PRESS RELEASE

Hobby Pig Keeping Course - Massive Success

An amazing 50 people attended the course on Hobby Pig Keeping at Stisted Village Hall that was  funded by DEFRA  and presented excellently by Odelle Walker from ADAS and Bev Mair from Chelmsford Trading Standards.

Odelle covered the following:

• 5 freedoms associated with the Animal Welfare Act 2006
• Bio Security, Disease Control - Including Notifiable Diseases, and effective quarantine.
• Pig Health, Vaccinations and worming and fallen stock. (You can't just bury dead pigs, they legally have to be disposed of in the correct manner, which in Essex is via W Martin and Son in Braintree.)
• Feeding and legislation - it is illegal to feed any catering waste including domestic kitchen waste even if these establishments only cater for vegetarians.
• Record Keeping Requirements - how we must keep movement logs (even the infamous micro pigs need a walking licence) and medicine books and the length of time they must be kept.  

Bev Mair, from Chelmsford Trading Standards, then moved on to talk about

Odelle Walker in
full flow

movements of pigs including the new EAML2 Online movement recorded system, which will completely replace the paper forms from the 1st April 2012. Identification of Pigs - Tags, Slapmarks or Tattoo's and the associated legislation was also covered.

The course ran from 2pm-5pm, breaking half way through for refreshments supplied by East Essex Smallholders Group with a marvellous selection of homemade cakes.

People attended from all across Essex, along with members from East Essex Smallholders Group, Herts &Essex Smallholders and Suffolk Smallholders.

The course was very informative and everyone who attended commented on how much they had learnt.

Fingers crossed DEFRA funding can be obtained for a similar course to be run on sheep. 

*******************************   end ****************************

The 5th Maldon Festival - 2-16 June 2012

Marmalade is really international

And the best marmalade makers are….

By PRESS | Published: FEBRUARY 26, 2012
- Winners of the 2012 Marmal’Oscars’ revealed -

On the same weekend as the Oscars, a woman from Milnthorpe in Cumbria has received her very own golden gong – but not for a movie blockbuster. Hazel Rushton has been crowned the world’s best amateur marmalade maker at this year’s ‘Oscars’ of the marmalade world – The World’s Original Marmalade Awards & Festival.

Seventy-year-old Hazel Rushton’s dark and chunky spread was awarded Best in Show at the quirky awards, held this weekend at Dalemain Mansion near Penrith, Cumbria. Mrs Rushton’s marmalade, a rich and fruity orange recipe, will now be made by Thursday Cottage and sold at Fortnum & Mason in London, alongside Home Office minister, Lord Henley’s marmalade which won the 2011 Best in Show.

Over 1,700 marmalade makers from all over the world sent in their jars to be judged, a 30 per cent increase on last year, proving that recent concerns over the demise of marmalade are completely unfounded.

Other marmalade makers to receive a prestigious sticky gong at the Festival were:

Devon-based artisan producer Cranfield Foods, whose tangy Pink Grapefruit concoction received the ultimate accolade in the marmalade world – a double gold
Amateur maker Mark Crowe from Bowness-on-Windermere, whose winning preserve in the Marmalade for the Monarch category will be reproduced by a commercial producer and sent as a gift to Her Majesty the Queen to mark her Diamond Jubilee
Conservative Peer Baroness Seccombe, who challenged the opposition to win the Peer and Political category
A woman from Singapore who scooped the International award
The Australians retained the ‘MarmalAshes’ trophy in a special contest held at the festival in which 11 Australian marmalade makers pitch their preserves against 11 British makers. Despite the 2012 British team being captained by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, who entered his own home-made marmalade for the contest, the Australian’s won for the second year running
Organiser Jane Hasell-McCosh said: “We’re absolutely delighted with the sheer number of entries we have received this year to our very own version of the marmalade Oscars. We’ve judged entries from right across the globe including as far afield as Singapore and The British Virgin Islands, plus a team of 11 Australians. It’s been a fantastic success. I’m particularly looking forward to sending The Queen her very own royal concoction made by one of her subjects to commemorate her Diamond Jubilee.”

Judge Jonathan Miller from Fortnum & Mason said: “Hazel’s winning marmalade has a wonderfully complex taste, and is really rich with a deep long finish. I’m sure it will prove popular with our very discerning customers.” The winning amateur marmalade will be sold at the company’s famous Piccadilly store from April onwards.

