A Week in the Life of Shillingford: Mondays

Greetings!

So I feel like there is just so much to tell you about being here at Shillingford! I thought the best way is to take you through a week's routine here. Each day tends to have a particular role, and so, as the song goes, let's start at the very beginning...

So many carrots!

Monday: Mondays tend to be rather quiet, as there are only a few orders to do. Usually some of the more time-consuming jobs are done. I've had two Mondays here now. Both times, I've sorted carrots. These were picked earlier in the year and placed in large wooden crates in the 'fridge' in the barn. Both times, I and another Wwoofer, (Mel, then Hannah), have had to grade out the good carrots from the others. The reject list is as follows:

- too small or large

- twisted too much

- root fly has had a go

- mouldy or just not great!

cold!

The fridge room is pretty cold so it's important to have lots of layers, and a hat is always a good idea....here's me the first time: yeah, I'm pretty cold. Sometimes one of us will play music on our phones or chat, but it's a repetitive job. You do find yourself going into a bit of a trance as your hands and eyes work away, with your brain elsewhere! We fill up spare paper sacks and place them onto a fresh pallet, making sure that the bag openings are facing inwards, (this makes it much easier to transport). What is nice is that we will often get some of the birds hopping in to see what we're up to, either a cocky blackbird or a nosy robin. 

Other times, we will use the quiet time to wash crates with the pressure washer. As times like these, I am so glad I have decent waterproof trousers and jacket! And sorry to Mel for spraying in her face a few times! 

Basically, there are different sets of crates: blue, white, green, grey and black, (in order of size). Most of the picking is done in these measurements. I have no idea what each weighs, but the guys do, so no matter! Usually the order will be to go out and pick 5 crates of leeks, or about a green crate of brussels. Salads are usually picked using grey crates and the little black crates aren't used that much at the moment. During the week, these crates will get rather muddy and dirty, so when there's a chance, we clean them out. It's mainly the blue and white that get the most grubbiest, and there is a quiet satisfaction cleaning the red soil and mud from the white crates, ready to be stacked up for another week. (it's also a good way to clean your trousers too!)

The last Monday I was at Shillingford, We went to the top field to get kale, red cabbage, sprouts and cauliflowers. Caulies were few and far between as the frosts had been getting worse and so most veg stop growing or are spoilt. We were also picking black kale, which was fine, if a little sorry looking, but tastes just as great. The red cabbages are also doing well, all wrapped up for winter! 

Brussel sprout picking was memorable. First, you pull all the dead leaves from the stem, as high as possible. Then, because they grow in a spiral fashion, you have to get an "in", so find a weakly attached one, and go from there. Both hands are needed really for this job, so there's a grand sight of three of us, all bending over, hands working as quickly as possible. Now, being frozen means that you really have to snap these little guys off with force, and I was glad that I was wearing gardening gloves covered by my fingerless Thermalined wool pair. This made the job do-able! I asked Godfrey later why we don't sell them on the stalk, like a lot of other places do, (I think over the past few years, it has become rather fashionable) and got the answer I expected....the yield for us would be far smaller. Pretty obvious really. So, if your'e buying brussels this year, maybe don't get them on the stalk...as you'll be encouraging the farmer to use more land for the same crop and removing possible nutrients which could be put straight back into the soil in situ.

I found a chrysalis on one of the red cabbages so I
removed it carefully and placed it somewhere safe.

The first Monday also came with a surprise at the end of the day....Wolfie had caught a rabbit in one of the boxes and offered it to Mel and me for supper. So of course I said yes! (Follow the link for a picture of Wolfie skinning it) Now, time for the vegetarians to tune out....

Although I've eaten rabbit before, in Northern Italy, this was the first time I'd had to deal with one from scratch, so I headed straight to google. Wolfie had kindly left the kidneys and liver in, so I removed them, and then soaked the rabbit in some salt water for a few hours as I'd read this removes any "game-i-ness" from the animal. Then I roasted it in the oven, having slathered it in olive oil, garlic and dried herbs. Being unsure as to how long to cook it for, I did set the heat rather high, (I didn't want to poison Mel!) and so it did really rather quickly. If I were to cook it again, I wouldn't be afraid to cook it at a much lower heat, (around 170) for a bit longer, (hour and a half?). We grabbed a load of veg to go with it, my favourite being the carrots with honey, yum! I then fried up the liver and kidneys in a little oil and butter and had them seperately, while Mel winced in the corner. (I also saved a little of the liver for Tilly, which she was most happy about!) 

Rabbit is really tasty, a bit like chicken, but obviously more meaty. We also had it with salad, and about halfway through I noticed the irony of this....(salad...what rabbits eat?!)

What made me happiest about this meal was knowing that I was eating something that had been caught and killed that day, prepared and eaten all within a 10 metre zone. That's what it should be about in my book. It's local, it's fresh and it's (probably) organic. Oh, and it's humane. 

