Did you get to see The Northern Lights? Gather that they are stunning, watched Joanna Lumley Documentary on this -really impressive.
Pushkin watched video 'Paddington Bear' last night, now into hiding behind doors and jumping out at us as high as possible, arms and mouth wide open, claws sharpened and ready for Bear Wrestling! -Oh dear. He caught mouse in the 'snug' last night, drove him outside with it -He charged round the corner and returned with it through cat flap - Taking him down to the greenhouse to stand over mysterious new hole in Japanese Onion Bed (A vole I think).
Off to dig up some Jerusalem Artichokes for warming Winter Soup as simple meal tonight before tomorrow's Oysters/Escargots & Lobster Feast -With bubbles of course! -Just the 2 of us with French Cabaret on TV -Always a great night.
Hello , did see the Northern Lights , we where lucky , we booked a coach trip into the interior but was turned back back due a a very heavy snow storm , took us to camp site near coast and it wasn't very good but when we sailed the next day , in the evening out at sea , they appeared , it was truly amazing
Bio , your meal sounds fab , we are having a dinner tomorrow just us 2 , prawns , steak with mushroom sauce & jacket potatoe followed by cheese , washed down with sparkling , red wine and port
Perhaps we should start another Thread for foodies!! ie What are your best recipes with your own produce! On second thoughts I don't eat my own snails, although I know how to prepare them!
Jerusalem Artichoke soup is dead easy - saute 2 slices onions in butter, then add 8 thinly sliced artichokes and 1 medium potato (to thicken) add chicken stock to cover and boil gently until tender. Add lots and lots of pepper and salt to taste, add about 200ml cold whole milk ( NOT CREAM IT WILL SPLIT) then blend.reheat then serve decorating with chives or parsley. - really good and I made it up!!
I am working hard writing notes from my new Bio books - Will give you update and Calender shortly. Have started noting weather as per previous thread, Bright and frosty today. Wet and horrible yesterday but did take dog round back meadow and saw 4 Roe deer which looked splendid in the mist.
Waiting for new Maria Thun Bio Diary to arrive - think it has got held up in your pre Xmas postal strikes. Still French Lunar Diaries excellent this year - bear with me I am nearly ready to put pen to paper again.
I have used them instead of potatoes to make gratin dauphinoise. Delicious but disastrous for unsuspecting people who don't generally eat enough fibre............ Kept a pair of Kiwi friends awake all night with discomfort and gurgles and had me crying with laughter when they told of their fears of food poisoning. Not called fartichokes for nothing. She had a genteel upbringing so was mortified.
Naughty Obxx..
Freezing here so no gardening but planning to sort out the garden sheds and tool stores ready for action.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Writing Book in French with O/H doing photos. Have orders pending already, which is frightening as all on scraps of paper at the moment! Remember working in a pub in dim distant past, owner's wife used to work for Vogue Magazine making up the recipes for photoshoots -Used mashed potato for Ice Cream. Yes artichokes can cause embarrassment to friends! -and I always forget! How long did you bake Dauphinoise? - I tried it once but artichokes stayed crunchy (Should I have pre-boiled them?) BBC Good Food and Saturday Kitchen are my lifelines in times of stress!
Cleaned greenhouse staging and threw old soil in pots on garden. Temp 10C in greenhouse. Lovely and sunny and mild today for January. Nearly finished reading up additional info in Lunar Diaries. Will write tomorrow plus do 1st Lunar Guide 6-18th January. Bear with me!
Hello , buy shear coincidence , o/h made jureslum artichoke soup , but added fresh horse radish which I had dug up from allotment for Horse Radish sauce and it worked well ( no milk though )
Articokes lived up to there reputation !
Also made the horse radish sauce which only I like
Yes BF - I precooked the sliced fartichokes in a bit of milk and then bunged them in the oven with added garlic, cream and seasoning then baked them slowly. They were very tender and delish but not something I do for just the 3 of us. Much more likely to make soup or roast them.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
For the sake of those new to this Thread, I felt that we should re-cap on the benefits/reasons and simple recognition of aspects of the Moon, Constellations and Planetary forces exercised on the Earth, in order to understand a little better why we, the Weather and our Gardening Calender can be so strongly affected by the Cosmos. I have gathered this information from Biodynamic Conferences that I attended last year. Lectures at Garden Fairs & The Ministry of Agriculture in Paris. I should also like to thank sources taken from Maria Thun. Michel Gross & Jean Marais. Rudolph Steiner. The Soil Assocation and information freely available via Nasa.I should also like to thank the French Gardening Associations who regularly hold meetings covering this subject. Their Members have given me many hours of pleasure.
