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Category Archives: Out and about

Happy New Year from Vernons Goodlife

31 Dec

It’s New Year’s Eve 2012 so a great time to take stock, particularly as outside the wind has picked up and the never ending rain lashes against the study window. What will 2013 bring? Will we ever have a summer again, will flooding now be the norm, can the country ever pick itself up again following the HUGE 2012 year of partying to a Royal Wedding, Queen’s Jubilee, Olympics and Paralympics. The magic of Spring never fails to revitalise the senses, I have no fear, rock on 2013. Mother Nature release the Goddess of Spring from your warm embrace and let us start all over again!

Happy New Year everyone!

Rose

 
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Posted by on December 31, 2012 in Out and about

 

Borlotti Beans are beginning to do their stuff

27 Aug

Borlotti Beans suddenly looking good, I love the colourful pods and the finished product is sensational when used in stews!

 
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Posted by on August 27, 2012 in Out and about

 

Lettuce Tree Anyone?

27 Aug

We’ve done very well out of lettuce this year, a bumper crop you might say. Was kinda funny watching them grow into lettuce trees, the compost beckons!

From this lettuce, grows mighty oaks!

 
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Posted by on August 27, 2012 in Out and about

 

Hungry Catterpillar

27 Aug

This is what happens to your cabbages if you don’t take proper care to cover them!

Note to self, I will pay attention and put more effort in next year to give the cabbage the love and care it deserves!

Not sure what type of caterpillar, but there’s a lot of em

Caterpillar Invasion

 

And it looked so good yesterday

 

 

 
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Posted by on August 27, 2012 in Out and about

 

Garlic bounty

27 Aug

Have been pulling three different types of Garlic out of the ground now for several weeks. There was a French variety and I think Elephant, which sounded fun. We use a lot of Garlic in our cooking which is a good job as we seem to have grown an enormous amount this year. Seem to remember a wonderful roasted garlic risotto recipe that works well. Will also make a tun of garlic butter rounds for the freezer and some bottles of garlic olive oil for the pantry.

Fresh Garlic ‘drying out’

 

Garlic & Cabbage a match made in heaven

 

 
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Posted by on August 27, 2012 in Out and about

 

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Planting Cucumber’s

27 Jun

Cucumber’s are pretty easy to grow from seed indoors. A bit like their courgette and squash cousins, they do tend to dominate a bed and need a close eye when fruiting but we like em!

Just planted one out in our Heath Robinsonesque wired frame.

Healthy looking cucumber plant

Cucumber needs to be carefully positioned against side of the frame as it will shoot out tendrils and climb/grow against it

As with all recently planted veg, give it a water

 
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Posted by on June 27, 2012 in Out and about

 

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Rhubarb & Ginger Jam

24 Jun

We have a real glut of rhubarb and a lonely jar of crystallised ginger in the fridge. As proud owners or the fabulous River Cottage Preserves Handbook, written by Pam Corbin, thought we would adapt her early rhubarb jam recipe which you can find on the River Cottage website. We used the ginger mentioned above instead of orange. It’s currently setting so will report back in a few days once I’ve managed to get some on toast!

In the meantime, here’s a few of our own photos, please do visit the River Cottage website or buy Pam’s book if you would like her full recipe.

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Posted by on June 24, 2012 in Out and about

 

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Freshly picked broad beans from the garden make a cracking lunch

23 Jun

Love this time of year when broad beans really start to come into their own. Has to be one of my favourite ingredients to make lunch from. The following serves two.

Toast some sourdough, lightly boil beans, tear Buffalo Mozzarella, couple of slices of Serrano Ham, chop half a chilli, one clove of garlic & a medium bunch of mint, squeeze half a lime, add 10 table spoons olive oil, salt and pepper to take care of the dressing. Assemble lunch as follows; toasted sourdough first as your base with ham, then mozzarella, beans, dressing and then add some home grown fried purple sage leaves as a tasty crunchy final touch,  eh voila, summer on a plate!

Lovely fresh broad beans straight from the veg plot here at Vernons

Should just about do lunch

Always looks a lot less after shelling!

Chilli, Garlic, Lime, Mint, Olive Oil, Salt & Pepper = top salad dressing

Sage crisps – lovely crunchy addition to a salad

The finished article!

 
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Posted by on June 23, 2012 in Out and about

 

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Summer Bounty despite the weather

22 Jun

What a year weather wise, mild winter leading to serious drought followed by torrential Biblical rain, gale force winds and the odd spell of sunshine. Despite all that Mother Nature has thrown at us so far, we seem to be doing ok Veg wise in the following:

Lettuce, Spinach, Coriander, Rocket, Broad Beans, Onions, Rhubarb, Garlic and Lavender are also behaving well.

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Posted by on June 22, 2012 in Out and about

 

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Strawberries

22 Jun

Planted the strawberries last September, they are now coming up trumps with delicious red fruits. Putting the Barley Straw down seems to have a made a difference in that we can actually pick strawberries for pud for the first time.

Top Tip: Barley Straw £3 a bag from Pet Shop. One bag just about did the lot.

Strawberries begin to deliver

strawberries for pud just in time for Wimbledon

 
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Posted by on June 22, 2012 in Out and about

 

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