon

Marjoram Sweet Violet

Strawberries Lemon Balm

Parsley Chives

Chamomile Calendula

Coriander Wild Garlic

Sorrel Water Mint

I don’t believe in the GardeningPolice and this is all a guideline ratherthan a rule. Since building an herbspiral we’ve found it has been mucheasier to collect herbs for cooking andit looks great in the garden! There arealso lots medicinal uses for herbs whichwe are slowly learning about and onewhich I do regularly is a nice mug ofmint tea. Mint was highly prized inAncient Egypt and is great for thedigestion system as well as growing inabundance. Simply pick a big handful ofyoung leaves and add boiling water tomake a refreshing infusion.

Another really easy way toget hold of herbs is byforaging. I think foragers get

a bit of bad press, they arethought of as survivalistswith camouflaged trousersand big beards but reallywhat makes more sensethan getting food for free?Some easy herbs to lookout for over the summerare white wild garlicflowers which are great toadd to salads, Salad Burnetwhich is common in grassyplaces and also tasty insalads or as a garnish for

summer drinks, Chicory with cornflower-blue blossoms found especially on grassychalk and limestone areas, Parsley whichis easy to recognise and can be foundwild on sandy and rocky banks near thesea, and my favourite Borage, a blueflower that is awesome in salads andquite good in Pimm’s too! The best way tolearn about free food really is to buy adecent book with high quality pictures sothat you don’t make any costly mistakes. �

To finish here is a poem:In the garden,I caught the sense of thyme,Passing.

65

Top Tips� Use good earth, but don’t

overburden it with added nutrients

� Try to site it in good sunlight, andshade the plants that need itseparately

� Water the rocks, not the soil, tosolve erosion problems

� Keep the lower plants well trimmed

� Use slow release fertilisers insteadof soluble fertiliser

� Don’t pack it with plants when you first start

� Try to buy good quality plants rather than supermarket ones

� Don’t harvest your plants until they are well established

MUCH VIRTUE

IN HERBS,

LITTLE IN MEN.

BENJAMIN

FRANKLIN

(1706-1790)

HF4 P64-64 HERBS 22/5/08 15:45

SELF-SUFFICIENCY SPECIAL66

SOMETIMES YOU GET to see yourheroes and one time I had the oppor-tunity to interview Professor DavidBellamy about the environment, aboutwind turbines, which he hates, andabout self-sufficiency. It turns out thathe was one of those people who were allfor it, but didn’t have time to do ithimself because he was always off onsome campaign or other.

He said that to be self-sufficient you

needed about an acre of land, less if youwere going to be vegetarian, but if youwere vegetarian you would have to bringin a lot of outside nutrients into youracre, just as you would have to bring ina lot of animal food if you weren’t.

Those of us with a small garden, orworse still, no garden, would have to lumpit, or would we? There are plenty of waysof cramming together at least something,even if we live in a high rise flat.

WINDOW BOX FARMINGYou might be in a position where thenew PVC windows have taken away allyour window ledges, so you cannot standanything on them. In that case there isno reason why you cannot fix a woodenbox to the wall underneath. Windowsills are excellent places for growingbecause, even with double glazing, thereis some warmth coming out of the houseat night. I confess to growing herbs of allkinds on my ledges, and it is also a greatplace for the plant hospital, where youare giving a bit more TLC.

There is also the inside of thewindow too! Now most modern houses

have radiators near every window. But ifyou turn this off, you have a green-house! Anything from tomatoes tochillies can be grown indoors. There isnothing to stop you shelving thewindow space and growing plants all theway up!

If you don’t have windowsills you canfix a box to the wall. This is probably thesafest way because at least it isn’t goingto blow off! You can grow, in a box ametre by 10cm by 20cm deep, summersalad leaves, herbs of all kinds, peas,dwarf beans, shallots, outdoor tomatoes,strawberries, the list goes on…

If you haven’t got space you have to be creative about turningyour tiny farm into a TARDIS farm. Paul Peacock crams ’em in

The best way to harden off plants. Herbs are perfect for pots.

Cramming it all in

HF4 P66-67 SPACE 23/5/08 18:12

67

There is nothing to stop you having aseries of containers fixed to the wall thatyou plant up. Walls are brilliant forgrowing. They provide shelter, heatstored from the day’s sunshine and water,although you do need towater your boxes. It is nomistake that weeds growmost where the wall andfloor meet.

Don’t forget theswinging window box thatis otherwise known as ahanging basket. PersonallyI wouldn’t like to keep ahanging basket ten storiesup, the do an awful lot ofdamage when they fall!

GOING POTTYA patio is the posh way of describing awide path. Areas from paths to patiospresent perfect growing opportunities.Take advantage of paths by lining themon either side with bags of compost inwhich you grow food. This is an ideal wayof using up a few plastic shopping bags.Push a few inside the other and then fillwith compost and grow a potato in eachbag. It will need feeding and watering forsure, but each bag will give a family ameal, and you can start now. Don’t worryabout planting times! I wonder how many

bags you can fit along your paths? It’samazing how quickly they stop lookinglike bags and start looking like growingplants.

If you are too garden-proud, then whynot line your paths with grow-bags? Flatthey will grow potatoes, outdoortomatoes, courgettes, and cucumbers. Butwho says you have to open them flat? Ifyou stand them on their edge, leaningagainst something for support, you cangrow a brilliant crop of carrots in them.

Of course, there is nothing to stop yougrowing vegetables in pots, and you willget some brilliant surprises too.Cabbages in pots go to seed easily, anddo not grow like cabbages. As tall as me,my cabs are still cabbages, still edible asgreens, and they just happen to lookgood on the patio. The same goes forcaulis and broccoli.

You can grow peas and beans in 30cmpots quite easily. Simply sow two beans

per pot. Even now isn’t toolate. You can also sow 4 peasin a 30cm pot and givethem some support. Theywill grow just as well as in afield, and produce a crop. Ifyou have room for ten pots,you probably have as manypea plants as you get onmost allotments. If you go tothe garden centre you canbuy these plants alreadygrowing – just transplantthem.

HEALTHYIn pots there is no clubroot and no long-term soil borne diseases. It is easier tocontrol slugs and snails and you can moveyour plants according to your needs. Youcan bring them indoors if it is frosty,cover them up, take them to the green-house, or just move them around becauseyou’re fed up with looking at them!

PLANNINGIt is easy to plan the number of mealsyou will get – I try to aim for a pot

producing one meal, so I have dozens ofpots around the patio. If I needed to Iwould have pots growing on the shed, onthe drive, on the roof and even outside inthe street! I suppose my ordinary semi-detached house in urban Manchester hasroom for over a thousand 30cm pots, sothere is plenty of scope for expansion.

GUERILLA FARMINGThis is the view from my front window: a large factory with a lorry park that isfull of wooden pallets piled high. Thelorries that are there are rotting awayand the pallets are crying out to bemade into containers. Then there issome wasteland next to it, and then acanal. Without anyone bothering aboutthem too much I have grown bags ofpotatoes by the lorry park, and jollynice they were too! I used carrier bagsand once the potatoes had grownthrough the top I taped them up to stopcats doing what cats do on them. Everynow and again I poured a bottle of feedand water into them.

Now I am not advocating breakingthe law. The factory owners knew what Iwas doing because I had asked. But ifyou look around, and are prepared tolook a bit country-bumpkinish, thereare plenty of places where you can growlots of food. �

You need something pretty anyway! Cabbages grow different in pots and look good! Cauli’s in flower on my patio.

Don’t miss a space, these are baby carrots growing inconcrete hollow blocks.

A very old friend in a huge pot – notice the last of thebluebell leaves hanging over the side.

YOU CAN

GROW PEAS

AND BEANS

IN 30CM

POTS QUITE

EASILY

HF4 P66-67 SPACE 23/5/08 18:12


JOHN SEYMOUR, AUTHOR of all thoseself-sufficiency books, rented his firstfarm when he was in his mid-forties andby the time he was fifty he had boughthis second farm in Wales with land totend, drainage to dig, fences to erect andbuildings to repair. He was still at itwhen, in his sixties he moved to Irelandand rented another smallholding.Indeed, his neighbourswere worried about thisold man turning over afield with nothing but arotavator, so they tried tointervene.

They nagged himcontinuously to let themplough the field with atractor, but he refused helpand subsequentlybroadcast the field withwheat seed and grew hiscrop. He intended toharvest the two acres with a scythe andthen thresh it over a chair. His neighbourswouldn’t have it so they had to resort tosubterfuge. They took him to the pub andgot him drunk, and while this was goingon someone put the combine in the field,cut, threshed winnowed and stored thegrain and bailed the straw. John wasindignant. “Didn’t you think I could doit?” “Not in two hours!” came the reply.

GET FITWorking everyday, eating homegrownfood, breathing fresh air, drinking goodwater (well, beer – Ed.) makes you fit. Itis a truism that our soft, urban lives arekilling us. Anyone over forty-five consid-ering self-sufficiency should embark ona fitness regime. This doesn’t have to bea running, sporting fitness regime. At

fifty years old I still play prop forward forOldham RUFC, but this is making meunfit and I am having to cut down oncompetitive sport because all thatbashing around is hurting my body, andit doesn’t do very well when you can’tkneel down to sow seeds because yourknees have gone.

Gardening gets you fit, not Olympianfit, but fit enough. Sodespite your twinges, get outthere and get on with it. Aday in the garden is a bettersleeping pill than a tabletfrom the doctor or abedtime whiskey any time.

PLAN AND SCALEAs the children flee the nestthe physical amount ofproduce you need to growdecreases. So plan thisdecrease into your regime.

You might not need twenty hens anymore or you might have only twobeehives instead of six, and so on. Butthis doesn’t mean that self-sufficiencysuddenly gets easy, and there will come atime when you need help.

FAMILYIf you ever wander the country lanes ofWales you will see the farms arearranged vertically. The topmost farms,the Uchafs, are where the young menused to live with their young families.Next came the main hill farm where thefather and mother would do the main bulkof the farming, and at the bottom of thehill the grandparents had their cottageand cottage garden. When the changescame the families would move down thehill and the next generation would start

again at the top. People left home andmade their own way in relation to thissystem. Nowadays, children leave home,a very long way from home. This way theold have to fend for themselves andpeople complain that councils andhospitals are not doing their best.

But if we can rely on our family forself-sufficiency, then we have given ourchildren valuable skills. We often say thechildren have gone off to fend forthemselves, when the self-sufficient wayis to fend for each other.

