Church FarmYour Monthly Newsletter

Friday 29th July 2011

A Note from the Grower

What excitement to arrive on Church Farm on the 22nd May, jetlagged from our flight from South Africa. Full of expectation and anticipa-tion to be able to participate in the pioneering

philosophy of Church Farm.

After two months of working in horticulture I have moved from the realm of lofty ideals and book reading to a place of deep respect for the horticultural growers, for the tremendous energy, dedication and care expressed in all aspects of the

growing process

In the first weeks I would go home with aching muscles and protesting knees from all the bending,

stretching and crouching. Yet what a delight to reap the rewards of this effort.

One of my first jobs was to plant out the Kale seedlings into one of the growing tunnels – the very kale that was harvested for the boxes last week, hope you enjoyed it. This week in your

boxes you will have found beautiful Kohlrabi, the first of the season.

Back to the plants now to tend and care for them as they grow into healthy and enriching food

for your boxes.

Ps. You’ll find a basil pot in your box this week, as a thank-you for supporting the farm!

Church Farm: a beautiful placeCalving has finished for the summer and all youngsters are off to a good start although we are still bottle feeding two up at Home Field. Just arranged to bale 600 round bales of straw from neighbouring farms for animal bedding and feeding, eventually this ends up as high grade cattle compost which provides the fertility for the whole farm. Thanks for buying our food in the cafe, store, pub and via our box scheme, it enables us to husband a beautiful place :)

Wonderful apple juice made in Kent. Approx. 8 apples in every bottle. Comes in a variety of flavours including Braeburn, Cox, Bramley, Russet and Golden Delicious. The bottle is also a great size for storing homemade soups and jams and other delights! Duskin Farm is a small family farm in Kent. The temperate East Kent climate favours slow ripening. The Duskin labour intensive, low temperature pasteurisation process aims to preserve this carefully nurtured flavour. With no added sugars or preservatives except a dash of Vitamin C, Duskin Apple Juice is as natural as can be.

Farm Store Product of the Week Duskins Apple Juice

The Jolly Farmers are running The Jolly Waggoner☺Serving Real Food From Church Farm and

Real Ales from Buntingford Highwayman and Fullers London Pride Breweries

Open All Day Everyday from 12pmSunday Lunch from 12pm to 7pm

T: 01438 861 350 or E: info@churchfarmardeley.co.uk

The Jolly Waggoner PubReal Ales : Real Food : Warm Welcome

What’s in my box next week?

MEATFarm VarietyWhole chicken roast, diced pork, lamb mince, sausages and/or bacon.

Old English CutsOffal, pork whole chicken roast, lamb mince, and/or bag of bones.

Premium SelectionWhole chicken roast, pork tenderloin, back bacon and sausages.

VEGETABLESExtra Small (6 varieties)Potatoes, onions, carrots, kohl rabi, cucumber and whole lettuce.

Small (8 varieties)Beetroot and tomatoes.

Medium (10 varieties)Pepper and courgette.

Large (12 varieties)Spring onions and green sprouting brocolli.

Extra Large (13 varieties)Extra portions of staples

FRUITApples (discovery), bananas, melon and blueberries.

Please note that these are standard items and are subject to change. If you have asked not to be supplied with a particular item, a substitute will be provided in your box.

Rural Care - Co-farmers at work

In store this week...

We are happy to say that the orphaned lambs that Rural Care helped to hand-rear have finally joined all the other lambs in the fields. It is sad to not be working with them every day, but it leaves us more time to help look after the chicks and ducklings! The 2 calves that have been fed by the co-farmers in recent months will also be leaving us for the ‘wider’ fields at the end of the week. Caring for young animals in this way is great therapy for all people, but especially our co-farmers because it gives them the opportuni-ty to understand the importance of nurturing others, and they do it to great effect.

Local plums, Church Farm new potatoes - perfect for salads or served hot with lashings of melted organic butter, freshly harvested lettuces, tomatoes, spring onions, courgettes, beautiful yellow patty pans and bunches of fresh herbs.

Guest Landlordsat The Jolly Waggoner Pub on 2nd August 11’

Colin Tudge and Ruth West

10% of takings will go to the Campaign for Real

Farming

www.campaignforrealfarming.org

We’re delighted to say that the farm bakery is up and running. This weekend we sold out of pies and sausage rolls. Very soon cakes and bread made and baked at the farm will be in store - if anyone knows of a good second hand deck oven please do let us know! Its all very exciting and one more step in bringing these traditional skills back to life where craftsmen and women can connect with their customers rather than a corporate buying team.

Farm Bakery

What is this alien-looking vegetable in my box?This week in your box you might have received a funny looking vegetable which is called a Kohl Rabi - also known as the German Turnip. A member of the Brassica Family, cultivated through artificial selection for the growth on the stem, giving the Kohl Rabi its distinctive shape. The flavour of the Kohl Rabi is very similar to that of the Broccoli however mildly sweeter, with a greater skin to flesh ratio. There are several types of Kohl Rabi, generally the smaller the size the better the quality of the veg-etable except for the Gigante type. There are two common colours that are seen, purple and white, which is more of a pale green colour. The purple colouring is purely superficial, and once the skin is peeled reveals the pale green, white flesh. The two colour ways are controlled by genetics, however the purple and green Kohl Rabi are just polymorphs of the same species, which means the pigmentation that appears in the skin is caused by the gene controlling the colour of the skin having several different codes. Kohl Rabi can be eaten raw or cooked. If eating the Kohl Rabi raw, it can be used in slaws sliced or put into salads, either on its own, simply mixed with oil and lemon, or with other veggies. It particularly compliments fennel as well as apple. Cooked, it can be chopped, egg and bread crumbed and then shallow fried, creating a Kohl Rabi crouton, it can be chopped and used in curries such as Kalans (yoghurt based Indian Curry), or tomato and onion based curries. It’s particularly good for stews too as it retains flavour. Kohl Rabis can even be preserved and made into pickles.

