BIGGEST BEAN FEAST EVER!!

We escaped from our sticky farm this weekend, aided by Ryanair’s bargain basement selection. Naughty but nice- and who’s going to quibble about 99p flights to Milan (except some bright green environmentalist who didn’t get trench foot in a Lincolnshire bog this summer!)
Regular readers will know that we love our busman’s holidays, so we chose an agriturismo in the agricultural heartland of northeastern Italy. Sandwiched between the rivers Po, Adda, and Serio, this flat landscape of dykes and poplars was reassuringly familiar, yet completely new.
Firstly, how is it that Italy is stuffed with architectural gems, palazzios and grandiose churches in even the most insignificant of villages? Our agriturismo, a stunning fortified farm grabbed from the adjoining convent sometime in the distant past, had orchards of rare apple varieties in the old walled garden, and was overlooked by the domes and towers of the original nunnery, now sliding into elegant decay. The sun shone benignly down as we munched our way through home cured wafer-thin ham and tiny fruit pies, washed down by freshly pressed apple and pear juice from the surrounding orchards. Our hostess, Anna, works even harder than we do and was wonderfully helpful. Excellent value- 72 Euros for a lovely double room and breakfast. www.agriturismosantamaria.com
So when I asked her if there were any foodie events in this area, birthplace of the Slow Food Movement(antithesis of fast food and junk culture), she directed us to a tiny ancient walled town called Pizzighetone

BIGGEST BEANFEAST EVER
Pizzighetone straddles the River Adda, surrounded by a fantastic wall that until 10 years ago was falling down. The enterprising locals formed themselves into a “Volunteers of The Wall” group, and organized an annual bean-soup-eating festival, when thousands of people flock to the village to eat local bean soup (brown beans, vegetables and pig fat- absolutely delicious) over a mad 4-day feast!
The most exciting thing about it is that the entire event actually takes place inside the wall! This consists of about 15 huge domed chambers, each of which could accommodate 150 people, joined by wide open archways- formerly a 2000-strong garrison of soldiers was housed here. Huge tree limbs blazed in the massive open fireplaces, fed by elderly apron-clad volunteers pushing wheelbarrows, and trestle tables were crowded with friends and relatives, some of whom had queued for half an hour to buy tickets for soup, polenta bars, and the local slightly fizzy red wine. Candles guttered, lots of talk and laughter, a fantastic atmosphere.
To make our joy complete, half of the wall was devoted to a huge local produce farmer’s market, and as before in Italy, my dairy-free diet collapsed in face of the generous samples pressed upon us; and then, of course, we had to buy some.. and then some more…
Interestingly, we only found one organic producer- and absolutely no organic vegetables at all on that market!
The next day, following a visit to an organic vegetable farm (same problems, better climate- but our caulis wiped the floor with his), we found ourselves in a provincial small town, where surrounding the massive cental “Duomo” cathedral, the cobbled streets were full of shiny new tractors, borehole rigs, solar panels and roast chestnuts. An agricultural show! Yay!
Again, my competitive streak was gratified to note that the organic veg stall there did not even warrant a photo!
The wall volunteer's website is: www.gvmpizzighettone.it
MORE ITALIAN FOOD OOOHHH!!!
Five years ago on a similar weekend jaunt, we stayed in the beautiful town of Cremona, home of the Stradivarius violin, fabulous buildings, markets- always written off as a slightly boring place, that can only be true if you are a boob-tubed raver favourite destination Ayia Napa. Its fabulous!
We searched out the street restaurant where we ate before, and following a huge plate of vegetable starters dripping with olive oil, I finally ate pumpkinn ravioli.
I have the recipe in a Carluccio cookbook at home, but mess around and stuff those little squares- moi? Its definitely worth a trip to Cremona just to eat them.
Our last eating experience was one of the most enjoyable. When you are catching a plane, there's a certain anxiety that makes you try and reach the airport early- just in case-, then, hungry, you eat some overpriced rubbish that could be found at any cheap junk food outlet worldwide.
We were just early enough to go looking, but found ourselves in a big industrial area of factories and offices- not a shop or cafe in site. With time running out, a sign to "self-service restaurant 2* piano) seemed the best bet. We followed a group of secretaries into teh lift, and entered a new gastronomic world- works-canteen, Italian style. For 8 Euros we sat down at big tables with the local labourers and business directors to eat- more and different ravioli, plus a wild rocket and bean salad, all served by a young chef. Took about 20 minutes, and we arrived at Bergamo airport well satisfied with our foodie weekend away.


