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Stonecircle Certified Organic Vegetables - Vegetables for life - Food you can trust

February 2nd 2012 Newsletter and Vege List

 

Hello Everyone,

Our lives here at Stonecircle are never boring. The fact our lives are full is usually a blessing but there are times a little relaxing of the pace would be kinda nice. The last couple of days have been swamped by concerns for one of our grandsons. He ended up in hospital Tuesday night with emergency surgery at 1am. It turned out he had a twisted bowel attached to his tummy with some necrotic tissue. A certain case of better out then in as by doctor's accounts he wouldn't have lasted the night if surgery hadn't been performed. It was an amazing series of good decisions by many that led to this outcome and saved his life as no one was sure  exactly what the problem was. Any chink in the chain of events and well, the thought doesn't even bear contemplating. Our hearts are flooded with gratitude. It got me thinking how precarious life can be. All of you effected by the earth's great tremors of the past 16 months will concurr with me on this. By placing such overpuffed importance on daily trivia, we inferr an invincibility. Whereas in reality our very existence is as fragile as egg shells on a train track.

The weather is continuing to do what the weather does and unseasonal southerly blasts continue to whip their wicked way across the farm causing mayhem and mischief. They leave in their wake a cold to match early winter with even a covering of snow on our local Mt. Maukatere. Our battered polytunnel grows shorter by the month as John repairs another section of ripped plastic. Our tropical climate veges continue to suffer as temperatures can plummet a good 10 degrees in a matter of mere minutes. We are uncertain as to wether we'll have corn, peppers or aubergines this season and the tomatoes are frustratingly slow. So slow that even I who has a policy of not buying anything we haven't or do not grow has succumbed to the lusty lure of those succulent red goblets of desire.

Another spin off with this cooler weather is Rastus, the rat. He/she has been particularly active perhaps in preparation for the winter ahead much in the same way as we have ordered our firewood in. At 5am this morning I couldn't believe the din he/she was making. It sounded like he/she was right outside our bedroom door. It was only the fact my bladder has a finite capacity and felt like an overpumped basket ball that forced me, in great trepidation I might add, into the hallway. I believed Rastus was between me and the desperate relief offered in the bathroom. Yikes!!!! I've never heard anything like it. As it turned out he/she was under the floor eating our underfloor insulation. I've known and heard a few Rastus's in my time but man this sounded like the creature had incisors the size of a Sabre Tooth and anything that big, surely in developing a more sophisticated pallet could move from gnawing polystyrene to gnawing on me. Thank goodness my Mum is hard of hearing.Her imagination takes off at  an even greater rate than mine!! Banging on the floor with the broomstick only serves to stop him/her momentarily before he/she resumes his/her dastardly deeds. I'm not sure there is any consolation to be found if we freeze this winter( cos most of our underfloor insulation has been eaten) in the fact that  Rastus will be holed up in a nice self-built, free and non-consented cozy well insulated little nest.

A plea please for any clean supermarket or produce bags that you may have lying around.

Quote for the week:

This has been adapted from a story sent to me by a friend about a 6year old boy whose dog had to be put down. On pondering why they live shorter lives than us, the young boy replied"People are born so they can learn to live a good life - like loving everybody and trying to be nice. Right? Well dogs already know how to do that, so they dont have to stay as long." This does not apply to all dogs of course but I think of Tike, our adorable little fluffy pooch. If he was my teacher he would teach me things such as:

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.       Be loyal.

Never pass up the opportunity to go for  joy ride.

Allow the experience of fresh air and wind in your face to be pure ectasy.

Take naps.       On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.

Stretch before rising.        When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

Run, romp and play daily.      Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

Thrive on attention and let people touch you.       Never pretend to be something you're not.

Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.          On warm days stop to lie on your back in the grass.

If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

If someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

Enjoy every moment of every day.

Recipe of the week:

Roasted beetroot dip.        So good and the colour is amazing. Use on breads (e.g. pita, ciabatta), crudites, crackers or crisps.

4 cups raw beetroot cut into chunks.

2 tbl EVO or more for required consistency

4 tsp finely chopped garlic

chilli to taste - fresh or dried

1 tsp roasted cumin seeds and 1 tsp roasted coriander seeds

1/3 cup finely chopped fresh coriander

1tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice (optional)

Roast beets in a litle oil and a litle salt. Grind the roasted seeds and put in blender with cooked beets + half the  chilli and half garlic. Drizzle in the oil as it blends. Stop adding oil when required consistency is reached. Add more chilli, garlic and salt as required.Add the fresh coriander by hand and enjoy!!!!

Blessings from Michele and John

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please note: if you are wishing to order veges you will need to be registered.
To register, please contact Michele & John using the enquiries page.

 

Stonecircle Organics, Amberley, North Canterbury, New Zealand   ph 03- 314 9144             Website design by Frog Web Works