Newsletter - September 2011

August has been another hectic month with loads going on.

August Meeting 

Blue Boar – W H Marriage and Sons Ltd

James Marriage, from W H Marriage and Sons Ltd, gave a full and interesting talk on their range of feeds, as well as giving a potted history of the company to date.

Details on the types of feed and how they are produced was very informative showing members the importance of the different types of feeds available for all types of livestock. For the less experienced, the information on the levels of proteins found in the various poultry feeds was helpful. 

James also explained the value of their Layers pellets which contain Flubenvet and how members could obtain this for their flocks. More details on this and the feeds that Marriages supply can be found on the blog - (East Essex Blog Flubenvet ).

James also highlighted their “mixed tonne pallet” that they offer to smallholders’ and which is proving popular in many parts of the UK, including crofters in Scotland! For those who are unsure of what this is, it is a “mixed tonne pallet” where the tonne is made up of a number of different feeds, for example poultry feed, pig feed and horse feed. For smallholders who want to share a pallet, this is also good idea as it saves not only on overall cost but also transportation – which saves penguins (?)

Marriages are also looking to offer online purchase of feeds – www.marriagefeeds.co.uk

Press Coverage

Darren, PR extraordinaire, has been badgering the local newspapers and we have had coverage in both the Essex Chronicle and the Maldon and Burnham Standard over the past week or so. 

Hopefully, after the great day we had at Bell Meadow Show, Woodham Walter, there will be even more exposure for the group. So don’t forget to look in this week’s editions of the papers.

Bell Meadow Show

27 August – Woodham Walter

What a fabulous day!  Again, we have been asked if we would attend next year.  A resounding YES!

The Team arrived just before 10 at the meadow and erected our ever growing number of gazebos (mostly being pop up style thank goodness – which saves on the stress levels).  Within an hour and a half, all was done.  Pigs, sheep, ducks, turkeys, chickens and the new edition to the entourage – Georgina’s quail - were all penned happily. 

So organised, we had time to touch up our makeup, put on our new polo shirts with our very own logo and have our photos taken…….

First Group photo with our new polo shirts

Gates opened at 1pm (after we had all had lunch courtesy of Helen and Toni, our catering crew).  Visitors enjoyed talking to members of the Group about various things, from simple “what does that chicken eat” to complex details on bee keeping and pig rearing! 

Visitors

Lewis, our youngest member, thoroughly enjoyed the day, with his wheelbarrow of chocolate biscuits.  Here, he is having his photo taken with Dude and Fred (Suffolk cross and Oxford Down sheep) and Darren!  Darren is not a sheep, but found natural fame with the press having his photo taken constantly throughout the day.  

Cllr Robert Long viewing the sheep pen
NB Darren is a rare breed!

As ever our intrepid Press Officer secured a photo shoot of Cllr Robert Long, Chairman of Maldon District Council again with Dude and Fred.

PR Officer Sewell and one of our youngest
members - Lewis - with Dude

Five new members were signed up, however, Carlie forgot to empty her pockets and washed her trousers with their details in!  No one has dared to tell Danni yet.........  Carlie has left the country..... so if any of those new members haven’t received their newsletter via email – please please email membership@eastessexsmallholders.org.uk  thanks.

We were inundated with visitors throughout the day who were very interested in all our livestock and what the group was doing.  This was very encouraging and showed that we are heading in the right direction.  Thanks Danni, without your impetus none of this would have happened!

inside Gazebo City

The day was beautiful.... until it came to taking down Gazebo City when the heavens opened. 

Gazebo City

Thankfully it only took 50 minutes to pack everything up thanks to hardworking team members, especially Maurice and Gareth, who kept going out in the rain.  

Once everything was packed up, Danni “slid” out of the gate, narrowly missing the front of the pub, waving to bystanders as she went!        
 “See you next year” was her parting comment! 

A big thank you to everyone who helped, everyone who came to see us and those behind the scenes.

