Tomatoes, a new veg box, and more from the farm
August is about long lazy days and simple salads
The tomatoes are coming in abundance from our farm at the moment. We have beautiful and colourful mixed punnets of cherry tomatoes alongside beefsteak, heritage and salad varieties. So fresh and so full of flavour! Get them before the season draws to a close!
To celebrate our love of the tomato we are stocking local food writer Claire Thompson’s book Tomato, described as” 80 recipes celebrating the extraordinary tomato” we couldn’t agree more!
We’ve launched a new veg box!
The box will be our Farm Fresh box and will feature mainly produce from our own farm alongside a few other local producers and Riverford who grow produce on their South Devon Coop farms. The box will be super seasonal, will be predominantly vegetables, alongside local seasonal fruit when available.
The box will be able to order online as long as the season lasts!
We also deliver a range of groceries, milk, household items and compost.
Down on the farm
The extreme weather we have been having has been challenging to say the least. Some of the crops are thriving in the excess heat we have had, whilst others have struggled, along with the growers who have attempted as much early morning nurturing and picking as possible!
Currently cropping are tomatoes, cherry, baby plum, salad, heritage and beefsteak, rainbow chard, Cavolo Nero, garlic, purple & green French beans, courgettes, herbs, cucumbers, cucamelons, tomatillos, shallots, salad leaf and Uchi Kuri Squash.
The bees are producing lots of honey, so we have lots of our own delicious honey on sale in the shop and on the veg stall at the farm. We should start to get peppers and sweetcorn in the next few weeks too.
The flower beds are looking amazing and we have had a steady stream of pick your own customers at weekends 🌺 🌼 🌸
Recipe of the month
The recipe this month celebrates the glorious tomato. It’s a recipe from our friends at Riverford and is a simple tomato & white bean Panzanella.
INGREDIENTS
• 2 tbsp capers
• 1 bread rolls or thick slice of bread
• 300g mixed tomatoes
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 shallot, finely sliced
• 1 tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• olive oil
• 1 mini cucumber or ½ a large one
• 125g mozzarella
• 60g black olives
• 20g basil
• 1 fresh chilli
• salt and pepperMETHOD
STEP 1
Preheat oven to 160°C/Gas 3. Place the capers in a mug of cold water until you need them, it helps purge some of the salt.
STEP 2
Tear the bread roll into rough 2cm chunks. Place on a baking tray. Slide them into the oven for 15 minutes to dry out and colour a little.
STEP 3
Cut the tomatoes into an interesting mix of wedges and slices. Add them to a mixing bowl with the garlic, shallot, beans, vinegar and 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, mix well and leave to macerate.
STEP 4
Halve the cucumber lengthways. Remove the soft seedy core with the tip of a teaspoon. Cut into 1cm angled slices.
STEP 5
Remove the bread from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Drain and coarsely chop the capers. Roughly tear the mozzarella.
STEP 6
Add the cucumber, capers, olives and bread to the mixing bowl. Tear in the basil leaves and mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper to your taste.
STEP 7
Divide between 2 plates and scatter over the mozzarella. If you fancy a little heat to your salad, deseed and finely chop the chilli. Sprinkle over as much or as little as you like
Our producer of the month is the brilliant Heart of BS13. We stock the delicious and healthy frozen ready meals made in their kitchen in Bristol.
A bit more about them…
Addressing food poverty in BS13 by producing quality, pre-prepared, home-style ready meals. At the Heart of BS13 Kitchen, we’re producing quality, pre-prepared, home-style ready meals using ingredients grown by our Garden team. Freezing our cooked meals means we are locking in both the nutrients and flavour of our locally grown produce, to offer a healthy and convenient food option for busy people. Every purchase helps fund our food poverty work in BS13.