How to make pancetta

How to make pancetta

I hope that you enjoy looking at pictures and captions. Because I have got an absolute ton of them for you here.

Making pancetta (basically Italian salt-cured bacon) at home is simple. It only takes a little bit of prep time; the rest of the time you are waiting for the meat to cure and then dry. I'm going to run through every one of the steps, if you don't mind.

In case you didn't know, pancetta (just as any bacon) is made from pork belly. You can certainly start out by using just a small slab of belly, but here we are making a big old mess of pancetta. What we have here is a whole belly, with the ribs still attached. It weighed in at about 14 pounds total. (Hey, I have people who have come to expect their allotment of every batch that I make.)

Here is the belly after the ribs have been cut away. You can see by the fold on the left that the skin is on (normally the case when you buy a whole belly), but it needs to be removed.

Once the skin is removed it's time to apply the cure. (Because I am always fiddling with the actual cure, I've decided to reprint the complete recipe and instructions for making pancetta from a reliable source, the book "Charcuterie," by Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn; they are at the very end of this post.) This pic shows the cure already spread onto the fat side of one piece of the belly, but the other piece needs it too, as does the meat side of the belly. The reason I've cut the belly in half is because a whole one is too large to roll. If you were not going to roll it, then leaving the belly in one piece would be fine.

After applying the cure all around, place each piece in its own big plastic bag and put into the fridge. They stay in the fridge for at least a week, often longer. And I flip the pieces over once a day. This batch was in the fridge for 11 days.

The next step is to run the belly under cool water and clean off all the cure mixture, then dry it well using paper towels. Once it's clean and dry you put down a good dose of coarse black pepper on the meat side of the belly. Then you roll it nice and tight, the tighter the better actually, to prepare it for tying.

Once it's rolled and tied it's time to hang it in a cool place for at least two weeks.

So that we could also see an example of the slab type of pancetta I didn't roll the other half of the belly. When you do it this way, though, it's good to wrap the belly in cheesecloth before hanging it. The flat, slab-like pancetta hangs in a cool place, just like the rolled, but it's ready quicker.

This one was ready in about 10 days.

Nice, huh? I like this batch a lot. The flavors are both rich and mild at the same time.

Here is the rolled pancetta, ready to be cut down and used. It hung in the garage for about 23 days.

I usually slice rolled pancetta into pieces around an inch thick.

Then I vacuum pack each piece individually. The ones that I don't give away to my demanding family and friends go into the freezer, as the pancetta lasts longer that way.

The only trouble is that I do not get to keep that many of the pieces for myself.

Maybe I should just shut my big mouth the next time a new batch of the stuff is ready.

Pancetta

Recipe

From “Charcuterie”

by Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn

For the dry cure

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons pink salt (see Note below)

1/4 cup kosher salt

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

4 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper

2 tablespoons juniper berries, crushed with the bottom of a small saute pan

4 bay leaves, crumbled

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

4 or 5 sprigs fresh thyme

Directions

1. Trim the belly so that its edges are neat and square.

2. Combine the garlic, pink salt, kosher salt, dark brown sugar, juniper berries, bay leaves, nutmeg, thyme, and half the black pepper in a bowl and mix thoroughly so that the pink salt is evenly distributed. Rub the mixture all over the belly to give it a uniform coating over the entire surface.

3. Place the belly in a 2-gallon Ziploc bag or in a covered nonreactive container just large enough to hold it. Refrigerate for 7 days. Without removing the belly from the bag, rub the belly to redistribute the seasonings and flip it over every other day (a process called overhauling).

4. After 7 days, check the belly for firmness. If it feels firm at its thickest point, it's cured. If it still feels squishy, refrigerate it on the cure for 1 to 2 more days.

5. Remove the belly from the bag or container, rinse it thoroughly under cold water, and pat it dry. Sprinkle the meat side with the remaining black pepper. Starting from a long side, roll up the pork belly tightly, as you would a thick towel, and tie it very tightly with butcher's string at 1- to 2-inch intervals. It's important that there are no air pockets inside the roll. In other words, it can't be too tightly rolled. Alternately, the pancetta can be left flat, wrapped in cheesecloth, and hung to dry for 5 to 7 days.

6. Using the string to suspend it, hang the rolled pancetta in a cool, humid place to dry for 2 weeks. The ideal conditions are 50°F to 60°F (8°C to 15°C) with 60 percent humidity, but a cool, humid basement works fine, as will most any place that's out of the sun. Humidity is important: If your pancetta begins to get hard, it's drying out and should be wrapped and refrigerated. The pancetta should be firm but pliable, not hard. Because pancetta isn't meant to be eaten raw, the drying isn't as critical a stage as it is for items such as prosciutto or dry-cured sausages. But drying pancetta enhances its texture, intensifies its flavor, and helps it to last longer.

7. After drying, the pancetta can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for 3 weeks or more, or frozen for up to 4 months. Freezing makes it easier to slice thin.

