Rustical

Category: Food

  • Sustainably Grown Bulrushes

    Our sustainably grown bulrushes are nearing the point of harvest for cut stems for immediate use in arrangements or for those who dry them for interior design / decor. Stems are hand harvested to order so can be cut to order at any length stipulated (normally between 60cm and 90cm) and cost £10 for 10…

  • Planting Cherry Trees

    Planting Cherry Trees

    Yesterday we were sawing up our home grown cherry wood for BBQ wood chunks, today we were out planting pot grown cherry saplings for future supplies. The first cut will be in 10 – 15 years so it is definitely a long lead time project – nothing happens quickly!

  • 2022 Garlic Harvest Begins

    2022 Garlic Harvest Begins

    It’s that time of year when we start to harvest our garlic. By growing it indoors and outdoors and on different soil types we get an extended season for supplying it fresh from the ground.

  • Home made Pesto

    Home made Pesto

    Our basil is at it’s best and so the first fresh pesto of the season beckons and today was the day. It is easy and quick but ingredients like pine nuts and Parmesan are expensive so whilst it might be a special treat, at least you know that only the best ingredients have been used.…

  • Chilli harvest and Autumn tidy up

    Chilli harvest and Autumn tidy up

    Now that all our pumpkins have gone (see www.BigPumpkins.co.uk) it’s the quiet time before the wreath making season begins so time to clear out the debris from the poly tunnels, then wash and disinfect everything ready for spring. There are a few productive tomato plants left but all the rest are on the compost heap.…

  • Wild Damson Harvest

    Wild Damson Harvest

    It’s that time of year when our wild damsons are just coming ready so time to risk life and limb reaching over the very deep ditch to try and hook the branches and get them harvested. Probably three quarters of the fruit is inaccessible so I don’t feel that guilty about raiding the natural larder.…

  • Hydroponic Ginger Trial

    Hydroponic Ginger Trial

    As some will know we try and do a little trial of the more unusual in the hydroponic tanks each year. This year it was the turn of ginger. Having read up about it I went down to our local Booths supermarket to find a suitable fresh ginger ‘root’ tuber with lots of nodules on.…

  • Processing Oak into wood chunks

    Processing Oak into wood chunks

    Processing Oak logs into wood chunks for use in offset smokers It might be Bank Holiday Monday and it might have been a lovely sunny day but all I could think was to get some Oak wood chunks split, sawn and seasoning to replace all those being burnt in BBQs and Smokers. It is a…

  • Long Chilli Competition plants

    Long Chilli Competition plants

    The ‘long chilli’ and heavy chilli are relatively new additions to the giant vegetable competition schedules so growing techniques and plant genetics are still very much up for debate. I had a go last year with some donated chilli seed and had great success with the long chilli but less so with the heaviest. Some…

  • The menace of Sky Lanterns

    It makes you wonder just who does not know how dangerous sky lanterns can be yet we still get them landing in grazing land. Today’s find was of the dreaded bamboo and wire construction which landed on fields grazed by sheep. I only wish I knew who had sent this beautiful paper lantern up into…