A Silver Lining to the Clouds?

Bumper crops
I think it is fair to say that we have been having a beautiful summer this year.  I am so pleased that is has also meant lots of successful harvests so far, unless you are one of the unfortunate growers who have had their home-grown food eaten by a bumper year for slugs.  I'm afraid that I have been so overwhelmed with my small land share plot and helping a friend get her new allotment in shape, that I took my eye off some of my plants.  As a result, I have found aphids a problem.  I tried a spraying with soap solution, but they were too well established for it to make much difference.  I have had a visit from loads of caterpillars on my rocket.  I didn't mind at all since I had a rocket glut, and they have to live somewhere!  When giving away my rocket surplus it has been fun informing friends to watch out for the caterpillars hitching a ride. 

Silver lining
I took this picture a few days ago.  The other adults in the house had gone to work and the kids were still asleep, so I sneaked outside to breakfast in peace.  Bliss!  I was hoping to blog about my intentions to repeat this over the summer whenever my working hours allow, but the weather has other plans.  It will rain, rain, rain until next week at least.  Those who grow food on a larger scale will be glad of the rain but I am happy with an Indian summer because I can water my small plots by hand.  So if I don't need rain for my garden, what will the silver lining be to poor weather?  Well, I guess the aphids will have a hard time clinging on to my sweet peas in downpours[cue evil laugh]!

Lisa Reid

Walking this afternoon in the Cheshire sun

I've been offline for a few weeks because we have had a virus in our house, which has left us all out of sorts.  One of the symptoms was a heavy cold - no fun in this heat!  Luckily the allotment I have taken on with two friends is under control and things are looking beautiful at my land share as my annual flowers flourish....but more about those things on another blog post.

I'm off to see the lovely Janet and Tim at Abbey Leys farm on this side of High Legh today.  I visit their farm a lot either for the well-stocked farm shop or the monthly farmer's market.  I visit for a different purpose today. 

Farmstart
Janet and Tim have been working with Farmstart, (www.kindling.org.uk/farmstart).  This involves some volunteers and new growers using land to learn farming with support.  I can't imagine how difficult it would be if I decided I wanted to be a farmer - it is one thing to visit a farm.  However, deciding properly if it was the right thing for me would be really hard.  This project gives budding (excuse the pun!) growers the chance to make a start.  They also use The Greater Manchester Land Army volunteers.  I'm being sketchy on detail here, but that is for a good reason: I don't know any more.  That is going to be rectified today.

Walk on the Wild Side
Farmstart are hosting a walk this afternoon from 1pm.  Meet at Abbey Leys farm (http://www.abbeyleys.co.uk/).  We will have a farm tour, eat some cake and walk about 4 miles through the surrounding countryside to see the Farmstart initiative.  They will ask for a contribution towards the cost of refreshments and the work of the Prince's Countryside Trust Fund.  As well as finding out about the work on the farm, the new initiative and eating some of Janet's tasty cakes, we will be celebrating all that is great about the countryside.  That won't be hard on such a stunning day. 

So, if you fancy getting away from it all and don't want to do battle on a motorway to get to a beach -  I'll see you there.

Lisa Reid

A Big Welcome to July

What an absolute whirlwind June has been...I was glancing back through my photos this week and it helped bring home what I have crammed in to one short month.  As per usual with my photos, I have more of food & drink than I do of my kids (I can imagine them having therapy when they are older as a consequence!).  This month is slightly unusual in that Lymm Festival has made a big appearance too.  What did you manage to book from the huge choice of activities? 