So, that's all for a Monday....next, Tuesday!

My time so far at Shillingford

Hi everyone! Finally have got around to sitting down for more than five minutes in order to write something. I've been making loads of notes, so I'm not forgetting anything!

First, a bit of background information about Shillingford Organics:

"Shillingford Organic Vegetable Boxes began life in 1990 when Tim Deane set up Northwood Boxes, credited as the first box scheme in the country, supplying locally grown organic vegetables to friends and neighbours in the village of Christow. In 2000, Tim joined forces with Martyn, Northwood Barton Boxes was born and the business expanded into Exeter.

In 2004 Tim took on a role as part-time technical advisor for the Soil Association thus had less time for growing. At this point the business rebranded as Shillingford Organics. Tim still supplies many crops to the box scheme and the ethics and ideals behind Shillingford Organics are still based on those developed by Tim more than 15 years ago.

Vegetable Boxes - A vegetable box creates a direct relationship between us as growers and you as customers and encompasses more than just the aspect of trade. It gives us a predictable income, but also allows us to grow and sell our produce in a way that does not compromise organic principles and gives us the satisfaction of a sense of community and knowing that the crops we have cared for are going to good homes.

For you it means good fresh produce of a flavour which has been proved to encourage even children to eat vegetables. It also allows you some sense of connection with the source of your food, and the knowledge that you are not underwriting a wasteful and destructive system of transportation.

Once a week we deliver boxes of organics vegetables to designated collection points points in Exeter and the Teign Valley. Each box contains a selection of fresh vegetables, many picked that same day and which vary according to the season. There are a few staple vegetables that appear on a regular basis throughout the year, like potatoes, carrots and onions, but otherwise we try to offer a range and variety of produce to make cooking and eating a pleasurable experience."

There are many benefits to eating organic, and if you go here you can read Martyn Bragg's philosophy on organics, health, ecology, soil, sustainability, and lots more. 

Shillingford have only had Wwoofers since April this year, but so far they seem pleased with how it is going. Before arriving here, Martyn emailed me pictures of the pod I would be staying in....so so nice!

Here is the view from my pod, (Cedar) from when I arrived on the Monday:

View from my pod

My little wood burner
keeps me cosy on a night!

Isn't it amazing?! There is a compost toilet and shower room just a few metres down from the pods and it's really nice. The shower is very hot and it's great to be outside yet sheltered! The pods inside are beautiful too, and I'm a little in love with my wood burner! Wolfie dropped off a massive crate of old scrap wood near the pods so I have a ready supply! 

The first day I was here I was taken right up to the top field with Martyn Godfrey to get some cauliflowers. It was about 7:30am, it was very frosty, and I was so glad to be there as the views were stunning. (See here for the rest of my Shillingford photos!)

The rest of the day was spent sorting onions and unloading a trailer full of crates of squashes and pumpkins...oh, how my back hurt the next day!

I was then put on the job of grading butternut squashes into mini, small, medium and large. They all came with a weight guideline, though the pros tend to do it purely by sight and feel. Some are too small and some too large, and these get put aside either for composting or the staff! We also are checking all the time for signs of rotting or softening...usually at the top of the squash the stalk will show signs of softness. Sometimes it will be marked as well from where it has been laid on the ground, but it's checking whether that will affect the flesh inside. A lot of judgement goes into grading I tell you!

Tea break is at 10am so we all headed to the staff room for tea and loads of toast and chocolate spread! Everyone was really friendly to me, asking me lots of questions and making me feel very much at home.

Tea break over, I then went up to the other field on the back of the tractor with Godfrey and Wolfie to get some swedes. This meant a sharp knife! Basically, the idea is to work down the rows and put out the ones that look good: lob off the bottom part of the root and then the top stalk. Place it down betwen the rows and when enough have been done, get sacks and each gather a particular size, os, mini, small, medium or large. Then it's back to loading up the tractor and heading back. (This was a muddy job and I was glad of my waterproofs!)

That was my first day as Wwoofers only work til 1pm, but I can tell you, I was pretty tired having been on the go since 7am. It's already really interesting being part of a team and a larger scale operation that has to work to deadlines, yet the atmosphere and pace is great. 

There's already so much more to tell you, but that's all for now!

Hello from Shillingford!

Hi everyone, just a quick update tonight. Life here at Shillingford is great and I'm having a whale of a time. I still haven't found time to sit down and tap away at the laptop yet but I have planned to put aside most of Saturday to get everything written up and posted on here!

For now, you can look at the photos I've taken so far here. Some mornings have been truly beautiful and breathtaking. Exeter is a great place to be as it's near the coast, near the M5, access to most places and here at Shillingford, it's far away from the city enough to walk at night by the light of the moon alone. And the stars.....I've already seen a few shooting stars! It's really too hard to put into words just how amazing it is here, and I'm not going to try now because I won't do it justice!

