Press release

New measures to protect poultry against Avian Flu

From:

Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Animal and Plant Health Agency

First published:

6 December 2016

The Chief Veterinary Officer has declared a Prevention Zone to help protect poultry from a strain of Avian Flu in Europe.

The Government Chief Vet has declared a Prevention Zone introducing enhanced biosecurity requirements for poultry and captive birds, helping protect them from a strain of avian flu circulating in mainland Europe. The zone covers England and will remain in place for 30 days.
Keepers of poultry and other captive birds are now required to keep their birds indoors, or take appropriate steps to keep them separate from wild birds.
Outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N8) have been confirmed in poultry and wild birds in several countries across Europe. No cases of H5N8 have been found in the UK and this order is a precautionary measure to help prevent potential infection from wild birds.
Public Health England (PHE) advises that the threat to human health remains very low.
Defra is continuing to monitor the situation closely and has increased its surveillance activity, while keepers are being urged to reinforce biosecurity measures on their premises.
Chief Veterinary Officer Nigel Gibbens said:

While no cases of H5N8 avian flu have been found in the UK, and PHE advises the public health threat is low, we are closely monitoring the situation across Europe and have scaled up surveillance in response to the heightened risk.
As a precaution, and to allow time for poultry and captive bird keepers to put in place appropriate biosecurity measures, we have declared a 30-day Prevention Zone to reduce the risk of infection from wild birds.

Even when birds are housed a risk of infection remains so this must be coupled with good biosecurity—for example disinfecting clothing and equipment, reducing poultry movement and minimising contact between poultry and wild birds.

Poultry keepers are advised to be vigilant for any signs of disease in their birds and any wild birds, and seek prompt advice from their vet if they have any concerns. They can help prevent avian flu by maintaining good biosecurity on their premises, including:

• cleansing and disinfecting clothing, footwear, equipment and vehicles before and after contact with poultry – if practical, use disposable protective clothing;
  
• reducing the movement of people, vehicles or equipment to and from areas where poultry are kept to minimise contamination from manure, slurry and other products and using effective vermin control;
  
• thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting housing at the end of a production cycle;
  
• keeping fresh disinfectant at the right concentration at all points where people should use it, such as farm entrances and before entering poultry housing or enclosures; and
  
• minimising direct and indirect contact between poultry and wild birds, including making sure all feed and water is not accessible to wild birds.
  

Further information

• Since 3 November, highly pathogenic avian influenza of subtype H5N8 has been found in dead wild birds in Austria, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine and the Russian Federation. These outbreaks have affected various wild bird species, including Tufted Ducks (Aythya fuligula), Common Pochard (Aythya ferina), gull species, wild geese, wild swans and various other wild waterfowl and raptors. Read the latest outbreak assessment or sign up to our Alerts Service to keep up to date with the latest news.
  
• Clinical signs that poultry keepers should look for in their birds include a swollen head, discolouration of neck and throat, loss of appetite, respiratory distress, diarrhoea and fewer eggs laid – although these vary between species of bird.
  
• Where avian influenza (or Newcastle Disease) is not strongly suspected, but cannot be ruled out, poultry keepers may wish to liaise with their private veterinarian about using the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) ‘testing for exclusion’ regime in GB. This involves submitting samples to a testing service at the APHA’s National Reference Laboratory, Weybridge and can help detect a notifiable avian disease at the earliest opportunity for such cases.
  
• We’ve published advice on biosecurity and how to prevent disease. Wild bird surveillance activity in Great Britain has been increased. If poultry keepers or the general public find dead wild waterfowl (swans, geese or ducks) or gulls, or five or more dead wild birds of other species in the same location, they should report them to the Defra helpline by calling 03459 33 55 77.
  