SHARE AN ALLOTMENTYou will doubtless have read elsewherethat allotments are thin on the ground.The archetypal image is of old men inflat caps doing their own thing year inand year out. Wouldn’t it be so muchbetter if we could somehow share ourallotments and gardens with the young.Teach them our ways, our routines, howto grow things and care for food? Thisway new blood would learn old ways, andthe gluts of food would find a moreappreciative audience.

LAST RESORTAll local authorities have a handy personscheme. If you are over sixty you can getthe help of a person in the garden, butthey don’t do much more than tidy up.All you need to do is contact the localauthority and you will be visited bysomeone to assess your needs. You canalso get help with an allotment if you aredisabled. Almost all allotment societieshave been given Lottery Fund money tohelp with disabled plots, but there arenot that many takers in some areas. So ifyou think you qualify, get yourself downto the plots. �

Getting HelpGetting Help

Self-sufficiency is a fit person’s game, so what happens when you start to slow down?

GARDENING

GETS YOU

FIT, NOT

OLYMPIAN

FIT, BUT FIT

ENOUGH

HF4 P68 HELP 23/5/08 18:14

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Try us and buy us onlinewww.homefarmer.co.ukYou can find HOME FARMER magazine on the website atwww.homefarmer.co.uk where you can access the latest blogs,recipes, tips and information - and if you would like tocontribute – just email the editor!

The Kitchen TableMore than just cakes and bread, but cheese, pies, fish, your recipes, jams, preserves – in fact if you can make it yourself it will be there!

Getting StartedIf you are a first timer – or even just thinkingabout it – these pages will be packed withuseful information. Tips, hints and contactsfor everything from beekeeping to deep sea fishing!

The Editor’s BlogWell that’s Diana and me sounding off, mostof the time, with all the expletives deleted!

Plus......the usual links, subscriptions and more – so ifyou are on line, come along and say hello!

69VISIT OUR WEBSITE

HF ISSUE 4 P69 WEBSITE 22/5/08 15:52


ARTICHOKES

ASPARAGUS

AUBERGINES

BEETROOT

BROCCOLI

BRUSSELS SPROUTS

BEANS

CABBAGE

CAPSICUM

SOWING

Indoors in February seed trays.

Indoors in pots in March.

Indoors in April in pots.Three seeds thinned toone.

Late April indoors or earlyMay outdoors 10cm apart,40cm between rows.

Indoors in Aprilor outdoors in June.

Indoors in Aprilor outdoors in June.

Runner: Up a trellis or wig-wam in May 50cm apart.

Broad: double rows inApril or May 30cm apart.20cm between close row.50cm between double row.

Indoors in March in pots.Outdoors in Autumn.

In pots indoors fromMarch.

GROWING

Transplant to pots when5cm and then into thegarden in May or June.

Buy young plants andplant in light soil 50cmapart.

In polytunnel. Carefullytransplant in June.

Transplant to 10cm.Thin to 15-20cm.

Transplant when plantsare 10cm. Space at 40cmwith 30cm between rows.Firm well.

Transplant when plantsare 10cm. Space at 40cmwith 30cm between rows.Firm well.

Sow 2 plants per pole orstation and thin to 1.

Transplant to 40cm apart.

Transplant to greenhouseor polytunnel at 40cm.

CARE

Rich soil.Feed monthly.Water weekly.

Leave for year 1 and 2,feed with a mulch ofcompost in Spring.

Feed fortnightly, waterweekly or if dry.

Water if dry. Use rich soiland feed with bonemeal.Use lime to beat clubroot.

Monthly add bonemeal oranother organic fertiliser.

Use a mulch of goodcompost and repeat every 2months.Use in soil enrichedafter a potato crop.

Feed with organicfertiliser monthly.Waterweekly – don’t let theplants dry out.

Feed with organicfertiliser monthly.

Grow bags are good,water every couple of daysat fruit set, feed weekly.

HARVESTING

When the buds are largebut not yet open.

Take a few spears in year 3, increase to 50% in year5 and onwards.

Any time after the fruitsare10cm or larger.

Harvest when roots arejust bigger than eggs.

When the heads seemlarge enough.

All through the winter.

As required.

When heads form.

When fruits are full.

Vegetable Planner from A toZ

THIS LIST IS by no means exhaustive,but is a good starting point. You cangrow all these plants in a singleallotment or garden and more or lessget a decent supply all the year through.Combined with fruit and herbs, you willbe well under way on your quest forself-sufficiency.

ROTATIONNow, I can hear many of you shout asyou read this, but none the less it istrue. Rotating crops is such animportant field-scale technique formaintaining fertility, but means littlewhen you translate the practice togardens. We need to keep up fertility,but a garden is too small a place to relyon rotation to maintain it. By all means

move your cropsaround, but don’t gethung up over it.Maintain yourfertility withwell-rottedcompost.Keepdisease atbay by notwalkingon yoursoil, but ifyou don’t have roomto rotate your cropsthen so be it. It is farmore important to moveyour chickens about tokeep parasites at bay. �

We all need a prompt to set us off, and sometimes it is hard to know just what to do with a packet of seeds or a young plant

HF4 P70-71 GUIDE 23/5/08 18:15

71

CARROTS

CAULIFLOWER

CELERY

CUCUMBER

GARLIC

KALE

KOHLRABI

LEEK

LETTUCE

ONION

PARSNIP

PEAS

POTATOES

RADISH

RHUBARB

SPINACH

SWEDE

SWEETCORN

TOMATOES

TURNIPS

SOWING

Successional from May toJuly in drills 40cm apart.

Indoors in March in pots.Outdoors until Summer.

In pots in March.

Indoors in April.

Indoors in April.Outdoors in May.

Outdoors in May.

Indoors in April in pots.

Outdoors from late April.

Indoors in March.Sets in late April.

Outdoors in April.

Outdoors from April.5cm apart.

Plant seed tubers fromApril to June at least50cm between plants.

Outdoors from May indrills.

Buy crowns in the winter.

In trays in April indoors.Outdoors from May andthrough to July.

Outdoors in April.

Indoors in pots in March.

Indoors from March.

Outdoors in drills fromApril to August.

GROWING

Thin to 10cm and feed withorganic fertiliser monthly.



Transplant to coldframefrom late May.

Plant bulbs in November.

Transplant or thin to40cm apart.

Thin to 40cm.

Transplant when pencilsized to 40cm apart.

Thin to 30cm.

Thin to 20cm.

Thin to 30cm.Treat as carrots.

Thin to 10cm.Provide support.

Feed with well rottedmanure.

Thin to 20cm.

Plant into very rich soil inApril, give a good mulchof compost.

Thin to 30cm with 30cmbetween rows.

Thin to 40cm apart.

Transplant to 75cm in asquare formation to aidpollination.

Transfer to ring culturepots or growbags whenplant is 30cm tall.Outdoors in June.

Thin to 30cm.

CARE

Protect from carrot fly inearly summer.


Needs very rich soil.Water frequently.Full sun needed.

After flowering water everycouple of days, feed weekly.

Mulch with good compost.

Water at least weekly –don’t let them dry out.

Keep moist in a sunnyspot.

Water weekly and feed withorganic fertiliser monthly.

Best on ash, keep moistbut not wet.Fertilise monthly.

Feed monthly. Protectfrom Carrot root fly.

Thin to 10-15cm. Protectfrom birds and mice.

Earth up tubers as theplants grow.Water frombase at least weekly.

Water often, do not letthem dry. Feed monthly.

Leave in Year 1.

Water weekly and feedmonthly.


Mulch with compostwhen growing.Feed Monthly.Water weekly.

Feed weekly, water every3 days. Use tomato feed.Remove side shoots.Stop plant at 5 trusses.

Feed monthly.Otherwise easy care.

HARVESTING

As required from Juneonwards.

When heads form.

Cut and come again whensticks are large enough.

As required.

In late summer.

When ready.

Anytime after the stemsare 5cm.

Throughout winter.

Successional sowing fromApril to August.

When tops fall.

Harvest all the winter.

As pods fill.

From June (First Earlies)to September.

Successional sowing allsummer.Take when fullballed.

Take a few stalks in Year2, more in later years.

When leaves are mature.

When heads form.

When ‘milk’ appears fromseeds when pressed.

When they’re red.

When the root is cricketball sized.

HF4 P70-71 GUIDE 23/5/08 18:15


THE VERY FIRST consideration for whichanimal (or animals) you need in yourgarden or smallholding should be theanimal itself. You should not be consid-ering a sheep if you only have a balconyand as for a cow, well you need a field.But at the end of the day you needto be able to keep livestockwithout any problems forthe animal. But then youhave to consider cost,legality, access to feed

and if you actually like the animal. It isno use keeping an animal that you can’tstand. Similarly it is no use keeping ananimal that you can’t use either.

Before you actually go ahead, learnabout the animals you intend to buy. Talkto people who know about them, whokeep them. Try to go along to their farmsand look. Our Home Farmer Clubs willhave people that can help you out withthe ins and outs of many of the animals

kept by smallholders. Also the HomeFarmer Forum is full of experts

who can help you out onwww.homefarmer.co.uk

and click on the Forumbutton. �

Livestock Lineup!Which animal is best for you?Our line up gives the pros and cons of the top six

4’ 6”

4’

3’ 6”

3’

2’ 6”

2’

1’ 6”RabbitsYou don’t have to keep rabbits, you can shoot them on someone’s field.

PROS:QuietEats anything greenExcellent, healthy meatRabbit skins for slippers

CONS:Have you tried killing an animal thatis so cute?

CowsPROS:Lovely animals, mostly self caringLots of milk, cream and meatPays for itself with a calf each year or soCan earn money in some circumstances on calves and milkproducts

CONS:Space, they need good grass andhousing in winterMilking is a 365 day, twice a day,experienceExpensive to buyNeed strength when handlingSome diseases

HF4 P72-73 LIVESTOCK 23/5/08 18:16

73

4’ 6”

4’

3’ 6”

3’

2’ 6”

2’

1’ 6”

1’

6”

PoultryThis includes turkeys that you need tokeep more than one and ducks thatneed a little water.

