Green Pastures Christmas Popcorn

"Popcorn Like You've Never Tasted it Before!"

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You Will Need;

Popping Corn, approx 200g

Castor Sugar, to taste

Mixed Spice, 1tsp or to taste

Nutmeg (freshly grated), to taste

1 Whole Orange Zest

1 Whole Lemon Zest

Butter, approx 250g

Method;

• Pop your corn in a tight lidded pan or in a popcorn maker. Set aside whilst you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
• Melt the butter in a pan and mix in the mixed spice, grate in a whole lemon, orange and nutmeg.
• Pour over the fresh popcorn and sprinkle with the sugar.
• Give the bowl a stir and a shake.
• Smell the Christmas cheer and tuck into a popping spiced Christmas treat!

Turkey and Brussels Bubble and Squeak Cakes with Red Pepper Sauce

(Recipe courtesy of Robert Garner, our Turkey Farmer!)

Serves 4

For the Cakes;

You will Need;

1kg floury potatoes, peeled, washed and cut into chunks

60g butter

200g Brussels sprouts, trimmed

1 small onion, peeled and very finely diced

300g cooked Totally Traditional Turkey, skinned and chopped

50g plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper

Rapeseed oil, for frying

Sea salt and black pepper

A little freshly grated nutmeg

4 eggs, poached

Rocket, to serve

Method:

• Boil the potatoes in salted water for 15 minutes until tender, drain, add half of the butter and mash well. 
• Meanwhile cook the Brussels sprouts for 5 minutes until just tender, drain, cool and shake dry and shred finely.
• Heat the remaining butter in a frying pan and fry the onion until just soft, cool slightly and add to the mashed potato.
• Mix the sprouts with the turkey, potato and cooked onion and season to taste. 
• Leave until cool enough to handle then shape into 8 cakes.
• Tip the flour onto a plate, coat the cakes, and gently tap off the excess flour.
• Heat a large frying pan and shallow fry the cake in rapeseed oil, do this in batches for 4 minutes each side, turning carefully.
• Drain on kitchen paper and transfer to a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper.
• Serve with a little rocket, poached eggs, red pepper sauce (see below) and rocket.

For the Sauce

You will Need;

2 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, peeled and chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed

1 450g jar roasted red peppers, drained

1 tsp red wine vinegar

½ tsp caster sugar

Sea salt and black pepper

Method:

• Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the onion and garlic, fry over a low heat until the onion has softened. 
• Add the red peppers and cook until they are heated through.  
• Transfer the mixture to a food processor, add the vinegar and sugar and season with sea salt and black pepper, blend until smooth.  
• Add a little water if you require a thinner consistency. Serve warm or cold. 

This sauce will keep for up to 5 days in a fridge or freeze  any sauce leftover.

Tip: You can use leftover mashed potato and cooked Brussels sprouts.

Sarah's Seasonal Roast Potatoes

Transform your roasties by following Sarah's simple steps. 

You will need;

Desiree Potatoes this is one of the very best potato varieties for roasting as they keep their shape well whilst the centre is nice and fluffy. We love the flavour too; a proper "potato" taste!

Goose or Duck Fat

Fresh Rosemary

Semolina

Christmas Tunes (optional!)



Method;

• Peel Potatoes
• Par boil for approx 5 mins or until there is a little give in the potatoes.
• Meanwhile get your roasting pan nice and hot with goose or duck fat.
• Chop fresh rosemary into almost a bread crumb consistency.
• Once the potatoes are par boiled, drain and leave them to steam under a tea towel
• Shake up the potatoes to rough-up the outsides and put into the roasting pan.
• Sprinkle over a dusting of Semolina and baste the potatoes.
• Finally, sprinkle over the Rosemary. Do a little Christmas as you do this!
• Pop into the oven at 200 degrees C for approx 45mins. 
• Baste again if you wish and they will be as crisp and as fluffy as Santa's beard!

MARK'S ALLOTMENT TRANSFORMATION!

As you possibly read in my first update I started my allotment way back in the spring and luckily had some holiday due so I got to work and cleared the weedy site and dug it over in no-time. It sounds so easy reading that back,but it was hard back-breaking work that I wouldn't want to repeat in a hurry ! Next was the building of the raised beds. Yes, wood is expensive, but I acquired mine really cheaply and if you look around (places like Ebay and Gumtree) I'm sure you could pick some up too. I treated mine with a preservative and  constructed them by screwing the wood  to 18'' pressure-treated 2 X 2.

I then had a couple of loads of mushroom compost delivered,which was barrow loaded into the beds. At this point the beds were only half full,but cost was an issue and I will gradually add more over the next few seasons (see later photo.....a great mushroom crop just from using the compost !) I took advantage of this improved soil to plant up a cottage border at the far end of the plot with plants brought from my own garden, so at least I now had something growing in my new plot.

By this time,the soil was warming up and the weeds had started to grow in earnest. I wanted to start with a 'clean' plot so I decided this time (and only this time) to use a herbicide. I used RoundUp,which I found did the trick,though I did have to repeat the dose as there were several patches of perennial 'thugs' to eradicate.