• For more information contact Defra press office on 020 8026 3663 or out of hours on 0345 051 8486.
  
   www.gov.uk/government/news/new-measures-to-protect-poultry-against-avian-flu
  

 

Delicious Baked Ham Recipe

This simple-to-follow recipe for baked ham gives tasty cuts of ham for breakfast or the Boxing Day buffet. The aromatic smells wafting around the kitchen from cooking this baked ham recipe summons up Christmas all by itself and the taste is divine. It also looks the part with the honey and mustard glaze and the traditional criss-cross pattern scored into the surface.

Our favourite Christmas Ham uses using cloves, honey and mustard and is a real ‘proper job.’ The extra effort involved really pays off as the ham doesn’t just taste great, it also looks great on the Christmas table ‒ and that look simply improves each time it is carved.

THE BOILING
This is an essential first stage for any ham, whether you wish to roast or boil it. I have always regarded it as the real cooking process, as to roast an entire ham could be a risky process, and if it was dressed at the beginning, the dressing would either be burnt or you would have to remove the ham at a late stage of the roasting process, roll back the silver foil and apply the dressing. The ham would then need to heat up again, so you can perhaps see my point about the two separate stages.
INGREDIENTS
3kg (6lb 10oz) unsmoked gammon (preferably with the rind and fat on)
5 bay leaves
A handful of peppercorns
5 star-anise
A cinnamon stick, broken into 2 pieces
4 tbsp runny honey
1 tbsp mustard powder
Cloves
METHOD
1              Put the ham in a stockpot and cover it with water. Add the bay leaves, peppercorns, star-anise and cinnamon stick, then boil gently for 1½ hours with the lid on. The aroma will drive a dog wild (I speak from experience here!), so either open a window or remove the dog from the kitchen.
2              Remove from the heat, drain off the water and put the ham on a chopping board with a clean tea towel or similar underneath to soak up the inevitable residue of liquid.
3              Using a sharp knife, remove the rind (you can fry this for pork scratchings)

4              Leave the ham to cool for a few minutes, then score the surface fat, creating a diamond pattern – as the ham roasts this will become a real highlight of the presentation!
5              Meanwhile, mix the runny honey with the mustard powder to form a paste, then select some large cloves (everybody has cloves somewhere in the kitchen).

6              Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F, Gas 4) and transfer your ham to a roasting tray, where you can decorate it with the cloves, then cover it generously with the paste. I found it easier to smear the paste on with my fingers rather than flap about with a palette knife or spoon.
7              Roast the ham in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes, basting with the paste a couple of times until the glaze is a dark golden colour. Check your ham each time you open the oven door to baste it, and if it looks to be a little too brown, cover with silver foil to slow down the roasting process.
homefarmer.co.uk

 www.lovepork.co.uk

 



Jonathan Benjamin ‘JB’ Gill has been announced as the ambassador for British Sausage Week 2016, the annual sausage celebration which rewards those bangers with the X factor.
British Sausage Week 2016 (31 October – 6 November) is in its 19th year and is asking one-and-all to celebrate the sausage! And who better to sing the praises of the popular British banger than former X Factor contestant and chart-topping band member of JLS, Jonathan Benjamin ‘JB’ Gill.
JB, who after selling millions of records and performing to countless number of fans across the globe, left the music industry, with his wife Chloe and son, Ace, to become a farmer who has since reared pigs, cattle and deer.  A regular on BBC’s Countryfile and currently presenting CBeebies TV series, Down on the Farm, he has a passion for educating young and old about the countryside, which also includes plans to add author to his CV, with a range of books about the countryside and farming life planned for the future.
JB will help British Sausage Week celebrate the sausage, by talking family-life, farming and foodie-favourites to the media. JB will award the best sausages in retailers, independent butchers/farm shops and catering establishments, following a nationwide competition, which has drawn well over 700 entries. His son, Ace, has also got in on the action and created one of the recipes for British Sausage Week, Ace’s Pork Sausage Fajita Wraps.
JB Gill said: “It’s a huge pleasure to be involved in British Sausage Week 2016, celebrating the amazing range of sausages from around the country. In our house, sausages are always a go-to option for a quick, easy and tasty mid-week meal, which my family loves tucking into.
“I’m passionate about food and it’s one of the reasons why I went into farming. I know from my own experience the attention and care which goes into producing quality fresh pork sausages, so when choosing your sausages look for the Red Tractor logo on pack. This way you’re not only supporting British farmers, but ensuring the sausages you eat are from pigs produced to high welfare standards.  With more than 500 varieties to choose from, there’s a sausage to suit everyone’s tastes. And if you’re looking for a sausage recipe with a twist, give my son’s sausage fajitas a go!
“So please join me in celebrating the best bangers in the country during British Sausage Week, which runs 31 October – 6 November.”
 www.lovepork.co.uk/

