Fern Verrow

Brassica day

Jane Scotter — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:49:50 +0000

Today is a marker day in our season, the planting of the cabbage family, whilst planting one thinks about the winter months harvesting cabbages, perhaps feeling cold and wet, a far cry from the warm days of planting. Red cabbage, Brussel sprouts for Christmas lunch too, how the time passes by… halfway to Christmas… yes the mind does wonder. Dozens and dozens of module trays are stacked in the van awaiting a short drive to this years cabbage patch. A lovely sunny morning, and lots of rain forecasted overnight… perfect! After that we will need to weed and cultivate regularly and most importantly keep birds, rabbits and other pesky kritters off the crops.

A varied working week otherwise. A day weeding beetroot on Monday with good progress made and the crop looking good. Tuesday was a BD non planting day, so a trip into Hereford to the bank and post office for Jane, at home an enormous bonfire was lit to burn off old hedge trimmings and bags of docks collected from the fields, very nice to have that done and the plans for a new rose garden can now begin.

Lots of lovely greens for sale this week… most from the first outdoor picking… ruby and green chard, spinach. Salad bags on top form as are the herbs. Tons of flowers including tall sky blue delphinums, red and pink poppies, and the first flush of roses.

I have been checking the strawberries most days, no redness yet, but there is plenty of fruit so with a bit of luck and warmth we should start harvesting in a couple of weeks. Had a taste of a gooseberry today… made my eyes water and mouth dry out, so I guess they oo will be ready soonish.

Good Growing Weather

Jane Scotter — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 12:15:21 +0000

Although a little on the cool side, a good mix of sunshine and showers has helped crops and grass to grow. We are hoping for a little more warmth soon, to ripen fruit, and allow the likes of French beans and courgette to take off and really get going…still plenty of time yet! However in just over a week with the summer solstice approaching, daylight hours begin to shorten again. Enough of that kind of talk.

This week brings more radish, some very pretty, slender spring onions, and glossy beet and chard leaves. The first of the outdoor grown lettuce, and very pretty they are too. Herbs still abundant and on terrific form. Loads of flowers for sale, with red, pink and purple shades coming through bringing a wonderful haze of colour over our flower beds. Lupins, poppies and foxglove, the first of the roses and other delights to take your breath away.. I do enjoy the flowers!

An update on the e.t.a of the fruit… hoping that the strawberries will plump up with this rain, so hopefully all going well we should have them to sell in about 2-3 weeks time. Gooseberries may be ready sooner, perhaps a little sharp to start, but that is how they are supposed to be.

A big planting out session is planned on Monday of all the winter cabbages. Meanwhile this morning we are back to shuffling along long rows of beetroot and chard for a spot of speed weeding. Sowing of spring cauliflowers and cabbages this afternoon. Most enjoyable.

The Sun has got his hat on

Jane Scotter — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 09:27:04 +0000

A brilliant, busy week, sowing, drilling, planting and irrigating, making the days long, but very rewarding. Germination of carrots, spinach, onions and leeks has begun, and the potatoes are beginning to show their leaves. Four varieties of strawberries for next year have been planted in their new site. A big bed of climbing beans staked and planted… five varieties here, should look very colourful once the blossom and fruit appear. Our fields are beginning to fill up, much to our joy. The weeding marathon has begun, not so much to our joy!

This morning we are in the clouds, with a faint mist covering the ground and making everything look green and lush. The sun is due to break through by eleven. Hoeing and cultivation of fruit crops this morning those being peas, broad beans and courgette.

Our pasture meadows are awash with buttercups the like I have never seen before, the cows and sheep are munching their way through them and looking very well on it!