Note: Pink salt, a curing salt with nitrite, is called by different names and sold under various brand names, such as tinted cure mix or T.C.M., DQ Curing Salt, and Insta Cure #1. The nitrite in curing salts does a few special things to meat: It changes the flavor, preserves the meat's red color, prevents fats from developing rancid flavors, and prevents many bacteria from growing.

http://mistermeatball.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/how-to-make-pancetta.html

Homemade Orange Peel White Vinegar Coop Cleaner

What a lovely blog we have found.

 Homemade Orange Peel White Vinegar Coop Cleaner

Lately I have been looking for recipes to make my own natural homemade cleaning products.  I'm sure you all have seen the orange peel vinegar cleaning spray all over pinterest. In fact, if you google 'homemade orange peel cleaner' 4.4 million hits appear. 4.4 million. So this idea certainly isn't original. But it seems effective and won't harm the environment, our lungs or our pets. I whipped up a batch using the instructions from one of the 4.4 million links and set it aside to 'age'. 

Then thought I would kick it up a  notch and make some for cleaning the chicken coop.  I already clean the coop with white vinegar and water but thought the orange peel would make a nice addition since citrus oil is a natural insect deterrent and proven solvent.

I also decided to add some cinnamon sticks. Cinnamon oil kills mosquito larvae.  Vanilla beans went in next because vanilla repels flies, mosquitoes and other insects.  

Here's my 'recipe':

Ingredients

Four oranges (or six limes, four lemons or two grapefruit or a mix)

Two cinnamon sticks

Two vanilla beans

 Bottle of white vinegar

Two canning jars

Spray bottle

Peel the oranges and divide the peels between the two canning jars.  

Break the cinnamon sticks in half and add two halves to each jar.

Slit the vanilla beans, cut in half and add two halves to each jar.

Pour in enough vinegar to completely cover.  

White vinegar is a natural disinfectant. It has antibacterial properties, kills mold and is also an ant repellent.  Apple cider vinegar, while great for adding to your chickens water and drinking yourself for all its health benefits, shouldn't be used here - only white vinegar. Apple cider vinegar will attract fruit flies.

Then set the jars in your pantry, in the cupboard or on the kitchen counter to 'age' for about a month.  Shake the jars every few days to reinvigorate the contents.   The mixture should start to turn orangish-tan and smell fragrant.

When ready to use, strain the contents into a spray bottle to use full strength or pour into a bucket and dilute with water.  I will use the spray bottle to spray my roosts and then use the mixture diluted in a pail with a mop to scrub the coop walls and floors.

  

I hope you'll whip up a batch of this safe and natural cleaner for next time you clean your chicken coop.  Right now I'm off to add some cinnamon sticks and vanilla bean to the batch I made for our kitchen !  I like the idea of insect repelling qualities as well as the fragrant scent for us as well as the chickens.

Quick Update: It's now about a month later and I just sprayed the whole inside of the coop. It smells wonderful ! I also used it in our kitchen and this stuff WORKS!  Wow.  It degunked the top of the stove that even that icky-smelling chemical cleaner couldn't handle.  I'm sold.  Good for us and our pets, good for the environment AND it works!  

Note: I reused the cinnamon stick and vanilla bean for a second batch but used fresh citrus peels.

I also make a Lavender Mint Refresher Spray for in between cleanings.

 [Read more here...]

 Source: fresh-eggs-daily.blogspot.co.uk

In the Vegetable Garden - Things to do this Month - January

In the Vegetable Garden - Things to do this Month - January

You’d think all would be quiet on the veggie plot at this time of year … far from it! Despite the cold weather, January marks the start of the New Year’s growing season, and there’s plenty to do to get ready for the year ahead.

• Follow the first principle of PERMACULTURE: add as much well-rotted organic matter to unplanted areas of your vegetable plot as possible – it will provide both nutrients and condition – to light and heavy soils, and feed the worms so you’ll have less soil cultivation to do next spring!
• Continue to harvest leeks, root vegetables, and kale.
• If the ground isn’t frozen solid, this is the ideal time to lift PARSNIPS and store in a cool place close to the house.
• Check stored vegetables, any sign of rot in one will spread quickly to others.
• If you have somewhere you can guarantee won’t frost, you can start ‘chitting’ early potatoes this month – north light is ideal.
• If you have a nice warm windowsill, sow a few chilli seeds – they need a long growing season, so the sooner you get started the better
• TIDY THE PLOT: remove all yellow and dead leaves from over-wintered brassicas; empty the greenhouse and scrub with Jeyes fluid.
• PLANNING: draw a plan of your plot and sketch in your planting layout for this year – then, when you come to plan next year’s planting you will be able to rotate the plant groups. Leave it to next year and you will have forgotten!
• DIG A NEW VEGETABLE BED: a great way to keep warm and fit during the winter months and expand your vegetable area (who needs an unproductive lawn)! Try to avoid treading wet soil too much as it will lead to compaction, and add plenty of manure (or lime, depending on soil type, but not both together) as you dig.

Source: www.smallholderseries.co.uk/

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Sausage Making at Furzedown

Sausage Making at Furzedown

We made Pheasant and Pork Sausages this weekend.

We made all of our own seasoning.

