Home Farmer - November 2011 - go get your copy NOW!

This month Home Farmer embraces the great outdoors with expert advice on protecting the soil over winter as well as seasonal advice.   Also preparations start for Christmas with a superb cake which can be adapted to suit your own tastes as well as size of tin, along with making spiced beetroot wine and deal with a pumpkin glut and feed a family of 4 on £50 a week. They also show how to learn how to make beeswax polish…and make candles – just in time for the long, dark nights.

On the livestock side Home Farmer give our poultry a ‘manicure’ in the way of toenails, spurs, beaks wings and look to see if your garden birds are legal.  They start a new series on keeping pigs and how to look after all your livestock over winter.

Assessment of the financial implications and likely benefits of installing solar photovoltaic panels and the  small print on the FREE installation offers, is checked out.

With over 85% of space given up to features Home Farmer continues to provide plenty of information on how to grab a slice of the ‘good life’ as well as being best value for money.

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Pumpkin Tart - Yummy

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup cream

pumpkin tart

1/2 cup milk

315g cooked butternut squash - squeeze excess water off if it is watery

1/2 cup cinnamon sugar (2tsp of cinnamon mixed into half cup sugar)

40ml butter

1. Mix the first 3 ingredients
2. Mix the egg,cream and milk together and add to 1
3. Add the pumpkin and mix well
4. Place in a smeared dish,sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the top and place knobs of butter on top.
5. Bake in oven for 1 hour at 180C

Creamy Pumpkin Soup with Thyme

Ingredients

Serves: 9 

1.5L chicken stock 

1 1/2 teaspoons salt 

400g fresh pumpkin, diced 

1 onion, chopped 

2 sprigs fresh thyme, stems removed 

1 clove garlic, minced 

5 whole black peppercorns 

100ml double cream 

chopped fresh parsley to garnish 

Preparation method

Prep: 10 mins | Cook: 1 hour 

1.Heat stock, salt, pumpkin, onion, thyme, garlic and peppercorns. Bring to the boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes uncovered. 

2. Purée the soup in small batches using a food processor or blender. 

3. Return to pot and bring to the boil again. Reduce heat to low and simmer for another 30 minutes, uncovered. Stir in double cream. Pour into soup bowls and garnish with fresh parsley. 

Tip: 

Make this pumpkin soup 100% vegetarian by using vegetable stock or water instead of the chicken stock.