Autumn School Days and Homestead Harvesting

Good morning everybody.

Well here we are in September with the nights certainly getting chillier and darker quite a lot earlier; I love the colours of the seasons changing, too.

Autumn and Winter are my very favourite seasons and I can't WAIT to get the Rayburn and wood burner lit. The first I think we'll light in the middle of this month. Sooo helps to cut down on winter outgoings as we do as much cooking on and in it as we can, it heats the water and keeps some of upstairs warm, or we put on an extra sweater! The boys love coming home to hot chocolate and cake in the warmth of the living room, curtains shut and I love sitting in there with Jon at night time chatting or listening to music. Even though the TV is only up two steps in a room off the living room it's a lovely quiet space if the boys want to do something else.

I have to admit to loving the winding down of the year and this year is one that surely needs to come to an end so we can look forward to a better, though I suspect still very different, 2021.

My usual question at the start of proceedings is how are you all getting on? I know a lot of people are describing our situation as lockdown having been lifted, but here on our little homestead we are pretty much behaving the same way, still living the dream in our own way here on my little patch of paradise.

(Apologies for the cement mixer but work in progress!)

We're only going to the shops for things we need, no browsing for fun; August Bank Holiday has just passed and we drove into Aber on the Sunday and it was extremely busy so we got what was needed and, as we say, got the hell out of dodge!

Just now shopping involves getting school supplies for our boys. With one who is 14 the week they go back and currently 5ft 4 it's proving a little tricky getting regulation school clothes as we're on the brink of the age range seeing as he's already in 15 - 16 yrs shirts, and don't get me started on trousers! Things will be very different for them, I think I mentioned I'll be driving them to school but I'm still waiting to hear that we can transfer Alfie to join Harry at his school in Aber.🤞 They will be in school next week for two or three days but we have no dates for attendance confirmed beyond that as yet. We expect there'll be some blended learning ie. home as well as in school but again this information has not come to us yet.

Here on the homestead Jon is continuing work on the new Airbnb listing. It's coming on very well indeed and we are just planning the colours, layout and style and as we plan on having some much missed family to stay with us over Christmas, no not apologising for saying it, we're looking forward to it being very welcoming and cosy for them.

Harvests have really not been too bad this year. Still have lots of carrots to come along with the Maris Piper maincrop spuds which seem to be really good already. I was a little concerned about the spuds due to the little tomato things growing on them again this year but was confident it wasn't blight although they also seemed to be dying back a bit early - my diary said they shouldn't be ready before Sept 19 about. Aaaaanyhow, I decided to cut them down to soil level and when I harvested two plants yesterday I came in with 4lbs of quality produce which I thought was a good amount. 

(The bags in the background are the 2nd cropping ones.)

Of course, I have the second cropping ones planted which will be going into the poly tunnel at some point; the growing bags will probably take the place of the butternut squash that took over the corner for so long.

I've been out foraging for blackberries, too, haven't really had to go very far for them,10 minutes from home at the most, and there have been sooo many that we now have a good couple of lbs in the freezer. Great for breakfast with yoghurt - hope to go out again this week and see if they are still in such abundance before the season ends.

I FINALLY have quite a few tomatoes ripening, from different varieties, too; they seem to have taken an absolute age so hope to pick those in the next couple of days; not enough to process into anything but never mind another year maybe.

I took up my beetroot last week; not loads this year but hope to have a late entry of some I have planted outside. I used the fresh along with some from the freezer which I grew last year. I had enough to make a couple of jars of relish, plus some for tasting, from a recipe by Thane Prince, and it was yummy; this will be perfect to go with cold meats at Christmas, oops there it is again! Not much preserving going on but some.

The outside beds and areas are beginning to look a little bit naked. The empty tyres where I grew my early spuds will be for onions and garlic I think, should be enough space. 

One of my great successes this year is definitely the kale. Constantly picking, rinsing and popping it into a bag for the fridge.

Maryline and I from Rural and Rustic were just saying that an eye needs to be kept on poly tunnel temperatures just now to ensure the more delicate things are still happy. I'll be popping out shortly to  feed the toms and few other things when I do the rounds; we're having some rain here today so the outdoor plants should be ok.

Right, today is the last no-screen day for the boys and Wednesday is also Monopoly Day; we normally have lunch then start and play until about 3 or 3.30pm.

Enjoy your day and I hope you enjoyed more of my ramblings.

#stayhomeandstaysafe where you can.

Bye for now

Lou,xx

Bits and Bobs Between The Raindrops

Haven't got up to too much over the weekend. Jon spent Friday night and half of Saturday fixing the water as we had an airlock. I am so lucky to have a handy husband!