PROS:Birds give eggs and meatVery efficient converter of foodEasy workCheap to buyLots of backup Loads of funEasy kill, excellent meatLots of fat from ducks

CONS:Smelly – they need to be kept cleanLots of diseasesQuite a lot to learn

PigsPROS:The best animal for human compan-ionshipVery intelligentConvert all sorts of food to meatPigs are completely edible – except thesqueakMuch of our food is based on pigEasy to house, easy to learnCan be used as a plough

CONS:Will ruin good crops when they escape Need lots of care throughout the yearMany diseasesLots of paperworkNeed more than oneLots of attentionControlling them can be difficult

GoatsPROS:Easy to keepGet meat and milk and skinsFun, interesting animals

CONS:Need good fencing and proper housingLabour intensiveNeed more than oneNot very hardy, needs good shelterLabour intensive

SheepPROS:Great grazers and will eat poor quality feedThe most Eco-friendly animal you can getVery HardyCan be milkedGreat meatWool

CONS:Need a few acresNeeds a ram each yearMales need castratingVery prone to diseaseLabour intensive at various times of the yearLots to learn

HF4 P72-73 LIVESTOCK 23/5/08 18:18

GOOD LIFER’S DIARY74

REGULAR READERS WILL know thatwe had been eying up our approachingkidding season with more than a littletrepidation, both from the point ofview of the actual births and from ourfirst attempts at milking. Experiencedgoat keepers kept telling us that thereare rarely any problems and the goatssort things out for themselves.

Our goats are Golden Guernseys,which are classified as a rare breedand are quite difficult to find. Weresearched goats as much as possible,talking to as many goat keepers as wecould and reading everything thelibrary could find for us. We settled onGoldens as they are described every-where as the ideal smallholder’s goat,being of manageable size, fairly easy tokeep, having a gentle temperamentand producing enough milk for afamily without drowning you in greatwhite lakes of the stuff.

We added to the difficulty oflocating some by insisting that wewanted goats with their horns intactand by being honest with potentialvendors about the fact thatwe wouldbe keepingthem onallotments.Many, if notmost, goatkeepersinsist ondehorningnewbornswhen they arevery young byhaving thehorn budsburnt out. Thismust be excru-ciatingly painfulfor the youngkids and theyoften don’tsurvive. Weconsider thispractice to bebarbaric, and itgoes against all theethics of why weare trying to go italone and produceall our own food.

The main reason

put forward for dehorning isthat accidents can happenwith horned goats if they turntheir heads suddenly andcatch you unawares. This issomething that we areprepared to risk for thewelfare of our goats, and sofar I have hung onto mypersonal bits, although therehave been one or two closeshaves! You should not keephorned and dehorned goatstogether as the horned onewill always have anadvantage when theinevitable herd leadership

squabbles take place and may causeinjury. We intended to breed them

Mike and Sue Woolnough are onthe horns of a dilemma after a verytraumatic first kidding season

The Urban Farmer

Above: Rosie’s kids are a pretty pair of babies,but they face an uncertain future as they areboth boys. Pretty young kids very rapidlybecome very smelly, oversexed and generallyantisocial.

Left: Gertie’s one surviving kid is also a billy,and has thicker and longer hair than hiscousins.

75

from the offset, and so neededhorned starter stock.

The other obstacle to locatingsome girls was the hostility of manygoat keepers towards our plans tokeep them on allotments. Manyrefused to sell to us and some werequite rude to us when we phonedaround. We even found that the bushtelegraph had preceded us and Iwould be greeted with “Oh you’re theones with the allotment, aren’t you?”when we rang enquiring about stockavailability.

HelpfulThe officials of the Golden GuernseySociety were extremely helpful,however, and eventually we located alady in Surrey who was cutting backon her stock, and Gertie and Rosiejoined us. Gertie was a two-year-old,and Rosie her one year old daughter.Gertie had accidentally fallenpregnant at a very young age and wasrather thin when we got her, but shevery quickly put her massback on with theplentiful supply of feedfrom our allotments.These aren’t their formalnames by the way as, likemost pedigree animals,they both have poshregistered names.

The Golden Guernseybreed was very lucky tosurvive the Second WorldWar as the ChannelIslands were occupied bythe Germans and many goats foundtheir way into the kitchens. A fewdedicated people managed to concealtheir goats, however, and kept thebreed alive. In the 1960s GGs beganto be exported to the mainland, andtheir popularity caused them tospread rapidly throughout the UK.There are only five separate blood-lines, however, and so the Rare BreedsSociety is endeavouring to keep abank of sperm from the mostimportant and rarest lines.

Although called Golden, their coatcolouring ranges from a very lightblonde to a lustrous deep auburn, andfrom short haired to extremely shaggy

specimens. All areconsidered to be true GGs.

Our two are shorthaired auburn girls, andlast autumn they spent aweek’s holiday at BaylhamRare Breeds Farm justoutside Ipswich, and weremated with Peter, theirGG billy. He is a longhaired blonde with a trulyimpressive set of horns, sowe were intrigued to seewhat characteristics any

young would have.Our chief aim was to get one of the

girls into milk, but we had to mate bothin order to be fairly confident of onemating taking. We hopedto get at least one femalekid, with any billiesbeing raised for meat.

The five monthsgestation period seemedto pass excruciatingly slowly, but Gertie grewto gigantic proportions,whilst Rosie remainedquite slim even thoughshe was due to kid first,with a week separating

them. We came to the conclusion thatRosie was probably only carrying twokids, whilst Gertie was likely to havetwo or maybe three.

Three days before Rosie was due, Iwent to the allotments early in themorning to feed and water all thestock, and when I opened the door totheir house I was greeted with a deadkid just inside the door. My heart sankand I felt so sad, but Rosie looked tobe fit and well, which was the mostimportant thing.

I then heard a funny little squeakfrom behind Rosie, and when I lookedin the corner I found two beautifulbilly kids! The dead kid was also abilly. Both survivors were a bit weak

and so had to be bottlefed for the first couple ofdays to ensure that theyboth got their fill of theall-important colostrumand antibodies to get therumen working properly.

So, having got it wrong with our assessment of Rosie’s likelyoffspring, we began toworry about the fast-approaching big day

Right: Billy the Kid was very quick to look formum’s milk, but her huge pendulous uddermeans her teats almost drag on the groundand he had difficulty finding them at first.

I THEN HEARD

A FUNNY

LITTLE

SQUEAK FROM

BEHIND

ROSIE

WE WERE

DEEPLY

SHOCKED BY

THIS, BUT

WORSE WAS

TO COME

HF ISSUE 4 P74-77 DIARY 16/5/08 15:22

GOOD LIFER’S DIARY76

for Gertie. How many was shecarrying? Would we get some girls?Whilst we had lost one kid, theovernight kidding had been relatively problem-free for us, whichmade the guidance we had been given on how easy the kidding would be seem true.

Just like Rosie, Gertie producedslightly early. As I approached herhouse early one Saturday morning Iwas aware that she was being veryvocal, and sensed that something wasabout to happen. She continued tocall after being let out into her run,and at 10am her waters broke. Shecarried on as if nothing hadhappened and ate and dranknormally until 2pm when she verysuddenly went into labour and veryquickly produced a small dead kid –again a billy – that hadn’t formedcorrectly and had its eyelids sealedshut and a sizeable hole at its navel.

We were deeply shocked by this,but worse was to come.

Gertie had quite strong contractions for about an hour,and then they stopped.

She stood up and walkedabout, accepted some cabbageleaves that I offered her, and atehay and chewed the cud. Webegan to wonder if it was all over,despite her large size. Sue went homeand brought back sandwiches and aflask of tea, and just as we started onthem Gertie again went into labour andbegan to scream in pain. Examinationof her showed a head emerging but nofront hooves as is usual. With my largehands I struggled to find the front legs,which were obviouslytucked back and jammed,but when Sue had a tryshe found a hoof andbrought it forward... and itturned out to be a verydead hind leg! We werenow facing the prospect oflosing not only the kidsbut Gertie too, as she hada very large live kid with itsfront legs tucked back,jammed side by side with adead one in breechposition.

The kid’s eyes were open and lookingat me beseechingly, and it wasbreathing with difficulty. We couldn’traise the vet as it was out of hours on aSaturday evening and we were waitingfor a call back from a messaging

service, but we obviously had to dosomething. Although terrified, and withGertie screaming continuously, I

somehow managed to easethe dead kid back in a bitand allow enough room togently turn the live kidslightly so that I couldfind a front leg. I couldn’tfind the other one butGertie was pushing stren-uously now, and with alittle help from me it wasdelivered safely, leaving adead rear leg hangingfrom poor Gertie’s rearend. The body came free

quite easily and turned out to be a verysmall foetus with no eyes that hadobviously been dead for some time as itwas nothing more than skin and bone.Unbelievably, all three kids were billies!

The vet finally rang us and ranthrough what we had done, and

congratulated us on managing so well.She instructed me to do a full internalexamination to check that there wereno other kids present, which wasn’tthe most pleasant task I have evercarried out! As Gertie was now up andlicking the youngster, and he wastrying to find her udders, the vetdidn’t feel it was necessary for us tohave an expensive weekend callout,and arranged for me to pick up someantibiotics on Sunday morning. Bynow there was a lot of afterbirthhanging free, but the vet had assuredus this was normal and so at 8pm wefinally reluctantly left as dusk settledover the allotments, having bottle fedthe kid first. Gertie’s udder and teatsare pendulous to say the least and hehad been looking too high for them sowe fed him to be on the safe side.

We walked home together, with melooking like a mad axeman covered inblood – luckily there were no passingpolicemen.

We have been called Tom andBarbara for some time because of ourGood Life aspirations but now some

EXAMINATION

OF HER SHOWED

A HEAD

EMERGING BUT

NO FRONT

HOOVES AS IS

USUAL

Above: Our girls were mated with Mutty Peter atBaylham Rare Breeds Farm. He is a magnificent ladand we wondered what characteristics he would passon – but we didn’t expect it to be six billies!

HF ISSUE 4 P74-77 DIARY 16/5/08 15:23

77

people are calling me James Herriot!The vet called to see Gertie on Mondaymorning, and pronounced herself verypleased with her condition, so webreathed a sigh of relief.

When the kids were five days old wefitted them with castrating rings. Thisisn’t difficult to do if you are careful,but there is an element of sadness (andsympathy) to it. By three months old abilly will begin to get that distinctivebillygoat odour and try to mate with hismother/sister/cousin or probably thedog if it stays still long enough!

Castration solves the problem andalso ensures a heavier carcass when it istime for the deadly deed to be done.When the time comes, if we are unableto bring ourselves to slaughter them, then this also gives us the option of

selling them as pets. We are not keenon this idea though because mostpeople have the misconception thatgoats are great lawnmowers, and theyare very misunderstood creatures. Theyare herd animals and not happy kept ontheir own, and are browsers, not grazers,so grass doesn’t interest them unless itis very long. Hopefully we will find thestrength of will to follow the planthrough. We have always been highlycritical of chicken keepers who hatcheggs without giving any forethought towhat they will do with hatchedcockerels, so wish us luck for sixmonths time when we have to makethat hard decision.

