Raspberries

A large area of 'Phacelia' planted in the raspberry fields, it was swarming with bees and is used as a green manure.

The stunning views from the berry fields.

Gorgeous and tasty, this variety is 'Glen Ample'

On Thursday I managed to go and do a bit of raspberry picking. I went along to a place just outside of Burrelton, which is only 10 minutes away. This was the first time I had been to this particular 'Pick Your Own' farm and I will certainly return. The raspberries are a super quality and none of them were grown under tunnels, and they were a super price as well. The variety grown are known as 'Glen Ample', I have some growing in my own garden and they are a very good sized berry.

Community Market

Super Berry Bomb, mixed berry shot
Raspberries and Strawberries

Scrummy cupcakes

Setting up for Cookery Demonstration

Today's Community Market in the Wellmeadow was featuring 'Berries in the Meadow', a cookery demonstration using the best of local berries for sweet and savoury dishes. Unfortunately I couldn't hang around to watch. Anyway, there was a real buzz in the market today, lots of people and lots of lovely stalls to tempt you. Hope you enjoy my small selection of photos.

Blaeberry picking

Today I had a forage for some Blaeberries, masses of them around at the moment. They take quite a while to pick though, but apparently you can purchase a special scoop which makes it easier. Blaeberries are meant to be very good for you as well. Eat them as they are or make into jam etc.

The Open - St Andrews

As you may or not be aware the 150th Open golf Championships were held last week and over the weekend at St Andrews. We are just under an hour away and are always fortunate to get booked up when the golf is on. Unusually this year I had a group from Australia stay for a few days, who had booked over a year in advance, and only one British couple. All my guests thoroughly enjoyed their visit to the golf, despite the weather being pretty awful for 2 of the days. I think the Open returns to St Andrews again in 5 years time.

We have an Egg!

An exciting day, one of the chicken's laid their first egg and pretty impressive it is too!

Chickens

I have been thinking about getting chickens for about two years and yesterday I finally took the plunge and picked up 6 Isa Brown point of lay hens. I have never kept hens before, but when I was younger I did keep ducks and pigeons, so I'm not a complete novice in bird keeping! I spent ages looking for a chicken house and decided on one from Perthshire Poultry. I can quite honestly say it is a superb house and the joinery on it is excellent, certainly built to last, I would highly recommend them. The houses on the website usually have a pitch roof but the gentleman kindly made me one with a pent roof. The house currently has a run attached to it primarily as I have a dog. So this morning was the hens first outing from their house, the dog was understandably wondering what on earth was in his garden! Fortunately he is a very quick learner and has been as good as gold, touch wood. So I just have to wait for my first eggs, probably a couple of weeks yet, I have been assured they are very good layers.

Thank You Card

A lovely couple who departed for home this morning left me a lovely thank you card. They had been staying with me all week as they had been attending the Scottish Mixed Foursomes Golf Week, held every year. The golf week was quite fortunate with the weather, pretty much dry, apart from a few showers yesterday. All three of my rooms were taken up by golfers for the week and I look forward to welcoming them again next year. Talking of golf it is The Open at St Andrew's next week, so it is busy with guests coming to watch.

Fruit and Scones

Compote put into jars next to scrummy scones

Compote stewing away

Strawberries all ready to make jam.

This evening I had a busy time in the kitchen. Yesterday I went strawberry picking and came back with a rather large supply, so I prepared a load of them to make jam tomorrow. I also made a large amount of Rhubarb, Strawberry and Raspberry Compote, which is proving very popular a breakfast time. I got the recipe when I went on the Perthshire Breakfast Cookery Course at Let's Cook Scotland last year.

I also tried out a new scone recipe by Lesley Walters and have to say they turned out and tasted lovely, so think this is my latest favourite scone recipe. Her recipe had ground almonds in it which I omitted.

8oz self-raising flour

2oz butter

pinch of salt

1oz caster sugar

100ml milk

1 egg

2 tbsp natural yogurt

1. Preheat oven to 225C

2. Place sieved flour and butter into bowl add the salt and rub the butter into flour until it looks like fine breadcrumbs.

3.In a bowl mix together the yogurt, milk and egg.

4.Gradually add milk mixture to flour, you may not need it all, until you have a soft dough.

5.Transfer dough to lightly floured surface and roll out to 2.5cm thick, then cut out. Place onto baking tray and lightly dust with flour.

6.Bake in oven for 10-12 minutes until risen and golden.

Yogurt Making

I decided to try my hand at yogurt making and after looking at lots of different methods and bits of kit you can use I decided to use the recipe in my 'bible' The Complete Cookery Course by Delia Smith. All I needed was milk, a teaspoon of 'starter' yogurt, a thermometer and a wide necked flask. After the milk had been boiled, simmered and cooled down to the correct temperature, it was put in the flask with the 'starter' yogurt and voila after 6 hours it had actually worked. After it had cooled in the fridge I can report it looked and tasted of natural yogurt, I was quite pleased it had worked first time and was so easy, don't know why I have never tried it before.