At this time of year it’s gorgeous in the woods. All mossy, green, and sweet smelling. Moss is amazing isn’t it? The more you look at it, the more you see. It’s like a tiny world where everything stays green all Winter long. I love it.
This is the till at my local farm shop. It’s unmanned. It’s in a warehouse in the middle of a field with a greenhouse next to it. Inside the shop there are rows of produce, some scales, a calculator and a secure moneybox where you insert your cash. If you have an account you use the envelopes that are pinned to a noticeboard. If you don’t have the right change you can write an IOU and pay it next time.
The usual veg, fruit, nuts and plants (snowdrops this week) are for sale. Also bird feed and cider! It’s great. When I was there this afternoon I saw the farmer. He raised his hand to me and went about his tractoring.
It feels real. Mainly, because it is.
My little one had been snuggled up in his warm cot all afternoon and so I took him out for a quick walk just before the dark drew in yesterday for some fresh air. The sun was going down quickly and we had to run to see the horses in the fields before the light failed and they wandered home for their hay.
The sun was not quite disappearing over the hill and in the mist of a far-off bonfire sent a golden ray of light back to hit the big house on the hill. It glinted at us from across the field and made us squint and laugh and sneeze.
Down the lane our friendly Oak tree looked dark and mysterious against the beaming sky that faded from blue to orange. A perfect winter’s afternoon walk. Just far enough to make our noses red. Just short enough so we could push back for warm milk and crackling fires.
Loving Wintertime.
We had lunch at the Riverford field kitchen on New Year’s Day. I basically ate a plate of vegetables in different forms, Carrots with feta cheese, Cauliflower with almonds, Beetroot and herbs etc. But it felt like a gourmet dish. I was so impressed that I simply had to buy the book to find out how to make those.
I was very impressed with the honesty in the first few chapters. From a test farm for chemical company ICI to the successful vegetable box scheme it is now is a great achievement in one generation.
Guy Watson, the founder, talks about the simple Savoy being the best thing to eat at this time of year and of course the cheapest. His pep-talk has already worked for me. I switched my order for Aubergine and Courgette to Savoy and Kale.
I have given Jackson a bigger patch in the garden and we have been busy digging over and raking in manure. We have also done some planning and deciding what he will grow in his new garden. The conversation went like this. “So Jackson what would you like to grow in your garden?” “I would like to grow Carrots.”
“Okay, what else?”
“Just Carrots Mummy, nothing else, just lots and lots of Carrots.”
So… with that brief we took a trip to the garden centre and bought lots of Carrots. Rondo – a round variety. Rainbow – just for fun. Caracas – a Chanteney type. Early Nantes 2 – for super sweet early Carrots.
We might also go for an Autumn variety later.