Onions by Paul Freeborough

With Christmas approaching, you may be thinking of presents for your nearest and dearest. Five gold rings would be nice, or even a partridge in a pear tree. How about a string of onions?  Before World War II, 90% of onions, a staple of British cooking, were imported into Britain, although they could so easily have been grown in British…

November 2021 newsletter

Dear reader, A big welcome to all the volunteers who’ve joined our projects since the end of the Summer, we’re so happy to work with you and know that you’ll make a real difference to our work. We’re running regular activities throughout Autumn and Winter, with plenty of hands-on activities to keep you warm! Best…

Pasta with homemade yellow tomato sauce and nasturtium pesto by Stuart Bower (Volunteer)

Yellow tomato sauce (* means it was sourced from the Nursery garden) Pasta (usually homemade from duck eggs and 00 pasta flour – but here, dried, courtesy of Aldi) Onion Garlic* Tomato puree Yellow tomatoes* String beans* Fresh loofah* Grated Italian hard cheese A few broccoli spears Pesto* Nasturtium pesto Handful of each:    Nasturtium* Fresh basil (not entirely necessary – but…

Insects by Paul Freeborough (Volunteer)

Back in the 1980’s I was lucky enough to ask a question on radio’s Gardeners’ Question Time. Much to my teenage daughter’s embarrassment, my question was: “I have whitefly on my brassicas, can the panel recommend a remedy?” It turned out that the whitefly were harmless and could be washed off with a hose. There…