VEG TALK
Back to reality at Stickney, the weather immediately confirmed that waiting for summer now is not an option: its WINTER!!
There have been some fabulous Romanesco, broccoli and spinach enjoying the sunny backend, but they are about to come to an abrupt end; then its time to test the metal of you, our customers, as the root-and-green season kicks in! We still have delicious mixed salad bags (I particularly love the fiery “Ruby Streaks” mustard leaves), coriander and flat leaved parsley-snipping leaves finely with scissors over your dish transforms the most mundane dinner.
Parsnips, celeriac and swedes have been held back but are now appearing, and hooray!! it’s the return of the Lincolnshire chestnut mushroom! I have enjoyed some home-grown oyster mushrooms that appeared in huge chandeliers on straw bales down the farm; but despite multiple identification books and mushroom meals for me- I’m still alive, look!!- I’m too English to produce them on the markets.
ORGANIC VEG ARE BETTER FOR YOU!
We knew that, but £12m spent proving that organic fruit&veg contain up to 40% more antioxidants than conventional put a spoke in the Food Standards Agency assertion that there’s no difference!
I recently spoke on Radio Lincolnshire, and was astonished by the vitriolic attack made by their farming reporter, who claimed organics is “rubbish” (I got him back, though). It also raises the question of “when is 5-A-DAY enough?” If consumers are eating fresh produce with 40% less nutrients than they should contain, maybe it should be-7 a day??
BREAST CANCER £250 to go to Lincoln Breast Cancer Support, thanks to all of you who contributed! One man paid £4 into the pot for “pink” kale on Nottingham Square!




XMAS DINNER
So you’re not ready to think about it- but whoever is?? Just remember that ordering early and getting it delivered saves lots of supermarket queuing misery- and we are simply- better!
Full details, order form and online order form link next week, but here’s the trailer:

CHRISTMAS EDITION FAMILY FRUIT AND VEG BOX £15.50
Contains 4lb Cara pots, 2lb carrots, 1lb onion, 1/2lb mushroom, 11/2lb sprouts,(as sprout sticks) 1 lb parsnips, savoy cabbage, salad bag, parsley,
2 lemons , 3lb mixed Cox and clementines


FULL ORGANIC CHRISTMAS HAMPER £35
Contains CHRISTMAS EDITION plus
 Cashew Nut Roast, (vegan)
 Organic Carrot Cake,
 Special Coleslaw
 Mushroom & Bean Festive Pate
 Home-made vegan sour “cream” dressing
 Farmhouse pickle
The above home prepared items are specially made by us using our
own ingredients!
(all items are vegan except carrot ca

PINK VEG RAISE FUNDS FOR BREAST CANCER!

Everything goes PINK during Breast Cancer Awareness Month- so why should veg boxes be excluded? Next week we will be packing a PINK VEG BOX- a bit of a challenge, and we've had to take a few liberties (red and purple) to come close! But with pink potatoes, onions, ruby chard, red kale, chioggia- Italian pink beetroot, red batavia lettuce(really pink), and even "pink" aubergines. We've introduced a new Pickled Pink jar of red onions in the deli section on our website- and we are donating 10%of proceeds from pink sales to local breast cancer support groups!

Many people start buying our organic veg boxes after a brush with cancer, and research points towards a link between cancer and some pesticides used in conventional agriculture.In particular, the so-called gender bending sprays used extensively in vegetable production appear to have oestrogen-like properties that could increase the risk of breast cancer. Local campaigners also report a higher than normal incidence of breast cancer in Lincolnshire, a county well known for its intensive farm vegetable production.

In addition to our regular deliveries,the fundraising pink vegetable boxes will be on sale at 14 different Farmer’s Markets in the East Midlands during October, or can be ordered direct from Eden Farms by phoning 01790 763582

Meanwhile, Stacey Emerson, packer of pink boxes, has dressed up especially for the event!

Who loves the sun.....