Foodfest
Low Carbon Lymm were part of the festival from the start at Foodfest 2014.  It was no chore to share some great local food and drink with you all on a sunny evening.  I was a little hesitant about how the samples would be received, but you were complete stars...even guessing the identity of the rogue supermarket Cheshire cheese.  We moved our local food roadshow to Statham the week after for their annual summer fair.  There we spoke to more great people about local produce.  The overwhelming message was positive.  People want to eat more local food, and in many cases just didn't know where to buy it.  If that applies to you, check out our interactive map:  http://bit.ly/1re6lal

Local Summer Food
I think eating seasonal local food it a breeze in summer in any culture because of the prevalence of tasty fruit and vegetables, and Cheshire is no different.  I have had some melt-in-the-mouth new potatoes from the farm on the junction of Weaste Lane and Halfacre Lane over the last few weeks.  The farmer grows his own, so you know they have only a couple of food miles to arrive on your plate.  We currently eat them by the pan full - hot or cold.  My favourite idea is using rocket or broad bean pesto on them (put some rocket or blanched young broad beans with walnuts, strong flavoured cheese, rapeseed oil, seasoning and lemon juice in a blender).  This is a brilliant way to use up a glut of vegetables in a mostly UK pesto (it is possible to buy Yorkshire rapeseed oil in Tesco now at a reasonable price) and yet another excuse to eat Cheshire spuds. Yum.

Lisa Reid

It's all happening on Thursday...

 Lymm Artisan Market

Before we talk about this week, let's recap on Sunday...Zoe popped down to the market to stock up on local produce from the market.  She wasn't disappointed.  As you can see from the pictures, Kenyon Hall Farm were there again with their usual range of stunning local food.

Foodfest

Well, it is here at last: Lymm Festival starts on Thursday (www.lymmfestival.org.uk).  It is always a struggle to work out which of the diverse range of events we can fit onto the calendar in our house while the festival runs for 10 days.  The event which starts it all off is Foodfest at 6pm.  The centre of the village is closed to traffic, and food sellers come out to tempt passers by with their wares.  Low Carbon Lymm have a stall again this year, and we have a tasty menu of food and drink to give away (yes, you read that correctly GIVE AWAY!), plus some seedlings.  Pop over to see us next to Sextons bakery and sample some local produce. We would love to know what you think about any local food issues while you eat and drink too.


Hope to see you there!

Lisa Reid

Are you around Lymm on Sunday?

Radish glut?
I hope you are all enjoying being in your gardens, and those of you that grow your own food are starting to literally reap what you have sewn.  Last week I enjoyed my first crop - radishes.  My whole family were shocked at how peppery they were...'just like they used to be' cried the adults.  It was lovely to have them in the fridge and tuck into them for several days without them going soft, the way shop-bought ones do.  Don't forget to repeat sew crops like radish and lettuce to ensure a supply all summer. If you are visiting Lymm market today, I have compiled a list of recipe ideas to use up a radish glut and left them for you to pick up when you buy.  Ideas include braising and sandwiches.  Pete tells me he needs recipe ideas for British broccoli and beetroot, so I'll do those next. 

Local veg
If you would like to buy locally grown fruit and vegetables at the weekend, then look no further than Lymm on Sunday.  It is the next Lymm Artisan Market 10-3.  It even got a mention in Cheshire Life this month!  Ali and Pete are working really hard to reinvigorate this event at the Youth and Community centre situated next to the canal.  It is particularly important to go this week for two reasons: Firstly, the weather forecast for Sunday is dry and 18degrees, so a perfect reason to have a stroll into the village, have an ice cream and shop for local food.  Secondly, Ali and Pete have a commitment from Kenyon Hall farm to come to the market for a minimum 6 months while we build up the trade to make it worthwhile for the suppliers to come permanently.  If we don't use it, we will undoubtedly lose it in this case.  Kenyon Hall supply fabulous food from local growers.  I bought one of everything they took last time and worked out what to cook when I got home...great foodie fun!

Have a lovely weekend.  It won't be long until Lymm Festival starts (http://www.lymmfestival.org.uk/) The village is starting to look even lovelier with the festival bunting and banners up.  Look out for our table at Foodfest on the 19th in the middle of the village...we'll have lots of local food and drink to taste for free, and a lovely photo board made by Lymm Youth Club for you to photo yourselves in - yes the fabulous Su Williams has even managed to make that food-themed!

