I can't quite believe it's already three weeks since I realised I needed a tactical break from the cycle of weekly baking that I'd launched two months previously. After peaking with a three week run of food fair and pop up bakeries, all requiring an extra push, I was feeling tired, rundown and a bit out of touch with my love for the craft. I knew I needed to be creative about that in order to remain more broadly happy and productive. Putting the brakes on and taking some time out seemed the best way to go about a system reset; I've recently taken the scary step of deciding to become my own manager after all, so I may as well make the most of that autonomy! In addition to creating much needed space for rest, I also wanted to give myself an opportunity to spend a little time on some of my other crafting, which has been a little neglected since the baking project came on the scene... There are only so many hours in the day after all!
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Still, we've been keeping in touch with the creative vision and since my first pop up bakery at Dragons last month, we've been gently delighted by the trickle of interest in the honesty box whilst our cockles have been well and truly warmed by some very lovely interactions at the roadside with passers by who've stopped to browse and buy from our selection of vegan baking, organic veggies and upcycled crafts. In terms of footfall though, you really can't beat an organised event and last weekend we attended our first food fair! Held at the Workhouse in Llanfyllin, the frustratingly timed (very) rainy day failed to deter a variety of stall holders, artists in open studios, musicians and intrepid members of public alike from showing up as planned and making a day of it none the less!

It's not been uncommon in our kitchen over the last few weeks for Nik to appear at the door with a bundle of freshly picked broad beans to shell and stir into pretty much whatever I'm preparing, from salad to soup, kedgeree to curry. It's been a delicious trickle of home grown gorgeousness on our plates but it was time for the broad beans to move on and make way for the leeks, ready and waiting to take the stage. Now, the broad beans haven't enjoyed the wet spring and the cool start to summer any more than the rest of us and they've pretty variable in size from what you might expect to smaller than your average pea, but they've been no less tasty for their inconsistent stature even if they've been a little fiddly to get out of the pod at times! It was a pretty full morning of picking and shelling, towards the end of which Nik headed over to the other veg patch to fetch in some beetroot, a handful of small parsnips and a few baby fennel bulbs. Well, all that fresh produce kept me fully occupied while he got on with weeding the freed up bed and companion planting some brussel sprout seedlings around the lettuces. The Marvel and Little Gem lettuces are also starting to be past their best, though they've been as abundant as they've been succulent over the last month or so and I shall miss them when they're gone!

So what did I whip up in the kitchen, you may be wondering!? I'd already decided that when the time came I'd fall back on the trusty houmous template to celebrate all the joy of the broad beans and since beetroot and parsnip always speak to me of a big tray of herbed roast veg, that magical playmate of houmous, that was that pretty much sussed! I'm sure you don't need me to tell you how to roast veg but here's a quick rundown on the broad bean prep!

Yes, there was the slug post, and it really has been a very good year if you're a slug... But in all honesty, it really hasn't been a great year for the gardeners. A lot of wet weather and abnormally low temperatures have hampered germination and growth. To be fair, we do basically live in a cloud on top of a Welsh hill but difficult growing conditions seem to be an accepted fact of 2024 far further afield than our valley!

​However, with careful use of a small LED grow lamp and a heat mat on one of our brighter windowsills (old cottage, small windows, fairly cave-like) as well as a modest cold frame, Nik had skillfully and painstakingly cultivated various veggies that were really doing pretty well. With slightly drier weather (finally!), the regular 'slug taxi' hadn't been hailed for a while and the wistful comments about greenhouses had all but stopped. So, you can imagine the anguish when we got home after two nights in London last week to discover that Slug Fest had given way to Rabbit Party.

10 days or so earlier, I'd rescued, temporarily nursed and released a baby rabbit that Lacey the cat had optimistically caught. Nik had originally recruited her as a mouser, so that was particularly diligent on her part and she wasn't to be deterred, going on to fully dispatch one a few days later.

Of course that was a sad thing, but little did we know that this poor, unfortunate was but one of a nest of young bunnies who, making the most of the absence of cat, dog and human for 48 hours, between them put pay to the entire crops of leeks, celery, fennel and sweet peas as well as having a good go at the lettuce. That was not such a happy homecoming!

​Many gardeners are becoming increasingly aware of the impact of their hobby on the environment and it's common to begin exploring veg growing as a way of becoming more in touch with the sources of our food as well as engaging with the living land herself. Using only organic seeds and fertilisers is a big part of sustainable and respectful gardening... But what about all the plastic pots? Terracotta is a great choice for bigger, more substantial planting but not very affordable (or practical) for getting seedlings weaned out of trays and into the cold frame before they make their way to the beds. Nik's been exploring newspaper as a material for seedling pots and after a few trials (and only minimal tribulations!) he's become a dab hand at knocking up these rather attractive little paper pots for seedlings.

All you really need is a couple of sheets of newspaper per pot and a medium jam jar, though you may also like to use some small lengths of string to secure your pots a little more. It's not totally necessary, however; it's been an aesthetic way of using up off cuts of macramé cord for us! Best to avoid colour print newspaper pages lif you can. It's unlikely that your local free paper uses vegetable inks! 

​Less than 2 weeks ago I shared our exciting weekend of land clearance, bonfires and box building! Happily, we've now got an update on the latter!

Though in the long term we plan to open the Earth Heart land to community groups, artists and glampers in all manner of magical events, exhibitions and happenings, in the short term we're inviting local dog walkers and passing day trippers to pause and peruse the equally marvellous contents of our new 'honesty' box!

It's taken a couple of full, creative weeks of construction, decoration, tweaking, painting, making, crafting, planting and growing; but as of today (and Welsh valley weather permitting!) we're open for business! So, if you're passing between Pen y Bont Fawr and Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant, keep your eyes peeled for a selection of upcycled crafts, delightful decorations and various growing glories at the road side... You may even catch one of us for a natter and there's a free seed bomb with every purchase to spread that wild flower love! Do come and see us! Xx

There are various things you can do to discourage them. Back in my allotmenting days, I found a hearty ring of fresh nettles around my plants a good deterrent, where Nik used to use pieces of copper, including pennies, which they find equally unpleasant to traverse. Then there's the good ol' Slug Pub! Slugs and snails have a taste for ale it seems and it's sometimes very effective to leave containers of (cheap!) beer close to your crops. The guzzling gastropods can't help make their way to the bar instead of to the salad (we've all been there...) and tend to end the night in a sozzled puddle rather than benefiting from a good feed. Yes, it's a sad end for the slug but much better for the rest of your garden than slug pellets.