Summertime at Five Acre Farm
This month we’re enjoying the long sunny days. The shop is bursting with seasonal produce and treats to enjoy during the summer evenings. From green leafy veg grown on our farm, to delicious locally produced ice creams from Brickells and Marshfield Farm.
We have got all the necessities for a picnic or camping trip, with sustainable and beautiful food storage solutions from Elephant Box, bamboo cutlery, stainless steel drinking straws and beautiful enamel mugs. We even have vegan marshmallows to toast over the fire!
If it’s a picnic in the park you are after then we have lots of goodies produced by our 5 Acre Kitchen. Try our delicious mushroom sausage rolls, frittatas, sandwiches and salads, or falafels from Jacob’s Finest, hummus from the wonderful Moist, bread from Mark’s Bread and cheese and olives from our deli fridge.
Reading List
We have a superb range of seasonal books in the shop, perfect to take away on holiday!
The Salt Path
In one devastating week, Raynor and her husband Moth lost their house and received a terminal diagnosis. With nowhere to call home, they embarked on a journey along the South West Coast Path, a 630-mile sea-swept trail from Somerset to Dorset via Devon and Cornwall, carrying the essentials for survival on their backs. An unflinchingly honest and life-affirming true story about coming to terms with grief, the healing power of nature, and how home can be rediscovered in the most unexpected way.
Wild Nights Out
Learn how to call for owls, walk like a fox and expand your perception with this guide to exploring nature at night, whether on summer holidays, weekends away or even garden adventures. Alongside games, walks and exercises to expand our senses, storyteller and outdoor educator Chris Salisbury brings this nocturnal dimension to life with lore about badgers, bats and minibeasts, as well as tales of the constellations and planets to share around the campfire.
Charred
Cooking over fire doesn’t always have to be about hunks of meat. Chargrilling and barbecue are fantastic ways of getting the maximum flavour out of versatile vegetables. With sections on Stuffed and wrapped veg; Burgers and fritters; Kebabs; Low, slow and smoked; and Sharing Platters, this book ensures vegetarian dishes will be the highlight of every meal, with the likes of whole roast cauliflower drenched in spiced garlic butter, griddled radicchio with burrata and figs, and corn on the cob with Cambodian coconut, lime and chilli.
We also have kids books, activity books, jigsaws, cookery books and origami kits to keep the kids (and big kids) amused on rainy days.
Down on the farm
We are currently tipping towards the height of the growing season where the longer and (mostly) warmer days mean that, to quote the growing team, “everything is growing in abundance including the weeds!”
Currently cropping are mange tout, which are probably the sweetest I have ever tasted, rainbow chard, spinach, baby bunched carrots, red Russian kale salad leaf, courgettes, herbs and spring onions.
We should start to get cucumbers and broad beans in the next few weeks with the first of this year’s tomatoes to follow. This year we are also growing tomatillos and cucamelons, watch this space for updates!
The flower beds have been planted up and we will be selling pick your own flowers later in the season. We currently have a team building a timber framed building we have named the Flower Barn, we will be selling our home grown flowers, plants and produce from the farm in the Flower Barn, seven days a week from July onwards.
Recipe of the month
This months recipe is a summery courgette, pea and mint soup.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
- 200g onions, peeled and roughly chopped
- 500g courgettes, roughly chopped
- 500g freshly podded or frozen peas
- 25g veg bouillion
- 30g fresh mint, taken off the stems/stalks and roughly chopped
- Salt & pepper
- Zest of a lemon
- A dollop of crème fraiche or oat/coconut alternative (optional)
METHOD
STEP 1
Put a large pan over medium heat, add the olive or rapeseed oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onions and cook for about 10 mins, stirring occasionally until the onions are soft (but not brown). Add the courgette and cook for a further 5 mins. Add about 500ml water and the bouillon and simmer for 10-15 mins or until the courgettes are tender.
STEP 2
Add the peas and seasoning and simmer for a further 5 mins or until the peas are tender. Take off the heat, add the mint and lemon zest and blitz with a stick blender. For a touch of luxury add a dollop of crème fraiche or vegan equivalent. Serve with a hunk of bread and a scattering of fresh mint.
Our producer of the month is 6 O’clock Gin. They are based in Thornbury and make really delicious artisan gins and liqueurs. The fabulous news is that their gin is on offer this month in the shop!
Any two ready mixed tins – choose from London dry, London dry light, Damson or Mango, ginger & lime – £3 each or two for £5.50.
There is also 10% off 70cl bottles. We have London dry, Damson, Sloe or Mango gin. The gins are perfect paired with Fevertree tonics.