Church FarmYour Monthly Newsletter

Friday 27th January 2012

A Note from the Grower

Lately I’ve been going through our young orchard of top fruit, pruning the apple trees (and counting any casualties that will need replacing). This is a daunting job for many gardeners, as the thought of cutting immature trees back seems to be a basically destructive act, going against the very idea of growing. But it is worth doing and doing well; most fruit trees respond very well to careful pruning. Unpruned trees tend to produce masses of tiny fruit at the top of the tree, out of reach. But don’t overdo it or you’ll end up with poor crops of oversize and tasteless fruit. The main objectives of pruning are to train the tree into a particular shape such as a bush or pyramid (ours are bushes), with a strong, balanced framework; to safeguard the health of the tree by removing any dead, diseased or damaged shoots; to maintain an open, uncluttered structure easily penetrated by air and light, and to stimulate abundant fruit of a good size. Vigorous, vertically growing shoots can be cut back by about a third, while the weaker of any crossing or rubbing shoots, or any growing into the centre of the tree, should be removed completely. If two shoots are growing in parallel and occupying the same space, the weaker should be removed, as these will compete with each other if both are allowed to develop. Cuts are made just a few millimetres above an outward facing bud. Branches that are converging can be trained to diverge by selecting buds that face away from each other. I’m certainly no master at this, but it can be very rewarding to begin with a tree that has got a little untidy, and finish with something well balanced, open and attractive. By the way, I had an excellent meal at the Jolly Waggoner the other night. The salad was particularly good. RikThe photos above are of the same tree, before (left) and after (right) pruning.

A very big thank-you to all of our customers who support Church Farm by eating the food from our cafe, store, pub and box scheme. Due to your involvement, we are able to create local jobs and contribute to the community, as well as farm in an “agro-ecological” way. This means that we farm a wide variety of fruit, vegetables, and animals, and make space for wildlife as well.

The Farm extends to 176 acres and comprises:

• New orchard of 8 acres, 130 varieties of fruit: apples, gages, plums, cherries, quince, medlar, pears, damsons, mulberries and more...

• Vicarage Field: 2 acre soft fruit enclosure, a little bit of ‘every berry’

• 50 Black Welsh Mountain & 50 Lleyn sheep & rams

• 30 Red Poll cattle & bull plus followers• 20 British Lop & 20 Berkshire breeding sows

plus boars• 400 Light Sussex, Cuckoo Maran, Black Rock,

Rhode Island and White Leghorn Laying hens• 300 Poulet Anglais outdoor reared poultry• 300 Norfolk Black turkeys (from June - Dec)• 100 Embden geese, 100 Aylesbury ducks (from

June - Dec)• 3 Bee hives & Apiary Garden• 20 acres of new woods in-filled with wild

cherry and hazel• 2 acre walnut orchard• 2 acres of wild bird seeds and pollen/nectar mix• 30 acres of woods: 3 acres of ancient hornbeam

coppice, 7 acres of established 60 year old woodland and 20 acres of mixed, mainly hardwoods, planted over the past 10 years

• 2 acres of rough nesting ground amongst a line of old clay pits

• 2 ponds established in 1996, two more flood ponds and a new pond in the vegetable gardens

• Beards Oak Kitchen Gardens: 8 acres growing over 200 varieties of vegetables and herbs

We’d love for you to come and take a look at all of this, our paths are free to walk, and there’s no charge for our car park either! A great day out.

- Tim the farmer

Farm Progress

Very sharp Seville oranges are best in this classic dish, named after the mistress of Charles II. If you are using sweet oranges, add a squeeze of lemon juice to ensure a tangy flavour.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients 1 duck, about 2.25kg (5lb) Pinch of cayenne pepper ¼ teaspoon ground cloves Salt and black pepper 4 oranges, Seville if in season 125ml (4fl oz) medium sherry 1½ teaspoons cornflour 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint 1 tablespoon runny honey Orange wedges and mint sprigs to garnish