September Meeting 

Tuesday 20 September 2011 – Tiptree Jam Factory, 7pm PROMPT

Our September meeting is a visit to:

Wilkins Jam Factory at Tiptree, CO5 0RF
Tel: 01621 815407
Email: tiptree@tiptree.co.uk    
Web: www.tiptree.com

Wilkins Director, Chris Newenham, has agreed to give us a guided tour and talk on the production works at the site, growing fruit and the environmental implications of growing fruit. 

For those who would like to come along, please meet at the Cafe and Museum at 7pm. 


Tea and coffee will be provided and this should finish at approximately 8.30pm.

Afterwards, John and Isabel Doubleday, have kindly invited members to their home.  

Their address is Goat Lodge Farm, Great Totham, CM9 8BX. 

Thank you to John Doubleday for organising this visit for the Group.

The Olde Smoke House

Cambozola soft cheese -
available at most supermarkets

For those who are interested, Vince is firing up the The Olde Smoke House, Furzedown on Sunday 18 September at 9am.

Cold Smoke is for hams, bacons, fish and cheeses – Carlie’s
Cambozola was fabulous.

(Cambozola is a cow's milk cheese that is a combination of a French soft-ripened triple cream cheese and Italian Gorgonzola)

Hot Smoke is for bacon joints, loins of cured pork or ribs.

If you would like to try this out, please email Danni – chair@eastessexsmallholders.org.uk stating what you would like to put in.

All produce MUST be at Furzedown, Main Road, Mundon CM9 6NU by 8.30am on Sunday 18 September.

Produce will then be available for collection 7pm-9pm that evening.

Dig It

by Terry Adger

Well, it feels like summer has gone with a definite touch of autumn in the air, much cooler and certainly wetter.

Most of the garden produce is over halfway used up but still plenty to pick and dig for this month.  Potatoes have been very good although the yields of earlies were not high, the mids were very good.  Did you get in a sowing for Christmas?  I put two bags in but they have come on so well, I think they will be gone before December.

Spuds

Onions and shallots were very good, nice size and plenty of them, these should be drying out nicely and keep us going until next year.

Beans have been going on and on but have stopped flowering now and I do not think they will last much longer.  Let the runner beans go on ripening on the plant if they are getting woody, the beans inside are worth cooking and delicious.  Peas are also coming to an end and probably will not get another sowing in now unless you have a poly tunnel.

Keep some of your runner beans for
seed for next year

Tomatoes seemed to take a long time to ripen but are now coming on steadily.  If the plants start going over, pick the fruit off and ripen on the window cill.

Marrows and courgettes are still going but without sunshine, will not set the flowers for more fruit.  Marrows will store for weeks in a cool dry shed, so let them grow on until the plant starts to go over then cut them off and store them.

Carrots again seemed to take a while before they put on any growth but are just right now. You can get another sowing in if you choose a late variety, they will happily grow into the winter. Swede, turnip and parsnip will be putting on weight and again should go right into winter.  If you have a lot, they will store if you lift them and put them inside in boxes of dry soil.  They need to be covered or will shrink and turn woody, all need to be kept in the dark or will go green and bitter.

Beautiful beetroot - try roasting it as a change

Beetroot are fattening up but again slow, I wonder if the ground has not been warm enough.  Plenty of time for more salad crops provided you keep the frost off. 


Late lettuces will go on, as will salad leaves and Pak Choi.

pak choi - try it next year

Sweetcorn is ripening but not a high yield; even the commercial crops are not good.  The plants are healthy enough just not a big crop.

Sweetcorn - grown here in a slightly
raised bed - protected from
rabbits and other pests

Brassicas got off to a good start with the early cabbages hearting up nicely but the spring heat wave sent the summer varieties up too quickly with either bolting or small heads.  


The amount of cabbage white butterflies have played havoc, trying to watch out for caterpillars constantly.  I think the winter varieties will do well later on and are looking good right now.

Cabbage white

Strawberries are still going strong and putting out lots of runners.  I put a 4” pot of soil under each new plantlet and pin it down, then carry on doing this as new shoots develop, once rooted, they can be cut off from the parent plant, you will have lots of new plants for next year and plenty to sell at the Show’s (hint!)