At last some genuine summer weather; I adore heat, and have felt profoundly cheated so far this summer. Therefore , accompanied by Harry Potter to submerge any feelings of guilt, I have managed to aquire a good tan by sitting out in the garden on every possible occasion over the last week.
Not so Luke, I'm afraid; he has been working round the clock, preparing land for planting, trying to do 2 month's work in 2 weeks. On top of it all, the land has set like concrete now that the rain has stopped, and he has had to irrigate some crops that are struggling to draw moisture from soil that has tightened like a noose around their roots.
But at least crops are starting to grow: pink and yellow leaves are greening up, and stationary transplants have realised there is a reason to go on living. The sweetcorn is in full flower, and we may have finally managed to start lifting our not-so-early potatoes, Maris Bard. Too long in wet ground has given the slugs a great opportunity to share in the bounty, and we are doing our best to spot the damage before it leaves the farm- let us know if we are not successful!

Slough of Despond

If I was a duck in the desert, I'd probably think things are great. As it is, watching all this year's hard work being swallowed up by relentless rain and flooding has reduced our farm to a self-pitying bunch of whingers, desperate to put a good face on things and be positive- but a quick walk round a farm with small yellow crops, big weeds and large puddles , rapidly dispels any fantasies. Note the yellow digger in the foreground of the picture- the only piece of farm machinery that has constantly been at work over the last few weeks.
Prior to last Friday, I calculated that 50,000 tons of water had fallen on our farm in the last 2 weeks- a crazy figure! I have now stopped calculating....
Anyhow, I'm just trying to soften you up and make you sorry for us, when I once again apologise for broccoli that goes yellow, repetitive boxes, and more old season potatoes. Please feel free to complain- you are entitled to expect good quality produce, regardless; however, it is definitely not up to our usual standard. Broad beans, spring onions, courgettes, more cabbages and beetroot- we are getting a bit overfamiliar with all these now!
I like to scout supermarkets and check out the competition; last week when Marks&Spencer only had Spanish broccoli I was unbearably smug. This week tales of air -freighted broccoli from USA- Europe hasn't got enough- at extraordinary prices , by packers under fixed-price contracts to the BIG retailers, created a frisson of satisfaction; however, I don't want to be a sour puss!
Three months of non-stop wet weather has washed away nutrients, soil structure, and crops:even the wild marsh samphire, a local delicacy that grows on the dunes up the coast, hasn't cropped.
ALL those jokes about webbed-feet in Lincolnshire may finally come true....

The Great Kohlrabi Competition

Kohlrabi, strange vegetable relation of turnips and cauliflowers, is much loved almost anywhere except the UK. Go on any farmers market and ecstatic customers with continental accents snatch up huge bags of them and scurry home to gorge on delicacies made with this under-rated veg.
So why do I feel I have to keep apologising for it?
At a time of year when vegetables are in short supply, we find it an invaluable ally- fast to grow, very versatile as either a salad item, or stir fried, saute, casserole, roast, steamed in a sauce etc.
I made a really tasty vegetable accompaniment to bangers & mash by just braising carrot, kohlrabi slices, onion, and at the last minute, a few broccoli florets, in margarine, salt and black pepper- totally simple but delicious.
Anyhow, to prove that this vegetable is as good as I say, please enter our big KOHLRABI COMPETITION! Send in your recipes and comments, anmd we will choose a winner( or several if they are all wonderful!) who will receive a hamper of organic and fair trade goodies, and 25kg net kohlrabi ( just joking...)
I'll start of with an email I received from a customer this week:

Dear M et al
Just a line of support for your good work - as one who
said yes to the whole 'home grown' package and spurned
flown in lychees or even green beans from Kenya, I
say 'yes' to the humble Kohlrabi and was slightly
disappointed (no, that is a lie) to see none in my box
this week. I didn't even dare ask why onions had long
since disappeared off the radar, thinking that this
was all part of God's plan and that it wasn't up to us
mere mortals to question their non-existence.
Seriously, it's a bit like the 21C obsession with 2
week package tours to remote places like outer
Mongolia with punters then moaning that they can't
find semi-skimmed milk or somewhere to plug in their
hair tongs. Just DON'T GO.
Me? I'm off to mark some more A level French tapes
(now that IS hair-shirt and scourge)
Regards
Linda

