This issue of our newsletter will, it is hoped, coincide with the coming of Spring, but this is to imply an arbitrary date for that event. Many gardeners like to decide for themselves whether Spring has or has not arrived and most enjoy a lively debate on the subject! They prefer to garden by 'feel'. The scientific gardener looks at such parameters as soil and air temperature, humidity, long term weather forecast, soil Ph, soil nutrient content and whether or not the soil is at 'Field capacity' *. The 'feel' gardener absorbs, sometimes unconsciously, natures indicators, has the grass started to grow, are the buds beginning to blossom in the trees, have the Tadpoles hatched, are the birds nesting? For my part I say study the scientific approach, but only as a back up. Far more satisfying to commune with Nature and listen to her whispered advice.
Oh yes, that reminds me, the first day of Spring scientifically speaking is marked by the Vernal Equinox when night and day are of equal length. It fell on the 20th March I think. Sounds like a good excuse for a party to me!
* For a definition of this term see BA
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1 large Onion finely chopped 1 lb Squash in 3/4 " chunks 8 ozs Basmati or long grain rice 1 1/4 pt Vegetable stock 3 tbsp Raisins 3 tbsp Pumpkin seeds 2 tbsp Parsley chopped 2 tbsp Oil or butter 6 Cardamom pods crushed 1 Bay leaf 1 tsp Cumin seed 1 level tsp Turmeric 1 level tsp Coriander ground 1/2 level tsp Cinnamon Salt to taste 1/2 level tsp Ground Black pepper or to taste |
Method
1 Fry onion in oil until soft 2 Add spices fry for 2 minutes 3 Add washed rice and stir until the grains are coated in oil 4 Stir in Squash chunks 5 Add stock and bring to the boil 6 Cook in a covered casserole dish till rice is almost done then add Raisins 7 Cook till rice is soft 8 Garnish with Parsley and Pumpkin seeds 9 Serve with boiled eggs and Spinach or Purple sprouting Broccoli |
This winter my wife and I have discovered Pak Choi or Brassica chinensis. It's closest relative is the Turnip or Turnip rape. Pak Choi is recommended as a cooked and salad vegetable by most of the seed catalogues that landed on my doorstep this year. Liz and I however have only tried it cooked after the fashion of Spinach or stir-fried. Quite strong in taste and though unmistakably a brassica we find it distinct from any other veg in that clan. The virtues that recommend this vegetable to me are
1/ Hardiness (it has stood all winter in TOP).
2/ Ease of cultivation, those in TOP are self sown and have produced very well with hardly any help from us. Sow in situ at 2" stations in June or August, thin first to 4" then 6" and finally to 9" apart. The thinnings of course should be used cooked or as a salad. For 2001 I've obtained a dwarf version, Pak Choi-Canton dwarf, that will live at half the distance from it's neighbours.
3/ Seed saving. If allowed to continue growing into a second season they will set seed. Those currently growing in TOP sowed themselves!
4/ Nutrition, "The new Oxford book of Food Plants", tells us is valuable in all Brassicas with the dark outside leaves containing 50 times as much Carotene as the pale inner leaves of cabbages. Pak Choi probably scores over ball headed cabbage here as the leaves are loose and all well coloured.
5/ Economy is excellent as the leaves are picked a few at a time thus there is little wastage, it's season extends through the winter months when other veg may be scarce and more expensive and of course you can save your own seed.
6/ Taste is, ( to my palate) , excellent. Peppery and strong as cabbages go it may however be pushed around the plate by children if my granddaughters are at all typical.
7/ Pest resistance is apparently good, as ours have not been touched by the Pigeons and Molluscs it seems are not at all fussy about it either!
If you see someone stumbling around the garden whilst staring intently at the hedgerow it isn't necessarily a manifestation of age or infirmity. They may have spotted our Goldcrest! This tiny gem weighs in at 5 or 6 gm and until it was pointed out to me by Mary and Mark, (in the garden), I was quite unaware that such a bird existed. So far this year I've made two sightings on both occasions he was flitting around the tops of the western hedgerow.
Keep your eyes peeled for the longtailed Tits who are, I strongly suspect, taking up residence in the Bramble bush at the far end of the pond. We haven't seen them carrying nest materials yet but there's much 'coming and going' .
The pond is shaping up after looking suspiciously murky for much of the winter. After a late start hordes of tadpoles are now in evidence and I'm keeping my fingers crossed, hoping the Ducks that 'hoovered' up most of last year's brood don't pay a visit before the tadpoles are able to take evasive action.
In the Garden we're blessed with trees large and small bordering at least three quarters of its perimeter. The trees are surely one of TOP's finest environments. The most important job at the next 'work-in' is surely the planting of more saplings to increase the number and variety of our trees.
There will be Tea & Coffee and hot food to keep your strength up.
Well here we are in spring?? The first day of spring brought the coldest day imaginable, after the wettest winter on record. I think this makes us all aware of climate change affecting the whole world. As a project of Agenda 21, besides our interest in the garden, we should support the environment. My idealistic dream is that everyone becomes aware, and contributes to preserving the planet for future generations. Barry is a model of good practice, he recycles, reuses and revamps everything. His compost heaps are his pride and joy steaming away gently. It may not always be pristine and beautiful, but it is environmentally sound. If we did our "bit" daily, this will have a cumulative effect. So the garden is where we can start.
Despite this we still have running costs to the garden; concrete, manure, insurance, seeds, allotment association membership to mention a few. So this leads me into the reminder that renewal of subs are now due. I know it has been a short year, but we would like to renew them in the spring each year. I am sure you will agree with me that £3 single membership and £5 per family is good value. You get a newsletter, working parties free fresh air and sunshine and good company, social gatherings and a supply of fresh fruit and veggies. I personally would rather spend time in the garden, than fundraising. So perhaps we could hold future publicity and fund raising events in the garden?
This leads me into the next event, which is a committee meeting, where ideas can be discussed, objectives reviewed and future plans made. This meeting will be in the garden on 21st April. Please bring a dish of food and ideas to share. The better weather is coming.
There's no more environmentally friendly way to store food than in the dried seed form, which is after all, nature's way! Seeds are also a concentrated source of nutrition and consequently often highly flavoured. So why not grow your own Herbs and Spices and turn bland food into gourmet dishes! A few ideas: -
Seeds for sprouting -
Radish, Alfalfa, Chick Peas, Fenugreek, Greek Cress, Cress, Rape, Green Lentils Buck Wheat, Sunflower, Aduki Beans, Mung Beans, Pea, Mustard, Red Clover and Quinoa.
Seeds for flavouring, garnish & snacks-
Celery, Poppy, Coriander, Caraway, Fenugreek, Pumpkin/ Squash, Sunflower, Mustard, Cumin, Dill, Amaranth, Nasturtium, Sweet Cicely, Fennel, Groundnuts, Hazelnuts, Beech masts, Chestnuts, Pignuts, and Walnuts.
Seeds as staple foods ( dried storage ) -
Runner beans, French Beans (many varieties), Pea Beans (Killer Whale), Soy Bean, Wheat, Buckwheat, Quinoa, Barley, Pea (long season),