More chard for sale this week, lettuce, radish. Lots of herbs again on top form. The flowers for sale this week will include poppies, lupins, and buttercups

Good Growing Weather

Jane Scotter — Thu, 30 May 2013 08:17:31 +0000

Monday morning was dry and a fruit day on our planting calendar, with rain forecasted for the afternoon , we pushed ahead and managed to plant squash, courgette, peas and beans, and even managed a little cultivation work on other fruit crops. Lots and lots of rain followed and has stayed with us the rest of this week. The promise of blue skies from tomorrow, takes the tension away. Everywhere is greener than ever, grass growing fast and trees are now finally in full leaf, what a sight it is, can’t wait for the sun to come and show off all the colours. Have spent the rest of this week washing greenhouses, erecting supports for cucumbers and sweet peas., and doing the dreaded, but necessary paperwork. We are very prepared for the onslaught of planting we have planned for next week.

Strawberries are in full bloom, warm drier weather needed now for a tasty crop.

A good selection and number of our own lettuce for sale this week. Glossy beetroot leaves, which we know will be met with joy by many. Chard will be our staple green. Herbs are still on tip top form, having enjoyed the warmth of the weekend and the long drink throughout the week. More radish this week, our favourite French breakfast variety…. why this name I wonder can’t imagine a French person eating radish for breakfast somehow!

Recipes Please

Jane Scotter — Wed, 29 May 2013 08:44:51 +0000

It has been a couple of months since we produced our new website. Lots of improvements still to be made, but this will have to wait for the quieter winter months.

However we would like to expand on the recipe section sooner. We thought that it would be nice to invite our customers to contribute to this page. Many hours are spent on a Saturday talking about cooking with our food loving customers. What they made for supper this week, using our vegetables and fruit. Often just simple tasty dishes, but very often exciting, exotic things. It seems that sharing recipes is something people enjoy.

If you would like to contribute to our recipe page with any recipes that you feel are your signatures dishes, using our produce of course., then we would be delighted to consider them. We may not be able to use all the contributions, but will do our best to present a wide variety of delicious things and represent all the different varieties of produce.

If you would like to contribute please send any recipes or ideas to fernverrow@btopenworld.com

West is Best

Jane Scotter — Thu, 23 May 2013 09:31:50 +0000

Feeling a little smug, we seem to have had the best of the weather compared to our Eastern and Northern friends. Cloudy chilly mornings followed by sunny warmer afternoons , and no rain! A little rain forecasted for today, which would be very welcome refresher. So we have been lucky enough to be able to get on with the work needing to be done at this time of year.

This week we have been getting another two acre patch ready for manuring and bedmaking. This piece of ground suffered badly from the excessive amounts of rain of last season, therefore the compacted soil has a few too many docks doing their work. We have lifted and cultivated each day and our team has been collecting and removing the docks. Although tiring and rather dull, it is a rather satisfying job. No better way of getting to know and connect with the soil, than walking every inch for eight or so hours. A time to observe the soil’s texture, colour and general health. It puts us in a position where we can help it reach it’s potential and florish on all levels. By the weekend the land will be ready for planting and drilling next week.

The Verrow is looking beautiful, very tidy having been mowed and strimmed. The fruit bushes and trees are heavily laden with blossom and young green fruits. This chilly northerly wind is circulating the air through the bushes and keeping them bug and mould free.

Please note that we will not be open until 9am this Saturday. We have plenty for sale including some tomato plants. Lots of spinach and ruby chard. Herbs and radish galore. Bunches of fresh bay for drying at home. More flowers and blossom too. Possibly the first of our own lettuce. Eggs are still very plentiful.

Darling Buds of May

Jane Scotter — Thu, 16 May 2013 18:39:41 +0000

Finally our surroundings are lush and green. May is my most favourite time of year, new eye and heart warming flushes of vibrant new growth bursting out all over. Plenty of rain this week has brought on the growth with a helping hand of a few days of warm sun has meant we have been able to cultivate and tend to the plants. Judging by the health and vigour of the currant and gooseberry bushes we are in for a great crop.

A big sowing of seeds today, leaf crops including winter brassicas and salads for the next couple of months.
A full crew of workers with a good week of work under their belts, all doing very well, looking healthy, sun blushed, and appear to be having a wonderful time.