Method1. Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F, gas mark 6). Remove any excess fat from the openings of the duck. Rub the cayenne pepper, cloves, salt and black pepper into the skin. Cut one orange into wedges and tuck the wedges inside the cavity.2. Place the duck on a rack in a roasting tin and roast in the oven for 30 minutes. Prick the skin all over with a fork, then reduce to 180°C (350°F, gas mark 4) and roast for a further 1¼-1½ hours, or until cooked but with the juices running slightly pink when the thickest part is pierced. Pour off the excess fat once or twice during cooking.3. Remove the zest from the remaining oranges, then squeeze the juice into a bowl. Remove the duck on its rack from the tin, cover with foil and set aside to rest. Skim the fat from the juices and add the sherry to deglaze the tin, stirring over a moderate heat.4. Blend the cornflour to a paste with a little of the orange juice, then stir in the remaining juice. Add to the tin, stirring until boiling, thickened and clear. Stir in the orange zest, chopped mint and honey and boil for 1 minute. Add salt and pepper to taste.5. To serve, cut the duck into quarters with a heavy knife or poultry shears, pour over the orange sauce and garnish with orange wedges and mint sprigs. Serve with fresh minted peas and boiled potatoes.

Nell Gwynn’s Spiced Duck with Oranges

recipe: http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/4097/nell-gwynn-s-spiced-duck-with-oranges.aspx; image: http://lukehoney.typepad.com/the_greasy_spoon/2008/03/duck-a-la-orang.html

Serves 6-8

Ingredients1 lb (450 g) carrots 1 lb 8 oz (700 g) Jerusalem artichokes (weight before peeling) 3 oz (75 g) butter 1 medium onion, peeled and roughly chopped 3 celery stalks, chopped 1.5 litres (2½ pints) hot vegetable stock salt and freshly milled black pepperTo garnish6-8 level teaspoons crème fraîche fresh flat-leaf parsley

MethodStart by peeling and de-knobbling the artichokes and, as you peel them, cut them into rough chunks and place them in a bowl of cold salted water to prevent them from discolouring. Then, scrape the carrots and slice them into largish chunks.Now, in a large saucepan, melt the butter and soften the onion and celery in it for 5 minutes, keeping the heat fairly low. Next, drain the artichokes and add them to the pan, along with the carrots. Add some salt and, keeping the heat very low, put a lid on and let the vegetables sweat for 10 minutes to release their juices.After that, pour in the hot stock, stir well, put the lid back on and simmer, very gently, for a further 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft.Now liquidise the soup in two batches, then return it to the pan, taste to check the seasoning and reheat very gently until it just comes to simmering point.Serve in hot soup bowls, each garnished with a swirl of crème fraîche and a few leaves of the parsley.

Carrot and Jerusalem Artichoke Soup

http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/type-of-dish/soups/carrot-and-artichoke-soup.html

Busy January PigsThis month, our sows have had an incredible 100 piglets! There have been 9 litters, the biggest containing 13. You can head up to Great Field to visit the pigs, or see the litter we have brought down to Home Field (the piglets in there were born on Christmas Day!).

The last Saturday of each month sees a group of the box scheme members from our Crouch End drop-point come to volunteer on the farm. The work they do ranges across all of the activities that take place on the farm, and their visits not only contribute to the success of the farm but also help them to see where their food comes from.

These visits are organised by Sam, and he would love to open them up to all of our farm box members. The next one is this week (28th Jan), and if you would like to join this or any future volunteer day (the last saturday of every month), please email him on sam@churchfarmardeley.co.uk.

If you’d like to come down to volunteer with us at any other time, we’d love to work with you and show you more of the farm. To arrange this, please email info@churchfarmardeley.co.uk, or call anytime.

Member Volunteer Days

Get together a team of 4 and come along to the pub this Wednesday (1st Feb). Teams contribute £5 towards a local charity, and get nibbles and an evening of challenging questions in return!

Charity Quiz Night at the Jolly Waggoner

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

What’s in my box next week?

MEATFarm VarietySausages, shoulder of lamb, pork stir fry strips, minced beef, back bacon, chicken portion

Lean Cuts (NEW FOR 2012)Skinny sausages, skinless chicken fillets, extra lean minced beef, trimmed lamb steaks

Old English CutsLambs liver, shoulder of lamb, pork stir fry strips, stock pot bag.

Premium SelectionSausages, leg of lamb, back bacon.

VEGETABLESExtra Small (6 varieties)Potatoes, carrots, onions, leeks, white mushrooms, celery

Small (8 varieties)Red ramiro pepper, savoy cabbage

Medium (10 varieties)Green kale bunch, baby parsnips

Large (12 varieties)Beetroot, cauliflower

Extra Large (15 varieties)Aubergine, celeriac, yellow pepper

FRUITConference pears, bananas, jangored apples, clementines, black seedless grapes, mangoes

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.