Best in Show winner, Hazel Rushton, who has been making marmalade for more than 40 years, said of her win: “I feel astounded and am absolutely thrilled.” Hazel’s recipe for success is preparing the fruit and standing it overnight.

Double Gold winner, Victoria Cranfield from Cranfield Foods, said: “Winning a Double Gold at the World’s Original Marmalade Awards & Festival is the pinnacle of marmalading as you are judged by your peers. But just as importantly, the event itself is doing a fantastic job of encouraging more people to make and enjoy eating marmalade which I’m all in favour of.” Cranfield’s marmalade will also be sold at Fortnum’s.

Judging for the amateur categories was undertaken by members of the local WI. The artisan judging was carried out by a prestigious panel including food historian Ivan Day, Tiptree managing director Walter Scott and Pam Corbin, preserves expert.

The Festival itself boasted appearances from Paddington Bear, marmalade-making demonstrations and workshops, as well as a Marmalade Church service and even a Marmalade concert. And it all took place in the prestigious surrounds of Dalemain, a beautiful Cumbrian mansion that wouldn’t look out of place for hosting the real Oscars.

Further details of the festival and its winners can be found by visiting: www.marmaladeawards.com. All amateur entry fees will be donated to charity. The 2012 beneficiaries are Hospice at Home and Action Medical Research.

- Ends -

Notes to editors:

The Marmalade Awards – What they all about? – These quirky awards were founded in 2006 by Jane Hasell-McCosh with the initial idea of preserving, growing and widening one of the most English of customs – making marmalade. They have gone on to generate a following far beyond Jane’s wildest expectations and allow many different varieties of marmalade to come together and allow the judges the great opportunity to taste them all!

The Awards are centred on Dalemain Mansion, a Georgian stately home lived in by the same family for over 300 years, which also happens to hold a very rich archive of Marmalade recipes. The Awards have humour and a life of their own and have inspired people from all over the world to get involved.



And the winners are…

Amateurs

Best in Show – Hazel Rushton, Milnthorpe, Cumbria

Manmade dark and chunky (sponsored by Thursday Cottage) – Kieran O’Kelly, Andover, Hants

Manmade Seville – Steven Probert, Malpas, Cheshire

Family Affair (sponsored by Paddington Bear) – Liz Bellefontaine, Woodbridge, Suffolk

Seville – Anita Holmes, Bishop Auckland, Co Durham

Heritage (sponsored by Mackays) – Juliet Westoll, Longtown, Cumbria

International (sponsored by Mackays) – Sharon Lee Puay Ming, Singapore

Marmalade for the Monarch – Mark Crowe, Bowness-on-Windermere

Dark and Chunky – Hazel Rushton, Milnthorpe, Cumbria

Merry – Christine Waters – Bicknoller, Taunton, Somerset

Novice (sponsored by The Jam Jar Shop) – Angela Linden, Carlisle

Any citrus – Grupu Gahona, Seville, Spain

Peer and Political – Baroness Seccombe



Artisan & Commercial Producers

Double Gold – Cranfields Foods

Gold – Ludlow Food Centre, Wolds Cottage Kitchen, Love Jam Kitchen, Hawkshead Relish Company, Fruity Foods, Ouse Valley, J B Shackletons and Carreglefn Nursery

Silver – Mandy’s Pickles, Lady Waterfords, Purple Laura Creations, Hawkshead Relish Co, Shute Fruit & Produce, Strefford Hall Farmshop, Bentleys Fine Foods, Heaton Chillies, Biggar Flavour, Galore! Foods, Museu de la Confitura, Wild & Fruitful, Susie’s Preserves, Baravelli’s, Radnor Preserves, Beta 5 Chocolates, Rose Cottage Country Kitchen, The Ludlow Jam Pan, The Pea Green Boat, Nikki’s Homemade Preserves, Ouse Valley Foods, Jill’s Natural Preserves, Chef on the Run, Kintyre Preserves, Victor’s Gourmet Delights, Isabella’s Preserves and Just Williams.

B&B Marmalade – Caroline Davies, Rockside Guesthouse, Windermere

National Marmalade Week

It’s the Toast of the Town.

The first ever National Marmalade Week will take place from 25 February – 3 March 2012 giving people all over the world a chance to celebrate this sunny preserve.