Beef short rib ragu -http://mistermeatball.blogspot.co.uk/

Beef short rib ragu -http://mistermeatball.blogspot.co.uk/

The furnace has been running lately. So has the living room fireplace.

It's braising season.

Not a lot of things are better for braising than short ribs. They're terrific served whole, of course, but I was in the mood for a hearty ragu the other evening, and so that's the direction I went in.

Nobody complained.

I started out with 3 pounds of beef short ribs. After liberally seasoning the ribs with kosher salt and black pepper I dredged them in all-purpose flour and then tossed them into a dutch oven with plenty of olive oil.

After the ribs have browned on all sides, remove and set aside.

Add one large chopped carrot, two celery stalks, one medium onion, one leek, four garlic cloves, and some thyme. Saute until the vegetables have softened.

Return the ribs to the dutch oven and add one quart of stock (beef here), 2 cups of red wine, and one can of tomatoes. Let the liquid come to a boil, then cover the pot and place in an oven preheated to 375 degrees F.

After around two hours check that the meat is tender. If it isn't tender continue to cook until it is. Once tender remove from the oven and allow things to cool.

Once cool enough to handle, remove the ribs from the sauce and pick away all the meat from the bones.

All that's left to do now is add the meat back into the sauce, reheat and serve.

As you can see by the picture up top I served the ragu over polenta the first night. The next night I went with cavatelli.

It feels like winter tonight. I only wish there was still some of the stuff left.
 http://mistermeatball.blogspot.co.uk/

 

Foraging in September: five edible berries and nuts to look out for

By Helen Keating , 

Go for a walk in September and you’ll almost certainly find an abundance of edible wild food.

Early autumn is the best time enjoy foraging. It's when hedgerows and trees are heavy with the jewel-like colours of ripening fruits and nuts.
I believe that gathering and eating wild food is the best way to understand and respect this natural resource. But overenthusiastic collecting can put populations of species at risk, so please forage responsibly.

Beech nuts (Fagus sylvatica)

Each beech tree produces a bumper crop of nuts, also known as beech masts, every 4-5 years. When you find them they could be abundant, though squirrels, badgers and birds may have got there first.
How to use it: the nuts make a tasty raw nibble when you’re out and about. Scrape off the outer brown skin to reveal the triangular seed. They can be used in a similar way to pine nuts, sprinkled on salads and risottos. Roast in the oven then place between two tea towels and rub to remove shells. Beech nuts can be slightly toxic if consumed in large quantities due to the tannins and alkaloids.
What to look for: look out for pairs of three-sided nuts in bristly cases from mid-September and throughout October.
Find out how to identify beech.

Hawthorn berries (Crataegus monogyna)

The leaves of hawthorn are traditionally known as 'bread and cheese' which usually refers to their very basic culinary qualities. But some people have eaten the berries  together with autumnal leaves (they are apparently just about edible) which also gives the name bread and cheese. The leaf is the bread and the berry the cheese.
How to use it: generally haws are not consumed raw due to the large stone and dry, starchy flesh. They are much better when cooked and go well in jams, jellies, vinegar and ketchup. For a hedgerow tipple try hawthorn schnapps.
What to look for: hawthorn berries are also known as haws. They are around fruits are about 1cm long  and resemble small apples with a single seed. They are best picked when they’re a deep red and fully ripe.
Find out how to identify hawthorn.