Strawberry runner

Most of the soft fruit has finished although late Raspberries are at their best now as are blackberries.  Cultivated are ready to pick but the wild ones are going over, although there are still lots about if you get out there.

autumn blackberries - ready to pick wild
from the hedgerows

Fruit trees have been excellent this year with great crops and wasps do not seem to have got at the plums too badly.

So, what can we do now?  Sow late cabbages for winter and spring, there are a lot of plants available in the garden centres if you have not sown seed.

Sow late carrots, turnip and parsnips

Carrots, turnip and parsnips can be sown, they will yield some nice roots although expect small size.  




Late lettuces and pak choi will mature before it gets too cold.  If you have cloches you can get a good range of salad crops going right up to Christmas.

Start clearing up windfalls as these can rot and spread disease.  Danni’s pigs will thank you for these.  


Cut strawberries back to just the centre crown once the fruit has finished and the runners taken off.

Clear windfalls - be careful of any
sluggish wasps that might be around

Once crops are out of the ground, roughly turn it over to get some air into the soil.  It is worth turning in some rough compost at this time to help break the soil down and allow moisture in. 

Single dig to arate the soil

A little at a time will avoid a major job in November.  






Cut herbs back to ground level once they have finished flowering, this helps the plant from exhausting itself making seed.

Herbs - grown here in pots

Well, that will do for now, see you in October and will deal with some pruning of fruit trees and soft fruit.

Terry

Website Update

Darren and Carlie have been working on the website – do take the time to have a look at it.

www.eastessexsmallholders.org.uk

Feedback would be very welcome – feedback@eastessexsmallholders.org.uk 

If anyone has any photographs of livestock, particularly some funny ones, we are looking to have a gallery – please send these to Darren at PR@eastessexsmallholders.org.uk 

REMINDER - Next Meeting - Tuesday 23 MAY - Blue Boar - 7pm

23rd August 2011

7.15pm

The Blue Boar,Silver Street, Maldon

James Marriage from the local and family run Marriages Animals feeds will be attending this month’s meeting.

He will be talking on what animal feed he can offer smallholders and the very popular poultry food with added wormer flubenvet.

A meeting not to missed for all smallholders with live stock what with feed prices on the up we all want to be sure we are getting the best deal for our money.

We thought it may be nice to make this evening “A Bring Something to Share Evening” at previous meetings we have had homemade cakes or biscuits which we have all throughly enjoyed sharing.

LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THERE!

Newsletter - August 2011

Hello and Welcome to Another Newsletter From East Essex Smallholders

July has been great, as a group we had a stand at the Southminster show (more about that later), got lots of new members and held its very first Annual General Meeting.

The elected committee members are as follows

Chairperson - Danielle Perkins

Treasurer  - Helen Quinnell

Secretary - Carlie Mayes

Committee Members - Donna Perkins, Caroline Smith, Darren Sewell and Chris Harris

The full AGM minutes will be put onto the web site in due course, however, they are on this Chitchat.


As a group we have also opened a bank account so we have somewhere to put all of the sponsorship money we are hoping to get from local companies. 

So if you have any ideas of companies we could approach please e-mail 

events@eastessexsmallholders.org.uk

It was really good to see so many new faces at the July meeting, some people were just starting out on their smallholding adventure, some thinking about it and others with lots of experience. It was great to chat to and it would be really good to see everyone again at the August meeting.

As we mentioned In a previous newletter we are thinking of organising another trip to the Venison Farm in Fambridge possibly at the end of October - if we go then there should be some venison for sale. If you would be interested please e-mail the above address.

Southminster Flower Show

Danielle, Carlie ,Phil, Wayne and Donna braved the dismal weather to attend the Southminster Flower show on 16th July 2011.

We all arrived about 10.30am it was raining but we were optimistic it would brighten up !