After the jars have been judged and the winners crowned at the 7th annual World’s Original Marmalade Awards & Festival on 25th & 26th
February 2012, why not join the euphoria and organise a marmalade themed activity in your local area – and perhaps even raise money for a charity of your choice?

Whether it’s a cook off, marmalade art, a fun run in orange or a marmalade shy (similar to the more common coconut but with oranges) – the Marmalade HQ would be interested to hear all about what you’re organising.

Organiser Jane Hasell-McCosh is giving people the chance to come up with their own way of celebrating this quintessentially British preserve. She commented “Marmalade is one of our national treasures. There’s been a huge resurgence in people making their own marmalade at home which is fantastic news, as well as artisan producers selling preserves, and consumers buying really good quality marmalade.”

All amateur entry fees for the Awards get donated to charity and over the past six years, over £70,000 has been raised.

marmalade@dalemain.com

Experimental Honey marmalade

Using Seville oranges and exchanging sugar for honey made some marmalade.

Has anyone else tried marmalade using honey or perhaps brown sugar?

Anyone got any recipes?

Minestrone Soup

Minestrone Soup - Member Phillip Cass

Handful of Lardons or 2 diced slices of bacon
1 Large onion
1 Leek
1 Large mushroom (or 2-3 small ones)
2 Carrots
1 Clove garlic
Half of a green cabbage (savoy nice)
1 large sprig of rosemary chopped
1 Handful of basil leaves
1 carton of passatta or whizzed up tin of tomatoes
1 tsp of Vegetable stock or 1 stock cube
100g of pasta (spaghetti or linguine broken into small pieces)
3 pints of water

Add seasonal veg such as broad beans, cougettes & peas as they become available

Fry lardons in good glug of olive oil for a couple of minutes in large pan or stock pot.

Finely chop all vegetables and shred cabbage.

Add all vegetables apart from cabbage and basil to the pan of lardons.

Fry gently for approx 5 minutes to soften onions, leeks and mushrooms.

Add carton of passatta or tomatoes, 3 pints of water and stock powder or cube.

Bring to boil and simmer for approx 10 minutes.

Add broken pieces of pasta and shredded cabbage.

Simmer until pasta and cabbage are cooked to your taste (approx 10 minutes)

Add basil just before serving.
Serve with grated parmesan cheese and crusty bread

Open Farm Sunday - 17 June 2012

Open Farm Sunday host farmers

Thank you to everyone who took part in LEAF’s Open Farm Sunday 2011.

Thousands of visitors ventured out to discover life on Britain’s farms - despite torrential rain in many parts of the country.  We’ve had some fantastic feedback from visitors who really do appreciate the work that host farmers do.

Whether you organised an event for 20 visitors or 2000 – thank you to you and all your helpers from the team at LEAF and all our 2011 sponsors which include Asda, Defra, Farmers Weekly, Frontier Agriculture, John Deere, LEAF Marque, Natural England, National Farmers Union, Syngenta, Waitrose and Warburtons.

If you are new to Open Farm Sunday and are keen to open your farm for the seventh Open Farm Sunday on 17th June 2012, please contact Annabel Shackleton: annabel.shackleton@leafuk.org  or telephone the LEAF office 024 7641 3911.

Registrations for 2012 will go live early in January.  In the meantime please do look at the wealth on information available on this website – and the wonderful photos that capture some farmtastic moments during Open Farm Sunday 2011.

Thank you for your support.

From everyone at LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming)
The organisers of Open Farm Sunday

Sausage Rolls - from Nick

SAUSAGE ROLLS

1 packet of ready made puff pastry ( or make flaky pastry using 6oz frozen butter grated into 10oz plain flour, 2 tablespoons icy water roll fold roll fold eta)

8 oz very best sausage meat ( or skin best sausages)

1 medium onion chopped very small in a food processor

1 heaped teaspoon of ground mace

1 heaped dessert spoon fresh finely chopped sage ( or teaspoon dried)

Mix last 4 ingredients very well ( hands is best !! )

Roll pastry until about 24 inches long and about 5 inches across  ( should be about 1/8 inch thick

Roll sausage meat into a sausage shape Floured hands make it easier I tend have pieces about 12 inches long and abut in the middle of the rolled pastry. Using a pastry brush dampen 1 strip about 1 inch wide on 1 side of the rolled pastry pull over to cover the meat and seal using a fork on its flat edge firmly. Cut to the length required- about 1 inch for drinks savoury,  2 inches morning coffee snack 4 inches Lunch box treat

Brush with an egg wash

Cook in a hot oven for about 15 minutes. Middle shelf roasting oven of Aga,  Allow to cool on a rack.