The situation has been exacerbatedby Rosie’s decision that she is now theherd leader. When we re-introduced themums and kids together, all hell brokeloose, with the adults fighting continu-ously and Rosie butting Gertie’s poorkid into the air with her horns. We havehad to separate them, but oursecondary housing isn’t really adequate.Gertie is producing such copiousquantities of milk, and we have beenassured that with careful feeding thiscould last several years, so we aredebating whether we should keep justher and her kid for company.

Decisions, decisions, decisions... �

Right: Castrating rings are very easy to fitusing a special tool, but you have to ensurethat both testes have been captured and thatthe nipples haven’t been caught up in the ring.It is actually possible to get billies to producemilk after they have been castrated, although I’mnot sure I would fancy drinking it.The ring cutsoff the blood supply, and after a few days theirmanhood shrivels up and eventually drops off.

HF ISSUE 4 P74-77 DIARY 16/5/08 15:23

Contact us now for a copy of our free brochure orvisit us online

www.firsttunnels.co.ukBuild and Buy Online

ADS 23/5/08 15:34

79POLYTUNNELS

A NORTH/SOUTH orientatedYorkshire dale, elevation 550ft, is notthe sort of place that one is going toeasily be able to germinate vegetablesdue to persistent late frosts. Althoughat this establishment, we do own avery tidy plastic green house, it is notnoted for its aerodynamic qualitiesand in all probability it would soonget blown away if left erected all yearround. The solution was to build asmall 10ft x 15ft polythene green-house that would be both movableand resilient to the gale force windsthat unpredictably sweep through thedale. Perhaps this is the solution forhigh and low altitude gardeners alike,a moderately sized transportablegreenhouse/animal shelter/bike shedon a shoestring.

Using materials to hand and a £40order of horticultural polythenefrom polytunnel suppliers,the tunnel greenhouse

evolved with minor modifications overa period of a couple of days. Hoopswere constructed from 25mm MDPEblue plastic water pipe (in retrospect,32mm would have been a betterchoice). The cost per metre of plasticwater pipe is not great and would intheory equate to somewhere betweenten and fifteen quid’s worth. Four 5mlengths of pipe were drilled andscrewed between two parallel 4.5mlengths of 3x2” timber. One inchroofing batten was then bolted alongthe midpoint of all the plastic pipes.The theoretical width and height ofthe tunnel was worked out in accor-dance with the availability of standardpolythene ‘off the roll’ sizes. As at thetime it was determined that 6 meters width was available, it was

decided to make the external hoopmeasurement slightly under this. Usingsome convoluted maths I worked outthat theoretically we could have agreenhouse 1.75m high and 3.5mwide. In reality, there is some latitudein sacrificing width for extra headroomduring construction.

The whole affair was erected bybringing the heavy 3x2” groundtimbers together to achieve the desiredwidth and roof height. Nailing 2”battens across the ends of the 3x2”timbers to form a rigid rectanglecompleted the base. Both ends of the

tunnel were braced with A framesincluding cross members. The

A frames were made

Building a Low Cost Polytunnel

Greenhouses are not cheap these days and polytunnels can cost an absolute fortune. Traditional glass greenhouses once in situ are extremely difficult to move and are often subjectto the vagaries of breakage; children and animals do not help. So what do you do if you needmore covered growing space on a budget? It’s simple, you build it, says Joe Jacobs

HF4 P79-82 POLYTUNNEL 20/5/08 15:49

POLYTUNNELS80

from 2x1” roofing laths. All thetimber/timber and timber/pipeworkjoints were made using 6mm coachbolts. The mid point in the tunnel wasalso braced to the apex using an ‘A’frame of laths without a crossmember.

Horticultural polythene is fixeddirectly to the base structure of thetunnel using battening and nails. It’s atwo-man job putting on the skin andachieving a degree of tightness overthe structure; it can be done but don’t

expect to achieve a perfect finish asthe design has a degree of flexibility init. The polythene passes underneaththe base timber and is fastened on theinside of the greenhouse. Thestructure is anchored to the groundon the inside by four posts driven intothe ground and nailed to the basestructure. A door was made by firstnailing in two upright lengths ofbatten to create doorposts. The dooritself was a simple wooden frame witha cross bracing covered in polythene.The door is very light and is hung on2 small steel hinges. Total cost? Ireckon it to be about £65.

The finished product didn’t looktoo bad and was an instant successwith Mrs J. An impromptu bench wasconstructed from brick piers andscaffold boards and in no time at all,the monstrosity was filled withsprouting seedlings. An unexpectednight of turbulence brought theaddition of several fence posts driveninto the ground along each side of thetunnel to which a mooring rope wastied. The tunnel is orientated thesame way as the valley and to date haswithstood winds of at least 50mph.

The polytunnel has celebrated itsthird anniversary so it certainly hasbeen a cost effective project.Maintenance to date has includedreplacing lost bolts (the buffeting ofthe wind occasionally loosens andloses them) and minor fabric repairs. Amodification that later ensued was theopening of a ventilation window in thetop of the closed end. Quite simply,the structure was getting too hot onsunny days and required a throughdraft to ventilate it.

The polytunnel was constructed using blue pressure pipe.. Tomatoes thrive under plastic.

HF4 P79-82 POLYTUNNEL 20/5/08 15:50

81

OTHER DESIGNSUsing this idea as a template, itcertainly isn’t difficult to start consid-ering variations on a theme. Essentiallya cheap covered growingarea needs to have aframework and acovering. At the time ofwriting, horticulturalpolythene is available for£5.45 per metre for a7.3m width. For betweenthirty and forty poundsenough material can beprocured to cover asizable area.

Designing a frameworkto support yourpolythene cover really depends on thedegree of permanency that you wish toachieve. I have considered the simplestform to probably be a wild west styletepee covered in polythene, you couldsay designed by a cowboy. Roofingbatten from timber merchants isavailable in 4m lengths at about £1.50to £2 a length. Ten or twelve lengthswould be easily enough to construct anenclosure of approximately 4mdiameter. Whilst this particular ideamight not provide an article of greatbeauty, it would provide plenty ofgrowing space and it would be quick toerect and dismantle and should costless than fifty pounds.

If a wigwam doesn’t suit you thenanother simple idea is to use aframework of wooden laths and rope tobuild, in effect, a large frame tent. The

apex and ridge willobviously need to be highenough to provide standingroom inside. Aim to makethe ridge 2.5m high (about8ft in old money). This willgive you plenty of headroom across a workablewidth of greenhouse. Youcould simply drill holes inthe end of the laths and tiethe joins together with cordor make a tidier job withscrews and a

saw. The problem that youwill have is that thepolythene may punctureon rough edges, points andcorners. Whilst a few airholes are not really aproblem to the function-ality of a polytunnel, theydo often provide a startpoint for further tears anddamage. Imaginative use ofpadding (material, rubber,foam, plastic) in potentialabrasive hot spots will help prolong thelife of your poly covering.

Can you remember those kids’ wendyhouses put together with plastic tubes,

push fit corner fittings and a plasticcover? Push fit waste pipe and fittingsprovide an inexpensive and viableproduct from which a simple green-house frame can be made and coveredin polythene. By an estimate based onScrewfix prices, I could buy enough32mm waste pipe and fittings to build aregular greenhouse shaped frame for£25. The finished greenhouse wouldmeasure about 3 x 2.3m (7’6” x 10’).There are enough shapes and sizes offittings available to form all the variouscorner various joints. For a very basicframe you would need a pack of 10 x 3mlengths, 6 T pieces, 6 x 90 degreeelbows and 4 obtuse bends. You would

need to cut 4 lengths inhalf and these would beused at each end. Five ofthe remaining lengths areused longitudinally asfollows, 2 at ground height,two at shoulder height andone as a ridge pole. Thefinal 3m length is used as ashoulder height crossmember at one of the ends;by the addition of morepipe and fittings a doorwaycould easily be contrived.

This project would be extremely lightand would have to be tied down withsome stakes driven into the ground tostop it blowing away.

HORTICULTURAL

POLYTHENE IS

AVAILABLE FOR

£5.45 PER

METRE FOR A

7.3M WIDTH

POLYTHENE

MAY

PUNCTURE ON

ROUGH EDGES,

POINTS AND

CORNERS

HF4 P79-82 POLYTUNNEL 20/5/08 15:50

POLYTUNNELS82

Fitting polythene to homemadeinventions is not a task that is particu-larly easy. Even with a steel polytunnel itisn’t easy to fit the plastic so that it isboth taught and wrinkle free. I haveused a combination of roofing tacks,lats and staples to fasten polythene tomy creations. Although the manufac-turers wouldn’t recommend it, carpet orduct tape works adequately well forsmall tears and repairs. I’d suggestfastening the polythene to the insidefloor tube (or lath) of your greenhouse,go underneath that rail to the outside,up the side and over the top. Find someadditional hands to help tension yourpolythene, and again fasten it on theinside of the greenhouse. The bestmethod of securing the fabric to theframe is to double over (or treble) theedge you want to fasten.Using a length of lath tohold the plastic in place,screw through the lath,through the poly andinto the greenhouseframe at regular intervals.Covering the ends ofone’s greenhouse is acombination of previ-ously describedtechniques, folding andcareful cutting. Adoorway can be made asillustrated in the previously describedconventional polytunnel.

Offcuts from your greenhouseproject can be used to constructmodestly priced cloches. Gardening ina bleak area, cloches are essential inkeeping seedlings safe from late frosts

and they also protect from poultry andother pests.

When seedlings are small, cut offplastic demi-johns andclear plastic pots cansuffice for protection.When it comes to buyingseveral metres of cloche,things can start getting alittle expensive. First decidehow wide and how high youwish your cloche to be andwork out the width ofpolythene accordingly. Thehoops are another matter.For a small cloche 20cmhigh, coat hanger wiremade into hoops every 40cm wouldsuffice. As the wire is thin, it would needto be attached to something with a

greater diameter (eg. pegs ofwood) that can be pushedinto the soil and remainupright. For a larger cloche,off cuts of 15mm flexibleplastic piping can be used toform hoops that will pushstraight into the ground. Ifyou don’t have anythingsuitable to form hoops, makea triangular (or square)frame out of garden twineand canes and cover thatwith polythene. To fasten the

polythene to the frame or hoops, usecarpet or duct tape which has excellentadhesive properties as long as it’sapplied to a dry surface.

