Roundhill Gazette July 2009 Volume 1, Issue 3

Show Time

First off apologies’ for the lateness and the thinness of this issue. Weather, work and health have all played a part in delaying the publication. So I though it better to get a quick reminder out about all that is coming up, than wait any longer.

The big news is our First Show on Saturday 5th September. We hope there will be a big turn out, both of entries and people to enjoy the show. We hope to have food, drinks, a tombola and other activities on the day to keep every one entertained. Here are just a few of the classes that you can enter, so don’t forget to get your entry form completed and handed in to Paul - Plot 27, Jayne Plot 26a or Lesley - Plot 26d Catagories of Show VEGETABLE CLASSES

4 Potatoes 3 Runner beans longest and staightest Heaviest vegetable marrow 3 Courgettes

FRUIT CLASSES 3 Apples Bowl of soft fruit. Raspberry, strawberry, redcurrent, etc. SALAD CROPS 1 Cucumber 3 Tomatoes Childrens Competion - Open to all children up to the age of 18 ‘Tallest Sunflower’ ‘Build a Scarecrow’ Make a ‘Vegimal’ ( an edible animal) Photography Competion Photos are to be unmounted of Round Hill Allotments.

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New Shed Roof

You may have noticed the smarter appearance of the large allotment association shed roof. Over the hottest weekend of the year (so far) a small band of volunteers worked very hard to replace the roof. The original plan was to just apply new felt to the existing roof, but it soon became apparent that the whole roof needed to be replaced. Fortunately a large amount of timber had been reclaimed from a local building site so at no additional cost new trusses and weatherboard where used to form the roof ready for the new felt. As you can see, it took a lot longer than was first hoped and it still needs a few finishing touches. One of the ‘benefits’ of having to take the whole roof off was that it gave the inside a chance to completely dry out before the new roof was put on. So we now have a dry and weatherproof shed. A big thank you to Chris, Tom, Martin and Paul for all their hard work, but also many thanks to everyone who stopped by offering support, advice and ice creams. Our next challenge is a coat of paint for the outside and adding some industrial level security.

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BEE NEWS UPDATE

It’s been a busy time in our household this spring; we have some additions to our family. My dog Bonnie, has a litter of puppies and we have more colonies of Honey bees. Bees all around the world are said to have been building up well (a kick back to the depletion over the past few years maybe?) In this country they have had a fantastic start to the season, thanks to the mild, sunny March with plants flowering well for a sustained period, rather than a quick bloom between storms. May is the month for swarms of bees. Swarms are often a sign of health for the bees, it is the natural way that bee populations expand. My first colony, three years ago, was a swarm collected by a friend and it’s a great way to start keeping bees and for existing beekeepers to increase numbers. The British Beekeeping Association have said there are over 2,500

new beekeepers this year who all need bees, plus colonies have been lost over the winter, so swarms are very valuable. We have collected several swarms so far this year, (not just for us) and feel more confident handling the bees as a result. I have changed from wearing my thick leather gloves with gauntlets to just a couple of pairs of latex gloves, which gives good protection from stings and much better feel in handling the frames. We are members of North East Worcestershire Beekeeping Association (NEWBKA) and the weekly apiary meetings are in full flow. They are invaluable for beekeepers of all levels to learn more and meet fellow members. Also, our bees are probably related so it’s good to know what is happening in nearby apiaries. We’ve started learning about Queen Rearing, an important part of keeping bees, more about this later. We have been

granted the opportunity to place our hives on a new site, which is very exciting. It is Site of Special Scientific Interest, a beautiful meadow. Surrounded by mixed habitat the bees should be provided with forage throughout the season, keeping them strong and healthy, and hopefully produce surplus honey! We will, however, be keeping one of our hives at the allotment, with the permission of Bromsgrove Council of course. Requests for honey have already been made! Honey is now bought at a premium. But we didn’t start keeping bees to make money so we must prioritise the honey allocation. Firstly, honey is kept for the bees. Honey is their complete and natural diet supplying their whole nutritional requirement, important for a healthy immune system and maintaining the vigour and continuation of the species. Perhaps this has been lacking in recent years?

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BEE NEWS UPDATE continued

Bee News update provided by Gemma Suggitt

Honey directs the future of the bees in terms of epigenetics. In a nutshell this refers to the ability of outside influences (e.g. food) being able to turn genes on and off. For example, beekeepers know that if a worker bee larva is fed Royal Jelly she will grow into a Queen bee, in the correct circumstances. So if honey and other hive products are removed and substitutes made, what will be the consequences? Secondly, honey is a staple in our household, we use it everyday, on toast and in cooking. We know the honey that comes from our hives is the best! It simply cannot be bought from anywhere. It is pure honey, taken straight from the comb, extracted with a hand-cranked centrifuge and filtered (sieved) into jars. No blending, heating, or any other processing to reduce its value. We can even take cut comb from the hive or keep some of the wax cappings in the honey if we like.

Honey with

Cappings is often what hay fever sufferers demand since the cappings contain pollen which when ingested is said to help reduce pollen allergy. Finally, our plot is not exclusively for honey bees (we do grow at bit of fruit and veg too!). The flowering welsh onions and salad rocket are particularly popular service stations for bumblebees. The piece of wild flower turf I bought from Wiggly Wigglers last autumn is not only beautiful but a delicious haven for wild fauna.live on our plot.

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Blackcurrant cake

Crème de cassis

Ingredients 2oz/60g butter 4oz/110g plain flour 4oz/110g caster sugar 1 egg 7oz/200g blackcurrants Method

Heat the oven to gas mark 4/180C/350F.

Rub the butter into the flour and sugar until it's the consistency of breadcrumbs. Mix in

the beaten egg. Stir in the fruit gently so as not to break it; it's best to use your hands.

The mixture will look dry but don't worry; the end result is very moist. Turn into an ovenproof glass or china dish (the acidity of the fruit may react with metal and taint the cake). Bake for 45-50 minutes. Turn out carefully and sprinkle with caster sugar. Eat at room temperature.

Notes

This is a fantastic way of showcasing the intense flavour of blackcurrants. It deserves a fat splodge of thick cream - not creme fraiche please, because the fruit provides plenty of acidity.

2.5 lb/1.1kg blackcurrants 20 very small blackcurrant leaves 1.75 pints/1 litre spirits (eg, gin, vodka or eau de vie) 1.5 lb/675g granulated sugar 5fl oz/140ml water

Wash the blackcurrants, discarding the stalks. Allow them to dry thoroughly, then put them into a large glass jar and add the blackcurrant leaves. Pour over the spirit, which should cover the fruit completely. Leave to steep for 4-5 months or longer.

Strain the contents of the jar (keeping the alcohol) and remove the leaves. Whizz the blackcurrants in a food processor and strain through muslin. Mix the strained fruit with the purple alcohol.

Dissolve the sugar in the water over a low heat, then simmer gently for 5 minutes to make a thick syrup. Cool. Pour slowly into the blackcurrant mixture, stirring continuously. Taste and stop adding syrup when the liqueur seems sweet enough.

Pour into bottles and seal.

It will improve with age.

Contact Details Association business roundhillplots@btinternet.com

Allotment Officer Joanne Hall j.hall@bromsgrove.gov.uk Tel: 01527 881382 Articles, comments or feedback Tel: 01527 833803 ChrisCJCookie@aol.com Chairman – Paul Clemons paul.clemons1@btopenworld.com Secretary – Jayne Auger auger137@btinternet.com Treasurer – Chris Cook ChrisCJCookie@aol.com