Lisa Reid

Elderflower Cordial

Bagging a Bargain
I don't know about you, but when out shopping I love bagging a bargain.  That habit also happens when I am out on my bike or walking, so I am constantly scouring the hedgerows of Lymm for free food.  We are well into spring now, and consequently there are lots of white flowers around.  At about hip height you will see cow parsley.  At about eye height in the hedgerows there are tiny hawthorn flowers (occasionally they will be pink too).  In among the hedgerows or perhaps above them are some slightly untidy looking small trees with upturned clusters of creamy white flowers on pale green stalks.  These are likely to be elderflowers. They smell divine - a sweet, musky aroma which makes me think of far more exotic locations than Lymm! 

Cordial
These elderflower blooms can be made into cordial.  All you need is some of the flowerheads, lemons, oranges, sugar and sterilised bottles.  It is a lovely thing to do with children.  Just pick the flowers while out and about...there are even some in Ridgway Grundy park next to the skatepark or on the canal towpath between Lymm bridge and the chipshop.  On your return follow this recipe:
http://www.rivercottage.net/recipes/elderflower-cordial/
Basically, it just means steeping them overnight with the fruit rind, draining it, then adding sugar and simmer for a few minutes.  It really is that simple.

Alcohol and other friends
This all sounds like just a pleasant thing to do on a warm day, doesn't it?  Wait though, because it gets even better...you can add a dash to cava to make a fabulous tipple.  The musky aroma really comes through into the flavour.  I also use it drizzled onto fruit or ice cream, and when the local gooseberries become ripe at our local pick-your-own farm very soon  (http://www.kenyonhall.co.uk/) I will stir it through some stewed goosegoggs.

Fizz
It is possible to make elderflower champagne too.  If you do fancy having a go at the champagne, a good friend tells me to use 2 litre pop bottles because they hold the pressure better than a glass one.  You can use champagne yeast to get the process going or my friend tells me that the most fragrant blooms are more likely to have captured naturally occurring yeast.

Berry Cordial
Don't take all of the flowers where you are picking.  Leave some behind and you can return when the flowers give way to berries to make an autumnal elderberry cordial with cloves. 

WARNING
If you ever intend foraging, particularly with children, always be absolutely certain that what you are picking is edible.  I usually print off pictures from the internet to take with me.

Lisa Reid

Are you in Lymm this weekend?

Well, this is it guys...a mini heat wave.  The met office is forecasting 20 degrees for the next 5 days, and dry weather until Monday morning.  If you are in Lymm this weekend and looking for something nice to do, the Lymm Artisan Market will be on this Sunday from 10-3 in the Youth & Community Centre on Bridgewater Street adjacent to the canal.  Alison and Patrick have been working really hard to re-launch the market lately, and have had lots of requests for stalls.  (if you are on twitter and want to follow them, they are @marketfairs)

The market is monthly on the 3rd Sunday of the month, so I'll be diarising a monthly trip in addition to my Abbey Leys visit on the 1st Sunday of the month.

There will be some craft stalls, but one of my favourite farm shops will have a stall too: Kenyon Hall Farm.  (http://www.kenyonhall.co.uk/)  These guys really know their business, and by that I don't just mean running a farm shop.  They have a very successful pick-your-own farm just a couple of  junctions up the M6, sell beautiful bedding plants and a wide selection of herbs in their nursery, and in the last year or two have built a new building to house a farm shop, café and toilets.  They are going to let me know when they have their first ripe strawberry, so watch this space!

In addition to the market, there are all the usual eateries which like to open on a Sunday: Nancy's Deli, the Gobstopper (try their ice cream), Café Salaar  and the pubs for starters.  Nancy tells me there is a great buzz in the village on Sundays, with people from outside Lymm taking a walk round the Dam then along the Dingle to visit the village itself. 

I'm going to join them this week, and have a local day with some local food shopping...after all, who wants to go to the supermarket in such lovely weather?