In the last few days, I've been getting some email updates that I think might interest you. First of all, are you ready to join the Fish Fight with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall?

 HALF OF ALL FISH CAUGHT 

IN THE NORTH SEA ARE THROWN BACK OVERBOARD DEAD.

 TO HELP US STOP THIS INSANE WASTE SIGN UP

Join up on Facebook here, and read the Independent article here.

You can find out all about his experience, and how it has changed the way he thinks about fish, in the Channel 4 series, Hugh’s Fish Fight, to be broadcast in January 2011.The first element of the campaign – and the first area where we are looking for public support – is the issue of discards at sea. I would recommend signing up straight away and also to check out the website, as it is an issue that is rightly getting some attention.

The second email was to do with Nocton Dairies. Today, Nocton Dairies Ltd resubmitted a planning application for Western Europe’s first US-style ‘mega-dairy’. The new plans for this giant farm in Lincolnshire have yet to be officially released – but information Compassion in World Farming have obtained so far indicates that:

• Thousands of cows will still be kept in giant sheds, pushed to produce milk yields far beyond natural limits, and with little or no chance to graze on pasture.
• The farm’s backers have been keen to publicise a reduction in the number of cows to 3,700. But this is only half the story. Nocton Dairies still intends to build the farm up to over 8,000 cows. In effect, there has been no change in the ambitions for the scale of this intensive dairy since the original proposal was withdrawn in April.

Here is the website, Compassion in World Farming, who are a registered charity. This how they describe themselves:

"Compassion in World Farming was founded over 40 years ago in 1967 by a British farmer who became horrified by the development of modern, intensive factory farming.

Today we campaign peacefully to end all cruel factory farming practices. We believe that the biggest cause of cruelty on the planet deserves a focused, specialised approach – so we only work on farm animal welfare."

Again, follow the link above to see the website as there are a number of campaigns that all need your support. The customer is always right, and if enough people make a stand, change really is possible.

On a more positive note, my attention was directed to this article today, (with thanks to Mary!) Many of you will know of Lush, (usually because it smells so good as you walk by!) but some of you might not. This article is a pretty balanced one, (from what I can tell). It doesn't paint Lush as perfect, (they do use some preservatives in their products, though Constantine,  the founder, argues that this is far better than using a plastic bottle, which uses petroleum, more energy, byproducts, landfill) but is does show how a large and successful company doesn't have to be a bad one. Let's face it, Lush tries. And it tries hard. 

What was scary was this fact: "Not all green business are fortunate enough to control their own affairs. Among the many that have fallen prey to larger corporations, Bodyshop was bought for £652 million by French cosmetics giant L’Oreal in 2006, itself a third-owned by the world’s largest food group Nestlé."

Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that Nestlé was a bit of a baddie. I know that at Edinburgh University, Nestlé products are not stocked. (A quick google search shows up some interesting things that company have done, baby milk formula anyone?) So, does this make shopping at Bodyshop still ok? I mean, it's not like the Bodyshop have changed what they believe in, but it's a scary thought that someone else now has power over them. 

This leads me back to one of my usual opinions: LOCAL IS GOOD. In anything: food, produce, education, community. If there's someone who makes gorgeous soaps nearby, then buy that. Yes, this might mean you have less stuff, (gasp! can you cope?!) but satisfaction levels will increase. And trust me, money can't buy that. However much you try.

Right, before I start to go off on one, I'm going to sign off. I hope that you follow some of the links here, and learn something new today! :)

Arrivals and Departures

Hi everyone! Though  I was sad to leave Orcheton Quay, (again) I was looking forward to moving on my journey to head to Exeter.I'm now here at Shillingford Organics. I arrived at lunchtime and have settled into my new accommodation and met some lovely people already, including Mel, the other Wwoofer here at the moment. I've already been shown the 5 polytunnels by Martyn and been told that it's possible I may become the new salad bag girl, (after Mel goes) which is interesting! I've also briefly discussed some Steiner with Iain, and bio-diversity, both of which I think are fascinating subjects. I've met Tilly the dog,  who is so adorable, and seen where the grading and sorting happens. 

I have both signal for my phone and wifi in the staff room so I'm all set to be updating my blog far more regularly for the rest of this month!

The hours here are 7am- 1pm, (gulp!) but it means I'll have plenty of free time to a) write the blog and b) go and do things and explore the area so I can have things to write about in said blog!

I'd love to write more now, but the potatoes are on the boil, the organic sausages need to be cooked and more chatting with Mel needs to be had so you'll have to wait til later for more info I'm afraid!

(Oh and by the way, my accommodation is TO DIE FOR! I've already got my little wood burner on the go, it is toasty warmies!- photos to follow!)

I shall be backtracking in the next few blogs so I include the last week of activities, which include polytunnels, forest gardens and I also want to write up on some articles I've been reading. Hope this sounds appealing! 

Oh, one more thing, please feel free to comment on each post, as I'd love to know what you all think of my escapades!