The Moon exercises a force on the Earth that is obviously seen through tidal forces ('high' and 'low' tide), having primary action on water. Due to the fact that all living things are made up largely of water, it follows that the Moon should affect these bodies and structures too. Scientists have recently found out that even the subterranean waters under the Earth's crust can rise by up to 50cms during key periods, thus effecting the Plates, and causing major shifts of land, by way of earthquakes and volcanic action. Whilst our modern way of life sometimes does not allow us to be aware of subtle changes in mood, health and well being, those of us working 'close to Nature' can spot changes in our livestock, pets, woodland, pasture and gardens. It seems obvious to me that when one talks of 'Working with Nature' one should be working with the forces that to a large extent control Nature.
Cycle of the Moon
A simple way to follow the cycle of the Moon around the Earth is to draw a clock:-
At 12.00Hrs - The Moon can be seen in its 1st Quarter
At 2.00Hrs - 1st Crescent
At 3.00Hrs - New Moon (Invisible to us as it is situated between the Earth and the Sun)
At 4.00Hrs - Last Crescent
At 6.00Hrs - Last Quarter
At 8.00Hrs - 3/4 Moon
At 9.00Hrs - Full Moon
At 10.00Hrs - 3/4 Moon
When the Moon is between the New Moon and the Full Moon - It is designated as 'Croissante' and drawing a straight line down the centre in the 1st Quarter then one can observe the letter 'P' - Plant vitality is improved. Cut flowers stay fresher for longer. Seedlings have a better resistance to illness, and crops harvested at this time keep better in storage. Preperations - 'Purins' are also ideally made at this time to ensure better quality
When the Moon is between the Full Moon and the New Moon -It is designated as 'Decroissante' and a straight line drawn down the centre in tne Last Quarter one can observe the letter 'D' - Plant vitality is poorer but colour,smell and taste is more pronounced. This is the best time to preserve fruit, make jam, dry flowers and herbs and Preperations such as Decoctions against insects and fungal disease are more effective.
As a starter I hope these notes are clear. Please do not hesitate to comment or ask questions. This Thread is designed for everybody to contribute. We need more input from Biodynamic gardeners this year, and please Gardeners World cover the subject sometime in the TV Series or Magazine.
Posts
Did you get to see The Northern Lights? Gather that they are stunning, watched Joanna Lumley Documentary on this -really impressive.
Pushkin watched video 'Paddington Bear' last night, now into hiding behind doors and jumping out at us as high as possible, arms and mouth wide open, claws sharpened and ready for Bear Wrestling! -Oh dear. He caught mouse in the 'snug' last night, drove him outside with it -He charged round the corner and returned with it through cat flap - Taking him down to the greenhouse to stand over mysterious new hole in Japanese Onion Bed (A vole I think).
Off to dig up some Jerusalem Artichokes for warming Winter Soup as simple meal tonight before tomorrow's Oysters/Escargots & Lobster Feast -With bubbles of course! -Just the 2 of us with French Cabaret on TV -Always a great night.
Happy New Year!
Biofreak what goes in the soup other than jerusalem artichokes?
Hello , did see the Northern Lights , we where lucky , we booked a coach trip into the interior but was turned back back due a a very heavy snow storm , took us to camp site near coast and it wasn't very good but when we sailed the next day , in the evening out at sea , they appeared , it was truly amazing
Bio , your meal sounds fab , we are having a dinner tomorrow just us 2 , prawns , steak with mushroom sauce & jacket potatoe followed by cheese , washed down with sparkling , red wine and port
Glad to hear Pushkin has settled in
Happy New Year
Perhaps we should start another Thread for foodies!! ie What are your best recipes with your own produce! On second thoughts I don't eat my own snails, although I know how to prepare them!
Jerusalem Artichoke soup is dead easy - saute 2 slices onions in butter, then add 8 thinly sliced artichokes and 1 medium potato (to thicken) add chicken stock to cover and boil gently until tender. Add lots and lots of pepper and salt to taste, add about 200ml cold whole milk ( NOT CREAM IT WILL SPLIT) then blend.reheat then serve decorating with chives or parsley. - really good and I made it up!!
I am working hard writing notes from my new Bio books - Will give you update and Calender shortly. Have started noting weather as per previous thread, Bright and frosty today. Wet and horrible yesterday but did take dog round back meadow and saw 4 Roe deer which looked splendid in the mist.
Waiting for new Maria Thun Bio Diary to arrive - think it has got held up in your pre Xmas postal strikes. Still French Lunar Diaries excellent this year - bear with me I am nearly ready to put pen to paper again.
Happy Gardening!
Hello , o/h is the one that does the cooking , however , I usually do breakfasts and I am very good at salads both fruit & greens
O/H tends to roast artichokes , has done soup , doesn't add milk and puts in ginger , she will have a go at your recipe
Weather very strange , mild today , Tommrow heavy frost due
Had a greenhose parafin heater for Christmas, put it together yesterday will put it on tonight
Are you writing you bk in French or English or both , just being nosey ?
The classic soup to make with Jerusalem artichokes is, of course, Palestine soup!