Rosehip (Rosa canina)

Rose hips are the red and orange seed pods of rose plants commonly found in hedgerows.
How to use it: the hips have a fleshy covering that contains the hairy seeds (the irritant hairs were traditionally used by schoolboys to make itching powder). The outer layer is packed with vitamin C and they are renowned for helping stave off winter colds. They are good in wines, jellies, jams and and can be used to make a delicately flavoured rosehip syrup for cordial or pouring onto ice cream or pancakes.
What to look for: look for bright red rosehips from September to November along hedgerows and woodland fringes. Snip or carefully pull the hips close to the base of each pod (to avoid being attacked by prickly thorns).
Find out more about dog rose.

Rowan berries (Sorbus aucuparia)

Rowan is also known as mountain ash because it grows well at high altitudes and its leaves are similar to those of common ash. The two species are not related. In late summer and early autumn you'll notice ripening clusters of orange-red berries.
How to use it: rowan berries can be used to make rowan jelly (delicious with game), wine, hedgerow jelly, fruit leather and wild fruit vinegar.
What to look for: the small berries ripen to a striking red and are ready from late September and throughout autumn. Collect as a cluster from the tree.
Find out how to identify rowan.

Sloes (Prunus spinosa)

The blackthorn is best known for its crop of tart, acidic fruits used to make the deep-red, wintry drink, sloe gin.
How to use it: the general rule is to pick after the first frost as it softens the skins and helps to release the juices. You can get round this by picking early and freezing at home instead. Make sloe gin or try using sloes for whisky, jams and vinegar.
What to look for: the blue-black berries are ready for picking from the end of September to December. In some years, blackthorn trees along hedgerows and fields are heavy with fruit.
Make delicious sloe gin with our easy recipe.
Find out how to identify blackthorn.

 http://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blogs/woodland-trust/2016/09/foraging-in-september/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=blogs&utm_content=food

 

HF’s food historian, Seren Hollins, digs into her rationing cookbooks for inspiration to turn fruit into slightly more wholesome preserves. Like our recipe for parsnip cake this brings out the natural sweetness of the fruit (or veg) to sweeten. Whilst some recipes suggest replacing sugar with stevia this one uses the fruit’s natural sweetness and fruit juice to add the sweetness to the jam.

Seren’s Tip: Pic the very best, ripest fruit you can find as there will be no added sugar to mask any tartness or pep up the end result.

INGREDIENTS

• 1.8kg pears, peeled and cored
• 2 lemons
• 60ml white grape juice
• 3 tsp pectin powder (for jam making)

METHOD

1           Quarter the prepared pears, cut each quarter in half, then place the pieces in a saucepan and cook (covered, with enough water to cover just the bottom of the pan) for 10–12 minutes, until soft.
2           Leave the softened pears to cool, then blend with a food processor, hand blender, or just a good old-fashioned potato masher if nothing else is to hand. Set aside the pear purée.
3           Finely slice 1 of the lemons after removing the pithy core. To do this, cut it in half along the stem line and remove the pithy centre, then turn each lemon half over and slice finely. Place the slices into a small saucepan, cover with water and simmer for 10 minutes.
4           Put the water in which the lemons simmered and the pear purée into a large saucepan, add the squeezed juice of the remaining lemon to the mixture, then bring to the boil over a medium heat. Once boiling, reduce to a gentle simmer, stirring regularly to prevent sticking or burning.
5           Blitz the lemon slices in a food processor and add the lemon pulp to the simmering pears, then stir well.
6           When the pear mixture has a soft, smooth consistency, remove it from the heat and add the white grape juice, stirring well.
7           Bring the pear mixture back to the boil and quickly stir in the pectin powder. Cook the jam, stirring constantly for exactly 1 minute, bring it back to the boil, then remove from the heat.
8           Pour the jam into sterilised jars, wiping the rims clean before sealing the lids.
This jam will keep for 8–10 weeks in the fridge, and is delicious in its own right, but is best spread on thick toast.
 https://homefarmer.co.uk

