THE PUMPKIN HARVEST

Picking pumpkins and squash in the UK climate is always a fine line between waiting as long as possible for them to ripen, and avoiding frost and wet damage. This year, our 18 year old son Morgan, who is on his gap year and currently working on the farm, organised some of his mates to help pick the squash.
First they went down the field and picked them into heaps or winrows, then Morgan drove down the rows with a trailer , while one of the lads stood in a one ton bin and caught the squash as they were thrown up to him. Sometimes these squash weigh 4kg or more, so it can be quite a tough job- but we have bins of Baby Bear Pumpkin, Queensland Blue, Uchi Kuri, Butternut, and stripey marrows looking a bit like a congregation of giant cabbage caterpillars, all safely stored under cover.

Is BBC reporting on organic farming unbiased?

Whatever happened to unbiased BBC reporting? Over the last few months there has been a regular avalanche of negative coverage of UK organic farming, with the main conclusion, frequently featuring as a news headline,UK organic farmers on their knees, reverting to conventional, and furthermore, does organic really matter?
Even when positive interviews are recorded- such as Renee Elliot's recent upbeat support for her superb organic store, Planet Organic (31/01/09)- this is snuffed out in the general rush to report the bad news- coupled with an apparent determination to devalue organics at the expense of local food.
Eden Farms is not experiencing a sudden demise in demand- if anything, the complete reverse. Our customers are coming back for more, and we are attracting new interest all the time. It is very important to them that our food is seasonal and local, but it's also vital that it is organic! At a time when over 60% of produce sold is contaminated by an assortment of toxic residues from sprays, when allergies and cancers are increasing in the general population, when wild bird stocks are in danger of extinction, the implication from the BBC - is organics a fad that has lived it's time?- seems singularly inappropriate and inaccurate.
Yes, there are stock farmers who are struggling with the high price of organic feed, and sadly some have given up- but there are also plenty who are carrying on. It does real disservice to organic farmers to hear the message repeated again and again- organic is too expensive for consumers during the credit crunch!
In my previous blog I showed that customers shopping at our local supermarket were actually paying more for some conventional veg than we are charging for organics. Over the last few weeks I have had customers on Farmer's Markets expressing concern that we are going to stop farming organic, thanks to the BBC negative new reportage.
Well, we have already lasted through 2 recessions, and at present our customers seem very loyal and appreciative of what we do.
So come on, BBC, lets have some positive coverage of organic farming, we are providing healthy vegetables that consumers want to eat, and although seasonal and local is very important to our customers, so is the fact that our food is organic. Don't lets confuse the two!

MEET THE SNAKE CHARMER

Eden Farms home farm has received absolutely no chemical sprays for nearly 40 years! We are situated in a narrow valley bisected by a stream, and boast quite a selection of wildlife, including quite a few protected species, including bats, newts, lizards and snakes.
Surrounded by intensive agriculture, we provide a small haven for species sensitive to modern agricultural methods, and- although I'm a bit girly about them- snakes are one of the most interesting.
Over the years we have seen quite a few grass snakes here- usually they are only about 9" long and the diameter of a man's finger. But at the weekend the biggest one I've ever seen appeared coiled up outside our kitchen door. It was easily 11/2" diameter, and uncoiled I would say 18". It didn't seem very well, not helped by the bossy attention of our cat Headmaster. Eventually Luke picked it up(!) and carried into the long grass where it slowly vanished!

Trinny&Susannah seek "Lady Farmers"

Question: Could Trinny & Susannah look like this??




Here's a message for all you farming women who grub about in jeans and parkas looking like beached whales (no, not sexy!) for a good part of the year!
Trinny & Susannah have contacted me at Eden Farms because they are interested in us women farmers!The idea is that they want to come and live in a community of farming women, and get involved in a two-way style trade ; not only do farming women get the usual makeover,but we get the chance to make over our fashion duo too!
For all those women who like a bit of a laugh, whether you love clothes, or are really not bothered, this could be a great opportunity to break a few stereotypes and have some fun along the way. And couldn't we do with some after last year!
So why not contact Jennifer Ducker from the Trinny & Susannah show if you are a woman working in farming who would like a bit of variety from cabbages and chickens.
Here's her details: Jennifer Ducker, 0207 157 4742, Jennifer.Ducker@GranadaMedia.com
Alternately, contact us at info@edenfarms.co.uk to find out more!

PURPLE LOVE WEEK!

Valentine’s Day used to be a huge emotional challenge; arriving at school to the competitive chorus of “ how many did you get, then?”, I regret to say the answer was always the same- none. Just not the type of girl that guys send valentines to, I suppose….