Yellow Greens

Summer should be a mellow dreamy time to enjoy the great outdoors and recover from too many nights spent in watching "B" movies and snacking sweeties. Instead, we seem to be living in a sub-tropical forest of large weeds and even larger puddles, bad-tempered staff gently poaching in full wet gear, and even worse tempered farmers who cannot get any work done!
So why should vegetables be immune from the general misery?! Just as our summer range of veg comes into full swing, the perverse weather causes problems! Spinach and lettuce leaves are bruised and ripped by the staggering force and size of the raindrops, and broccoli has received the message" go forth and multiply- quickly!!", with the result that no amount of chilling prevents it from trying to flower- hence you may have received a brownish piece. Our delicious new potatoes may have to grow gills and swim out of the field, and winter modular plants are spending their second month laid out in the farmyard waiting to be planted.
Please do contact us if you have received yellow green veg, and we will credit you! We are doing our best, but Eden Farms likes- hot, dry summers and cold, wet winters- this is the order I'm putting in for 2008!!

MORE ABOUT WATER

Listening to the weekend farming programme( yes, I know it's sad), farmers in Australia are apparently in the forefront of global warming and are running out of water. In line with official thinking worldwide, protection of home-owners' privileges tends to take precedence over farmer's needs. So while flush toilets and automatic washing machines continue to work, irrigation quotas, already cut this year to 60%, are anticipated to fall between 0 and 50% next growing season.
Needless to say, in a drought-stricken landscape, farming could rapidly become impossible.
In an interview with one farmer, I was astounded to hear that his full quota is 5 million gallons per acre; our entire 70 acre farm has just 2 million gallons of water in the reservoir!
While feeling sympathetic for this man's plight- he grew onions- it did occur to me that I have on occasion seen Australian onions- particularly organic ones- for sale in the UK. And Australian beef and apples. So their rare and precious water is at least in part being exported to the opposite end of the globe in a worldwide commodity that could just as easily be produced on our own doorstep. Joining the mad international gathering of Mexican spring onions and South African caulis in our local supermarket. And creating lots more carbon emissions, leading to even more global warming, and round and round...
Sometimes humans can be extraordinarily stupid...

CAULIFLOWER CHAOS

Cauliflowers are one of the most weather-responsive vegetables I know. When its cold, they sulk annoyingly, with hearts the size of 50p pieces protectively concealed from the chill. If its hot, carefully planned progressions are thrown out of the window as they all burst simultaneously into beautiful white curds, which rapidly develop a yellowish tinge when exposed to sunshine, and then develop a "ricey" texture- The seeds can be very expensive, and as heavy feeders of organic matter, they have rightly gained the reputation for being difficult!
Lincolnshire grows some of the best caulis in the UK, and the two varieties we are cutting this week, Skegness and Wainfleet, are named after two seaside resorts well known to the Midlands.
Here are two very interesting un-Lincolnshire recipes that I have adapted from Antonio Carluccio's vegetable book- very different, unexpected, and delicious:
"REINFORCED" CAULIFLOWER ANTIPASTA
Steam cauliflower pieces until it is al dente, and place in a large bowl.
Meanwhile, crush 2 garlic cloves, and add to a dressing containing olive oil, white wine vinegar, 5 finely chopped anchoyy fillets, black pepper. Sprinkle the cauliflower with 20 capers and about 20 pitted green and black olives, add the dressing, and refrigerate.
This salad can only get better as you leave it- if you can! and you can add more cauliflower to the dressing if you've eaten it too fast.
Guaranteed to knock your socks off!
CAULIFLOWER AND PASTA
An unlikey combination to UK eyes that turns out to be fantastic.
Boil together pasta of your choice- I prefer penne or shell-shapes for this recipe- with cauliflower florets.
Meanwhile, fry until golden an onion with dried crumbled chilli, then add chopped bacon, ham, or cheating bacon if preferred, and sliced mushrooms, cook gently till soft.
Drain the pasta mix when soft, stir into the onions, and mix gently, adjusting the seasoning. Grated cheese and chopped parsley can be added here .
This has become a weekday-staple- quick to make, popular and tasty.

DRY WEATHER
The last few weeks of dry weather, while being fantastic for catching up on undone winter work, have really piled on the pressure. When I think back to last spring, continuous rain and cold, it's hard to see the pattern that everyone identifies as global warming. But after last summer we did fill our pit right up in the winter- and its reassuring to see this big expanse of water , which is already going down as we irrigate the small lettuce plants . 2 million gallons of water sounds like a lot- but without rain, it certainly won't last until autumn!