Other recipes here - http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/search/recipes?query=Jerusalem+artichokes
I have used them instead of potatoes to make gratin dauphinoise. Delicious but disastrous for unsuspecting people who don't generally eat enough fibre............ Kept a pair of Kiwi friends awake all night with discomfort and gurgles and had me crying with laughter when they told of their fears of food poisoning. Not called fartichokes for nothing. She had a genteel upbringing so was mortified.
Naughty Obxx..
Freezing here so no gardening but planning to sort out the garden sheds and tool stores ready for action.
Writing Book in French with O/H doing photos. Have orders pending already, which is frightening as all on scraps of paper at the moment! Remember working in a pub in dim distant past, owner's wife used to work for Vogue Magazine making up the recipes for photoshoots -Used mashed potato for Ice Cream. Yes artichokes can cause embarrassment to friends! -and I always forget! How long did you bake Dauphinoise? - I tried it once but artichokes stayed crunchy (Should I have pre-boiled them?) BBC Good Food and Saturday Kitchen are my lifelines in times of stress!
Cleaned greenhouse staging and threw old soil in pots on garden. Temp 10C in greenhouse. Lovely and sunny and mild today for January. Nearly finished reading up additional info in Lunar Diaries. Will write tomorrow plus do 1st Lunar Guide 6-18th January. Bear with me!
Happy Gardening.
Last edited: 04 January 2017 15:29:17
Hello , buy shear coincidence , o/h made jureslum artichoke soup , but added fresh horse radish which I had dug up from allotment for Horse Radish sauce and it worked well ( no milk though )
Articokes lived up to there reputation !
Also made the horse radish sauce which only I like
Your French must be really good
Hope you are keeping well
Yes BF - I precooked the sliced fartichokes in a bit of milk and then bunged them in the oven with added garlic, cream and seasoning then baked them slowly. They were very tender and delish but not something I do for just the 3 of us. Much more likely to make soup or roast them.
Hi Everyone
For the sake of those new to this Thread, I felt that we should re-cap on the benefits/reasons and simple recognition of aspects of the Moon, Constellations and Planetary forces exercised on the Earth, in order to understand a little better why we, the Weather and our Gardening Calender can be so strongly affected by the Cosmos. I have gathered this information from Biodynamic Conferences that I attended last year. Lectures at Garden Fairs & The Ministry of Agriculture in Paris. I should also like to thank sources taken from Maria Thun. Michel Gross & Jean Marais. Rudolph Steiner. The Soil Assocation and information freely available via Nasa.I should also like to thank the French Gardening Associations who regularly hold meetings covering this subject. Their Members have given me many hours of pleasure.
The Moon exercises a force on the Earth that is obviously seen through tidal forces ('high' and 'low' tide), having primary action on water. Due to the fact that all living things are made up largely of water, it follows that the Moon should affect these bodies and structures too. Scientists have recently found out that even the subterranean waters under the Earth's crust can rise by up to 50cms during key periods, thus effecting the Plates, and causing major shifts of land, by way of earthquakes and volcanic action. Whilst our modern way of life sometimes does not allow us to be aware of subtle changes in mood, health and well being, those of us working 'close to Nature' can spot changes in our livestock, pets, woodland, pasture and gardens. It seems obvious to me that when one talks of 'Working with Nature' one should be working with the forces that to a large extent control Nature.
Cycle of the Moon
A simple way to follow the cycle of the Moon around the Earth is to draw a clock:-
At 12.00Hrs - The Moon can be seen in its 1st Quarter
At 2.00Hrs - 1st Crescent
At 3.00Hrs - New Moon (Invisible to us as it is situated between the Earth and the Sun)
At 4.00Hrs - Last Crescent
At 6.00Hrs - Last Quarter
At 8.00Hrs - 3/4 Moon
At 9.00Hrs - Full Moon
At 10.00Hrs - 3/4 Moon
When the Moon is between the New Moon and the Full Moon - It is designated as 'Croissante' and drawing a straight line down the centre in the 1st Quarter then one can observe the letter 'P' - Plant vitality is improved. Cut flowers stay fresher for longer. Seedlings have a better resistance to illness, and crops harvested at this time keep better in storage. Preperations - 'Purins' are also ideally made at this time to ensure better quality
When the Moon is between the Full Moon and the New Moon -It is designated as 'Decroissante' and a straight line drawn down the centre in tne Last Quarter one can observe the letter 'D' - Plant vitality is poorer but colour,smell and taste is more pronounced. This is the best time to preserve fruit, make jam, dry flowers and herbs and Preperations such as Decoctions against insects and fungal disease are more effective.
As a starter I hope these notes are clear. Please do not hesitate to comment or ask questions. This Thread is designed for everybody to contribute. We need more input from Biodynamic gardeners this year, and please Gardeners World cover the subject sometime in the TV Series or Magazine.
Happy Gardening!.