Farming Friends

Meet the animals and harvest the information without getting your hands dirty!

Strawberry Picking On Strawberry Farm

sara | May 24, 2009

This week I was shown round the local strawberry and raspberry farm by the owner.

It was interesting to see the different varieties of strawberries at the different stages of growth and how they are grown. The strawberries are grown in poly tunnels and have been planted in grow bags and then placed on a shelf [...]

Harvesting Medlars

sara | November 8, 2008

This weekend I harvested the medlars on our tree.

Medlars can be harvested at the end of October and through November.
Once harvested the fruit should be left in a box in a cool dry place until they turn a dark reddish brown and become soft and juicy.
This ripening process is known as “bletting” the medlars.
When the [...]

Raspberry Canes Planted

sara | January 2, 2008

Back in November 2007 I received some raspberry canes as a gift from my cousin and his wife as a thank you for letting them stay with us in the Summer when they were over from Australia.
We planted the canes and added some straw on top of the soil to help retain moisture, keep the weeds down [...]

Strawberry Plants – Green Thumb Sunday

sara | November 11, 2007

Although the recommendation is to plant strawberry plants in late Autumn, I have just planted three elsanta strawberry plants that I recently purchased from a local garden centre.
Which variety of strawberries do you grow?
Any advice on how to look after the strawberry plants through the Winter would be appreciated.
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National Apple Day

admin | October 24, 2007

Damson Chutney

admin | October 10, 2007

At the weekend I made damson chutney following the excellent recipe from Fiona @ The Cottage Smallholder.
Here are the ingredients in the pan before the four hour simmer!

This is the ingredients after a four hour simmer.

Here is a jar of the damson chutney.

This damson chutney looks delicious – my thanks go to my mother in law [...]

Nutritional Value Of Apples

admin | October 10, 2007

Apples are a fruit that are a good source of;
vitamin C,
vitamin A,
calcium,
phosphorus,
potassium,
and dietary fibre.
The nutritional value of apples will vary slightly depending on the variety and size of the apple.
Other Health Benefits
Low in calories.
No cholesterol in apples.
No sodium in apples.
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Apples In The Orchard – Green Thumb Sunday

admin | October 7, 2007

We have a beautiful old cooking apple tree in our orchard and at this time of year it is laden with apples.
This photograph of the apples on the tree is one of my favourite photographs.
I will be using these apples to make apple crumble – my favourite, but what is your favourite apple recipe?

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The Nutritional Value Of Plums

admin | September 7, 2007

The Nutritional Value Of Plums

Plums are a fruit that are a good source of;

vitamin C,
vitamin A,
vitamin B2,
potassium,
and dietary fibre.

Other Health Benefits

Assists with the absorption of iron.
A source of antioxidants.
Can act as a laxative.

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Seasonal Food For September

admin | September 5, 2007

Seasonal food for September as recommended by FARMA includes:
Apples
Blackberries
Beetroot
Broccoli
Cabbages
Carrots
Cauliflowers
Courgettes
Cucumbers
French Beans
Kohl Rabi
Mange Tout
Marrows
Onions
Peas
Plums
Potatoes
Raspberries
Runner Beans
Spinach
Strawberries
Sugar Snaps
Sweetcorn
Turnips

FARMA is the UK’s National Farmers’ Retail & Markets Association. It “is a co-operative of farmers, producers selling on a local scale and farmers’ markets organisers.”
 
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