Pheasant, Pork, Wild Rice instead of Rusk, Cider, Rasins and various Spices

Pheasant, Pork, Rusk, Red Wine and various Spices

Pork with Lemon and Fennel

Pork Breakfast Sausage with Salt and Pepper

Delicious!

Followed by 15 Jars of Marmalade!

What a busy weekend.

Easy peasy pizza dough recipe no faffing by Katy Runacres

Our first guest Blogger has been making pizza dough, check it out!

http://thegoodlifeinpractice.wordpress.com/2013/01/17/easy-peasy-pizza-dough-recipe-no-faffing-by-katy-runacres/

Chickens - Things to do this Month - January

Each week I am checking up on what i should be doing with The Smallholder Series:

www.smallholderseries.co.uk

Yet another fantastic article from them:

Chickens - Things to do this Month - January

CHICKENS (Laying Hens): Continue to do regular health checks on all your birds:

Signs of Good Health:

- full, bright and velvety ‘headgear’ (comb & wattles)
- full, round and bright eyes, not sunken or cloudy
- dry nostrils
- good, smooth feathering with a shiny appearance
- clean, fluffy feathers around the vent
- neither thin or over-fat
- steady respiration, no panting or wheezing
- active, moving freely
- laying well and producing regular, perfect eggs

Winter Routine & Care

Although winter so far has been unseasonably mild, the daylight hours are much shorter and yet the chickens still need to be properly looked after – but there are ways to save time on your routine tasks:

• Consider ‘deep littering’ the hen house instead of fully cleaning out every day: start by putting down a deep layer of shavings (we’ve been using Easi-Bed woodchip and find that it makes a good firm, dry surface). Start with a depth of an inch or so, quickly poo-pick each morning, then top it up every few days with another thin layer. Once a week, sprinkle a powder disinfectant (we use Stalosan) over the litter followed by more woodchip. We deep-littered our hens in this way throughout last year’s cold, wet winter and the bed kept clean looking, dry and fresh smelling.
• Chickens with prominent combs and wattles can suffer from frostbite in really cold weather, Vaseline smeared over these areas will protect them
• WINTER FEEDING – chickens will appreciate a little more carbohydrate in their diet as the weather gets colder, but don’t overdo this – monitor their weight regularly by picking them up, and feed accordingly
• Suitable winter foodstuffs (which are best give in the afternoon after they have had the chance to eat their regular protein ration of pellets or mash) include: wheat, corn, rice and pasta – and they will still appreciate plenty of greens, ours particularly love windfall apples!
• Clear away all feedstuffs every evening so there’s nothing to attract rodents.
• Check WATER regularly to make sure it hasn’t frozen. A small ball floating in the hen’s water will help prevent it freezing, but in really cold weather you’ll need to de-ice during the day.
• DRAUGHT PROOFING – don’t be tempted to block off ventilation – stale air will increase the risk of respiratory disease, but do make sure there aren’t any howling winds blowing through the house. If we have a repeat of last year’s arctic conditions you could stack some straw bales against the hen house for added insulation – place these on the side against the prevailing winds, usually North or East at this time of year.
• Already the daylight hours are increasing, so if your hens haven’t been laying they should start again soon, so don’t stop checking the nest boxes!
• Many people use artificial LIGHTING for a couple of hours in the late evening and early morning to extend ‘daylight’ hours and encourage the hens to continue laying throughout winter. This is a good idea if your hens are run on a semi-commercial basis, and culled at 2-3 years. But remember, a hen is born with a finite number of eggs, so you will only encourage her to lay these sooner – it will not increase her lifetime output!
• Continue to be vigilant for RATS AND MICE, when laying traps or poison – take great care that you don’t unwittingly harm other wildlife. If you’ve been laying traps but not caught any vermin, try wearing rubber gloves when you set the traps – the smell of humans can linger on the trap and deter rats and mice.
• And finally, winter is a good time to ‘rest’ part of your chicken’s run or paddock; the cold will help kill off any worm larvae and pests, and if you also lime this area (use gardener’s lime) it will ‘sweeten’ the ground by neutralising the inevitable acidity that accumulates on ground used continuously by poultry.

Over the past few months, in addition to our regular ‘Chicken Health and Care’ section, we’ve briefly looked at “Caring for the Broody Hen”, “The Hatching Process”, and “Raising Healthy Chicks” – whether hatched by a broody hen or in an incubator, “Integrating New Pullets into the Flock”, “Whether to keep a Cockerel”, and “The Annual Moult”.  We’ve now put these items, together with general advice on year-round care of your flock, into an article, “Basic Principles of Rearing and Management of Chickens”, which you can find here.

Source: http://www.smallholderseries.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=466&Itemid=183

Gardeners will have to fell 'dangerous' ash trees or face being sued

Households will have to pay hundreds of pounds to make sure trees dying from the ash epidemic do not become a health and safety hazard, experts have warned.

A total of 19 pests and diseases are now attacking trees in the UK, of which 10 are considered to be at the ‘epidemic stage’. Photo: Matt Cardy/GETTY

By Louise Gray, Environment Correspondent

Ash dieback is now on 257 sites around the country and forestry experts believe it will gradually spread to most of the UK’s 92 million ash trees.