It’s possible to make cloches out ofclear lengths of corrugated plastic. Adda piece of wooden batten down each

side of the length of plastic using screwsand washers. Bend the plastic over toform a tunnel shape. By banging four

pegs into the groundcorresponding to the widthand length of your plastictunnel, you will be able towedge the bent over sheetin between the pegs andscrew the bottom edge of itto the wooden pegs.

Polycarbonate sheet isnow used for greenhousesas well as conservatoryroofs. It doesn’t last foreverbut long after it’s comefrom a roof, it can be put

to other uses. Cut two pieces to sizeand, using duct tape, adhere the lengthstogether with a long flexible tape hinge.Position the plastic tent over yourplants and if necessary fasten it to theground with some pegs.

As we draw to a close, you may in factbe wondering “what the hell, whybother?” Just go and take a look at theprice of greenhouses and you will seethat for viable inexpensive gardening,these ideas are not so bad after all.Whilst admittedly, a manufacturedgreenhouse may last longer, theseprojects will last at least 5 years ifmaintained and looked after. When youfinally see your own creation filled withseedings and greenery, you do have thatadded pride that you did it yourself.With spring in the air, now is the timeto plan for a bumper crop of cucumbersand tomatoes. Go get those tools outand start building yourself a plasticgreenhouse. �

USE CARPET

OR DUCT TAPE

WHICH HAS

EXCELLENT

ADHESIVE

PROPERTIES

MAKE

CLOCHES OUT

OF CLEAR

LENGTHS OF

CORRUGATED

PLASTIC

HF4 P79-82 POLYTUNNEL 20/5/08 15:50

The Great Little Cupcake CompanyRAINY IS A lady with a passion: poultry. When wearrived there was a turkey tapping at the door, whocontinued to tap at everything including legs,trousers, handbags, cameras and cupcakes! Herchickens have been something of an obsession. Theygo into outbuildings, arcs, and emergency quarterswhen she gets them dropped on her by the rescue.

When the cost of feed, as we all know,nearly doubled, she wondered how she couldmake them pay a little. “After all,” she said,“there’s nearly always a lot of eggs, and Ieither make lemon cheese or cakes with theexcess.” So she wondered if anyone would liketo buy her cakes.

“It has grown out of all proportion,” shesaid, speaking from her converted farmworker’s cottage in Lancashire. “We getorders from all over the world. We even hadan order from Afghanistan from a soldierwho wanted to send his loved ones a cake as a surprise!”

The cakes are looked after as much asthe hens. She only puts into the cakesingredients that she would like her ownfamily to eat. So the butter is real butter,the flour is organic and there are nopreservatives or other chemicalsanywhere near. And then there are herown eggs, and I get the impression thatshe is proudest of these most of all.

Setting up the Great Little CupcakeCompany was by no means a simpleaffair. She had to register with theLocal Authority as a food producer.Since she was a low volume, cottageproducer, she only had to fill in aquestionnaire about her workingpractice, but then she had to take andpass her food hygiene certificate andshe also bought third party insurance.

The business is a great success.The cakes are great (he says with his mouth full!) and that’s thebottom line. Great food is wortheating, and for many, great food isworth paying for.

Rainy makes cakes for all sorts of occasions; parties, anniversaries,corporate events and functions andshe can be found from time to timeon local farmers markets. �

NOMINATE YOUROWN FOOD HEROWrite to: Home Farmer

The Good Life Press Ltd.

PO Box 536, Preston, PR2 9ZY.

Or email: [email protected]

83HOME FARMER HEROES

ContactYou can buy from The Great LittleCupcake Company by visiting:www.thegreatlittlecupcakecompany.co.ukTelephone: 07788 918024

HF ISSUE 4 P83 HERO 22/5/08 16:01

FAT MAN IN THE KITCHEN84

ESSENTIALLY THIS IS food for heroes.It is what makes Desperate Dandesperate, strong and scary. Hismother’s original recipe called for ‘orns,sometimes ‘oofs and, every now andagain, a tail. The pastry was sometimesold car tyres, every now and againcement, and the odd paving slab. But,alas, we are not all Desperate Dan and amore delicate and genteel version isnecessary. Something nice and soft tostart with so we can work our way up topaving slabs and cow ‘orns when wehave our false teeth!

This dish needs to be cooked longand slow, and can take on any cutof beef, but don’t

waste your money on fillet steak. It ismuch tastier with shin, skirt orshoulder. The very best is shin beef,basically the cheapest you can get. Itcooks for hours and gets better everyminute as well as giving you the verybest gravy too. The higher amount ofconnective tissue makes the meat gelatinous and sticky. Marvellous!

This is also a pie that gets rid of anyroot vegetables, potatoes, carrots,swede, turnip, parsnip (though I preferit without) along with any greenvegetables you might have, smallamounts of celery, bits of cabbage andin fact anything. It is not overtly spiced,

no garlic but does wellwith a couple of

sprigs ofthyme.

The followingingredients shouldsatisfy six hungry men,or one desperate one.

INGREDIENTS1.5kg beef cut into 3cm pieces3 large onions roughly choppedA collection of washed vegetables cut into 2cm pieces, the vegetablesshould weigh about 1.5kg4 sprigs of thyme

METHOD1 Add a little oil to the pan and slowly

cook the onion for a couple ofminutes. Then add the meat and fryuntil all the meat has changed colour.

2 Add 350ml water as season well, andalso add the thyme. Keep on a lowsimmer for 2 hours and then add allthe vegetables except for any potatoes.

3 Cook for a further 30 minutes andthen add the potatoes. Cook foranother 30 minutes or until thepotatoes are just becoming soft. (Thepotatoes will be cooked further, sothey do not have to be completely soft.

4 At this point you can take off some ofthe liquid into a separate pan. Bringthis to the boil and thicken in yourusual way. (I have to be honest andsay I use pretty bog standard gravymix, but you could use a roux orflour or cornflour.)

Desperate Dan Pie was made from cow heel and had horns stickingout of a huge dish which was invariably eaten by Dan as well asthe pie itself. This is a more genteel version!

Transfer the mix to a roasting tin or large casserole.

Desperate Dan Cow Pie

HF4 P84-85 FATMAN 22/5/08 16:07

85

5 Keep some of the gravy for servingand pour the rest back into the meatdish to thicken.

6 Transfer the meat and vegetable mixto a roasting tin or large casserole, ora dustbin lid if you happen to beDesperate Dan. Cover the pie with asheet of pastry.

7 Make holes in the pastry with a knifeand cook in the oven at 200oC, Gas6, for 30 minutes or until the pastryis cooked.

8 Serve the dish simply, with a single ortwo vegetables. It is traditionallyeaten with piles of onion soaked allday in vinegar. It is remarkable howmoreish gravy and vinegar can be.

The point of this dish is that you canserve a lot of people with a little meat,and indeed it is the basis for a numberof other traditional dishes. If you leavethe pastry off you have scouse or hotpotor Irish stew. If you cook it with fish andno meat, and especially if you putherring peeping out, you have stargazypie. If you cook it with lamb androsemary you have a Lancashire hotpot.

This dish is actually Medieval inorigin. It comes from the time when thecuisine of this country was based on theready availablity of cheap fuel. Disheswere cooked for a long time over a slowfire. There was no such thing as a raresteak five hundred years ago! These daysthis dish can be cooked for a long timewithout spoiling because the cut ofmeat can cope with it.

Finally, this dish will keep. It is one ofthose that can be warmed up thefollowing day and probably it tastesbetter this way. Another way of eating itis to fry the pie in hot oil, especially ifthere is some cabbage in it.

ECONOMICSIt is possible to make this dish, atasty one for six people, for around£5. That is about 80p per portion,and believe me, once you have finishedyour plate you really do feel as thoughyou have had a meal. �

How tomake pastryINGREDIENTS220g plain flour80g lard80g margarinePinch of salt (big one!) About 125ml cold water

METHOD1 Cool the fats and chop them into

1cm cubes. Add these to the siftedflour and rub the fat in with thefingers.Try to be as light as you canand incorporate as much air as youcan into the crumbled mix.

2 Then add half the water and kneadthe mix. Carefully add the water untilyou have a good paste.You mightneed more water or not, it dependson the flour and the weather.

3 When you have a paste, wrap it incling film and keep it in the fridge forat least 30 minsbefore using.

4 Or youcouldcheatwithboughtpastry!

Make holes in the pastry with a knife and oven cook.

HF4 P84-85 FATMAN 22/5/08 16:08

86

THE HISTORY OF British food is so fullof remarkable discoveries that a quickstudy of medieval cooking will bring usso many useful insights into our cuisine.For example, do you know why theFrench have sauces and the Englishhave gravy? It’s all down to the fact thatin this country we didn’t use forksthrough the middle ages, and our meatwas either cut up into pieces bigenough to be eaten with a spoon, orcooked whole and plain so it could beeaten with a knife and fingers. Gravywas often served separately so that meatcould be dipped.

When it comes to medieval cookingit is interesting to remember that thereare no potatoes, tomatoes, peppers,chocolate, sweet-corn and turkey,although there were pasta and pulsesand almonds and more herbs than youever thought possible. This is one of thereasons for trying out some of therecipes; they are very healthy, simple toprepare and nutritious.

People in Medieval times lived to bequite old, often seventy and more yearswere not uncommon, but more thananything they were a fit, strong andhealthy people. They had not inventedthose things that take years off our lives,and their food was an important part oftheir wellbeing. It has to be said thatthere are plenty of reasons for believingthat the ordinary people of four or fivehundred years ago ate much better thanwe do today. The big spenders, as far asfood goes, were the nobility, who wouldthink nothing of putting on dinnercelebrations that cost the equivalent ofmany tens of thousands of pounds.

HARD WORKThe kitchen was really a food factory,even the poor ones. It required constantattention and was a place of work.Everything was made by hand, and thepoor homes would have just as muchwork in their kitchens as the rich ones.

THE MEDIEVAL KITCHENThere were a huge variety of implementsthat we would recognise and even usetoday. There were long handled pans,cooking pots, an array of knives, spitsand cauldrons. Nearly all the cookingwas done on open fires; saucepans oftenhad three legs to allow the pot to be

stood directly over the flame and othershad wire handles in order to hang thepot from various heights over the flame,which is how they controlled thetemperature.

Frying skillets or griddles were simpleiron plates suspended above the flame –ideal for cooking bacon and eggs –which became our national dish in themedieval period.