NOTE FROM EDITOR:

If you make these as Nick has suggested - they are wonderful - choose good quality locally sourced sausages or sausage meat

More new additions

British Lop Piglets - 

born 11th February 2012

Mother:  Gertie

Georgina's Lemon Meringue Rouilade - this is lovely

Lemon Meringue Roulade

I, or rather Georgina, has made this several times but we have never yet got round to putting the raspberries in!

Serves 8

Ingredients

·       4 free-range egg whites

·       220g/7.75oz caster sugar

·       icing sugar, for dusting

·       200g/7oz lemon curd

·       3 small or 2 large passion fruit, seeds only

·       175g/6oz double cream, whipped with 25g/1oz icing sugar

·       200g/7oz fresh raspberries

Preparation method

1.    Preheat the oven to 175C/325F/Gas 3. Grease and line a Swiss roll tin.

2.    Place the egg whites into a bowl and whisk until stiff peaks form when the whisk is removed from the bowl.

3.    Whisk in the sugar, one spoonful at a time, only adding more when the previous spoon has fully combined, until all the sugar is used.

4.    Spoon the mixture onto the Swiss roll tin and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

5.    Dust a piece of greaseproof paper with icing sugar. Turn the meringue out of the tin and set aside to cool.

6.    Meanwhile, mix together the lemon curd and passion fruit seeds in a bowl until well combined.

7.    Spread the filling over the meringue. Add the whipped cream and cover with the raspberries.

8.    Whilst holding the greaseproof paper, carefully roll up the meringue lengthways into a roulade shape. Dust with more icing sugar and slice into portions to serve.

BBC food recipes

Supermarket plan blocked

Maldon: Supermarket plan is blocked

3:00pm Thursday 23rd February 2012 inNews

A PLAN to extend a Maldon supermarket has been blocked.

Morrisons had applied to extend the size of its Wycke Hill store by a quarter.

However, at a meeting of Maldon District Council's central area planning committee last night, the application was rejected.

New Additions - February 2012

Gertrude and   Delilah
(Feb 12)

Clemi and Erica
(Feb 12)

Our latest editions in the district

Please look at the camera (Feb 12)
Jacob lamb with ewe

Ok mum - I'm looking now (Feb 12)
Jacob lamb with ewe

I'm very cute - aren't I!
Jacob lamb with ewe

Please send in your photos!

Schmallenberg - some basic info

Schmallenberg virus update.

What is the Schmallenberg virus?

The Schmallenberg virus is a newly emerging virus in the same family as the Akabane virus. Little is known about it, but new information is coming to light daily. As it is a new virus testing is still being developed and a vaccine is a long way off.

The virus appears to be spread by biting insects most likely midges (similar to bluetongue), however, direct transmission may also occur.

According to Met office data there were 4-8 days in August to late October when infected midges could have been blown across the channel. Thus disease is emerging now but infection actually took place last year.

It appears that animals which are bitten by infected insects are highly likely to contract the disease, and subsequent insects biting this animal are highly likely to become infected themselves. Spread of the disease therefore is a lot quicker and easier than we have seen with bluetongue.

What does it do?

The clinical signs of Schmallenberg virus seem to primarily be seen in the foetus.

These clinical signs consist of
1 severe brain damage/deformities if infection occurs in the first third of pregnancy,
2 limb deformities if infection occurs in the middle third of pregnancy,
3 brain problems presenting as depression,
4 problems standing/balancing,
5 inability to suckle if infection occurs in the last third of pregnancy.

Infection in the animal usually has no symptoms at all, although in cattle it may present as diarrhoea, high temperature, and reduced milk yield.

Newborn animals that are affected may or may not be viable, whether the viable effected offspring are a disease risk to other animals is not known, it would be wise to separate any affected offspring with their dam, from the rest of the flock/herd.

At the present time infection has only been confirmed in sheep, but all ruminants are susceptible. Infection rates are variable, but up to 50% of offspring can be affected.

