Merry Christmas from The Orchard Farm Shop

With best wishes for a very

Happy Christmas

to you and all your family

from

Jim &  co. at the farm shop

Now over to the Talking Animals to wish you a Merry Christmas:

While shepherds watch their flocks

Just a quick reminder on this the 4th Sunday of Advent that we're open until 3pm on Christmas Eve with plenty of fresh fruit and veg for sale. Even if we say so ourselves we think the Orchard Farm Shop is going to be the perfect place to avoid that last minute scrum at the supermarkets.

Now for your amusement something a little bit different

This YouTube video is of " Crazy shepherds fit their sheep with LED vests to create awesome designs on a hill. They recreate a game of Pong, fireworks, and the Mona Lisa." Certainly puts a different slant to

While shepherds watched
Their flocks by night
All seated on the ground
The angel of the Lord came down
And glory shone around
And glory shone around

 

Christmas opening times at The Orchard Tea Room & Farm Shop, Redmoor Lane, Wisbech, Cambs, PE14 0RN

Christmas Eve ~ 8am - 3pm

Christmas Day ~ Closed

Boxing Day ~ Closed

27th December ~ Closed

28th December ~ 8am - 4pm

29th December ~ 9am - 4pm

30th December ~ 8am - 4pm

31st December ~ 8am - 3pm

New Year's day ~ Closed

2nd January ~ 8am - 4pm

On the 3rd Sunday of Advent our Wisbech farm shop would like to remind you that we are now taking Christmas fruit & veg orders

This Romanesco broccoli or  Romanesque cauliflower (whichever you prefer to call it) does look rather festive in a Christmas tree sort of way don't you think?

Talking of Christmas we're now taking Christmas orders for fruit and veg. Tell us what you want and when you want to collect and your fruit and veg, chutneys and jams, honey and apple juice, bird seeds and sausages will all be ready and waiting for you.

Christmas at the Orchard Farm Shop Redmoor Lane Wisbech

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas here at the Orchard Farm Shop:

 

With holly wreathes for sale

and Christmas decorations in the shop

including a mini tree.

Now taking orders for your Christmas fruit and veg, tell us what you want and we'll have it packed and ready to collect at your convenience to save you time at this busy time of year.

The Orchard Tea Room & Farm Shop

Redmoor Lane

Wisbech

PE14 0RN

Opening hours currently 8am - 4pm Monday to Saturday, 9am - 4pm Sunday.

Fog on the A47

 Another foggy day here in Fenland and it occurred to me that if you're having to drive in these conditions this sign on the A47 approaching Wisbech would probably be very welcome:

 A chance to take a break, grab a cup of your favourite beverage, maybe even a quick sandwich, a warming bowl of soup or a delicious slice of cake.

 A chance to warm yourself by the wood burning stove and enjoy spectacular views of the orchard swathed in fog.

You might even take the opportunity to stretch your legs with a stroll around the orchard. Certainly if you're travelling with a dog he /she would appreciate a walk around the orchard and dogs are always welcome at The Orchard Tea Room and Farm Shop. So watch out for that sign and take a break you'll find all this, and more at:

The Orchard Tea Room & Farm Shop

Redmoor Lane

Wisbech

PE14 0RN

Opening hours currently 8am - 4pm Monday to Saturday, 9am - 4pm Sunday.

Apple Logs for Christmas

Nothing beats a real fire at Christmas, be it an open fire or a wood burner it makes everything cosy, comfortable and of course warm!

Apple logs smell wonderful whilst burning and they send out a good amount of heat, we have them ready for collection here at the Orchard Farm Shop, Redmoor Lane, Wisbech. PE140RN. Available by the sack or a full bin.

If you're travelling along the A47 between Peterborough and Wisbech / Kings Lynn and Wisbech during the holidays why not stop off and pick up a bag of logs. They make a great gift too!

If you haven't anywhere for a fire you are welcome to come and share ours, the woodburner is lit everyday now keeping the tea room warm and cosy.

The Orchard Tea Room & Farm Shop

Redmoor Lane

Wisbech

PE14 0RN

Opening hours currently 8am - 4pm Monday to Saturday, 9am - 4pm Sunday.

On the 2nd Sunday of Advent the farm shop brings to you

A rainbow

as the River Nene returns to normal after the tidal surges of the last few days. Thankfully the Wisbech flood defences held and the town remained safe from deluge.
Here at Redmoor Lane The Orchard Tea Room and Farm Shop are safe from flooding but we were involved in an animal rescue from the river bank on Thursday night. Thanks to the fire service, the police and volunteers 5 horses were removed safely from the flood waters. Many thanks to everyone who took part, you're all very welcome at The Orchard Tea Room for a cuppa!

