Sowing Time.

OK. So we're starting to get busy now. The croft is still very wet, even though I've dug the drains. I've started removing weeds, and losening the soil in preparation for a covering of seaweed, and rotorvating. I'm not sure wether to put the seaweed on overwinter, as a mulch, or if it provides more nutrients when applied in spring. What do others do?

I've fitted a heater in the greenhouse, and alongside my propagator, and have so far planted 5 or 6 varieties of Tomatoes, Tomatillos, Peppers, Leeks, Broad Beans, along with 4 types of Lettuce (now at the 4 leaf stage and ready for planting in the polytunnel). I've got 5 varieties of Potatoes, the classic King Edwards, Desiree, and Axona, plus Anya (an offspring of Pink Fir Apple, but less misshapen) and Nadine. After last year when my tops died off too soon, I'm hoping for a much better year this year.

I got my seed from "The Real Seed Company" who only sell open pollinated varieties, not F1's or other hybrid varietes. This means that you can save your own seeds for future years, and varieties will adapt to local conditions. They give full instructions on how to save seed, and how to sow and prepare your veges.

I'm trying to set up a couple of databases of information, so can you let me know what crops and varieties you are growing, when you sow, and how well they do, plus any other info you think may be useful.

The other is a list of local producers. So if you produce meet, fish, eggs, dairy, baking, delicacies, or just fruit and veg, selling either through foodlink, independantly from the gate, or though local shops, and want to be included, please let me know.

Good luck with your season, and don't forget to look at the Foodlink website..

See you at Seedy Sunday in Durness on 3rd April..

Forth-coming events

After a lively committee meeting today, I can now announce some provisional dates for this year.

Seedy Sunday, come and swap seeds and have lunch, Durness Village hall on 3rd April (to be confirmed, alternative date is 20th March)

Propogation course, the course we planned to hold last year that was cancelled due to illness, will be on the 5th April, once confirmed by the consultant.

Seedling Sunday is planned for 5th of June.

We will take the stall to the normal events, providing we have enough produce, Durness Games, Assynt Games, and hold stalls frequently in Scourie.

If you have any produce for sale, or can offer a hand at our events, please contact me.

Wish you all a good growing season. The foodlink team.

Tattie Festival

It is with great regret that I have to inform you that this years Tattie Festival, due to be held in Durness, has been cancelled.

This was not an easy decision to come to, but with a shortage of willing helpers, and the poor summer we've had, we have a great lack of vegetables. This is our main fundraising event, and we hope to have an even bigger event next year.

We will be attending the School Christmas Fayre in Scourie, and hope to see you there.

I would like to thank all our growers for their produce during the summer, and all our customers who have had the luxury of tasting our fresh locally grown vegetables and produce.

Entering Vegetables in your local produce show

I've been involved with judging vegetables at a couple of shows over the last two years.


At the last one, I was asked "Why didn't mine win?"
So what was I looking for in the perfect display?

The most important thing with any display is to have fresh, good produce, free of disease and blemishes, and of a uniform size, shape, and colour.

Follow exactly what the shedule for the show asks for. If it says "Carrots with 3" of the tops", then they should have 3" of the stalk left. Not 2.75", not 3.25", but 3". A vase of 6 Sweet peas must contain 6 stalks. A selection of vegetables displayed in a box 20" x 20" must be the right size, box means box, tray means tray, and basket means basket.

Produce should be clean, washing is OK providing the skin isn't damaged, but be careful, do not scrub. Produce should be shown in the condition that you would harvest it, or in the case of onions, how you would store them. So a fine, intact papery skin is ideal, but it must be a complete covering. They should not be peeled as if you are about to cook with them. The tops should be bent over, and held with string, or elastic band.

Podded veges will be opened to check for quality, peas must fill the pod but still be round, broad beans must not be to firm. Root vegetagles, Carrots and Parsnips must have as much taproot as possible. I remember my father digging down 2 or 3 feet to get the very tip of his parsnips. Beetroot will be cut open to check for evenness of colour and growth rings.

..and please, don't try and arrange your display to hide or cover blemishes. Judges will handle and inspect all surfaces. Finally, I judge by discarding entries until 3 are left, and then award prizes. Artistic arrangement will only be looked at after all the above criteria have been filled.

Good luck next year..

How to store vegetables overwinter

My Onions did pretty well this year, I'd even go as far as saying they are the best onions I've ever grown. Amazing to think that from that little bag of sets, I got over 25 kg of onions. These have been carefully laid out on a table in my shed to dry, with most of the soil rubbed off. I would like to tie them in strings, á la french onion seller, but haven't mastered this skill yet. They'll probably end up in one of those carrot string bags. Once dry the tops will be cut off, and we'll use the ones with thick stems first, as these won't keep as well.

Now to harvesting carrots and storage. They're not going to develop much more now, and want to get them before the slugs. I've heard that they should be stored in dry sand or peat, has anyone done this, and how long do they last?

Scourie Stall

The next foodlink stall in Scourie will be on Wednesday 8th Sep, 10:30 - 12:00.
If anyone has any produce for sale, please let be know.

The stall at the Scourie Bough Tent looked brilliant, a great selection of fresh locally grown vegetables, some superb baking, and a wide range of locally made preserves. Sadly, the stall was poorly attended, and there was much produce left over. Jams sold well, as did some of the home baking, but we had a lot left at the end. (..went down well at the committee meeting the following day!!)

Aggie, from the TV show "How clean is your house" came to the stall, and after buying some home-made tablet, came back for second helpings..

The bough tent event was a success for Am Parabh, with several workshops over the weekend, a great ceilidh on friday night, and interesting filmshows on saturday evening.

Mackay Country Bough Tent

I can now confirm that we'll be holding the next stall at the Anchorage Camp site in Scourie on Saturday 28th August, between 2:00 and 4:00 pm.

We hope to have the normal range of fresh seasonal vegetables, along with home baking, jams, and Cocoa Mountain chocolate.

The stall will be alongside the Bough tent, which will have a Gaelic song workshop at 11:00 am with celebrated singer Ishbel Macaskill, Basic Bough Tent Gaelic at 2:30 pm with  Essie Stewart, Ossian tales, with Essie at 3:00 pm, followed by Srupag chat and tea at 4:00 pm.

Archive films will be shown at 9:00 pm, Summer in the Straths & The Duna Bull (outdoors if fine, bring your own seat and jumper).

For more information see..
http://www.mackaycountry.com/