Mike Seville Forestry and Woodland Adviser at the Country Land and Business Association, said diseased trees can be a hazard because of falling branches.

It is the responsibility of the landowner, whether the local authority, Highways Agency or private household to deal with the trees.

If they are not dealt with then the owner is open to being sued if someone is injured by a falling branch or tree.

Mr Seville said it will cost on average £500 to make trees safe by employing tree surgeons to take off branches or even fell trees.

“As the tree falls to pieces there is going to be some significant costs,” he said.
The cost to councils, the Highways Agency and Network Rail could run into the millions.
It is estimated there are 3.65 million ash trees in Britain in urban areas so the total cost could run into hundreds of millions.
Charities like the National Trust and the RSPB will also have to pay to ensure ash trees do not become dangerous.
Austin Brady, head of conservation at the Woodland Trust, admitted it could be expensive.
He said ash trees in forests will be left alone but trees by footpaths or roads will have to be closely monitored and dealt with if they become dangerous.
“It could be expensive. It depends on how many of the trees are infected and how quickly.”
The disease kills off young trees quickly, but more mature specimens can take years to die.
The Government is currently drawing up an action plan on ash, including how to reduce costs.
For example, by keeping infected trees healthy and allowing ash wood to be sold as fuel.
Ash trees are the third most abundant broadleaf tree in Britain, after the oak and birch.
A total of 19 pests and diseases are now attacking trees in the UK, of which 10 are considered to be at the ‘epidemic stage’. At least a further 11 deadly diseases are a potential threat “on the horizon”

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/9715336/Gardeners-will-have-to-fell-dangerous-ash-trees-or-face-being-sued.html

Grab a Bargain - The last few EESG Calenders

GOING, GOING GONE !!!!!

Last few EESG Calendars 2013

The EESG 2013 calendar is A4 spiral bound with 12 beautiful glossy photos provided by EESG members one for each month, also a space for each day to write those important dates.
We have a few left so don’t miss out !

Calendars are now at a reduced price of £6.75 or TWO for only £12.00

Contact

donna@furzedown398.freeserve.co.uk

07947606207

Kit Marmalade Making for the EESG Competition

Kit Marmalade Making @ Furzedown



Boiling in the pan



Good Job I brought Mum a Jam Funnel for Christmas

Eight jars of lovely Marmalade

Killer slug which could threaten UK crops and biodiversity

Monday 07 January 2013


The Spanish Slug, Arion vulgaris, has been found in the UK for the first time, raising concerns for potential effects on crops and biodiversity, reports BBSRC.

• Aggressive crop pest slug species is identified in the UK for the first time
• Concern about potential effects on food crops and biodiversity as seen in other countries

• Researchers from the John Innes Centre and UK universities prepare a research plan to investigate and tackle the problem

When Ian Bedford noticed an unusually high number of slugs in his garden this spring he didn't realise he had stumbled on a foreign invasion.


The large brown slugs seemed to have appeared from nowhere and were eating almost everything in their path.


Dr Bedford, head of the BBSRC-funded John Innes Centre's (JIC) Entomology facility, was intrigued by the high number and aggressiveness of the slugs and decided to investigate.

He said: "In early spring I saw absolutely massive numbers of this brown species in the garden. It got to the point where you'd walk down into the garden and you could easily count 50 to 100 slugs on the lawn, so I was very interested to see what was going on.

"And then I noticed that it wasn't just plants that were being attacked by this species, they were actually eating things like dead animals, there was an instance of a mouse that was killed by my cat, slugs were swarming over it and eating it. They were also eating other slugs, eating snails, even eating shells."

Fortunately in his role at the JIC, an international centre of excellence in plant science and microbiology, Dr Bedford had an eye out for potential crop pests in the UK.

He resolved to find out what this slug was, suspecting it could be a foreign species called the Spanish Slug (Arion vulgaris) which has become a problem in northern mainland Europe in recent years, and has been nicknamed the 'killer slug' for its cannibalistic tendencies.

He said: "I heard on the TV that Dr Les Noble from Aberdeen University was interested in what was happening with slugs in the UK this year. He was saying there were large numbers and he thought it was down to the unusually wet weather we'd had this year, promoting the population increase of a species called Arion flagellus, which is commonly known as the Spanish Stealth Slug.

"But what was happening here was slightly different to what was recorded for Arion flagellus and was similar to what had happened in Europe, where a species commonly known as just the Spanish Slug, Arion vulgaris, had moved into Scandinavia and absolutely decimated crops in huge numbers. There were even instances of cars having crashes because slugs had been eating road-kill and made the roads slippery.

"So I contacted Les and we sent him some specimens. He had them identified and confirmed that this was Arion vulgaris and it was the first time it had been identified in the UK. This part of UK seems to be like an open door to all sorts of invasive species. I don't know if it's because we've got a number of ports here."

The presence of this aggressive species is bad news. With few predators, a voracious appetite and the ability to lay around 400 eggs each, the slugs multiply quickly, can cause huge damage to crops and can push out other slugs and snails to dominate an area.