Eat your greens!

Here are the two extra greens recipes that I promosed you in this week's newsletter.
The first is from a customer, Ginny Blonde, and transforms kale into something unrecognisable- by all accounts, this could be an advantage......

KRISPY KALE

Heat up the oven to about 180*/ gas mark4. Meanwhile, thoroughly wash your kale and rip leaves into several pieces, removing any stems; large leaves work the best. Lay it on a large, very lightly greased flat metal baking tray, place in the oven and leave for about 20 minutes until the leaves have gone dry and crispy, while retaining their bright green colour. Oooh! This tasty snack lasted no time in the office, it would be great with other crispy things in a salad , or sprinkled on top of pasta or rice, or just on it’s own- no prepping time, an ideal “recipe”!

We have been eating purple sprouting broccoli for weeks now. I think it's wonderful, but just in case enthusiasm is flagging, here is an adaptation of a very simple broccoli recipe by Antonio Carluccio:

SAUTEED BROCCOLI
Very lightly steam your broccoli spears until barely soft. In a wok, sizzle 2 finely sliced garlic cloves with either a fresh chilli, or some chilli flakes, taking care not to burn the galic. Throw in your broccoli, toss around for a few seconds, then apply salt, black pepper and lemon juice to suit, and serve instantly!

GORGEOUS GIRLS AND BEETROOT

Before.........

And after.........

Here are some pictures from our gala dinner event, where the staff from the packhouse, normally dressed in old jeans, and at this time of year, scarves and hats, flaunted themselves at a champagne reception run by East Midlands Development Agency, and accepted an award as runner up in the category of "Best use of e-business" . Cameras flashed, bowties flocked around, and a great time was had by our hard-working and dedicated gang!



Sadly, glamour has now left our lives, in exchange for the usual. The lovely weather of the last week has brought a real spring feel to the countryside, although the icy wind ripping through my coat down on the fen this morning quickly dispelled any illusions I might have had. At last we are planting, and the baby veg are covered in a light fleece to protect them from the easterly blow.
The delicious creamy caulis and dark green broccoli need a good solid accompaniment, so here is a recipe for Beetroot Risotto

1 lb beetroot

olive oil

6 large cloves of garlic, peeled and halved

1 litre vegetable stock

1 onion, finely chopped

200 g arborio or other risotto rice

1 glass red wine

freshly grated parmesan-optional

Preheat oven to 180 C.

Peel the beetroot, and chop into 1.5 cm pieces. Toss with some olive oil in a baking dish, then place in the oven. After about 15 minutes, add the garlic pieces, then continue to cook until the beetroot is soft and the garlic is turning golden and sweet, about another 20 minutes or so. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Make a risotto in the usual way. In a large pan, heat a splash of olive oil. Saute the chopped onion until it is soft and translucent. Add the rice, and toast for two minutes. Tip in the red wine, and stir till it is absorbed. Add a ladle of hot stock, stir until it is completely absorbed and the rice is on the verge of sticking, then add the next ladle, and continue in this fashion for about 18-20 minutes, until the rice is about 5 minutes away from being done. Add the roasted beetroot and garlic, and stir, adding stock as before, for a further 4-5 minutes. Taste for seasoning

. Remove the pan from the heat, add a handful of grated parmesan and a final ladle of stock, stir well, then put the lid on the pan and leave it to rest for 1 - 2 minutes, then serve. Dairy –free or vegan customers could add soya yoghurt or cream cheese as a topping.

Serves 2 generously.

Send in more beetroot recipes, please!!

PURPLE EVERYTHING!

