15th and 16th August Newsletter

No newsletter last week due to the ongoing frantic weedings and onion harvestings occurring. Children deposited with grandparents this week (yes, all three at the same time), so time to roll out a quick scrawl. Whilst everyone was no doubt disappointed by the return of the rain, some of our crops were actually very grateful for it – not least our final planting of brassicas, which was made very belatedly last Friday afternoon and evening – fingers crossed that they actually grow to maturity. We did have visions of hauling trickle irrigation tape around, but Tuesday’s showers (when this is being written) have alleviated that chore for the time being. Despite the glorious sun we had for a couple of weeks, the gaps in our cropping programme caused by the rain will continue to affect us (and your box contents) until the end of September. Most people associate box schemes with mountains of cabbages and for you this season, there isn’t a single cabbage on the horizon……summer ones best not mentioned, the autumn ones have yet to be weeded (yet more push-hoeing required) and remain high on the list of anxieties, as believe it or not, issues were compounded by a severe pigeon attack. Some of you have been asking if we still want old CDs for pigeon scaring - the answer is yes, but ONLY if they are shiny on BOTH sides, otherwise they don’t work. (unless they happen to be films, like the ones we had a couple of weeks back (thanks to the donor), in which case we’ll be delighted to receive them for our dvd player!!!).

If you didn’t notice a change in the flavour of your carrots last week, then you have been abusing your taste-buds, as we switched from tunnel to field carrots and the increase in flavour is quite remarkable. This week the potatoes are the last of the "Red Duke of York" (except for the odd bushel which we’ll roll out at Exeter and Crediton market until the beginning of September) and "Noisette" (white) which is advertised as being a salad potato, but the rain must have increased its size somewhat, as it looks nothing like it! However, it does seem to have a good body to it and is fine eaten cold, you just need to chop it up! Great for potato salad in other words. Some of you last week may have had "Amorosa", a red skinned variety suitable for baking – we are investigating the possibility that this variety may have a few hollowed, blackened centres in some instances – more update on this next week, but please let us know if you found this was the case with yours last week, one, to help us assess the incidence and two, so we can replace them for you.

Chard – since this is proving to be the crop which withstands all the elements, it is in the box again this week. Please refer to our website for guidance if you wish to make soup, but personally, we always like chard stems chopped and fried up with onion, adding nuts and/or seeds and/or raisins/sultanas, and finally the shredded leaves for a brief spell over the heat. In a couple of weeks we should have sufficient tomatoes for you to add a tomato or two. Don’t know if the bananas (which something, possibly children, came along and ate), or the sun, was responsible for finally achieving it, but the tomatoes are now finally ripening, so first taste of cherry toms, including the heritage variety "Golden Sunrise". Some of you have our favourite purple sputnik Kohl rabi this week, again recipes on the website. If no kohl rabi this week, more developing for next week.

Statements. Ahem. It pains me greatly to say that several of you have let your balances run up beyond the level which might be considered ethical when dealing with a small business! Needless to say, we have contacted most of you whom this concerns but have not been able to make direct contact with all. Whilst we know that it is not intentional that payment of overdue monthly balances are overlooked, the extent to which we are inadvertently treated as a credit facility has become a real problem for us. Please, if you do have an outstanding balance, pay it now, thank you! Sadly, after more than 10 years, it looks like we are going to have to implement a system whereby boxes can only be received if they are paid for in advance. In the meantime, we would be very grateful to those of you who do have trouble remembering to pay for your boxes, to take up Chris’s hint of paying by bank transfer! Details available upon request if they haven’t already been offered to you.

If you are wondering what to do this weekend, you could try a visit to the Plymouth Flavour Fest which is on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This time last year we had sweetcorn ready which was a total hit at the food festival, but despite sweet murmurings in its ears, no such luck this year. Keep willing the sun out, we haven’t had enough yet! All the best, Phil, Helen, Tom, David and James and team.

Extras: pots £1.35/kg, 2kgs £2.50, 10kgs £8. Red pots £1.75/kg bunch carrots £1.20/500g £2.30/kg, onion £1.50/kg, basil 65p/25g, parsley 65p/50g, chard £1/220g. Hopefully, a wider range of extras available shortly