HARVEST 2014 OVER!
Published 25th August 2014
0 Comments
Well harvest 2014 is over for another year! It is always sad when the buzz and activity of harvest comes to an end. The team have worked very well together again with a few laughs along the way. Long hours (sometimes into the early hours) cutting the corn, carting it back to the farm and all the baling and stacking of the straw.
My job has been to keep all the boys well fed - it's a perfect opportunity for me to try out my new recipes on the workers, using our rapeseed oil - new flavours for marinating meat/fish/vegetables or cakes and pastries. Look out for more of these recipes in future blogs.
The weather has been good to all us farmers this summer, allowing us to progress through the malting barley, oilseed rape and finally the milling wheat harvests, with only a few showery days during the last two weeks of operations when harvesting couldn't happen. So the boys turned their attention to baling the straw, stacking and loading it onto customers' lorries (some coming from as far away as Wales).
We have already drilled half of next year's crop of oilseed rape - so plenty more of our delicious rapeseed oil for you all next year!
We have been very busy in the holiday cottage all August with some delightful families staying there. One family were even lucky enough to have rides in the combine harvesters with Andrew and Ben. They said it made their stay here even more wonderful! Don't forget our new website especially just for the cottage - www.fulbeckgardenscottage.com
We have also just joined the rest of the world and are now on Facebook and Twitter under "Ownsworths". Look out for more regular pics and info on what we are doing on a day to day basis.
After 13 years working casually for us at the farm, Bill Baggaley finally decided to retire. At 65 he now wants to spend time with his two young grandchildren. Thanks Bill being part of "our family" over the years and we wish you all the best (although we suspect we might see you back with us on the odd occasion).
Now for my latest cake recipe for you all. I took this cake along with me when I was a guest of BBC Lincolnshire radio presenter, Paul Robey, on his "Elevenses" programme last Saturday. Every six or eight weeks I get invited to join him and his team at the radio station in Lincoln, and as a thank you I always bring in a cake or pie (made with our oil of course!). Lovely that they all complimented me on the cake live on air over the weekend's shows!
MARMALADE CAKE
The Cake
175g/6 oz self-raising flour
175g/6 oz soft brown sugar
200ml Ownsworths Rapeseed Oil
100g Orange marmalade
4 medium eggs (beaten)
The Filling
marmalade
Icing sugar
Juice and zest of one orange
Method
1. Pre-heat oven to 180 oC/350 oF/Gas Mark 4 and line one 20cm/7inch cake tin (I like to use the easy
cake liners.
2. In a mixing bowl, using a wooden spoon or hand whisk, combine the self-raising flour, sugar, marmalade,
oil and eggs to make a batter.
3. Pour the batter mixture into the prepared tin and cook in the oven for approximately 45 minutes, or
until well risen and thoroughly cooked.
4. Remove from tin and liner and place on a wire cooling tray..
5. When thoroughly cooled, carefully slice the cake in half and sandwich with the remaining orange
marmalade.
6. Grate the zest of one orange and place to one side whilst you make the glace icing.
7. Using the juice from the orange, mix with sufficient icing sugar to make a soft (but not too runny)
orange icing. Spread the icing over the top of the cake and finally sprinkle over the orange zest for
decoration.