Dr Bedford said: "It's obviously of great concern that we now have this species here. There's been lots of reports from around the county of massive problems with slugs which I'm sure are now going to be Arion vulgaris.

"We had a meeting here recently with Les Noble and Dr Gordon Port (from Newcastle University), to discuss the possibility of getting some funding to look at this further. We want to look at the environmental impact because we know that where this slug appeared in northern Europe, other indigenous species disappeared. I haven't seen any other species here since probably May time."

Dr Bedford and his colleagues at Aberdeen University and Newcastle University are developing a potential programme of research to find out more about the Spanish Slug, its distribution in the UK and the effects it is having.

He said: "We're very interested in seeing what is actually happening, do these invasive species come in with parasites that kill off similar species but not actually kill off their original host? We don't know, so we're going to be looking at this.

"When these slugs invade, do they actually interbreed with indigenous species, are there hybrids out there? We want to see what sort of funding we can get and utilise Norwich's The Genome Analysis Centre (TGAC) to try and do some genomics on the population of slugs and see what's happening."

If suspicions about the Spanish Slug are right then the UK could see a population explosion in spring when their buried eggs will hatch. If so now is the right time for the collaborative team to start planning how to tackle the potential problem.

"I think the main thing is people are going to see humungous amounts of slugs in their gardens," said Dr Bedford. "There are reports of oilseed rape having problems this year from molluscs which we think could well be because of this Spanish Slug. I've actually seen them in a potato field in the middle of summer sliming across dry, sandy soil and the agronomist with me couldn't believe what he was seeing because slugs don't usually do that. It's a hardy species."

Sourced: http://www.farming.co.uk/news/article/7752

Pig welfare changes from 1 January 2013

From the 1 January 2013 the following changes will come into force.  It’s important to take the time to familiarise yourself with the changes in order to meet the regulations. 

England

From the 1 January 2013, all pig holdings in England will need to meet the provisions of the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007 (WOFAR).  Previously this only applied to newly built or re-built premises.
WOFAR implements the EU pig welfare directive which lays down minimum standards for the protection of pigs.
The provisions include:

• For concrete slatted floors – maximum slot widths and minimum slat widths.
• For sows and gilts, minimum lengths specified for the sides of pens.
• For sows and gilts, minimum unobstructed floor area and dimensions for solid floors.

Further information can be found in the information document to pig producers below which also provides further detail and clarification on the provisions.

• Information for pig producers (PDF)

The welfare standards as set out in the Pig welfare directive form part of cross-compliance regulations.

Wales

Producers will be required to implement the following provisions by 1 January 2013:

• Provisions for concrete slatted floors – maximum width of openings and minimum
  slat widths (10 pigs or more)
• For sows and gilts, the length of the sides of pens (10 pigs or more)
• For sows and gilts, minimum unobstructed floor area and dimensions for solid floor.

The Welfare of Farmed Animals Wales Regulations 2007 will also introduce the following the provision below in full:

• The need for all sows and gilts to have permanent access to manipulable (enrichment) material. (Applies to all pig producers).
• To enable proper investigation and manipulation activities, all pigs must have permanent access to a sufficient quantity of material such as straw, hay, wood, sawdust, mushroom compost, peat or a mixture of such which does not adversely
  affect the health of the animals.

Source: http://www.defra.gov.uk/ahvla-en/keeping-animals/welfare/on-farm/pig-welfare-changes13/

Schmallenberg Update - 14th January 2013

Schmallenberg cases up 24% in a month

Philip Case

Monday 14 January 2013 18:21

Confirmed cases of the Schmallenberg virus have soared by 24% in the past month, suggesting the disease is spreading rapidly through sheep and cattle this season.

The latest figures, released on Monday (14 January) by the Animal Health and Laboratories Agency (AHVLA), show 1,211 cases of the disease have now been confirmed in England, Scotland and Wales.

This is equivalent to an increase of 24% on the last survey results, released in December, which showed 976 confirmed cases.

The virus, which causes fatal birth defects and miscarriages in sheep and cattle, has now spread to every county of England and Wales and is wreaking havoc among livestock farmers, according to reports.

Devon, Cornwall and Dorset have recorded the highest number of cases - 126, 68 and 59 respectively. But a worryingly high number of cases has also been confirmed in Shropshire (56) Cheshire (53) and North Yorkshire (41), suggesting the disease is rapidly spreading northwards, as scientists had feared.

Wales has 104 confirmed cases of the virus, including 21 in Carmarthenshire. Scotland has nine confirmed cases - five in cattle and four in sheep - but all these cases relate from animals introduced into Scotland from English counties.

An AHVLA spokesman said: "The Schmallenberg virus has now been detected everywhere south of the England/Scotland border.

"We are now seeing an increase in confirmed cases in northern and western regions, including Wales, which suggests that for a lot of flocks and herds in those regions, they are effectively seeing their first year of Schmallenberg virus.

"The virus may well have worked through flocks and herds in the south of England where a level of immunity has been seen to develop. But that's probably not going to be the case for farms in Northumberland and western holdings this year."

Because the virus has now spread to every county in England and Wales, the AHVLA has stopped its free-testing service for Schmallenberg.