Baking was done in ovens, or claycovered pots or braziers – an enclosurefor embers that provided a gentle heat.The basic idea was to get the bricks hotand then allow their cooling period tobake a variety of foods. Large houseswould have a bake house, smaller onesan outside pit. Sometimes, in largervillages, bread was prepared and takento the bakers for cooking.

THE DIETResearch has shown that the medievaldiet was far more than gruel and slops,even for poor people. They had a rangeof dishes that remain standards eventoday, and they were far more adven-turous than we are. There was a lotof fruit and fresh fish made up alarge proportion of it. Meat wasmuch less on the agenda,partly because of its expenseand partly because therewas too much troubleneeded to keep it fresh.

A dead pig gave anawful lot of meat thatneeded to be preservedor eaten. Only the largehouses could afford toeat a pig in a couple ofdays. The other side tothis is the moneyeconomy. Pigs weresought after by richhouses for meat, and theywould pay for them. In fact thispayment constituted the rentfor the farm, so many poorpeople would keep pigs, butnever tasted them becausethey were to sell to the Lord inorder to be able to pay it backas rent.

In this first of a series of features on what has made ourkitchens what they are, Paul Peacock looks at medieval cookingand how different (or similar) it is to today’s fayre

Medieval Kitchen

A typical scene, people preparing food –much like today. Onions were a staple,grown on ash, a long standing way ofgetting extra nutrients.

COOKING THROUGH THE AGES

The Lord’s food catcher – ordinary folk couldn’t afford a falcon, and had to trap their game.

HF4 P86-88 MED. COOK 16/5/08 15:36

87

Chickens were much too valuable asegg layers, and chicken was alwaysexpensive meat, even until the 1960s.

A misconception is that spices wereused in order to disguise the flavour ofrotten meat. In actual fact this was notthe case; they were used only for theirspiciness and their food preservingabilities.

HEALTHY FOODMedieval cooking was almost entirelyhealthy cooking. Low in salt, sugar andcompletely additive free, the recipes arewell worth incorporating into today’sdiet on health grounds alone. Sincesimple techniques such as dentistry wasvery likely fatal in those days, foods thatrot the teeth simply did not exist. Over25% of mouth abscesses were fatal.

The poor became adept at using thelocal wildlife, in greens and game, to filla pot each day with food that not onlykept them alive, but was enjoyable to eat.Malnutrition only appeared in twoperiods of medieval England. Once whenthe country was taken by the Normansin 1066, and again in the 1200s when amini ice age destroyed the crops formany years. Almost all years since thenhave been ones of plenty, although nowwe only grow 30% of our national foodrequirement. It just goes to show howour lives have changed, and how theymight change in the future!

Of course you do not have to dressup in sackcloth and hose to enjoy theserecipes, but it’s supposed to be fun ifyou do.

FrumentyThis is a side dish, often eaten withmeat or fish. It was the equivalent of‘chips’ in medieval times. With deep fatfrying and the potato, this dish slowlydisappeared from the diet – though it is much healthier than modern accompaniments.

Pots on legs, a fire on a brazier, a skillet for frying andhooks for hanging.

HF4 P86-88 MED. COOK 16/5/08 15:36

COOKING THROUGH THE AGES88

INGREDIENTS250g kibbled (cracked or bulgar) wheat.1 litre water100ml beef stock100ml milk (or almond milk)2 egg yolks, beatenPinch of saffron Salt to season

METHOD1 Boil the wheat for 15 minutes or

until soft.2 Remove from the heat and allow to

stand until the water is absorbed.Add the stock and milk together andheat until boiling.

3 Simmer and stir on a low heat for afurther 5 minutes.

4 Stir in egg yolks and saffron andcontinue stirring, keeping off theboil, until the mixture starts tothicken.

5 Remove from the heat and allow tostand for 5 minutes before serving.

Almond MilkThis was a substitute for ordinary milk,but clearly had quite a different flavour.It was used as a seasoning, and ispacked with vitamins. It was also high infat, and could even be churned to makealmond butter!

INGREDIENTS225g ground almonds 450ml boiling water

METHOD1 Steep for 5-10 minutes, stirring

occasionally. 2 You can then either sieve the mixture

or use a blender until all of theground almonds are combined.

3 This liquid will last for three days inthe fridge.

Garlic SauceThis was an absolute standard, servedwith almost every meal, and accountsfor why, with their consumption ofhoney, they were so healthy.

INGREDIENTS200g almonds 4-10 cloves garlic 2 slices dry white bread 150ml chicken stock 1 tsp salt

METHOD1 Cut up the garlic cloves, and begin

grinding the almonds in a mortar. 2 As a paste is forming, add the garlic

cloves. Beat into a paste, adding a few

drops of stock as necessary. Emptyinto a separate bowl.

3 Crush up the dry bread in the unwashed mortar, gathering the rest of the paste.

4 Combine the ingredients with thechicken stock and salt to taste.

Powder FineThis is a set of spices which wouldsimply be referred to as Powder Fine inthe same way that Bouquet Garni istoday. Grains of Paradise are hard tofind and expensive, and can be omitted.

11/2 tbsp cinnamon 1 tsp cloves 3 tbsp ginger 1 tsp grains of paradise 2 tbsp sugar Simply grind into a powder.

CormaryeSuch a simple recipe and has a fantastictaste. The spices really do come out inthe sauce.

INGREDIENTS1 kilo pork loin (Can be almost any pork cut)11/2 tsp coriander 11/2 tsp caraway 1/2 tsp pepper 1/2 tsp salt 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups red wine 1 cup broth

METHOD1 Mix all the ingredients and pour over

the pork in a roasting tin.2 Cover with foil and bake at

175ºC until cooked, basting regularly. 3 Remove the spices and juices from

the roasting tin into a saucepan,4 Bring to the boil and simmer for

about 15 minutes to reduce.

StuffedCabbageYou need a good, tight cabbage for thisso that when you boil it you can peelback the outer leaves easily.

INGREDIENTS1 cabbage500g diced pork2 eggs and salt for seasoning

METHOD1 Boil the cabbage whole for 30

minutes, remove and drain. Whencooled enough to easily handle, openback the outer leaves revealing theheart, which you remove.

2 Mix together the egg and seasonedpork and pour into the cavity,replacing the outer leaves andsecuring with cocktail sticks if needed.

3 Bake at 175ºC for 50 minutes.4 Serve with Frumenty.

Meat PyesSimply my favourite. The crust will bevery short, using just butter as the fat.

INGREDIENTSFilling: 1kg minced beef 100g chopped prunes100g chopped dates, 100g raisins 2 Tablespoons vinegar 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp salt Crust: 400g flour 1 egg yolk, beaten 6 Tablespoons butter Water and a pinch of salt

METHOD1 Mix all the filling ingredients and

leave to marinade together.2 Rub in the butter to the flour

thoroughly and mix in the egg yolk.3 Slowly add water, just enough to

allow the paste to hold together. 4 Separate into eight portions and roll

out to the size of a saucer. 5 Place one eighth of the filling into

each and fold over to make a parceland seal with water.

6 Bake at 200ºC until crust is golden,around 30 minutes. �

A good fry up. It takes a lot of skill to cut bacon thatthinly with a knife.

Next MonthNext Month we look at some of theworst times that happened to thecountry’s poor, the enclosure of landand the invention of poaching!

HF4 P86-88 MED. COOK 16/5/08 15:37

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GOOD LIFE W-P AD JULY 23/5/08 16:24 Page 1

IN THE KITCHEN90

WHEN I WAS at school and cookeryclasses were still an important part ofthe curriculum, my teacher announcedthat the following week we would bemaking biscuits and everybodycheered. We madeShrewsbury biscuits andshortbread. I madeshortbread so much afterthat I could have made itin my sleep. They are areally good present in agift box. Biscuits andcookies both makeexcellent gifts andrelatives and friends ofours seem to enjoyreceiving them. They arealways a popular andsimple thing to bake. The followingrecipes are great fun for children tomake with you or even by themselves,as they are so easy, depending on theirage of course.

The word biscuit comes from theFrench bis cuit, which means baked

twice. Some of the earliest biscuits wererusk like, they used pieces of bread thathad been cooked once and then bakedagain to crisp up. This was done as apreserving method because they kept

for longer than ordinarybread due to the lowermoisture level.

A true biscuit now is onethat makes a crispy, snappingsound when broken in half.If this doesn’t happen itshould technically be calleda cookie.

The easiest of all biscuitsis shortbread. You can reallyget your hands in and workthis mixture as it requiresfairly rough handling to

bring the ingredients together and,unlike pastry, is better if you have warmhands. Many recipes list ground rice inthe ingredients. I have made it with andwithout and all my family agree theyprefer it without. But try it and seewhich you prefer.

Shortbreadwith/withoutground riceINGREDIENTS120g softened butter

Easy Biscuits and CookiesDiana Sutton brings us a few easy recipes that won’t stay in the biscuit barrel for long

THEY ARE

ALWAYS A

POPULAR

AND SIMPLE

THING TO

BAKE

HF ISSUE 4 P90-92 BISCUITS 22/5/08 16:21

91

100g unrefined caster sugar100g self-raising flour100g plain flour

METHOD1 Cream butter and sugar together

till soft and fluffy.2 Sift in both flours at the same time

and stir in with a wooden spoon.3 Using hands combine all the

ingredients till they form a ball.4 Press mixture into a well-buttered

tray bake type tin.5 Prick well all over with a fork and

gently press into outer edge with padof thumb or finger to flute the edge.

6 Bake at 180oC/Gas4 for 30-35 minstill golden brown.

7 Leave to cool for 20 minutes beforeremoving from tin to cooling tray.Cut into 12 equal fingers andsprinkle with a little extra sugar ifdesired.

To vary the basic shortbread, justbefore baking press halved glacecherries into the dough. This is myfavourite as I’m a sucker for glacecherries.

The method for the Shortbreadcontaining ground rice is exactly thesame but add the rice just before siftingin the flours and mix as above.

My next recipe is one my childrenloved to make when they were little.These are even easier than Shortbreadand are very moreish!

CrispyJumblesINGREDIENTS100g softened butter150g soft brown sugar150g self-raising flour50g crispy rice cereal1 beaten egg100g bar dark chocolate, chopped ordark chocolate chips

METHOD1 Cream butter and sugar and beat in

egg.2 Fold in flour and mix in cereal and

chocolate pieces.3 Put spoonfuls of mixture onto a

greased baking tray about 5cm apartas they spread.

