The pumpkin and squash harvest
The volunteers have been busy today harvesting the pumpkins and squash, including one which needed its own transport to the shed.
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The Calendula’s are in oil….
The dried calendula flowers are now soaking in sweet almond oil …watch this space for the next step.
Plum Tarte Tartin
One of our volunteers favourite plum recipe….not her own…but courtesy of Jamie Oliver!
600g ripe mixed-colour plums
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
120ml maple syrup
320g sheet of all-butter puff pastry (cold)
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 220ºC/425ºF/gas 7.
- Place a 26cm non-stick ovenproof frying pan on a medium heat.
- Halve and destone the plums, add to the pan with 30ml of water, and cook for 1 minute.
- From a height, sprinkle over half the cinnamon, then evenly pour over the maple syrup.
- Place the pastry over the plums, using a wooden spoon to push it into the edges of the pan, and trimming off any excess to patch up little gaps, if needed.
- Bake at the bottom of the oven for 16 minutes, or until golden and puffed up.
- Making sure you use oven gloves to protect your hands, confidently and very carefully turn the tarte out on to a plate bigger than the pan.
- Dish up with nice round scoops of ice cream, sprinkle over the remaining cinnamon from a height and drizzle lightly with extra virgin olive oil before serving.
Calendula update ….
The Calendula’s have dried and are now soaking in sweet almond oil…..
Learning to use a Scythe
This morning Roger, showed one of our youngest volunteers how to use a scythe. This is a traditional way to cut grass and was used to cut the wildflower meadow. This will help the wildflower seeds reach the soil and grow next year. Cutting also removes the tall grass and dead plants, which stops them building up and making the soil too rich. Strong grasses and weeds can then take over and push out the wildflowers.
Bees enjoying the flower garden
Bees collecting nectar from various flowers in our wildflower garden this morning.
Echinacea and Butterflies
The butterflies are enjoying the Echinacea this morning
Volunteer Curry Night
On Sunday the volunteers enjoyed an evening get together at Shedquaters. We prepared and chopped the Holme Grown courgettes, onions, tomatoes and garlic and cooked a delicious curry in our little kitchen. The curry was a well loved Riverford Courgette Chickpea and Coconut Curry recipe Courgette, chickpea and coconut curry recipe / Riverford We also ate onion bhajis made with our own onions. A lovely evening was had by all sharing the produce we have grown here…a real field to fork experience!
Drying Calendulas
We are currently drying our Calendulas. Once fully dry we can then make infused oil and balms. These are well known for their soothing, healing and anti-inflammatory properties. The process is easy and we will update you when they are dry and ready….why not try it? A great thing to do with the children in the summer holidays.
Gardeners’ World!
Tune into Gardeners’ World on 17th July to watch a feature on Holme Grown Eastby! Here are the film crew in action at HQ.
