Church FarmYour Monthly Newsletter

Friday 24th February 2012

A Note from the Grower

It might be unwise to speak too soon, but nevertheless, that bitterly cold snap we experienced a couple of weeks ago seems to have abated for now at least (minus fifteen Celsius was recorded outside the propagation tunnel!), and milder, spring-like weather is here at last. Those slug-guzzling hens have been evicted from Tunnel 1, and the soil there can now be prepared for the sowing of early carrots and planting of early turnip seedlings. Apple trees ordered to replace losses in our heritage orchard have been delivered and will now be carefully planted, staked and guarded against rabbits and hens. The mild weather has arrived in perfect timing for this planting. If the ground was still frozen solid and under snow as it was a fortnight ago, we would have had to “heel in” the trees (temporarily cover the roots with soil or compost to prevent them drying out), and delay the planting in anticipation of more favourable conditions. A number of extra trees were ordered to expand the numbers in the “Forest Garden” between Beards Oak and the Kitchen Garden.

Soon soft fruit canes and bushes will arrive, mostly to replace casualties from the established orchard and Kitchen Garden, but also for new plantings both in the main Vicarage field area, and in the Forest Garden. As I write, the horticulture team are preparing beds in the Kitchen Garden for planting an early crop of cauliflowers. All going well, these will provide a welcome crop early in the summer. Now there’s something to look forward to!

Rik

Now that the weather looks set to be heading towards spring, we’re starting to plan this year’s campfire weekends. These are incredibly popular events, and we’ve already been receiving calls from people who came last year to make sure they’ll be on again!

If you’ve never been to one of these weekends before, they’re a terrific way to enjoy some time outdoors with the entire family. There’s a big bonfire shelter marquees, straw bales, and local musicians playing through the evening. Feel free to bring your own BBQ, games and entertainment, plus your favourite tent and sleeping bag.

This year’s campfires are on: Sat 7th April Sat 5th May Sat 9th June Sat 21st July Sat 25th August

Contribution: Adults £10, Under 16s £8, Under 2s £2. Free for musicians and farm members.

Spaces are limited, so please book in advance. You can do this by popping into the Farm Store, calling us on 01438 861 447, or emailing info@churchfarmardeley.co.uk

Campfire Weekends

Church Farm has launched a new online store, with FREE same day delivery!

It offers everything from our wide range of produce, including meat, fruit, veg, dairy and bread. Plus, it also supplies the wider range of items available in our farm shop, from eco-friendly toilet paper to chutneys and jams.

Order by noon and select from two same-day delivery slots: 4-6pm or 6-8pm. Deliveries are made 7 days a week, so check out our website to order today: www.churchfarmardeley.co.uk.

See the back page of this newsletter for further information on this new convenient, local way of shopping.

New Online Store

Serves 4

Ingredients500g diced pork leg or shoulderOlive oil1 red onion , cut into thin wedges2 garlic cloves , crushed100g chorizo , cut into chunks1 tsp smoked paprika1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes300ml chicken stock1 x 400g tin chickpeas100g green olives , drained and rinsed1 lemon , zested and juicedA small bunch parsley , choppedCrusty bread to serve

MethodHeat the oven to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2. Season then brown the pork all over in a little oil. Scoop out then cook the onions and garlic in the same pan till softened. Add the chorizo and paprika and cook for 2 minutes then add the tomatoes, stock and pork.Put on a lid and cook in the oven for an hour. Add the chickpeas and olives and cook for another hour. Stir in the lemon and parsley and serve with crusty bread.

Pork with Paprika and Olives

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/10987/pork-with-paprika-and-olives

Serves 4

Ingredients2 potatoes250g (9 oz) plain flour1 egg

MethodBring a large pot of water to the boil. Peel potatoes and add to pot. Cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool and mash with a fork or potato masher.Combine mashed potato, flour and egg in a large bowl. Knead until dough forms a ball. Shape small portions of the dough into long “snakes”. On a floured surface, cut snakes into 1.5cm (1/2 in) pieces.Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to the boil. Drop in gnocchi and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until gnocchi have risen to the top; drain and serve with your favourite sauce.

Homemade Gnocchi

http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/1585/homemade-gnocchi.aspx

Bottle-Feeding the LambsYou may remember that we’ve had some early lambs this year. We’ve also had our other sheep scanned to see which ones are pregnant, and we’ve got plenty more lambs on the way! If you’d like to help us bottle-feed them, you can sign up to our waiting list, and we’ll let you know the available dates when we’re ready to start. Email info@churchfarmardeley.co.uk to register your interest. Bottle-feeding is £4.95 per child, free for supervising adults.

February

Wed 29th Quiz Night 7.30pm prompt start

March

5th-9th National Pie Week

7th Man vs Pie

14th Family Quiz 4pm-6pm Special menu available for tea

10th, 11th, 17th 6 Nations Rugby

17th St Patrick’s DayLive music from 7.30pm

18th Mother’s Day

21st The Pudding ClubMan vs Pudding

28th Curry Adventures

Call 01438 861 350 for bookings

Coming up soon at the Jolly Waggoner

Church Farm has a new free recycling centre where you can bring a wide variety of your household waste. We can accept paper, cardboard, metal, wood, glass, textiles and compostable waste.

Reduce the amount of rubbish going to landfills, and bring your recyclable items to the farm during opening hours. The recycling point is at the far end of the car-park, just follow the signs.