Can it infect humans?

Some viruses in the same family as this can infect humans but it seems Schmallenberg lacks the required genes.

Having said this we would recommend women who are pregnant or hoping to become pregnant should not come into contact with ruminant animals, especially around lambing/calving/kidding.

What should I do?

At present the disease is not notifiable, but we encourage you to report any birth abnormalities to your vet.

The DEFRA website is updated daily with all the latest information, so this is a good place to start if you have questions or concerns

If you require any further information or think you may have a case of Schmallenberg, please ask for help.

EESG Meeting - 21 Feb 2012 - 7.30pm

DON'T FORGET

East Essex Smallholders Group 

Members meeting 

Blue Boar Hotel

Silver Street

Maldon

7.30pm

Bring and Share something

Turkey Mad

come and meet

Kelly Turkeys 

and find out all you want to 

Know about turkeys!

07979 862952

North African Style Ragu

From EESG Member Charlie Saville



North African Style Ragu

Ingredients

1 Large Onion (finely chopped)
1/2 doz Dried Apricots (chopped)
1/2 doz Dried Figs (chopped)
Stock
500g Mince (preferable Venison)
Ras al Hanout spice mix

Optional

Tomato Puree
Red wine

Brown the venison in olive oil, and then set aside into a warm dish.
Fry onion until soft, add dried fruit and a tablespoon of Ras al Hanout spice mix and gently fry for a few minutes.
Return meat to the pan and mix in with the onion
Add the stock and/or red wine
Cover and simmer for several hours (check and stir occasionally, adding more liquid if necessary)
If your prefer a more ‘pasta sauce’ style dish, add tomato puree with the stock


Note: I never really measure anything when I am cooking, and so the amount of spice tends to be adjusted by taste. For example a stronger flavoured meat such as Muntjac tends to get more spice than a milder meat such as pork or lamb. Whether I use tomato or red wine very much depends on my mood (not much help I know). Other recipes will be more structured - promise!!

BLACKCURRANT, BLACKBERRY, OR ELDERBERRY CORDIAL

FRUIT TO RED WINE

1.5 kg 2L
3lb 2Bottles


Wash fruit, and crush in a bucket with a wooden spoon. Mix in the wine,(the cheaper, and rougher the better!) cover and leave for 48hrs.

Strain through a sieve or cloth, and weigh the juice. Add an equal amount of sugar and bring to a boil. Boil hard, uncovered, for 5minutes and allow to cool to 40ºc. Add strong alcohol (>40% A.B.V. {I like to use Calvados or Vodka}) at a dose of 50ML per litre, and bottle.

A version can be made using plums, apricots or peaches with white wine, but use half the sugar, otherwise the cordial is too sweet.

Ideal served drizzled over ice cream, or mixed with a dry white, or sparkling, wine on a hot day!

ADAS Pig keeping course - 25 February 2012 - BOOK NOW!

Free Pig keeping course comes to Essex

After much badgering and many phone calls our Chairman has done it!  We now have a free DEFRA funded ADAS Pig Keeping Course coming to Essex on Saturday 25th February 2012 at Stisted Village Hall.  Time to be confirmed.

Members of the Suffolk, Herts and Essex smallholders groups will be attending; so a chance to meet more people with the same interests .

Anybody wishing to attend MUST email  

Georgie at 

Georgie.Fomes@adas.co.uk  

to book a place. 

This course is open to anybody so if you have any friends that would like to attend, get them to contact Georgie ASAP

If anyone can share a lift, it will help with parking and also our carbon footprint.

Hobby Pig Keeping

ADAS invites you to the first Defra-fundedmeetings for hobby farmers with pigs.

The workshops will provide smallholders with easily accessible, relevant practical and technical training delivered by experienced pig specialists with a recognised track record in the small holder sector training; to increase the health, welfare and productivity of the small pig herd.

Topics covered:

·       Pig Welfare legislation – 5 Freedoms (Animal welfare Act 2006)

·      Biosecurity, disease control and  effective quarantine

·      Pig health, vaccinations and worming, fallen stock

·      Movements, ID and legislation

·      Feeding and legislation

·      On farm record requirements

Address for village hall is:
Stisted Village Hall
Rectory Road
Stisted
CM77 8AL