Plans and musings

Here are some of Matt's piglets. Last year, they and their relatives were living in the area we're going to be creating most of the raised beds. They've cleared all the vegetation and compacted it somewhat but we're expecting a delivery of a large quantity of compost this week and this will be dug into the beds.

Some will be manured and others will just get a green manure in them with some wood ash.

The ph of the soil here is around 6.8 to 7.0 slightly more acidic in places and it is pure clay. No stones at all.

This is the little pond dug into the corner but I'll look into solar irrigation if the resources to get it become available. 

 

We'll also be working in the polytunnel. I have a third of the bed shown plus the area at the end shown to work in. We'll be creating cold frames and hot beds as well to extend out season as much as possible. Another planned project is a polytunnel bender.

 

 
I was given a brace of pheasant yesterday so I made a warming stew.

1 brace of pheasant
1 onion
3 medium sized carrots
3 cloves of garlic
a bottle of dry white wine 
a bunch of fresh tarragon
100g mushrooms

3 bayleaves
stock from the pheasant carcasses and giblets
seasoned plain flour
olive oil and a little butter for frying

pluck draw and portion the pheasants and dust in a little seasoned flour. Fry the pheasant pieces until lightly brown and sealed. Throw in the chopped onion and garlic. Fry until transparent. chop and put in half the tarragon and the bay leaves. 

Pour in about 50cl of dry white wine and about an equal amount of part reduced stock. Cut each mushroom into 3 or 4 pieces and throw in. Simmer for about 45 minutes and add the carrots. Adjust the seasoning. Simmer for another 40 minutes and then add a dash of wine, the remainder of the chopped tarragon and the cream. Bring back just to the simmer and remove from the heat.