 

 How to Freeze Eggs

Andrea Chesman, author of Kitchen Know-How shares her advice on how to freeze eggs. Legally an egg can be laid as many as 30 days before it must be packaged. Its’ sell-by date is another 30 days after that. The egg is still considered fresh for another 3 to 5 weeks after that, so there’s no real hurry for getting eggs into the freezer. However, there is such a thing as too many eggs in the finite space of a refrigerator. In that case, freezing is a good option.
See also:

Selling Your Surplus Eggs

How to Pickle Quail Eggs

Why Chickens Lay Coloured Eggs

 

Eggs should be removed from their shells for freezing. They can be kept frozen for up to a year, and they should be thawed in the refrigerator the day before you intend to use them. There are textural changes: the yolks get rather gummy, and it is noticeable in omelets and scrambled eggs. They should be used only in dishes that will be completely cooked and combined with other ingredients, such as in custards and baked goods such as cookies and cakes. Cakes will not rise quite as high with frozen and thawed eggs, but the difference may not be that dramatic.

Whole Eggs

To freeze whole eggs, crack the eggs into a bowl and gently stir to break up the yolk, but do not beat them; you want to avoid incorporating air into the eggs. Egg yolks, gelatinize when frozen, becoming so thick and solid they are impossible to use. To prevent this and maintain the best texture, stir in ½ teaspoon salt per cup of eggs. Label the container with the date and the number of eggs.

Egg Yolks

The problem with egg yolks gelatinizing when freezing is even greater when you freeze yolks alone. To prevent this a much as possible, stir in either ⅛ teaspoon salt or 1½ teaspoons sugar per ¼ cup of egg yolks (about 4 yolks). Label the container with the date and the number of egg yolks and whether salt or sugar was added.

Egg Whites

Raw egg whites do not gelatinize when frozen, so no added salt or sugar is needed. Label the container with the date and the number of egg whites. Once thawed, whites will beat to a better volume if allowed to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Frozen Eggs – The Maths

You’ll want to freeze eggs in convenient sizes for defrosting relatively small amounts at a time. Some people like to use ice cube trays for freezing the eggs, then transfer the eggs into freezer bags. (if you use plastic ice cube trays, be scrupulous about removing any egg residue before reusing the ice cube trays for ice!)

1 whole egg = 2 cubes

2 egg yolks = 1 cube

1 egg white = 1 cube

2 cubes = ¼ cup

4 cubes = ½ cup

6 cubes = ¾ cup

8 cubes = 1 cup

1 tablespoon thawed egg yolk = 1 large fresh egg yolk

2 tablespoons thawed egg white = 1 large fresh egg white

3 tablespoons thawed whole egg = 1 large fresh egg

Fresh vs Older Eggs

Fresh eggs generally taste better than older eggs, but there are two instances where older eggs are more desirable than fresh eggs:

• When you are beating egg whites separately – to make meringues and mousses, for example, or to lighten a batter – the whites will achieve a greater volume if they are slightly older.
• When you are hear-boiling eggs, the older eggs will release their shells and peel more readily than fresher eggs.

This useful egg wisdom was from Kitchen Know-How by Andrea Chesman, published by Storey as part of their The Backyard Homestead range. Packed full of information and little gems of advice and myriad tips for the homesteader/home farmer and smallholder this is an extremely comprehensive guide giving plenty of ideas for making the most out of everything you grow and raise.
The book is split into 3 chunky sections: Getting the Most from Fresh Food, Food Preservation and Homestead cooking and is great for dipping in and dipping out for advice as well as ‘I didn’t know that’ nuggets making it a worth while read indeed.
www.homefarmer.co.uk