Nothing’s really changed all these years later, but in case anyone is suffering the same fate, don’t worry, Eden Farms is providing your Valentines Day surprise in the form of our Purple Passion Pack!
Over the next week, we are celebrating “Purple Love Week”, a nationwide foodie event to remind everyone out there about the small independent food supplier- that’s us!!
No franchises, nationwide distribution services or wall to wall marketing campaigns, Eden Farms has made it to 25 years thanks to all you people , who seem to like what we do, and are genuinely interested in us! Thankyou!
Without being too cringe-makingly American about this, we love you too!!


PURPLE PASSION PACK
Eden Farms answer to bouquets of red roses, this box of purple vegetables contains Desiree potatoes(of course!), red onions, beetroot, sweet potatoes, red kale, red cabbage, purple sprouting broccoli (maybe- weather permitting), purple top swede, and Elstar apples.
And just in case you are wondering, beetroot and kale are reputed to have aphrodisiac qualities, and even appear on the walls of the brothel in Pompeii! (This could be worrying if your children are mad for them, but in the general run of things, that seems unlikely.)

Purple Passion is more likely to be unleashed if the partner who doesn’t usually cook volunteers to do so!
So here’s a sophisticated little number, grown-ups only, to impress the beloved:
Kale Pesto with Roast Root Veg: surprisingly delicious!
Peel the beetroot,sweet potato,carrot, swede and red onion, cut into finger-sized batons, and toss in a bowl with 4tbs olive oil, a nugget of chopped fresh ginger 1-2 tbs of maple syrup, and a good pinch of salt .
Stir around to coat the veg in this mixture, spread out on an earthenware roasting dish, and place in a medium oven for 45 mins -1 hour; stir occasionally to stop the edges getting tough and burned.
Meanwhile, wash your bunch of kale, remove the tough stems, and pop into a large pot of boiling water for just a couple of minutes until wilted. Tip into a sieve, and immediately hold under the cold tap, turning the kale until it has cooled right down.
Squeeze out the excess water, and put in a food processor with 1-2 medium cloves crushed garlic, 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts, 4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar Puree slowly, while pouring in 1/2 cup olive oil. Continue puréeing, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary, until all oil is incorporated and mixture is smooth, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper..
Serve your roasted veg accompanied by the dip- and make sure you both eat the garlicky pesto!
Red wine to match!

Now all we need is some brave users to tell us what a difference a beetroot made to their Valentine's Day!

THE GRAND PLAN!

January is the month for forward planning on the farm. It's the time when we review what we grew last year, and how successful it was (difficult when the farm spent most of the summer under water...), should we be trying new crops, were there big "hungry gaps" in our programme?
We'd really appreciate feedback from our customers on this, both from farmer's markets and the delivery rounds. Are there certain crops that you would like to see more-or less!- of,would you welcome new varieties, do you really wish there was something we grow that we don't?
As organic farmers, we have to make sure that plants in the same botanical family are rotated around the farm, to avoid disease build up. For example, cabbages and swedes are closely related, and are attacked by the same pests, so each year they must be grown on a different part of the farm, taking about 5 years before they come back to their original spot.
Coupled with that, we have to provide an interesting range of vegetables 12 months of the year. These are planted starting in February right through to October, and many crops, such as lettuce and broccoli, are planted every week to provide a continuous supply right through the season.
On top of all that, we have to use organic seeds and plants, so to ensure that they are available, we must order well in advance. So for a week or two, my desk resmbles a bomb site, with seed catalogues and scribbled notes, emails to plant raisers and seed companies, and a huge reminder chart hung on my wall. Needless to say, with over 60 different crops growing, nothing ever goes quite to plan!
So you can look at the seasonality chart for Eden Farms veg, I've tried various ways to persuade blogger to let me load this. No luck!! So I'm pasting the link to my carefully crafted google document below, see if you can look at it; and if anyone knows how to make this display as its supposed to, let me know!!
When you are looking at the chart, I have tried to show when some of our common veg are not available from the farm, and have to be imported- for example, although we supply tomatoes 12 months of the year, we only grow them on the farm for 5 months.
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=ppfBX0ksfpJ0-6VmixK94ZQ
In response to last season's atrocious weather, we have put up half an acre of polytunnels. This is an exciting new project, and we are looking forward to extending the range and season of some of the crops we currently grow, plus I have one or two new ideas that I'm experimenting with: more news on that later in the year.
Meanwhile, the seeds are arriving, the potatoes are set in trays to chit (grow) before planting, and theres a sort of simmering excitement as the days start to draw out. I realise it's all a bit premature, we no doubt have weeks of rain and frost ahead, but at least there's the hope of spring up ahead!
Remember, you can respond to this blog online and have your opinions published too!

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