"We are no longer providing free testing. However, some farmers will still want to pay for testing to establish once and for all if they have got the disease in their herds and flocks," confirmed the spokesman.

Farmers who suspect the disease in their livestock should contact their vets if they have any concerns, the AHVLA said.

The Schmallenberg virus causes mild to moderate symptoms in adult cattle, including fever, reduced milk yield and diarrhoea, and stillbirth and birth deformities in sheep, cattle and goats.

Scientists believe the virus first was spread to the UK by biting midges in the summer of 2011 and it first appeared on the continent before crossing the Channel.

A vaccine to protect livestock against the disease, produced by MSD Animal Health, has been submitted to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), and is waiting approval for full commercial use. However, it is understood that the vaccine may not be ready for introduction for this lambing season.

Sourced From: http://www.fwi.co.uk/articles/14/01/2013/137159/schmallenberg-cases-up-24-in-a-month.htm

Government consults on support for beekeepers

Friday 11 January 2013

Defra has unveiled new plans to help beekeepers protect their hives from pests and diseases to reduce bee population losses. Around the world, pollinating insects such as bees are experiencing population declines.

Although the factors contributing to the declines are believed to be manifold, the government has come under fire for its failure to act on a growing weight of evidence that suggests certain agricultural chemicals may be exacerbating the problem, in spite of an acknowledgement from EFSA that current EU risk assessment testing measures are flawed.

Nevertheless, The Westminster government maintains that not enough evidence is currently available to prohibit use or increase regulation of certain neonicotinoid pesticides. On announcing increased support for pest management on Thursday (10th January), government sided with the agrochemical industry in proclaiming, "The potentially devastating Varroa mite [is] considered the single greatest problem for beekeepers."

Last year, a government committee launched an inquiry into Defra's decision not to change its policy on agricultural chemicals, despite the increasing weight of evidence that certain pesticides may be doing harm to essential pollinators. The committee heard evidence from agrochemical companies; representatives suggested the decline in habitats as a result of developments, a changing climate and disease were principally responsible for the bees' decline.

They were also told by the director of insect charity Buglife that 30 peer-reviewed studies published in the past three years have linked controversial pesticides with damaging effects on bees.

Government proposals to support beekeepers

Defra and the Welsh Government this week outlined proposals aimed at helping beekeepers to identify and manage pests such as the Varroa mite. The announcement was made following a consultation with amateur and commercial beekeepers on how best to provide more support to improve honey bee health.

The proposals, which include measures such as reductions in inspections for keepers performing well, marry with the government's laissez faire 'red tape challenge'. They are:

• Increased effort to tackle the management of the Varroa mite, including improved guidance for bee keepers from the National Bee Unit (NBU), and a new enhanced rolling training programme run by the NBU and beekeeping associations for all bee keepers;
• Rewarding bee farmers demonstrating good management of their hives, including reducing the number of official inspections they require from Government;
• Renewed emphasis on increasing our resilience and preparedness for exotic threats, such as the small hive beetle;
• A new welfare code to remind beekeepers of their responsibility to their bees.

Commenting on the new proposals, animal welfare minister, Lord de Mauley, said on Thursday, "Honeybees are an iconic species which are vital to the environment and I want to make sure that we do all we can to safeguard their future. But these bees are susceptible to pests and diseases and need to be cared for properly to aid their long-term survival."

Late last month, an investigative committee of MEPs stated that, "A widespread conclusion of different authors is that neonicotinoids can contribute to lethality even at low doses by making bee colonies more vulnerable to other disruptive factors. Recent scientific findings are urging for an update of the risk assessment of all neonicotinoid insecticides approved at European level and their effects on bees."

Organisations ranging from the STEP project, a research initiative backed by the European Commission and comprised of scientists from across Europe, to Friends of the Earth have called for immediate action and a reform of policy to halt the decline in insect pollinators. To date, Italy, France and Germany have moved to ban or drastically restrict use of certain neonicotinoids.

Source: http://www.farming.co.uk/

Calling all German Smallholders

We are calling all German Smallholders.

174 people in Germany have looked at the East Essex Smallholders Blog in the last 10 days.

We would love to hear from you, What you grown, how you grow it and how you use it?

Please email me: Danielle.Perkins@Yahoo.co.uk

Sheep - Things to do this Month - January

The Smallholder Series is a fantastic resource for all Smallholders.

They produce a things to do monthly list: Here is January.
http://www.smallholderseries.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=featured&Itemid=233

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Sheep - Things to do this Month - January

SHEEP – for a March/April lambing flock:

• Now that the ram’s work is done for the year and has left the ewes (pregnant, we hope!), check him over paying particular attention to his feet, any areas where the harness may have chafed, and condition. If he’s lost condition, which is likely, feed him your best hay and an appropriate amount of hard feed, if necessary – but remember, rams can suffer from urinary calculi if fed concentrates over a prolonged period. If you look after your ram now, he will do a good job for years to come.
• If you’re planning to scan the ewes, book the scanning operator if you haven’t done so already, and get organised: think about your handling system, aim to reduce stress for the ewes while making sure of a steady flow to the scanner. Scanning will tell you whether the ewe is pregnant, and whether she’s expecting a single, or multiple lambs – you can then feed appropriately to keep her at the ideal body condition score (3 for lowland ewes, 2.5 for hill and upland ewes) throughout her pregnancy.
• During early pregnancy, the ewes shouldn’t become too fat (see Specialist Sheep Vet, Chris Lewis’ article on Management from Tupping to Lambing) – so check their body condition regularly (Refer to Programme 2, “Managing Your Flock for Peak Health”, or look on our You-Tube channel for a demonstration of how to do this).
• Specialist sheep vet, Agnes Winter, has written an article for The Smallholder Series on The Importance Of Monitoring Body Condition through the winter, a vital element in producing healthy lambs next spring.
• If you’re feeding hay – a must in bad weather if the ground is frozen – they will get used to you going into their field every day, which means that if you need to treat any it will be less stressful for them.
• Think about housing for indoor lambing flocks – how well did your arrangement work last year? Can it be improved? Ensure there is good ventilation at head height to prevent respiratory disease, but try to avoid draughts at ground level.
• Calculate how much feed you’ll need for the 8 week period running up to lambing, and for 8 weeks after – (See our article, “Nutritional Management of the Ewe in Late Pregnancy”), and ask your feed merchant for a bulk discount!
• Continue to be vigilant for signs of liver fluke, especially if your sheep graze wet pastures (which includes most grazing after this year’s record rainfall) – any sudden loss of condition or unexplained death should be investigated. As winter progresses, so does the disease; cold weather (<10^oC) will arrest further snail eggs being laid, so watch for symptoms of sub-acute disease, which include lethargy, anaemia (identified by pale mucous membranes), poor body condition, poor fleece quality and reduced grazing.  Chronic fascioliasis, the next stage of the disease, can be detected in faecal samples; acute and sub-acute disease is diagnosed though blood samples that will show raised liver enzymes, and should be treated strategically in line with your Flock Health Plan. Choose the right treatment for each stage of the disease, as not all flukicides will treat all stages of disease. For a complete explanation of the complex lifecycle and treatment of this disease, (click here) to watch a video presented by Michaela Strachan.  
• Scab continues to be a serious problem in many parts of the country, so watch out for itchy sheep and if you spot a sheep rubbing itself, ask your vet to take skin scrapings to confirm the diagnosis: if positive treat the whole flock immediately, not just the affected animal as scab is highly contagious. The best way to avoid scab is to observe strict bio-security for your flock: quarantine all incoming animals and ask your vet to test if you have any itchy sheep, and maintain double fencing between your flock and neighbours’ – remember the old adage: “A sheep’s worst enemy is a another sheep”.

Berkshire Pork Available - February 2013

Berkshire Pork Available

I have half a Berkshire Pig available during February.

Raised with love on our smallholding!

It can be butchered and bagged for £150.00

Or is you wish to cut the meat yourself. £135.00

Please contact Danni: 07854595640 or Danielle.Perkins@yahoo.co.uk

Absolutely Shocking - Horsemeat in Beef Burgers

Absolutely Shocking - this is why we grow our own food! Maybe people with now consider buying their food direct from the source!

 

'Horsemeat beefburgers' investigated in UK and Ireland

Tesco's Tim Smith: "We're very sorry this has happened"

Continue reading the main story Investigations are under way to try to find out how beefburgers on sale in UK and Irish Republic supermarkets became contaminated with horsemeat.

Irish food safety officials, who carried out tests two months ago, said the products had been stocked by a number of chains, including Tesco and Iceland stores in the UK.
They said there was no human health risk and the burgers had been removed.
Tesco said it was "working... to ensure it does not happen again".
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) said the meat had come from two processing plants in the Irish Republic - Liffey Meats and Silvercrest Foods - and the Dalepak Hambleton plant in Yorkshire.
The burgers had been on sale in Tesco and Iceland in the UK and the Republic of Ireland, where they were also on sale in Dunnes Stores, Lidl and Aldi.
A total of 27 burger products were analysed, with 10 of them containing traces of horse DNA and 23 containing pig DNA.
'Unacceptable'
Horsemeat accounted for approximately 29% of the meat content in one sample from Tesco, which had two frozen beefburger products sold in both the UK and Ireland contaminated with horse DNA.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

For some religious groups, or people who abstain from eating pig meat, the presence of traces of pig DNA is unacceptable”

End Quote Prof Alan Reilly FSAI chief executive

In addition, 31 beef meal products, including cottage pie, beef curry pie and lasagne, were analysed, of which 21 tested positive for pig DNA.

The director of consumer protection at the FSAI, Raymond Ellard, said several investigations would now need to take place.
He said: "The companies have taken a very responsible attitude. On a voluntary basis they have withdrawn products from sale, so have the retailers.
"They are co-operating completely with the authorities here to investigate how this could have happened. A long chain of inquiry has to take place now to look at all the raw ingredients that we use for these productions, where they came from and how the cross-contamination could have occurred."
Tesco's group technical director, Tim Smith, stressed the company "immediately withdrew from sale all products from the supplier in question" after receiving the test results on Tuesday.
In a statement, Mr Smith said food safety and quality was "of the highest importance to Tesco" and "the presence of illegal meat in our products is extremely serious".
He added Tesco was "working with the authorities in Ireland and the UK, and with the supplier concerned, to urgently understand how this has happened and how to ensure it does not happen again".

