Farmer's Field Notes

It's been a busy start to 2024 from our farmers, who are already planning for your spring and summer veg! Here's a first update of the year from our great grower in Essex, Sarah Green Organics:

Finally, I can write that we have got some broad beans planted!  Planting them has been on the to-do list since last November and it is a real relief to have some seeds in the ground.  To prepare the soil for planting broad beans we had a small area ploughed and cultivated on Wednesday. While this was being done Stuart got the planter out of the shed and hitched it on to the tractor ready for broad bean planting on Thursday morning. Unfortunately, Thursday morning was damp and drizzly making the soil sticky, so our plans were shelved. The weather improved over the day and so did the soil conditions enabling us to plant on Friday afternoon. After so many wet weeks it was a lovely end to the week.
We have started planting this year's new native hedgerow, it is made up of Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Dogrose, Dogwood and Field Maple.  The field team will continue planting the hedgerow over the next few weeks, aiming for the new hedge to be completed by the end of February.
Over the years our celeriac growing skills have been very hit and miss. This year has been one of our better years and this slow growing root vegetable is in the vegetable boxes this week. The celeriac smell wonderful as we harvest them. Celeriac and potatoes go well together simply mashed or in a creamy gratin.  I really like celeriac and apple soup - perfect for brightening up a gloomy winter's lunch.