Two hours later the pens and gazebos were erected and the animals in place we were soaked to the skin and it was still raining, but ever hopeful the sun would appear we settled in our little tent for refreshments .


After a few mugs of tea and a slice of homemade cake finished off with some of Phil’s sloe vodka and Elderberry jelly the world was looking a better place.

Phil, Gareth and Carlie

Other stands were packing up and going home giving up on the weather but NO we stood fast and waited for that sun!

4pm the clouds dispersed and out came the sun at last.

The show ground started to fill and we then had a steady stream of people for the rest of the afternoon.

The animals behaved impeccably although Carlie's poor Poland chickens had very wet hairdos and Dude the sheep was a little grumpy and did threaten to head butt one small lad but overall they were marvellous.

Fred, Dude and Lottie

Many people showed much interest in the group and we look forward to seeing them at future meetings.

We have already been asked if we would attend the show again next year so I think the group and some of our animals were a great success again!

The Old Smoke House at Furzedown

The smoke house will be fired up again Sunday 14th August 2011 at 10.00am

Anyone is welcome to put something in (NO CHARGE)

So come on have a go ,

Why not try curing your own bacon or ham and then finish it of with a cold smoke .............very tasty. or you could try fish or cheese.

Have a look on the following websites for a few ideas.

The Potting Shed - Bacon Curing

Accidental Smallholder - Bacon Curing

Or for you first timers why not buy and unsmoked Gammon Ham from the supermarket and pop in you will be surprised how nice it tastes.

To give us an idea of numbers please email Danielle Perkins

DIG IT

This should be the month of little work and reaping the rewards for what we have done so far this year.

Almost all the vegetables should be being picked or dug now. Potatoes are into the “mids” with all the salad types nearly gone but the mid are bigger and have more all round use. Most of the beans should be producing steady pickings. After a slow start they picked up well but it is most important to keep beans watered, any stress caused by lack of water will cause the flowers and young “beanlets” to drop off, this is true for peas as well. Keep picking as they are big enough and this will encourage more flowers. Marrows and courgettes should be yielding a nice few, don’t let them get too big or they become tough skinned and full of seeds, still edible of course but not nearly as tasty. Carrots and beetroot should be big enough to pull a few now and again; the gaps will help the rest to get bigger.

Carrots

I am trying to make up my mind whether to lift the shallots as I desperately need the ground to get more spinach and rocket in. I think I am going to be a bit more patient, at least for another couple of weeks. Once the Shallot tops start showing signs of dying is best really. Main crop onions are at about the same stage but can be picked and used straight away, they are at their strongest flavour straight out of the ground.

My tomatoes are slow this year, although they have plenty of fruit they are a long way from picking yet both outside and under glass, patience again! Do keep them well watered to avoid tough skins and splitting. Cucumbers shot away, set some fruit, and then stopped growing. Once I picked these, the plants started off again- still will have fruit for longer in the season.

Sweetcorn

Almost all the spring planted cabbage have gone but I put in some winter red cabbage and round cabbage, just need to keep the butterflies off them, there seems to be a lot of large white about this year.

Funny time of year for salad, the early sown crops have all gone but worth putting in a little salad leaves, rocket and spinach to keep a supply of fresh leaves going.

Sweetcorn looks well away with flower heads and cobs forming, again keep them watered for nice juicy kernels. As soon as you get two or more flower heads fully opening given them a shake together to improve germination.

Strawberries

Early strawberries have finished but the mid and late summer varieties should be flowering and fruiting. Once the plants have finished fruiting, cut all the leaves and dead fruit stems off, leaving just the heart, clean away straw and debris to avoid mould. If the plants are putting out runners, I just put a 3” pot of compost under each new plantlet, letting the main runner keep going. As soon as the nearest plantlet has rooted, cut the runner off the parent plant and continue potting along as new plantlets form. This will give you new stock for next year to replace any winter

casualties and keep a strong stock to start again. Any over you can use as “swaps” or save for selling at next years Blackwater Show! Soft fruit has been really good this year and to keep the plants strong start pruning back as soon as the fruit has been picked. Gooseberries should be cut to open up the middles forming a cup shape.