We can also offer collection of large quantities of recyclable material. Call Michal for a quote on 07425196805.

New Free Recycling Point at the Farm

This Mother’s Day, we’re taking bookings for meals in both our cafe and the Jolly Waggoner pub.

The cafe is an incredibly popular venue for Mother’s Day, so early booking is essential. You can come for breakfast (9am) or lunch (12pm and 3pm). Please choose your sitting and call us on 01438 861 447 to book.

If you want an evening meal instead, why not come along to the Jolly Waggoner and have a lovely fire-side setting for your celebration.

We’ve also got an activity on the day before, so kids can make mum her very own cress head for Mother’s Day.£3 per child, free for supervising adults.

Mother’s Day at Church Farm

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

Next Week’s Farm Members’ Box

MEATFarm VarietySausages, gammon joint, diced lamb, beef mince, back bacon

Lean Cuts (NEW FOR 2012)Skinny sausages, skinless chicken fillets, extra lean minced beef, supertrim diced gammon steaks

Old English CutsChicken liver, gammon joint, diced lamb, stock pot bag

Premium SelectionSausages, gammon joint, back bacon

VEGETABLESExtra Small (6 varieties)Potatoes (white sante), carrots, onions, lettuce, beetroot, green pepper

Small (8 varieties)Calabrese, swede

Medium (10 varieties)Fennel, aubergine

Large (12 varieties)Sweet potato, tomato

Extra Large (15 varieties)Spinach, kale, white mushrooms

FRUITMangoes, clementines, apples (spartan), bananas, pears, grapefruit

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 prepare for SpringOne of the main tasks our co-farmers have been carrying out this week has been to organise the chick shed, ready for Wednesday’s delivery of new day-old chicks. This involved a good clean out, then disinfecting the whole shed before putting down new sawdust, and finally filling the water and feed trays. It seems the chicks are happy in their new home (which is open to viewing in the area adjacent to the Rural Care sheds) and we look forward to helping rear them over the next few weeks. Elsewhere on the farm, Rural Care has been digging up cherry tree saplings from the young woodlands and putting them into pots ready for transferring to other sites and areas of the farm. Three of the co-farmers helped to erect a new fence in Homefield, where two calves, a sow and her piglets, plus one of last year’s lambs live.

Real Ales: Real Food : Warm Welcome at the

Jolly Waggoner

Now taking bookings for Mother’s Day. Book a table today

to avoid disappointment! Call 01438 861 350

www.thejollywaggoner.co.uk

Getting the Best from your BoxCarrots actually stay fresher for longer if you store them with some mud on, as it provides protection. This is why we try to send them to you as they come out of the ground (unless it’s been really wet here, or there’d be more mud than veg in your box). Ideally, they should be kept in a paper bag, somewhere cool, but preferably not the fridge.

As with most veg, the goodness is most concentrated in and just below the skin, so this shouldn’t go to waste if possible. If you’ve got fussy eaters who just don’t like the skin, try grating the carrots up so they don’t notice. This also makes it taste sweeter, and you can try mixing in some sultanas to make a lovely child-friendly treat. If your carrots go a little past their best, they’re still great in soups and hearty stews, and they’re lovely when roasted (whole roasted carrots and parsnips is a real favourite with our farm workers).

Potatoes, like carrots, are best when stored in paper not plastic, somewhere cool but not the fridge. They can even be frozen if you par-boil them for about 5 minutes, then drain them before keeping in the freezer for up to a month. There are so many great ways of cooking potatoes that you could do a different thing every day. They’re also a really handy way of bulking out dishes, or thickening soups. For a couple of different ideas, try mashing it with beetroot to brighten up your plate, or replace your pasta one night with gnocchi, which is really simple to make but wonderfully impressive.

If you ever need to know about storing any vegetables, there’s a great deal of information on www.vegbox-recipes.co.uk.

Member Volunteer DayDon’t forget, it’s a member volunteer day this Saturday (they’re held on the last Saturday of every month. If you fancy getting outside now that the weather is starting to look a little better, then why not join us for a day in the field. Let us know if you’re planning to come along by emailing info@churchfarmardeley.co.uk.

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

Church Farm Store Direct to your DoorNo time to go shopping? Why not order your Church Farm, local and organic produce just in time for supper.

Order by 12pm and you can get FREE same day delivery

Available everyday Monday to Sunday. Choose from two delivery slots: 4pm-6pm or 6pm-8pm

Order today from www.churchfarmardeley.co.uk

FREE same day delivery

Farm ButcheryRare Breed Pedigree

meat all reared on the farm

Green GrocerChurch Farm, local andorganic fruit and veg

Dairy & EggsOrganic milk, cheese, butter, and free range

eggs

BakeryHand-made lovingly by

our baker, Phil

Farm DeliHand-made in the farmhouse kitchen

Home Cooked ReadyMeals & Pizza

Hand-made in the farmhouse kitchen

Store CupboardJams, Chutneys, Tins,

Sauces & More

HouseholdEco-friendly

household essentials

Body CareNatural Bodycare

Products

Organic Drinks &Alcohol

Soft Drinks, Juice& Alcohol

Natural Pet FoodPet mince, pig’s ears,

bones and more...

Country GiftsComing soon...

Free delivery within 10 miles of the farm (inside the blue circle). Minimum spend £20.