On the 4th day of Advent the farm shop brings to you - Bramblebee Porker Sausages

Bramblebee Porker Sausages from Gloucestershire Old Spots are simply the best. They come in a variety of flavours, our personal favs are Smokey BBQ and Chili but they are all delicious. You'll find them in the freezer at

The Orchard Farm Shop

Redmoor Lane

Wisbech

PE14 0RN

On the 3rd day of Advent the farm shop brings to you - Pears grown in Wisbech

Conference Pears grown in our own Redmoor Lane, Wisbech, orchard. Perfect with Stilton. Available by the kilo or a whole box. A box of pears would make a rather nice Christmas gift.

Here's a Pear Chutney recipe:

1 kilo of peeled, cored chopped pears
100 grams of white sugar
100 grams of soft brown sugar
2 teaspoons of mixed spice
250ml malt vinegar

Put all the ingredients into a saucepan and bring to the boil, simmer for about 30 minutes until the pears are tender, stirring to prevent sticking.

Bottle in sterilised jars.

On the 2nd day of Advent the Farm Shop brings to you - Honey (and some cold relief recipes)

Here at the Orchard Farm Shop we stock real Fenland honey ~ Bramblebee Honey. The beekeeper comes from a small village very close to us and his bees are kept all around the area including orchards!

Apart from tasting good honey has many, many health benefits, more on that another time, but with the run up to Christmas, and the first of the seasonal colds going round, today we're offering some cold remedies:

Honey and Cinnamon

Simply mix a quarter of a teaspoon of cinnamon with a teaspoon of honey and add to warm drinks, take straight from the spoon, spread on toast etc but take some every couple of hours. Both honey and cinnamon are anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal.

Lemon and Honey

Mix freshly squeezed lemon juice with honey and warm water.

Ginger Honey and Lemon

Mix grated ginger with lemon and honey and brew a tea with boiling water.

And the proof that honey actually cures colds? Researchers from Jahrom University of Medical Science in Iran found that 2 ounces of honey a day significantly reduced cold symptoms and reduced the length of the common cold by up to 2 days!

So come to our Fenland Farm Shop to stock up with some delicious honey that will help keep those colds at bay during the festive season.

The Orchard Tea Room & Farm Shop

Redmoor Lane

Wisbech

PE14 0RN

Opening hours currently 8am - 4pm Monday to Saturday, 9am - 4pm Sunday.

On the first day of Advent the farm shop brings to you - Holly Wreaths

 

So the Christmas Countdown begins:

Holly Wreaths @ £4.50 each

Available to purchase from our Fenland farm shop:

The Orchard Tea Room & Farm Shop

Redmoor Lane

Wisbech

PE14 0RN

Opening hours currently 8am - 4pm Monday to Saturday, 9am - 4pm Sunday.

Always remember, each vegetable has its' season

Ninjin - The way of the vegetable assassin
An amusing video produced by Green Thing in association with Eat Seasonably.

Happy Thanksgiving

We just wanted to wish all of our lovely American friends, family and customers a very Happy Thanksgiving.

And for those who'd like to know a little more about Thanksgiving:

 1. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the fourth Thursday of November in the USA and on the second Monday of October in Canada

  2.The first Thanksgiving was in 1621 when the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared a Harvest Festival feast. It lasted 3 days.

3.U.S. President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving Day a national holiday in 1863.

4. That first feast  included many different meats:
"Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together after we had gathered the fruit of our labors. They four in one day killed as much fowl as, with a little help beside, served the company almost a week. At which time, among other recreations, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest king Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought to the plantation and bestowed upon our governor, and upon the captain, and others. And although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty.”   A Journal of the Pilgrims at Plymouth by Edward Winslow

5. Today's classic Thanksgiving menu is turkey, cranberries, root vegetables including sweet potato followed by pumpkin pie.

Image: Vlad Litvinov licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic

Plum Chutney ~ Angela's recipe

We love it when customers share their recipes with us. This one is from Angela who bought the plums from us when they were still in season. She froze some and actually made her chutney with the frozen plums, Angela says it will be ready to eat with the cold cuts on Boxing Day.

Angela's Plum Chutney for Boxing Day

Ingredients (Makes about 4 jars of plum chutney)

675 grams of stoned and chopped plums
450 grams of chopped onions
225 grams of peeled and chopped apples
300 ml of vinegar
115 grams of sultanas
175 grams of sugar
1 chopped chilli (more or less to your own taste)
1 teaspoon of ginger

Method

Put all the ingredients into a heavy bottomed saucepan, or preserving pan if you have one, bring to the boil, then simmer for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. When the mixture has thickened it's ready for prepared jars.


Image:By Alois Lunzer (Brown Brothers Continental Nurseries Catalog 1909) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Russet Apple

Russet apples are named for their russet skins, rougher than the usual smooth skin variety of apples. The Russet pictured is actually a Herefordshire Russet but we also grow the famous Egremont Russet which was developed in Victorian times.

Why not pop by the Orchard Farm Shop, Redmoor Lane, Wisbech, PE14 0RN and see which you prefer. Opening hours currently 8am -4pm Monday to Saturday, 9am - 4pm Sunday.

