While Extinction Rebellion are rightly taking to the streets, inside The Secret Acre kitchen this autumn, things haven’t been hotting up, so much as becoming constantly warm.
Our local climate change has been the result of the purchase of a dehydrator, as another bow to our harvest preservation options.
So far our initial tests have involved plums, pears, apples and beetroot. Continue reading
The Mayor gave us a silver cup, which was nice.
As always, the arrival of this summer’s harvest also marked the start of the village show season.
Regular readers will know we have enjoyed mixed form at the village show over the last seven years. Continue reading
Back in May I opined about how on top of all things veg we seemed to be this year, warning that it surely couldn’t last.
And that hiccup arrived almost immediately in the form of a prolonged spell of unexpected parental care, now all fine fortunately, but leaving Emma to cope solo on the veg patch.
So the harvest we have enjoyed is all down to her hard work. Here’s a pictorial roundup of some of the action. Continue reading
We are great admirers of ‘no dig’ champion, Charles Dowding, but somehow I don’t think this what he means!
Generally we are more than in favour of anything that reduces the need to wield a spade ourselves. But when we recently cleared a large area of laurel to make way for a future fruit cage, leaving the massive stumps and roots to be removed, I was resigned to a day of hard working with the pickaxe to finish the job. Continue reading
Something quite different to the famous advertising slogan, if you’ve ever watched Blazing Saddles.
And broad beans are of course a long culinary way from a cowboy’s campfire chow. Continue reading
May and June has witnessed a flurry of brewing activities here at The Secret Acre.
While last autumn’s cider has been maturing in the barrel, we have also been pushing our apple aspirations to two extremes. As well as trying our hand at Apple Brandy, we had a second successful go at producing Cider Vinegar.
Continue reading
As I came round Bristol Temple Meads, blue flashing lights appeared in the rear view mirror. With the moonshine sloshing around in the back, there was only one thing for it. I’d have to make a run for the county-line, to the safety of South Gloucestershire!
Regular readers will know that we are not adverse to a bit of home brewing and cider making here at The Secret Acre. So when a friend suggested we tried our hand at Apple Brandy it seemed rude not to.