I made some more fridge pickles; the cucumber have come to an end so I made these yummy things again but used red onions this time.

Forgot to say we visited a new vintage shop in Aber the weekend before and I found these for £1 each. A lovely addition to the Poly House but I shall probably end up using a couple of them for Christmas decorations; they are just my thing for that!

They had loads along with lots of other lovely stuff. Will definitely be going back as I hope to find one of those red metal fire buckets for the hearth.

Yesterday we harvested our first turnips. Eeeek! They are a good size but have left some in the ground.

Can't wait to use them in something; it won't be tonight as tea is already planned. We make a lovely chicken broth in the winter using turnips and carrots, just root veg really, and hope these will add some special flavour. I'll be looking for some recipes later to make the most of them.

At about 3pm yesterday I went out, trug in hand, to pick what I thought may soon be the last of the balckberries. I hoped I would not get caught in a rain shower as the weather is definitely on the Autumnal turn - can't wait frankly. I picked what turned out to be 1lb 4oz; don't you just love free food?

There were loads more so plan on making time to go out again this week to get more to keep in the freezer. Lovely to be able to have a handful on your porridge in the morning or add to a smoothie, one of Alfie's fav things for breakfast.

I plan on making a blackberry, peach and banana crumble today, mmmm! Unfortunately our apple tree has come to the end of its fruit but we have enjoyed it. We need to prune it I think ready for next year but will have to get my book out and see what to do as unsure. 

The boys are back at Urdd after school club today so I have the car from taking Jon to work so that I can collect them, and then Jon, later. I plan on going to the farmers co-operative in Tregaron to see if they have some seed potatoes or any fruit/veg trays of anything useful. I don't often get to go there because of not having the car.

Right I better get on as I have bread proving just now, a few jobs to get done over the next couple of days including cleaning out the chooks between the possible rain showers we may get. My visitor is here on Wednesday, it is our community monthly lunch on Thursday and my birthday on Saturday. No time for celebration for the latter as we are having the Rayburn put over to the house heating when Jon's dad comes to visit on Friday/Saturday but we will be all sorted then!

Bye for now.

Lou.xx

Foody Fotos!

I don't generally do posts only about making and baking but this one is just that.

On Saturday when our guests were here we went for a mooch around Craft and I picked one of these up for 50p. Cool huh?



I forgot to take a picture of mine but you get the idea. Anyhow, yesterday I was seeing what was ready to pick in the garden etc and looked at the apples, established they are cookers -yay! so picked a few amongst other bits and pieces.

I came round to thinking that the balckberries on the cycle path MUST be ready now so me and Jake headed out, basket in hand, to do some foraging.

Soooo chuffed I came home with this little lot.

As you can see they weighed in at a goodly amount and I only needed 200g for my planned recipe.

Then I set about making some pastry, I used the pastry from this recipe which is almost the same as the one of hers I use for my mince pies.

Here is the recipe itself but it is quite a simple process, just follow the pictures a bit!

Apples in the pan with sugar until soft then leave to cool.

Add the blackberries and coat in the syrup.

Put a good dollop on each recrangle leaving a bit of a gap all round.

Make your lattice tops, egg wash the edges, pop the tops on, seal and then wash again and sprinkly with sugar. Just had a thought, you could make these with cranberries at Christmas and they would be soooo good. Pop them in the oven until they are...

golden brown and tasty looking!

The recipe asks for puff pastry but I only buy puff at Christmas (have I just mentioned the C word again?) and prefer to make my own anyhow. Our apples, free food in the form of the blackberries and made by me. Get in!

For my lunch yesterday I used up some veg from tea the night before and made a bit of a grow your own soup. I added to it some of our tomatoes, one of our courgettes, the few beans I have managed to harvest just recently, an onion and some of our own dried oregano with a veg stock cube, seasoning, water and boiled; thickened with cornflour it was just yummy. Sorry, no after picture - too hungry!

Now, this isn't food but I just need to do it so I can get rid of the phot that has been hanging around in my To Use folder! A good while ago I shared a photo of some fabric I bought and said I had plans for it. 

Well, finally it has been put to its intended use. As you go down our cellar steps there is a ledge that we keep suitcases on. I have wanted to find something to cover it up and so this is what we have now after I'd nipped and tucked and did the best I could with both curtains.

It is a bit wonky at the bottom but I'm not too bothered - does the trick.

Last thing, this morning as part of my breakfast I had almost the last of the blackberries on toast. Nom nom!!!!

Right, after having spent the whole time talling about food it is time to get my lunch and watch the first TGBBO from last night. (I should point out that I have made efforts this week to start running for fitness and with all I have just posted I flippin' sound as if I need it!)

Bye for now.

Lou.xx