Irish Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney: ''There is no food safety risk"

FSAI chief executive Prof Alan Reilly said there was "a plausible explanation for the presence of pig DNA in these products, due to the fact that meat from different animals is processed in the same meat plants".
But he added: "There is no clear explanation at this time for the presence of horse DNA in products emanating from meat plants that do not use horsemeat in their production process.
"In Ireland, it is not in our culture to eat horsemeat and, therefore, we do not expect to find it in a burger.
"Likewise, for some religious groups, or people who abstain from eating pig meat, the presence of traces of pig DNA is unacceptable."
'Highest standards'
The Irish Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney, reassured the public that the burgers posed no health risk, adding the Republic of Ireland "probably has the best traceability and food safety in the world".
Iceland said the FSAI's findings were concerning, stressing the company had "withdrawn from sale the two Iceland brand quarter pounder burger lines implicated in the study".
It said it "would be working closely with its suppliers to investigate this issue and to ensure that all Iceland brand products meet the high standards of quality and integrity that we specify and which our customers are entitled to expect".
Aldi said only one of its products - the Oakhurst Beef Burgers (8 pack), which is on sale only in the Republic of Ireland - had been affected.
In a statement, Aldi Stores (Ireland) said it had "immediately removed the product from sale and have launched an investigation into the matter".
The company said it "takes the quality of all its products extremely seriously and demands the highest standards from its suppliers".
Lidl was not available for comment when contacted by the BBC.
Meanwhile, Silvercrest Foods and Dalepak both said they had never bought or traded in horse product and have launched an investigation into two continental European third-party suppliers.

From: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21038521

 

Ascott January 2013 Newsletter

January Email Newsletter

Here we are, and it’s the middle of January already! We hope everyone has recovered from their New Year celebrations and are relaxed and refreshed for 2013. Now is the perfect time for getting everything ready and in tip top condition for the coming season! So to help you to plan ahead we have an extensive range ofdisinfectants and sterilisers for hen houses andincubators now in stock. Choose from the Smite Professional Disinfectant which is a powerful and very effective cleaner. It is non-toxic with organic naturally occurring minerals, suitable for all commercial and domestic premises and is safe for pets and other animals. Alternatively try Brinsea’s disinfectant which is specially selected for sterilising eggs, incubators and brooders and is available in concentrated form. It is both safe and effective against yeasts, fungi, viruses and bacteria which can cause fatal damage to the growing embryo, and comes in a 100 ml bottle. At just £7.99 a little will go along way as you dilute 1 part concentrate to 100 parts water!   Why not try... For all of you lucky enough to have received a cheese kit for Christmas, why not be a little more adventurous with your cheese making and try out our range of moulds for everything from delicious camembert and creamy brie to hard cheeses. We also havecultures for ripening brie, camembert and penicilium roqueforti! Take a look at the full range on our website. Recipe of the Month Our mid month email now contains a seasonal recipe with this month’s focus on nutritious kale. So we thought we would combine our love of cooking and communicating with our customers by creating the opportunity to highlight featured customer recipes. If you would like to share your recipes with us via the email newsletter, there is a FREEcheese starter kit worth £19.99 for everyone who has theirs published! Email us now with your favourite family recipe. Cherry tomato, kale, ricotta and pesto pasta You will need: 2 tbsp olive oil 3 garlic cloves, chopped 1 tsp crushed chilli flakes 2 x 400g cans cherry tomatoes 500g penne 200g kale, chopped 4 tbsp ricotta 4 tbsp pesto Parmesan or vegetarian alternative, to serve (optional) 1 Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes until golden. 2 Add the chilli flakes and tomatoes, season well, and simmer for about 15 minutes until the sauce has thickened. 3 While the sauce is cooking, cook the pasta following pack instructions - add the kale for the final 2 minutes of cooking. Drain well and stir into the sauce, then divide between 4 bowls. Top each with a dollop of ricotta, a drizzle of pesto and shavings of Parmesan, if you like. 3 Stir in the vinegar and sugar and continue cooking for another 10-20 minutes until the onions are completely translucent and the marmalade reduced. 4 Stir in 4 tbsp of water and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for another 10 minutes until thickened and slightly sticky. Season to taste. The marmalade can be eaten immediately or stored in jam jars for up to 2 months. New for this Month

Ask the Experts You will need to make sure you have a safe enclosure and chicken house. The enclosure can be made from chicken wire and fence posts, remember to dig the chicken wire into the ground at least 6” to stop the fox from digging under the wire and getting into the chicken pen. If possible put netting over the top of the run, this will stop the chickens getting out and the fox getting in! The chicken house will need to be secure and have a door on the front that can be shut at night. You must also make sure that the chickens are shut in their house every night, if it’s not possible to visit the allotment every evening and morning you can use a doorkeeper, this is a battery operated door opener and closer that works with a light sensor.

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