Goal-setting in Rural CareThis week saw the start of our bi-annual setting of goals for our co-farmers. Every 6 months we aim to give each co-farmer 3 goals to aim for, 2 are work based and 1 is a personal goal. This helps give their time here more structure and is something for them to aim towards, and gives a good sense of satisfaction when each goal is ticked off! This week, one of the team said he would like to do more landscape gardening, someone else wished to learn how to chop kindling for the fires properly, and another goal was to try out new jobs. The process gives us a chance to assess how everyone is progressing and ensure they are enjoying their days at Rural Care. Elsewhere this week, we sowed our first seeds of the year on behalf of the horticulture team, the runt piglets that we have been feeding by hand are starting to look very strong and healthy, and we have collected and cut enough firewood to see us through the rest of winter!

Real Ales: Real Food : Warm Welcome at the

Jolly Waggoner

Now taking bookings for Valentine’s Day and Mothers’

Day. Book a table today to avoid disappointment!

Call 01438 861 350

www.thejollywaggoner.co.uk

Getting the Best from your BoxPurple Sprouting BroccoliIt’s another slightly odd looking but very tasty vegetable in this week’s boxes. Broccoli has been grown in the UK since the early 18th century, but the purple sprouting variety has only risen to prominence in the last 30 years, and is still unfamiliar to some.It’s a fantastic Winter crop, that withstands all the worst of this country’s weather and still comes up tasting succulent and healthy. Being the perfect veg for this season, it’s packed with vitamin C, and is a good source of caretenoids, iron, folic acid, calcium, fibre and vitamin A.You can steam or boil it as a side dish, or just throw some in the pot whenever you’re doing soups, stews and stir-frys. The lovely colour brightens any dish, and ups its nutrition as well.

Sources: http://eattheseasons.co.uk/Archive/purple_sprouting_broccoli.htm, http://www.beautifulactivenourished.com/nutrition/eat-the-seasons/

Church Farm PigsBerkshires and British LopsThe Berkshire pig (top right) is the oldest recorded pedigree pig in Great Britain, it is known to have existed here for three and a half centuries. Sadly the number of Berkshire pigs is dwindling. According to the Rare Breeds Survival Trust the breed is considered ‘at risk.’ The Berkshire is a medium-small animal, black with white points .

The British Lop pig (bottom right) originated in Devon and Cornwall and for most of its early history was completely unknown outside of this area. It is now one of the rarest British breed of pigs, being classified as ‘vulnerable’. They are good mothers, and are very docile, which makes them easy to keep.

This week, our rare-breed, high-welfare pork is on offer in the Church Farm shop, legs on the bone are only £5.99/kg.

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

The Church Farm Box SchemeIf you’re not yet a member of our box scheme, but would like to make a healthy change for 2012, here’s a little bit of information to help you decide.

Small Vegetable Box (8 portions)

1 large red ramiro pepper

1 head of fennel

5 white sante potatoes

1 head of cauliflower1 head of broccoli

2 large courgettes

3 red and 2 white onions

6 carrots

Small Fruit Box (3 portions) with Essentials

6 conference pears

5 jangored apples

1 large granary loaf

6 large free-range eggs

2 grapefruits

Small Farm Variety Meat Box

500g Minced Beef

6 TraditionalEnglish Sausages

350g Dry Cured Back Bacon

1.4kg Lamb Shoulder

350g Gammon Steak

Sample Boxes Our box scheme allows you to enjoy farm fresh produce in the way that best suits you.

Each farm box is tailored by you and can contain all or a selection of Church Farm high-welfare, free-range meat; the best tasting heritage varieties of vegetables; fresh free-range eggs; non-airfreighted fruit; organic cheese, butter and milk; and fresh bread, handmade by our on-site baker. Picked, packed and available for free home delivery or collection.

Delivery is free within 10 miles of the farm (min order £10), and to drop-points at Odyssey Health Club, Knebworth, Dalston, London, Crouch End, London, Muswell Hill, London (full times and addresses of drop off points can be found on our website).

How To OrderSTEP 1 Choose the size and make-up of your box (see our website for details)STEP 2 Decide your delivery/collection and payment methodSTEP 3 Place your order by

• Calling 01438 861 447 • Emailing info@churchfarmardeley.co.uk • Online: www.churchfarmardeley.co.uk • Visiting the Farm Store

Join this January to get free bread in your box for a month