(By the way, the Hereford Russet includes Cox's Orange Pippin and Idared apples in it's parentage both of which are grown here in our orchard at Redmoor Lane, Wisbech.)

Cox's Apple

Considered by many to be England's greatest dessert apple Cox's Orange Pippin developed from a chance seedling way back in the 19th Century.

It's a delicious apple with a range of flavours sometimes described as melon, pear, orange juice or even mango. If you've never tried a Cox's apple you are in for a treat.


Grown in our own orchard here at Redmoor Lane just off the A47 at Wisbech.

Available to purchase from our Orchard Farm Shop, Redmoor Lane, Wisbech, PE14 0RN. Opening hours currently 8am -4pm Monday to Saturday, 9am - 4pm Sunday.

The Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival History and 2014 date

 

Whittlesea is an ancient Fenland town about 25 minutes drive away from our Farm Shop (Redmoor Lane, Wisbech) each January it plays host to the Straw Bear Festival.

 The Festival of the Straw Bear is an old fenland custom that died out in the early 20th Century: a man or boy, covered from head to foot in straw, was led from house to house where he would dance in exchange for gifts of money, food or beer.

In 1980 the Whittlesea Society revived the custom and The Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival was born. On the Saturday of the festival, the Bear processes around the streets with its keeper, followed by traditional dancers, musicians and a decorated plough. The next festival is 10th -12th January 2014. More information can be found at The Whittlesea Sraw Bear official website.

Image:Kev747licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported  

Jonagold Apples

The Jonagold apple is a firm favourite with many of our customers, not surprising really considering how good it tastes!

Jonagolds are a nice crisp apple, with sweet white flesh and just the right amount of acidity.

Grown here in our orchard on Redmoor Lane, Wisbech it was actually developed in the USA in the 1940's. Jonagold's parents are an American apple called Jonathan and Golden Delicious.

This is a large apple so it's perfect for sharing.

Available to purchase from our Orchard Farm Shop, Redmoor Lane, Wisbech, PE14 0RN. Opening hours currently 8am -4pm Monday to Saturday, 9am - 4pm Sunday.

Fenland Celery awarded EU protected status

Fenland Celery, you won't find finer and this year it has been awarded EU Protected Geographical Indications Status which means that a least one of the stages of its' production has to take place in the Fens for it to be called Fenland Celery.

Fenland Celery is a heritage winter celery variety. It is paler in colour than standard celery and has unique 'nutty-sweet' flavour.The unique growing method involves banking the soil up around the celery head as it grows to protect it from the frost and gives the celery its exceptional flavour. This video shows the story behind the celery.

Wet Walnuts a brief seasonal treat

Don't wait until Christmas to sit by the fire cracking nutshells, wet walnuts are now in season, they are a true seasonal delight. The flesh of the walnut itself is still moist, hence "wet", so much tastier than the dry shriveled nut of Christmas.

You can read what Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has to say about them here.

If you're lucky enough to know someone who has a walnut tree do ask if they have any to spare. If not we have some for sale here at the Farm Shop, Redmoor Lane, Wisbech, PE14 0RN but hurry as supplies are limited and they sell rather quickly.

Image:Thesupermat licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported

Bramblebee Porkers sausages now in The Farm Shop

We're very pleased to announce that we are now stockists of Paul and Maria's  Bramblebee Porkers sausages made from the traditional orchard pig - the Gloucester Old Spot. The pigs are raised locally on the Cambridgeshire / Norfolk border to the highest welfare standards, in groups, outdoors, where they are allowed to carry out 'normal' pig behaviours.
And the sausages are delicious.

Seasonal Eating ~ Locally Grown Fruit & Vegetables in season this November

So it's November already, getting cold and very wet, what's in season:

Beetroot ~ ready to pickle for Christmas or serve as a vegetable right now.

Broccoli ~ a super food that should help build that immune  system up before all the coughs and colds of winter start catching up with us.

Cabbage ~ Pickle it, turn it into saurkraut, eat it right now.

Carrots ~ Full of beta carotene, use as a vegetable or make a carrot cake.

Cauliflower ~ We have some huge cauliflowers in the Farm Shop at Redmoor Lane, Wisbech, PE14 0RN right now, sometimes we even have purple ones and orange / yellow ones!

Celeriac ~ Have you tried mashing some celeriac with your potatoes? Delicious.

Celery ~ You won't find finer than celery grown in the Fens.

Leeks ~ Leek and potato soup anyone?

Onions ~ essential!

Parsnips ~ roasted for Sunday dinner, wonderful.

Potatoes ~ need we say more?

Pumpkins ~ Halloweens been and gone but Pumpkins are still in season for soups, curries, cakes and bakes, much more versatile than you might think.

Squash - we have butternut in the Farm Shop at Redmoor Lane, Wisbech, PE14 0RN

Swede ~ wonderful in soups and stews, mashed with potatoes or just on it's own with butter and black pepper.

And don't forget as fruit growers we have a wide selection of apples and pears grown right here in the orchard. We're still picking so you won't find fresher.