Farm-Direct

Greetings, Growing conditions are nigh on perfect at the moment with the crop fattening combination of warmth and wet. Nothing seems to be enjoying these conditions more than Martin's lettuces and this week we welcome his organic cos to the table. Like the wonderful oak leafs, these will be large and 'getting bigger by the day cos of the rain' (spot the pun). Martin's cavolo nero has been featuring in the mixed kale bags for a while but there is now a sufficient amount to warrant entire packs. I for one, am delighted and will be eating plenty of it - blitzed up with anchovies, garlic and parmesan, it's one of my favourite pasta dishes. The long spell of hot weather this July has certainly not harmed our sweetcorn so toothpicks to the ready, we'll have it this weekend. Roy and Rita's new season leeks will also be with us and they have been digging up the first of the red onions. The summer leeks tend to be smaller and slightly milder in flavour than the winter crop. The treats keep coming at this time of year and everyone's favourite thistle, the globe artichoke, is ready to grace our plates. If you are a novice in the delicacy here are some helpful tips on how to eat them. Also sharing the van with the organic artichokes from Bedlam Farm, Cambridgeshire, we will have organic outdoor rhubarb and organic blueberries. And a fruity first for Farm Direct this week in the form of bio-dynamic jostaberries, and indeed the first time I have ever heard of them (see more below). Perry Court have put a smile on our faces with news that their organic aubergines are on the way. I love to pair them with courgettes and marinade them for a lovely bit of antipasti. If there was ever a mathematician's vegetable then it surely must be the romanesco cauliflower. They could have been designed by Fibonacci himself but it's the endlessly intricate patterns of nature that we have to thank for this beauty. But it's not all about looks, it tastes fantastic too, somewhere between cauliflower and broccoli. There is a crop gap in our organic broccoli from Maple Farm this week but we will have their organic french beans. Finally, we have a few more potted plants & herbs to add to our range from Cultivate London and there is no better time to be out in the garden planting.

Organic Cos Lettuce Organic Cavolo Nero Sweetcorn New Season Leeks New Season Red Onions Organic Globe Artichokes Organic Outdoor Rhubarb Organic Blueberries Bio-Dynamic Jostaberries Organic Aubergines Organic Romanesco Cauliflower Organic French Beans Chive Plant, Potted Marjoram Plant, Potted Oregano Plant, Potted Apricot & Raisin Loaf Cake Banana Loaf Cake Bio-Dynamic Roasting Onions Geranium (White) Plant Erigeron 'Pink Jewel' Plant Oxalis Burgandy Plant Rudbekia 'Rustic Red' Plant Salvia Elegans PlantOrganic Orange & Lemon Marmalade Scaevola 'White Wonder' Plant Bulls Blood Lettuce

All the best, Sam and the Farm Direct team. Start Your Weekly Shop Now >

FARM DIRECT NEWS...

Red Cabbages in your Veg BoxWe like to push all things underrated at Farm Direct. And we noticed the arrival of the humble red cabbage a couple of weeks ago didn't generate the gasps of excitement one might expect. So we will be including a red cabbage in the veg boxes this week and just in case your stumped as to what to do with a whole one we will be proving a recipe for a lovely summer red coleslaw. Once you have made your own you will never want to buy the pre-made stuff again. That's a promise!

Not Just Any Old Berry... It's a Jostaberry!Smaller than a gooseberry and larger than a gooseberry this fruit is a perfect hybrid of the two. It's edible both raw and cooked and has some of the tartness of the gooseberry and sweetness of the blackberry. It's new to us and may well be new to all of you, our discerning customers, so we would love to hear what you think of it!

Manna's Preserves ReturnWe've had another delivery of Manna's homemade preserves. Lovingly handmade up the road in Hornsey and it's all organic. The bread and butter pickles flew off the shelves last time and the marmalade turns a humble piece of toast into a morning delicacy.

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