First, my nose and toes have been purple all week- its freezing out here on the farm. With all the terrifying predictions of snow, I envisaged ruined vegetables buried under mountains of snow. In fact, we have got off with a very light covering, and some really sharp frosts. The chief sufferers have been the gang down the farm; the wind seems to penetrate any number of layers, and fingers needed to be agile feel like immobile blocks of ice. A huge thanks to some of the unsung heroes of the food industry, doggedly and good-naturedly battling on in conditions that most people no longer experience.
Next week is PURPLE LOVE WEEK. What is it? check www.purplelove.co.uk
Its an opportunity to support local independent suppliers such as Eden Farms during Valentine's week. Just another marketing hype? Maybe, but it has a serious side.
Vegetables are not very romantic , certainly not in February, and we always miss out on any fun at Valentines day- so this certainly appeals. We have carefully planned our veg boxes for the week to be full of seasonal purple vegetables! And we are giving a 10% discount on all purple vegetables purchased from out farmer's markets during this period!
Purple Love Week is a bit of a giggle for independent suppliers only: its here to draw consumer's attention to us. Lacking the marketing resources of larger companies, a small farm such as Eden Farms can struggle to compete in the battle to relieve consumers of their cash! Purple Love Week is to remind everyone out there that small suppliers have something different and unique to offer shoppers. We have not gone down the corporate route adopted by many box schemes, and we are dedicated not only to our customers, but also to ourselves, our vision, our farm and our staff! We're worth it! Eat Purple!

e- business award finalist!

Eden Farms is somehow a finalist in this years East midlands Development Agency e- commerce awards! see www.ebusinessclub.biz Great excitement all round to discover that we have been chosen out of all these hi-tech businesses as a bit of alright!
I tend to think of Eden Farms growing our organic vegetables in a sort of time warp compared to most of the cities like Nottingham and Leicester, that we deliver to. So it was all the more thrilling to be acknowledged as an e-business contender!
Apart from the recognition, and the award, there is a big Gala dinner, which 5 of our girls, dressed to kill in evening gowns ( watch this space for pictures), will be attending, champagne will flow, and I have to say, they certainly know how to party!! As in,- Eden Farms- the noisy table....
Part of the ceremony involves a 30- second video of our operation, and yesterday, a lone camera man braved the rural depth of Lincolnshire to film our tiny office, and staff muffled up in scarves and gloves packing vegetables; and of course, the organic vegetables themselves.
Apparently, there is also going to be a video of the Gala event, and , as unfortunately, I will be unable to attend, I look forward to a second-hand view of any outrageous behaviour....

Sunny Saturday

Last night was the first truly cold frost for some time, coming just as we are cutting the first tunnel organic lettuce. If the weather is cold enough to freeze the leaves, particularly when they have hearts, the morning sun will rupture the cell walls( ice expands- remember physics GCSE?), and a week later, that nasty brown slime we all hate!
But a careful examination when the frost had burned away in a brilliant sun so hot that I was in my T shirt, looks like they have got away with it, last night, at least...
Down the farm, the row upon row of different green vegetables gleamed and grew; organic vegetables are dependent for their nitrogen( the stuff that keeps leaves green and shiney) on bacterial soil activity, which in turn, depends on temperature. This winter our greens are beautiful, none of that blue-around-the-mouth-and pallid-with-it look that we sometimes see. It has to be said that the skill of the farmer has a lot to do with it! but the mild winter so far has been a great help.

MEXICAN MADNESS!

This week on our farm we are pulling organic spring onions. This is pretty unusual for the time of year- usually Eden Farms grows overwintered salads in tunnels, but until this week, they were quite happy ourside.
So how come that my local Somerfields is air- freighting spring onions in from MEXICO this week?! Is there any possible excuse for transporting such an easy, british salad crop so many thousands of miles.
I also saw the usual beans from Guatemala and Kenya, and even some butternut squash from far-flung Australia.
What are we doing?! Theres plenty of local variety to be had 12 months of the year. In Eden Farms organic vegetable box this week I had: Cara potatoes, crunchy carrots, onions, chestnut mushrooms, bunched beetroot (sweet!), coriander leaf, swede, sprout top, spring onion and a savoy. Look no further than www.edenfarms.co.uk- just down the road!

MUD IN EXCESS

Global warming may have enabled Eden Farms to have both purple sprouting broccoli and ordinary "calabrese" broccoli on our organic veg stall in Nottingham last week, but the mud! In normal winters there is usually some cold, biting weather by now that "freeze-dries" our fields, so we can do some winter ploughing- or- hey what fun! some hoeing!
Nothing like that this year so far; Lincolnshire has degenerated into a sea of mud, and Eden Farms appears to be sinking in the middle! Although you might think that all this warm weather will increase our range of crops , in fact, we usually start planting lettuce outside in just over a month, but we need some drying weather to help out.
Visit our Farmer's Market stalls in Nottingham, vheck our website www.edenfarms.co.uk for all the details, you'll be surprised at the range of seasonal veg.
Watch this space for recipes too!