Here come the carlin peas
This August has seen amazing work in the face of adversity at Green Acres Farm in Shropshire, bringing in an incredibly precious crop of organic carlin peas.
What are fava beans? Aren't they just broad beans?
Fava beans are very close to our hearts at Hodmedod, which we founded in 2012 with the simple aim of getting British-grown fava beans back into British kitchens. Still we're frequently asked, "What are fava beans?", "Aren't they just broad beans?"
Naked oats are a disruptive technology
Whole naked oats make such a good alternative to brown rice. In fact, they’re better. Creamy and nutty, they work brilliantly in salads or in place of rice with stews, curries and more. But Naked oats are not just delicious - naked oats are a disruptive technology. (Take that tech start-ups!)
To the End of the Ley Line
In late June, Josiah and Nick took a brief (but long) road trip to visit friends, growers and customers in the far South West of England, taking a few photos along the way..
Sheaf
At our Autumn 2019 farmer meeting we resolved to find new ways to communicate the changes that are happening on farms across the UK. Working with the Dark Mountain Project we sent three writers to three farms with no brief other than to reflect on what they found. This summer their work has been published in a beautifully illustrated short book called Sheaf.
A Grain Community
Kimberley Bell of Small Food Bakery reflects on four years of YQ grown for the bakery and the people-centred systems that have emerged and continue to emerge, around it.
Norfolk Chickpeas in a Changing Climate
Last year (field scale chickpea production year 2) was a real struggle: drought through much of the season, intense heat in late May, then extraordinary rainfall in August. This year (chickpea year 3) hasn’t started much better to be honest: a cold start and prolonged wet conditions are not what chickpeas like.
Organic Marrowfat Peas at Little Bytham
The new 2021 crop of organic marrowfat peas are coming through beautifully at The Grange, farmed by Guy and John Turner of Turners of Bytham. The cool wet weather in early May hasn’t provided the easiest start to the year for peas, but the marrowfats are looking excellent.
The New Farmer's Almanac, Vol V
US organisation
Greenhorns
publishes a journal called The New Farmer’s Almanac biennially. It really is packed full of wonderful writing and illustration about the culture and practice of farming and living on the land.
Flour by Horsepower
Earlier this year we had a call from incomparable Devon farmer and horseman Jonathan Waterer. He was coming to Suffolk to look at a new horse-drawn seed drill, did we want him to deliver some flour? We did.
East Anglian Agroforestry Open Farm Weekend (1st & 2nd May)
We know there are no quick fixes, no simple solutions, no one-size-fits all answers to the complex, existential challenges facing us. But agroforestry, a system of farming that combines agriculture with trees, is as close to a perfect answer as we've seen. And now you can see too!
There is No Silver Bullet
This evening, along with Henry our chickpea grower, we’ll be featured on BBC Countryfile. It’s a harvest episode and the section we’re in sees Adam reflecting on a poor oil seed rape (OSR) harvest then traveling out to find alternatives. Who knows quite how it’ll come out in the edit, but our aim was to explain that there is no alternative. No single crop that can be dropped into a rotation to solve the problems that come with a reductive, commodity focused system of supply.