4 Bake for 10-15minutes at180oC/Gas4.

American Brownies are a crossbetween a cake and a cookie. They arealso very easy to make and varying theingredients can easily change the

INGREDIENTS100g butter200g soft brown sugar180g self-raising flour20g cocoa powder1 large beaten egg50g chopped pecan nuts

METHOD1 Sift flour and cocoa into a bowl.2 Melt butter and sugar together in pan

over a low heat and add to flour.3 Mix in beaten egg and nuts. Combine

well to form a moist dough.

4 Press into a well greased, shallow tinand bake at 180oC/Gas 4 for 15-20minutes.

5 Leave to cool in tin for 20-30minutes before transferring to acooling tray.

Don’t overcook, as it is difficult to tellwith cocoa browning the mixture if it iscooked, so press on the top of thebrownie and it should give a little andremain flat if cooked.This is quitedifferent from a cake which should springback when cooked.

CHOC AND NUT BROWNIES

Sift flower and cocoa. Mix with melted butter and sugar.

Adding the egg. Pressing into shape.


IN THE KITCHEN92

finished product. Here are two simplebut tasty variations, one for chocolatelovers and the other a vanilla flavouredfruit brownie.

BostonBrowniesINGREDIENTS100g butter200g unrefined sugar200g self-raising flour1 large beaten egg1/3 teaspoon vanilla extract50g raisins

METHOD1 As above, except add the vanilla after

you have mixed in the butter/sugarcombination and add the raisins,mixing in well.

Another variation is addingcinnamon and chopped apple instead ofthe vanilla and raisins. This makes adelicious treat for Autumn time.

One of my families recent favouritesis a recipe I adapted from one I madewhilst at school. My cookery teacherwas Scottish and we always seemed tobe using oats in our baking. We madethese originally with chopped almondsbut when my children were little theydidn’t like chopped nuts so I now leavethem out and prefer it that way. Theyare crispy and chewy at the same time.They are very easy.

Oat CookiesINGREDIENTS120g butter120g soft brown sugar3 tbsp syrup160g self-raising flour150g porridge oats

METHOD1 Heat the butter, syrup and sugar in a

pan till butter has melted.2 Pour in the oats and sift in the flour,

mixing well.3 Roll dough in hands to

form small balls aboutthe size of a ping pongball. Place on a greasedbaking tray about 6cmapart. Gently press balldown with fingers or aspatula and bake at180oC/Gas 4 for 10-15minutes.

4 Place on a cooling trayand allow to cool if youcan stop yourself fromeating one!

If you like the sound of almonds add25-30g of chopped almonds after youhave added the flour and oats.

This is another oaty cookie, one Iused to make with my Aunt Dot whenshe looked after me when Mum went to her sewing class. It was greatbecause I could test my efforts on myMum when she came home. Thesecookies became a standing joke as Igrew up when we shopped for biscuitsboth my Mum and Aunt would wink atme and say “not as good as MeltingMoments, eh?” Why they should becalled this I’ve never been able to findout, so if anybody can tell me I wouldlove to hear from you.

MeltingMomentsINGREDIENTS100g softened butter80g unrefined sugar1 medium beaten egg4-5 drops vanilla extract150g self-raising flour2-3 tbsp rolled oats for coatingGlace cherries for decoration

METHOD1 Cream butter and sugar till light

and fluffy.2 Beat in egg and vanilla.3 Fold in flour and mix with hands to

bring together.4 Roll into small balls and coat each

one in the oats before placing on agreased baking tray, 4cm apart.

5 Place half a glace cherry in thecentre of each ball, pressing downlightly to flatten the cookie.

6 Bake for 10-15 minutes at 190oC/Gas5.

The last recipe calls for a littlemore effort. These need to be rolledout and cut with a round, flutedcutter. I prefer the recipes that call for

the mixture to be rolledinto balls because younever have any left over,whereas when rolling andcutting is involved I alwaysseem to be left with a bitthat ends up as a mis-shapen wonder that I haveto eat! But these are sodelicious and versatile Ijust have to make them.

I usually make a largebatch and add raisins tohalf of the mixture and

leave the others plain. They aredeliciously crispy and you can’t justeat one.

ShrewsburyBiscuitsINGREDIENTS130g softened butter150g caster sugar2 egg yolks220g plain flourGrated rind of 1 lemon

METHOD1 Cream butter and sugar until

fluffy.2 Add egg yolks and beat well.3 Mix in flour and add the lemon

rind. Use hands to combine and form a ball.

4 Roll out on a clean, floured surfaceto about 1/2cm deep.

5 Use a cutter to cut out discs ofdough and place on a greased baking sheet.

6 Bake for 10-15minutes at 180oC/Gas 4. Place on a cooling tray assoon as the biscuits have cooledslightly, they will crisp up as soon asthey are cool.

These biscuits can also be toppedwith a little glace icing or some meltedchocolate. �

Next MonthThe easy family picnic, well Summer’shere and what could be better?

ADD RAISINS

TO HALF OF

THE MIXTURE

AND LEAVE

THE OTHERS

PLAIN


93HOME BEAUTY

AFTER A LITTLE study and researchfound many natural ways to keephands, nails and feet in goodcondition. Many of the products usedin the following article can be used on the face so were mentioned lastweek and if you have had a go at any of those you will probably have most of the things needed to create thesepotions.

As with everything you may wish to put on your skin be aware of anyallergic reactions you may have and do not use if you have sensitive skin.

HOPE FOR HANDSAs I get older I see my hands ageingbefore my very eyes! The best thing to do about this is to use a gentle scrub and a good rich moisturisingagent afterwards, even though it cannot turn back time it really helps.

Sugar Hand ScrubMix 1 tablespoon olive oil with 1teaspoon of sugar and apply to thehands. Gentlymassage into theskin in circularmovements.Continue withthis for a fewminutes andyou will start tofeel your handstingling as yourcirculation isstimulated. Placehandsin warmwater fora few

seconds whilst continuing to massagethem. Rinse the sugar off with coolwater and pat dry.

TIPS FOR TIP TOP HANDSMy friend’s remedy for dry hands is tomassage a little sunflower oil into her

hands then put on herrubber gloves and

wash up. The hotwater used

Natural Beauty Tips for Hair, Hands and Feet

Diana Sutton used to spend a fortuneon handcreams, nail conditioners,foot creams and scrubs yet thought better of it when a friend told me about her remedy for dry ‘washing up’ hands

HF ISSUE 4 P93-95 BEAUTY 22/5/08 16:30

HOME BEAUTY94

for washing up will help the oil sinkdeeper into the hands and leave themsoft. If they feel too oily after removingyour gloves, rinse in warm water and dry.

I do a lot of gardening and find itreally difficult to get my nails cleanafterwards. An excellent tip to preventthis is by scraping your nails along a barof soap thus trapping a little of the soapunder your nails. This stops the dirtfrom getting trapped under and allowsany to be washed away easily afterwards.

To stimulate blood flow to nails,whilst watching television or listening tothe radio, rub some almond oil mixedwith a few drops of lavender essentialoil into the cuticles. This is great forsoftening the cuticles and keeping nailsnaturally pink.

NAIL STRENGTHENINGSOAKIf you have soft nails as I have this reallyhelps to strengthen themwithout drying them out.

Soak hands in a bowlcontaining 1/2 pint of warm waterand 2 tablespoons of cidervinegar. Leave to soak for 5-10minutes. Pat dry and massage alittle sweet almond oil into thenails and cuticles.

HandSmoothingMaskMix 1 tablespooncoconut milk powderwith 3 tablespoon hotwater, stir tilldissolved. Add 2 leveltablespoons ofoatmeal and mix to athick paste, add alittle moreoatmeal if itisn’t thickenough. Apply

to the hands and leave to dry. This is alovely way to relax for 20-30 minutes, asyou cannot do much with your handsexcept rest them on a towel and perhapslisten to some soothing music.

Rinse off in warm water and you willnotice how soft your hands feel.

FIT FEETFeet take a hammering in our busy livesso looking after them is essential andoften we forget how good a little footpampering feels. It can be as simple as afoot soak that makes all the differenceto how we feel.

Soothing Foot BalmFor a really soothing foot balm, mix 1teaspoon of cider vinegar into a smallpot of natural yogurt and massage overyour feet. Leave for 10 minutes thenrinse in warm water.

FootsoakIdeasStir 2 tablespoons of Epsom salts inwarm water and soak feet for 15minutes. Add some lavender oil to relaxor eucalyptus oil to revive.

To freshen feet in hot weather add afew drops of peppermint oil to your coolfootbath and pat dry.

Rub sea salt into your feetbefore soaking in a warmfootbath containing nerolioil if you can find it, if notadd a few drops of geraniumoil instead.

In Winter when feet arecold and tired, an oldfashioned mustard footbathreally helps. Mix 3 teaspoonsof mustard powder with alittle water to make a smoothpaste. Add to a bowl of waterthat is warmer than your

body and soak for at least10 minutes.

To keep feetfeeling clean andhealthy, soak themin cool watercontaining teatree oil for about15 minutes.

After soaking your feet, rub ateaspoon of coconut oil into them andwrap in a warm towel. They will feel softand incredibly comfortable.

HAIR TREATSThere are so many expensive hair treat-ments on the market that you couldspend a fortune, but before you do havea go at some of these ideas for healthy,shining hair.

This is a recipe for home madeshampoo that is very mild and issuitable for any hair type. It needs to bekept in the fridge and stores for 7-10days as it doesn’t contain any preserva-tives. The following recipe will allow for5-7 applications so won’t bewasted if either you washyour hair often or two

HF ISSUE 4 P93-95 BEAUTY 22/5/08 16:31

95

three people use it. It uses soapwort,which is so called because it has thesame effect as soap and has traditionallybeen used to wash the hair and body.Soapwort root can be purchased fromherbalists and health shops.

SoapwortShampooINGREDIENTS250ml water11/2 tablespoons dried soapwort rootJuice of 1/2 lemon

METHOD1 Bring water to the boil and add

soapwort.2 Cover and simmer gently for

20 minutes.3 Remove from heat and add lemon

juice.4 Allow mixture to cool thoroughly

before pouring into a clean bottle or jar.

5 Use as normal shampoo.

If you don’t have time to wash yourhair but want to freshen it, cut a limeinto thin slices, removing pips and rubover scalp. Comb through hair andleave.

HAIR RINSESThese are ideal as light conditioningtreatments or for using after conditioning to add shine. They are very easy to prepare and can make allthe difference to how healthy your hairlooks.