I had decided to cover the paths in woodchip. Not only does it keep down the weeds,keep in moisture but it looks good too. I found a supplier in the free ads paper,whom was reasonable and could deliver at the drop of a hat. I used weed control fabric underneath the woodchip,for obvious reasons and the finished paths looked very pleasing indeed.

It then occurred to me that I had been so busy doing all the ground work that I hadn't yet planted any fruit and veg (whoops). The weather then took a turn for the worse and I couldn't actually do any work for a week or so,but when the sun finally came out I filled several of the beds with seeds,planted a whole bed of strawberries and planted an apple and a plum tree (from Green Pastures,of course!)

At this point I grew rather fond of my plot and pleased with all the work I had put in, so I entered it in the Norwich In Bloom competition in the best new' allotment category. Judging was due to take place in the second week of July,so I needed to get my skates on if it were to be ready on time.

I still had no shed at this point and spent several evenings on my PC looking for good deals, but it was hard work and I kept getting side-tracked and ending up on Facebook ! I tried bidding on a few on Ebay,but lost out each time, so I then just asked around and managed to pick one up AND get it delivered very cheaply. It took a while to erect (as neither myself nor my friend had ever built one before),but we had lot's of fun trying and after a paint job it looked as good as new and ready for action. As all of my tools had been stolen a few months earlier ( a long story!), I now had an amazing  8' X 6' shed,but only a fork, a trowel and a hand fork to keep inside it ! (this did change and I now have a plethora of gardening implements at my disposal).

The End of June was here and some of my crops were beginning to ripen,but I didn't want gaps in the rows for judging,so I still had to buy my veg from the farm-shop ! Crazy,I know,but I was now really serious about the competition. I put up a couple of archways ,bought a table and chairs and just weeded,snipped,pruned,watered and waited for judging.

Judging was to take place sometime over five days,so each evening I had to visit the plot,water and weed where necessary and then go back home to cook my 'purchased' vegetables and not be tempted by the massive crops that were now waiting for me to pick and eat. By the Saturday,I knew it was all over so I ate my first delicious produce and smiled to myself.

A week went by and I thought I hadn't won .......... but.......I had!!!!  I'd won the Best New Allotment In Norwich !! Yay!!!!

Here's to next year. Mark.

Sarah's Spiced Pumpkin Muffin Recipe

Spiced Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients:

175ml sunflower oil

175ml Light muscovado sugar

3 Large eggs

1tsp vanilla extract

200g coarsely grated pumpkin flesh (squeeze out any water from the flesh)

100g sultanas

Zest of one orange

2 tsp ground cinnamon

200g Self raising flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

For the frosting

200g tub full fat cream cheese

85g icing sugar

Toasted chopped pecans to decorate

1.   Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line a 12-hole muffin tray with paper cases. Pour the oil into a large bowl and add the sugar, eggs and vanilla. Beat together, and then add the grated pumpkin, sultanas and orange zest.

2.   Stir in the cinnamon, flour and bicarbonate of soda, the mixture will be quite wet. Spoon into the cases. Bake for 25 mins until firm and springy to the touch and a skewer inserted in the centre of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack. At this stage you can freeze the cakes for 4 months.

3.   To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth then spread on top of the cupcakes. Leave plain or decorate with toasted pecans. Store in the fridge, but return to room temperature to serve for the best flavor and texture.

Weeds, More Weeds and Jerusalem Artichokes

Mark’s March Allotment Update

Welcome to Mark’s monthly allotment update. Mark, the newest member of “The Green Team”, has been an avid allotment gardener for many years. Through our blog he tells the story as he gardens through the year on his brand new allotment plot.  

This month’s update concerns those pesky plants we could all do without! March was so warm that they shot into active growth earlier than usual and with this wet spell they will soon take over if we aren't ready. Within my raised beds I shall either hand weed or hoe throughout the season to keep them weed free, but the paths inbetween are a different matter. When we either move house or change allotment' plot it's always exciting to see what plants we have inherited and to make the decision whether to leave alone to flourish or to compost those surprises. I have to say that all I have ended up with are large areas full of bindweed and jerusalem artichokes !

Yes, artichokes are delicious either mashed with a little cream or oven roasted with a clove or two of garlic, but I really don't need or want the amount I have. The previous plot holder seems to have had a 1m wide hedge of them running the whole length of the site (great .?).

I have several options, like trying to dig them up, weakening them by regular use of a hoe or the third option ..........using a herbicide. Like many people I have a busy life and really don't want to have to be constantly weeding on my precious days off. I also want the problem sorted soon as I'm covering the paths with both weed control fabric and a thick layer of woodchip.

Weedkiller seems to be the way forward. Like many chemicals on the market today, manufacturers make them as safe as they possibly can for domestic use that sometimes strength of the active ingredients is reduced. This is great for the environment and just means that several applications may be needed. Anything with Glyphosate listed on the bottle/pack is of great use for this type of job; great for tough perennial weeds and becomes inactive when it either dries or comes in contact with the soil. Roundup is an easy one to remember, but there are many others to chose from, but just remember to use on a calm day, when the weeds are actively growing and to shield any plants you want to survive ! As I'm covering the area with weed fabric then I will only use one application. By the way, if there were only annual weeds in the area I wouldn't bother with the weedkiller as the fabric would cut out the light and soon kill the weed seedlings.