We should be on the up with our own produce for sale at Spa from now on . This week we have some more lovely radish, salad bags, spinach and chard. Lots of herbs again, at their very best at this time of year. Mint, lovage, sorrel, parsley, bay, sage, thyme, chervil and coriander being amongst them. Fresh herbs for teas sweet cicely, our favourite night-time tipple and lemon balm.

The flowers this week are going to be rather special, Cecilia, one of our new workers is a trained florist with a passion for want of a better word for the Constance Spry style of floristy. So cultivated flowers meets hedgerow is this weeks floral theme.

Saturday May 11th

Jane Scotter — Thu, 09 May 2013 18:03:31 +0000

The growing season has truly begun… warm weather for the early part of this week followed by a welcome splash of rain to water has enabled our planted crops to settle in, and to bed themselves into the fertile soil. The grass and trees to finally burst out into a jungle of green. The view from our kitchen window has changed dramatically the last two days from skeletal forms to walls of fresh green leaves and blossom.
Much to offer this week, superb radish with crunch, heat and sweetness.
Last night we made a salsa verde from a selection of newly sprouted herbs, sorrel, parsley, sage, fennel, thyme, lovage amongst the mix, mixed with olive oil, lemon juice and mustard… very delicious with new potatoes and on sandwiches for lunch today. All the herbs will be for sale this weekend.
Lovely chard and some spinach too
Those interested in growing their own will be able to buy tomato and other plants from us next week.

All Systems are go

Jane Scotter — Thu, 02 May 2013 20:41:12 +0000

Well , at last we are back on the land! The weather has been perfect, dry and not tooooo warm.. giving our soil the chance to dry and work down without too many extreme issues. We planted the potatoes this evening into warm moist soil, the best conditions for a couple of years. Five varieties this year including some pink fir apple.

Many trays in the propagating greenhouse with seedlings ready for planting out next week. Much to do we are filled with great excitement and drive to have our fields green and bountiful once again. The strawberry plants have now began to grow and have enjoyed a good weed and cultivation this week. If all goes well the fruit should be ready mid June.

The greenhouse is on top form with early sowings growing well. This week we will be harvesting lots of chard, some spinach and some very delicious radish… sorry to those that missed out on our radish last week.

The herbs are thriving, and we will have once more some sweet cicely, sorrel and bayleaves this week.

Tulips for sale this week and perhaps a few white anemones. Foraged crops include nettles and Jack in the Hedge.

Saturday 27th April

Jane Scotter — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 05:37:59 +0000

We hope that you like our new look website, and links to facebook and twitter. We are very pleased with the website, and feel that it gives a good picture of Fern Verrow and how we farm her. A big thank you to Archie Sinclair for helping us with designing the layout of the website etc. What a wonderful thing it is, and so much to learn.

Down on the farm, things are progressing well, a new worker arrives next weekend to help us, which will be very timely with some the land at last having been manured and ploughed. Growing can begin once more. Land preparation can take several days, this year is a late one with the soil still very wet and cold, deep down. We have had some lovely warm days this week which has allowed the ploughed soil to dry and air. Potatoes are ready to be planted next week, and hopefully the first of the broad beans and peas.

The propagating greenhouse is filling up and most is germinating very well. All good news and we can’t wait to see the fields of greens.

Harry and I have been cultivating and weeding the strawberry beds. We have also been pruning and cultivating the herbs and flowers. The sheep have had a post natal trim and manicure and are grazing with their lambs on new spring grass once again. Hurrah!

This week we have seen the first of the new season spurt of growth. with some lovely new things for sale this weekend. Not very much but what we have is lovely.

Sweet cicely for a wonderful fresh, sweet, aniseed flavoured tea.

Swiss chard that is glossy and vibrant

The first of our own radish, tiny, but crisp and strong flavoured.

Parsley, chives and bayleaf

The first of the tulips

Young nettles for soup or tea.

Good news too the lady hens are laying well, so eggs are for sale too.

Sorry no pictures this week, due to my lack of know how, but will have it under control next week. Will be able to send a picture of our new calf (born last week).