The first ones use vinegar. It isexcellent for smoothing the cuticle ofthe hair and promoting shine.

Don’t worry about the smell, it maylinger whilst hair is drying but oncethe hair is dry this will go. Don’t rinsethese out, leave them to get the benefitof the ingredients.

Add 1 tablespoon of cider vinegarand the juice of 1 lemon to 1 pint oftepid water to enhance the shine of allhair types.

Do the same with malt vinegar fordry or treated hair.

Red wine vinegar enhances theshine of auburn hair.

Beer makes an excellent hair rinsebut does leave hair a bit smelly. It givesfine hair body and shine.

Pour 100ml of beer into a jug with250ml water and use as the final rinse.

Herbal hair rinses are excellent forhealthy hair. When you have pouredthe rinse through the hair, massagethem into your scalp using fingertipsand towel dry. For the full benefit leavein the hair.

Rosemary is excellent for darkbrown hair. It enhances the colour andshine and smells really clean.

Add two tablespoons of choppedfresh rosemary to 1/2 pint of boilingwater stir and macerate the leaves.Allow to cool before applying to hair.

Chamomile is traditionally used onfair hair. It adds highlights and shineto blondes. If you steep 3 chamomiletea bags in boiling water and allow tocool before using, this is an easy way touse chamomile. You may also put ahandful of fresh or dried flowers in 1/2 pint of boiling water. Allow to coolthen strain before using. The

lightening effect is enhanced if youadd the juice of a lemon to the cooledmixture.

Thyme leaves steeped in the sameway helps with an itchy scalp, it issoothing and helps counteract dandruff.

A few drops of tea tree oil in 1/2 pintof cool water makes a refreshing rinseand has been known to deter head lice.

HAIR CONDITIONERS AND MOISTURISERSAn excellent hair conditioner whichhelps dry and leaves hair soft and shinyis simply using about a tablespoon ofpure coconut oil on dry hair andleaving on for as long as you can.Shampoo out and use one of the aboverinses to finish the hair.

BananaConditionerMash 1 large banana and mix in with 1tablespoon of honey. Add 2 tablespoonsof natural yogurt and stir well. Apply todamp hair and put on a plastic showercap and wrap a warm towel around thehead. Leave for an hour beforeshampooing out.

AvocadoHair MaskMash an avocado and add an egg yolk.Apply to dry hair and leave for 30minutes. Massage into your hair beforeshampooing out.

Mayo MaskAdd 1 tablespoon of olive oil to 2tablespoons of mayonnaise. Apply todry hair and cover with a shower cap.Leave for 20 minutes beforeshampooing. �

HF ISSUE 4 P93-95 BEAUTY 22/5/08 16:31

YOUR SAY96

BE HAPPY JUST BEING

DEAR DIANA AND PAUL,I am really writing to let you knowhow glad I am that I found yourmagazine.What a refreshingchange to read something that isrealistic instead of something thatassumes you have a large houseand several acres of land and potsof money!

We have lived all our marriedlife in tied cottages in the middleof nowhere as my husband hasalways worked as a herdsman ondairy farms.The gardens we havehad have always been quite largeand we have always been able tokeep animals and grow plenty offruit and veg.

Now we have moved into ournew house the garden is muchsmaller, though we are still able togrow fruit and veg and herbs andkeep a couple of bantams. In fact itis amazing what you can achievein a small space, with just a littlemore thought.

Our new home is a rentedhousing association house and wewill never own it but we feel thaton coming here we have comehome.We intend to live the restof our lives here and look forwardto the garden developing over theyears. It resembles a Dig forVictory wartime garden – anyoneknow where we can get anAnderson shelter?

We have always cooked fromscratch here, making our ownbread and jams and since I havealways stayed at home to lookafter the children, we have had tolive quite economically, especiallyas agricultural workers are sopoorly paid. So we have always hadto spread the pennies, growing andcooking most of our own food.

I totally agree that the crux ofthe whole self-sufficiency thing is tolive simply. It seems to me thatmost people want everything.Theysay they want ‘to get away from itall’ when they really want to take itall with them. Everyone seems tobe constantly chasing something, nobody seems to be happy ‘just being.’ALI CROOKS, BRAINTREE.

SEND YOURLETTERS TO:Home Farmer MagazineThe Good Life Press Ltd.PO Box 536Preston PR2 9ZY

Or email them to:[email protected]

Or why not join our forum on:www.homefarmer.co.uk

It has been hot and cold, wet and dry, all we need is a little snow and we will have had all theyear in a month. Our forum continues to be busy and already we have nearly 400 members,which isn’t bad for just over a month of being online. Please do keep on writing in. Sometimeswe will highlight the forum, others the letters we get through the post. This month it’s thepostman that gets a chance...

BE KIND,NOT CRUEL

DEAR DIANA AND PAUL,I would like to say what a wonderfulmagazine is Home Farmer. Comingfrom the borders of NorthernIreland, I have kept turkeys and pigsover many years. My family got veryupset with a butcher who, duringthe Christmas rush, was very roughwith his turkeys and geese, and wethought him cruel.

There really is no need to becruel, take pigs for an example.Wealways moved our pigs with abucket and a handful of food.There was never any need for astick, and we never drove them –only ‘persuaded’ them with the

promise of a tickle on the ear anda handful of grain, and they cameso easily.

Pigs are animals that respond tokindness and cleanliness.Theyalways go to the loo away fromtheir shelter, which is usually‘spotless’. It’s the same when killinganimals. I used to be part of a cullteam and killed many hundreds ofanimals, watched by an RSPCAinspector.We always killed theanimal with an honest, clean, headshot.And the animal died instantlyand without pain.

The meat tastes better whenthe killing is spot on and isn’t itbetter to kind rather than cruel?JIM EMERSON,TYNAN, CO.ARMAGH.

HF ISSUE 4 P96 LETTERS 23/5/08 18:20

VERM-X, A TRULY natural herbalparasite control measure, is perfect forkeeping your animals parasite free andbursting with vitality.

Growing your own produce andrearing your own quality livestock isvery rewarding, so it makes sense to usea natural parasite control and healthbooster on your animals, taking a morenatural approach to agriculture andfarming.

All products within the Verm-X rangehave been developed using anatural blend of thehighest quality ingre-dientsincluding theherbal stockformulawhichcontrols allknowninternalparasites andare made fromnon GM ingre-dients.

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All you need to do is match the twophotographs (right) with the pages theycome from. Simple!

Mark your envelope: Verm-X Competition and post to:Home Farmer, The Good Life Press Ltd.,PO Box 536, Preston, PR2 9ZY. Or email your answers to:[email protected] ENDS 30TH JUNE 2008

Competition

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JULY COMPETITIONCLOSING DATE: 30TH JUNE 2008

2 lucky readers will WIN a year’s supply of Verm-X and fantastic Verm-X Clothing

97COMPETITION

WIN

I think you’retaking this homebeauty too far!

HF4 P97 BREAK 23/5/08 18:20

HOME FARMER MARKET PLACE FORM

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING98

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FREE ADVERTS FOR PRIVATE ADVERTISERSMaximum number of words is 30. We need your full address, telephonenumber and email for our database, but only your town/tel/email willappear in the magazine. As a policy The Good Life Press Ltd. will notsell, trade or exchange your details with any third party.

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MiscellaneousGofarmer – Online market place forlivestock, farm machinery, produce, farmstays, rural crafts. www.gofarmer.com

PropertyRural Bulgarian Properties for sale from 4000 Euros.Village houses to rent from £250 a week Web: www.thetravelbug.orgWeb: www.therentalbug.org

Crafts

Fleece andother fibreshand spun toorder. TelClaire Boleyfor details01392682941

Poultry for saleBuff Orpington,Welsummer, Cuckoo Maran,Light Sussex, Barnevelder, Exchequer Legorn& Pekin Bantams. Day olds to POL alsoFertile eggs available.LEICESTERTel: 01530 810841 Email: [email protected]

Cow for saleWelsh Black Cross Jersey in calf heifer very friendly. Mark Johnson.POWYS Tel: 01691 830539

Pheasants wantedPair/Trio.BENFLEET, ESSEX Tel:Tony 01702 554935

Puppy for saleBearded Collie Dog Puppy, 7 mths.Working strain with successes in obedience,agility and stock work.POWYS Tel: 01597 840338Your free ad will

appear in the nextavailable issue,subject to space.Simply fill in thecoupon on the rightand send it back to:

SOMETHING FOR SALE,EXCHANGE, WANTED? Try e-barter on www.homefarmer.co.uk

BY POSTHome Farmer Free Ads, The Good LifePress Ltd., PO Box 536, Preston, PR2 9ZY.

BY EMAILUse the coupon as a guide and send yourfree ad to: ruth@thegoodlife press.co.uk

I am sorry readers’free ads cannot betaken over thephone. Please notewe will not accept0870 and 0845numbers.

HF ISSUE 4 CLASSYS 23/5/08 18:22

99NEXT MONTH

Kim Wilde digsher dinnerSinger turned gardener Kim Wilde talks abouther passion for veg and feeding her family.

The Strawbridges Father and son team, It’s Not Easy BeingGreen’s, Dick Strawbridge and his sonJames bring us some more insights intotheir self-sufficient adventure.

Fat Man in the KitchenIn August the fat man goes into the gardento prepare the perfect barbecue.

Digging forVictory withSophie GrigsonSophie digs for Victory with courgette and tomato recipes.

It’s no yolk!Hatching eggs at home is exciting, awe inspiring and fun, but we also look at the serious side.

Easy MarmaladeFrom microwave to pan, marmalade is the easiest jam to make at home.

Alan TitchmarshWe've five sets of tools from his new range to give away, plus he talks about tool careand growing your own food. He keepsPekins, and thinks they are the best birds in the world.

NEXTISSUE OUTJULY 4TH

In August’s crammed issueof Home Farmer we have:

Plus...Regular features on growing vegetables,keeping hens, keeping bees, packing theperfect picnic, learning from vegetariansand saving money by driving sensibly.

8-page special sectionon living the Good Life� Killing and

butchering your own meat

� Preserving, storing and food for every day eating

� Using your windowsill to create a tasty herb garden

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HF ISSUE 4 P99 N-MONTH 27/5/08 09:08

ADS 23/5/08 15:37

binder[smallpdf com]

Documents

paul melnyczuktel

early summer

drive home

home farmer isquite

summer nectar flow

couple ofdozen families

britains bees

leastone new allotment