With the huge amount of soft fruit around, it would take a small book to describe the pruning of each one but the basics are:-

• Summer fruiting raspberries fruit on canes 2 years old or last year’s growth, cut out any older canes right down to 6”.

• Autumn fruiting types fruit on this year’s growth so these need to be cleared of all growth down to 6” above ground

• Most varieties of currants fruit on last year’s canes so again, cut out any older wood to ground level.

• You can prune growth from any soft fruit to tidy them up but not too dramatically!

• Apples and pears look good for a heavy crop this year. If you can, thin out overcrowded spurs, it is best to leave just 2 fruit at each spur for larger crops.

“Things to do now”

Really is your last chance to plant up a couple of bags of seed potatoes for Christmas dinner. If you have room anywhere, salad of everything can go in. Keep tomatoes tidy, pinch out side shoots and start taking off the bottom leaves up to the first truss, then work up as fruit is picked, more goodness goes to the fruit instead of plant growth.

As ground becomes available, once potatoes come out, think about putting in some winter cabbage plants, also broccoli, sprouts, chard and spinach. They are all pretty frost proof.

Winter cabbage

Flat peas and dwarf French beans are worth sowing again in tubs, they will just about make a crop by the end of September.

Keep the garden tidy, clear away dead leaves on brassicas, marrows and courgettes. This will stop mildew forming and takes away a hiding place for slugs and snails.

Onions hung in net bag

As soon as the tops on onions and shallots start turning brown lift them and put out to dry for a few days, this will harden off the outside and help prevent mildew forming. Hang in net bags or lay out so air can circulate.

Marrows will keep for weeks after cutting if you store them somewhere dry and cool. Courgettes do not keep so well so pick and eat fresh as you want them.

Well I think that’s all for now, enjoy the fruits of your labour! 


Terry

Recipe of the month

Chocolate Beetroot Cake

Like the carrot in a carrot cake, beetroot keeps the cake moist and helps it to last for days — as if any chocolate cake is going to last for days.

Ingredients

Feeds 6. Takes 1 hour plus cooling.

50g bitter cocoa powder 180g plain flour 11⁄2tsp baking powder Pinch of salt 250g caster sugar 300g cooked fresh beetroot 3 eggs 200ml corn oil 1tsp vanilla extract

Heat the oven to 180C/Gas mark 4. Butter and flour an 18cm (7in) round or square cake tin.

Sift the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Mix in the sugar and set aside.

Purée the beetroot in a food processor. Add the eggs, one at a time, then add the corn oil and vanilla and beat until smooth.

Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour the beetroot mixture into the well. Lightly mix, using a rubber spatula, and pour into the prepared cake tin.

Bake for 40 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. It won’t rise a great deal and the top may crack a bit. 

Allow to cool a little before removing from the tin, then leave to cool completely on a wire rack.

To serve, dust the cake with icing sugar or bitter cocoa powder, and cut into generous slices.

Enjoy

August meeting

James Marriage from the local and family run Marriages Animals feeds will be attending this month’s meeting.

He will be talking on what animal feed he can offer smallholder and the very popular poultry food with added wormer flubenvet.

A meeting not to missed for all smallholders with live stock what with feed prices on the up we all want to be sure we are getting the best deal for our money.

So add this date

23rd August 2011

7.15pm

The Blue Boar,Silver Street, Maldon

We thought it may be nice to make this evening “A Bring Something to Share Evening” at previous meetings we have had homemade cakes or biscuits which we have all throughly enjoyed sharing.

Moulsham Mill on Parkway, Chelmsford. It was powered by water and later by steam, but ceased milling in 1971. It is still owned by the Marriage family.

Well that is all for now, we look forward to seeing you at the next meeting.

Donna and Caroline.

P.S If anyone would like to help or exhibit livestock at the Joyces Farm Show on 4th September 2011 please contact Danielle.Perkins@yahoo.co.uk.