The voice of East Essex Smallholders Group
Issue 1: January 2012
Forthcoming Meetings and Events
from the Editor
Happy New Year to all our members; old and new.
Sorry this month’s newsletter is a little late due to unforeseen circumstances! (I seem to be having a little trouble getting myself back into gear since the Christmas festivities)
I hope you all had a very good Christmas and that Father Christmas brought you all you wished for.
Many of our members were producing their own home grown or home reared produce this Christmas; I hope all was as delicious as expected.
We were very pleased with our Kelly Bronze turkey that was reared from a poult and will definitely rear more next year.
Come to the Members Meeting on Tuesday 21 February 2012 To find out more
17 January 12 Chilly Beginnings Blue Boar Hotel 7pm for 7.30pm
21 February 12 All things Honey Blue Boar Hotel 7pm for 7.30pm
20 March 12 Essex Man visits to talk Cold Turkey Blue Boar Hotel 7pm for 7.30pm
22 April 12 Spinning Course £15 Register now few places left
24 May 12 Blackwater Country Show
18 July 12 Southminster Flower Show
August 12 Bell Meadow Show Woodham Walter
Beekeeping..... to have or not to have..
Recipe of the Month - Smoked Fish Pie
Ingredients:
700g (1 1⁄2 lb) floury potatoes peeled and chopped (Maris Piper)
25g (1oz) butter
1 tbsp plain flour
1⁄2 onion finely chopped
75ml (3fl oz) cream, preferably double but single will suffice
150ml (3⁄4 pint) hot vegetable stock
A big glug of white wine
15g (1⁄2 oz) grated parmesan, mozzarella or cheddar will suffice
2 tsp Dijon mustard
350g (12oz) undyed skinless smoked haddock (my fav), or Pollock, cod, bream
150g (4 1⁄4 oz) king prawns
140g (4 1⁄2 oz) frozen peas Salt and ground pepper (optional, but I like my black pepper)
Preparation:
Boil potatoes, drain and mash using a generous amount of butter (I like to use more than is probably advisable), season.
Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan assisted), gas 7.
Melt the remaining butter (or more) in a large pan, and then add flour and onion, cooking for about 10mins or until onion is soft and golden. Add the cream, stock, wine, parmesan, and mustard, stir together and season (have I mentioned black pepper?).
Add fish and peas, and then turn off the heat. Stir mix carefully as not to break the fish up too much; it’s nice to have a few meaty fish chunks!
You will need a dish of approx 4 pints or 2 1⁄2 litre capacity, oven proof. Pour in the mixture, cover with mash, and oven bake for 15-20 mins until fish is cooked.
Serve.
There is usually plenty of sauce from the pie, so I like to serve with mange tout or fresh asparagus, or whatever your fancy tickles.
Just a thought, you could try including sweet potato within the mash (I haven’t yet but will now that I have thought of it)
Certainly not to be consumed without a nice chilled white wine, and I’d like to recommend a very reasonably priced table white I discovered a few years back when I attended a wine tasting evening by the owner of Felstar Brewery. They produce Black Notley which is very pleasant to drink on its own or with food.
No, I’m not on commission
Christmas gNosh
Blue Boar Hotel Silver Street Maldon
7pm
Tuesday 13 December saw our second Christmas gathering and what a lovely evening we all had.| Raffle with prizes donated by various local businesses |
Members arrived from 7.30 and were greeted by committee members and a glass of chilled sparkling wine to get all in the mood, Christmas music was gentling playing in the background.
The Bar area was covered in some wonderful raffle prizes
Homemade chocolate truffles from member Toni, homemade mincemeat from Nick and a bottle of the very very tasty sloe gin made by Wayne (if you have been lucky enough to partake in a glass or possible two I think you will agree) - Gareth was very disappointed not to have the winning ticket for that !! A big Thank you to all members and local businesses who donated and I am told we raised £125 to go into our new East Essex Smallholders Bank account.
Soon we were tucking into the wonderful Buffet laid on by the Blue Boar with something there to tickle everyone’s tastebuds: creamy Coronation chicken, salmon, beef, and some mouth watering pate, salads and, my favourite ,cous cous and fresh rolls.
Then to the Raffle organised and arranged beautifully by Helen. All was going to plan until a few rouge tickets were pulled from the pot which left Carlie a little lost for words which is very unusual! It then came to light it was my fault!! I had folded tickets that hadn’t been sold (note to self must try harder next year)
Two members were on a winning streak; Luke and Isabelle had multiple wins although I think most people won something.
A short speech by the Chairman Dani, followed, who listed some of our various achievements through 2011.
• Website and blog
• Committee –with a constitution and vision of what we are about and what we wish to achieve.
• Bank account
• Three fantastic shows we attended
• Outings to Fambridge Deer farm and Tiptree Jam
• Pig butchery and husbandry courses
• Our very successful sausage tasting evening
• Guest speakers
• Opportunities to apple press and smoke
• Press coverage
Finally, Dani thanked the committee and members for all their hard work and support over 2011.
We then continued with the evening in the usual East Essex Smallholders way with more chit chat and banter finished with cheese biscuits and homemade mince pies.
A great evening.
Dig It
I hope you all had a most enjoyable Christmas and managed to
get some of your hard worked for produce on the plate even if it was only
Onions!
| Winter is a good time to wash all your pots |
There really is not a lot to do outside at the moment apart
from cleaning out old Brassicas and dead tops off the soil. If you did manage
to get a part of the plot dug over it is probably in a condition where it can
be roughly worked over and raked flat.
It is worth covering over a small area
with cloches or polythene to dry it out and start warming it up ready for an
early sowing of spring Brassicas and
Shallots at the end of February or early March depending on conditions.
If it
is not too freezing and wet you could also get in early Peas, Spinach and
Carrots, do get the winter varieties though. So a little effort now will be
well worth it with a nice early start of fresh vegetables.
Under glass you can keep Salad Leaves and Winter Lettuce
going as well as a lot of different herbs such as Parsley, Sage, Basil and
Tarragon.
So it might be wet, cold and grey but we will soon be able
to see our first green shoots of the season.
Best wishes for
the New Year Terry
the New Year Terry
If you have any questions about growing fruit and veg, or
are having problems in the garden, email Terry at
Caption Competition Winner
Yes, I am this beautiful, live with it; I do!
Yes, I am this beautiful, live with it, I do!
January Caption Competition
Come up with a caption for this photo of our very own Darren (PR extraordinare) and send to
Come up with a caption for this photo of our very own Darren (PR extraordinare)
and send to Donna@eastessexsmallholders.org.uk
Contact details:
For information on joining: Email: membership@eastessexsmallholders.org.uk
Post: 4 Brockley Cottages, Ulting, Maldon CM9 6QX
For information on Events and monthly meetings/visits: Email: events@eastessexsmallholders.org.uk
For general information: Email: info@eastessexsmallholders.org.uk
For news and press enquiries: Email: events@eastesexsmallholders.org.uk
For advertising livestock or other produce: Email: advertising@eastessexsmallholders.org.uk
To contact our Chair - Danielle Perkins Email:chair@eastessexsmallholders.org.uk
To contact our Treasurer - Helen Quinnell Email: treasurer@easttessexsmallholders.org.uk