Next to tackle is the dreaded bindweed.

Bindweed is, of course, a cousin of the delightful morning glory. Must say it's such a pity that the former is much more prolific, hardy and tougher than it's rather delicate relation. The new growth emerging within the path area will be treated and killed with the herbicide, but the patches I have discovered already growing through my herbaceous border are a different matter. Digging out the roots is too difficult within such a bed, but there is a way. I have found that if you push a bamboo cane into the soil near each shoot, then it will climb up it (away from your plants) and this lush growth can be painted with a herbicide gel. Make sure you let the plant reach at least halfway up as the more leaves you coat the quicker it will die. Hopefully that will do the trick,but be patient as bindweed is surely in the top five of gardeners' worst weeds to control.

Next time we will have had some nicer weather (we all hope),so I will have done some sowing, planting and some of the more fun jobs within my plot.

Virginia Food & Drink Tour Part 3, "Agritourism"

The final stops on our tour of Virginia opened our eyes to another whole aspect of farm marketing to which most of Brits are largely unfamiliar, "Agritourism". This is where a farm opens its gates and markets itself as a leisure destination and as we were to discover this can sometimes encompass some extremely creative ideas!

During our "Virginian Food & Drink Tour" we were to encounter some quite different kinds and sizes of farms that had diversified into a whole range of activities to compliment their growing.  Our next stop was Great Country Farms, Bluemont, at the base of the famous Blue Ridge Mountains (remember the Laurel and Hardy song?) and is the home of the Zurschmeide family. Their 200 acre farm grows an impressive selection of fresh fruit and vegetables, including a sizeable Pick Your Own operation (often called "U-Pick" in America) offering Strawberries, Blueberries, Peaches, Potatoes and Pumpkins among others. 

It clearly wasn't long before Great Country Farm discovered the potential of adding activities to their property and over the last 15 years or so this is exactly what they have been doing. They now offer walkthrough mazes, puzzles, hayrides, a barnyard (animals), gem mine, jumping pillow (pictured above) and a cow train. Add to this facilities for hosting school trips, corporate events and even weddings! Pictured below is "The Stable", a hugely impressive building redeveloped specifically with weddings in mind with one of its biggest assets being a spectacular view over the Blue Ridge Mountains.  This is all quite typical of how the creative minded American fruit farmer has developed their business in recent years.

Farm related events are another important sphere of a farm business like this, each one pulling hundreds and more often thousands of visitors in a very short space of time. Parking and crowd control can be quite serious issues! Here at Great Country Farm annual events include Marshmallow Harvest, Cider Festival, Strawberry Jubilee, Barbeque and Blackberry Bonanza, Peach Festival, Fall Festival and James's favourite, "Pumpkin Chunkin"!

Our next stop on tour was a very short journey just across the road from the Zurshmeide's farm to yet another activity of theirs, the Bluemont Vineyard. At 951ft above sea level the vineyard enjoys the same spectacular view as The Stable; it was once the family home but is now home to "The Winery", a superb facility including wine tasting, meals and a retail outlet. Fortunately our tour allowed some time for just a little bit of wine tasting!

If you ever wondered how to build a theme park on a budget, take a look at our next stop on Day 3 of our tour, Chesterfield Berry Farm in Mosely. The farm (including a pick your own unit) grows over 50 different varieties of fruit and vegetables and whilst it might not have quite that many attractions it cant be too far short! The most memorable on our part was the "Corn Gun". Imagine a mortar gun that fires cobs of maize and that's the corn gun....fantastic fun!!! (Note in the picture below how far away the target is in the distance; we wondered if they really do shoot that far and are the public really allowed to walk by within the line of fire!?!)

Other activities at Chesterfield include a Scary House, Paintball Range, Goat Walk, Trailer Rides, Hay Tunnel Jump, Pony Rides to name but a few. Pictured below is a visitors snap of the Hog Racing during the open season!

We can't talk about agritourism without mentioning the king of attractions, the Corn Maze! Us Brits are no strangers to the "Maize Maze" of course and they were well represented among our group of British travellers (check out Milton Maize Maze in Cambridge www.themiltonmaizemaize.co.uk and Tulleys Farm in Crawley www.tulleysfarm.com). Its probably no surprise to learn that this have become a really big deal over in the States and every year now sees more and more creative designs, themes and activities incorporated within them.

Finally we have to mention two of our fellow bus tour travellers, Kyla and Kirtsen Vala of "Vala's Pumpkin Patch" in Omaha, Nebraska widely regarded as the market leaders in their field. In 29 years their family farm has developed into a major attraction that hosts over 245,000 visitors in just 40 days (they're closed the rest of the year to recover!!!) and employs a staggering 600 staff, many of them actors! We can't wait to visit them one day!!! www.valaspumpkinpatch.com