Farm Butchery

Ingredients450g piece gammon , soaked overnight2 bay leaves2 medium onions , sliced2 tsp paprika2 large potatoes , peeled and chopped into small chunks225g spring greens , roughly chopped450g can cannellini beans , drained and washed

Method1. Put the gammon in a large pan with the bay leaves, onions and about 1.5 litres of cold water or enough to cover.

2. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 1½ hours.

3. Drain the gammon, reserving the cooking liquid. When the gammon is cool enough to handle, trim away the skin, and shred the meat.

4. Return meat to the pan with the reserved cooking liquid, paprika and potatoes. Cover and simmer for 20 mins or until the potatoes are cooked.

5. While the potatoes are cooking, trim away the stalky bit from the greens and finely shred the leaf. Stir the greens and beans into the stock and continue to cook for about 10 mins until cooked. Season to taste and serve ladled straight from the pan.

Source: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com

Spring Greens and Gammon Soup - Serves 4

If you’ve never cooked a ham now is the time to try. There really is nothing more delicious than home cooked ham (none of this added water rub-bish). Perfect with eggs for breakfast, a quick lunch with baked potatoes or a seasonal salad, sandwiches and I’m ashamed to say straight from the joint into the mouth at the end of a long day! Church Farm hams are cured for 6 weeks and have no added water.

A delicious recipe is Nigella’s ham cooked in coca cola: - serves 8

Ingredients2kg mild-cure gammon1 onion, peeled and cut in half2-litre bottle of Coca-Cola

For the glaze: Handful of cloves1 heaped tablespoon black treacle2 teaspoons English mustard powder2 tablespoons demerara sugar

Method1. I find now that mild-cure gammon doesn’t need soaking, but if you know that you’re dealing with a salty piece, then put it in a pan covered with cold water, bring to the boil, then tip into a colander in the sink and start from here; otherwise, put the gammon in a pan, skin-side down if it fits like that, add the onion, then pour over the Coke. 2. Bring to the boil, reduce to a good simmer, put the lid on, though not tightly, and cook for just under 2½ hours. If your joint is larger or small-er, work out timing by reckoning on an hour per kilo, remembering that it’s going to get a quick blast in the oven later. But do take into account that if the gammon’s been in the fridge right up to the moment you cook it, you will have to give it a good 15 minutes or so extra so that the interior is properly cooked.3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 240°C/gas mark 9.4. When the ham’s had its time (and ham it is, now it’s cooked, though it’s true Americans call it ham from its uncooked state) take it out of the pan (but do NOT throw away the cooking liquid) and let cool a little for ease of handling. (Indeed, you can let it cool completely then finish off the cooking at some later stage if you want.) Then remove the skin, leaving a thin layer of fat. Score the fat with a sharp knife to make fairly large diamond shapes, and stud each diamond with a clove. Then carefully spread the treacle over the bark-budded skin, taking care not to dislodge the cloves. 5. Gently pat the mustard and sugar onto the sticky fat. Cook in a foil-lined roasting tin for approximately 10 minutes or until the glaze is burnished and bubbly.6. Should you want to do the braising stage in advance and then let the ham cool, clove and glaze it and give it 30-40 minutes, from room temperature, at 180°C/gas mark 4, turning up the heat towards the end if you think it needs it.

http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/ham-in-coca-cola-171

And for those who fancy a taste of the 1970s and an easy meal, gammon and eggs is making a comeback. So bring out the flares and pineapple rings! Don’t miss our new season lamb, home made burgers and new in store homemade pies and sausage rolls.

...Roast Sunday Luncheon at The Jolly Waggoner PubApplies per person for any number of courses. Based on booking ahead and bringing along this voucher.

Offer ends 31st August 2011.

Please bring this voucher to the Farm Store at Church Farm Ardeley and collect your free bag of animal feed

Feed the Pigs or Chickens.This voucher can be redeemed for one Box of Food

Church Farm, Ardeley, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG2 7AH, T: 01438 861 447E: info@churchfarmardeley.co.uk www.churchfarmardeley.co.uk

#

£2 £2FREE FEED THE ANIMALS VOUCHER

# Please cut out to redeem

£2 off

Church Farm at Odyssey Health ClubOver the past few weeks, we have created a link with Odyssey Health Club., Knebworth There is a strong synergy between their philosophy toward the quality of food you need to consume to be healthy and the food we produce. As part of this relationship, we now have a farm shop every Mon-day at the club, this is available to both members and non-members from 11am-7pm. The reaction so far has been fantastic and we are looking to develop the farm shop to carry more of our range during the week. Our eggs in particular have been very popular and the feedback on how great they taste has been brilliant. It’s a very exciting time as more and more people become conscious of the importance of their food.www.odysseyhealthclubs.com

Join Odyssey Health Club this weekend (valid 30th and 31st July) and receive August FREE!To find out more, call Odyssey on 01438 313320.

Farm CafeBack on the menu pies, mash and veg. We’re pleased to say that the farm cafe menu now includes our delicious home made pies! What better way to finish a walk round the farm than with a hearty meal. For those who prefer something lighter, try the cafe seasonal salads with herbs and freshly picked leaves - leaving plenty of room for a slice of cake or a scrummy pudding (or both?).

Medium Free Range Orchard Eggs:

£2.40 per dozen

Campfire, Music and Sleep Under the Stars Weekend: Saturday 27th August 2011

BOOK NOW!

Farm Butchery Special Offer15% off whole shoulder of lamb. Offer ends 1st August 2011.