Why I am in love with leaves!

If this blog has been quiet over the past couple of weeks it’s because I’ve been a woman on a mission! What is the mission you may ask? Well I have spent the majority of my spare time out collecting fallen leaves wherever I can find them. This has included my garden, neighbours’ gardens and local areas. The picture below shows my leaf stack early on Saturday 26^th November and since then I have completely filled the bin and have 8 further sacks stacked underneath to add to the heap as it starts to settle and flatten.

I thought I would share the reasons why I am so passionate about collecting leaves at this time of year. Truly, dead leaves are the most wasted source of lasting, organic material and in most towns it should be possible to obtain an extra supply to supplement the leaves from your garden. Leaf mass improves soil structure, adds some nutrients and improves water retention.

Five reasons why I love leaf mould:

1.   It is completely free! I am constantly looking for ways to spend less on compost and leaves are a completely free natural resource.

2.   Leaves are clean and lightweight to handle. At this time of year I am also digging manure into my allotment. Leaves are so much more pleasant to handle.

3.   A low maintenance product. Once you have collected your leaves you simply wait 1-2 years then use the end product. You do not need to add materials or turn the heap like traditional compost.

4.   It helps to lighten my heavy clay allotment soil. It is also a great addition to sandy soils, adding organic matter and improving water retention.

5.   Using leaves diverts material from landfill. Once leaves decompose in a landfill site their goodness cannot be utilised, contributing to a loss of soil health and land degradation.

Two ways to make leaf mould:

-     If you have a small quantity of leaves in your garden place them in a sack adding water if the leaves are dry. Tie up the sack and pierce it several times with a garden fork. Leave the sack for 1-2 years and you should have a good quality leaf mould. If you have placed the sack in a dry place you may need to add extra water to help the leaves rot down.

-     For a larger quantity of leaves it is easy to make a simple container. The most basic structure would be 4 poles stuck into the ground with chicken wire stapled around the structure. My leaf mould bin is of a wood construction with a plastic netting covering. It is important to consider that leaves will exert pressure on the sides of the container especially when wet .

If you feel inspired to create your own leaf mould at home the following frequently asked questions may be of interest.

How do leaves decompose?

The decay of leaves is carried out by fungi and the process requires no oxygen.

Can I use any leaves?

Yes you can mix autumn leaves together in any combination, some leaves such as horse chestnut may take longer to decompose. Never add weeds or ivy leaves to the leaf mould heap.

Where should I site my leaf mould bin?

A leaf mould heap can go in a shady spot where nothing much will grow. The fungal decomposition process does not require heat like a normal compost heap meaning it will be quite happy in a dark corner of your garden. The leaf mould container pictured above is at the end of my allotment where tough tree roots make cultivation impossible. My leaf mould heap at home is placed under shady conifers and does very well every year.

Should I water my leaf mould heap?

If it is a dry summer or you have sited your leaf mould bin under cover it would be beneficial to water the heap once or twice during the summer. From personal experience I have found this to be very beneficial as it helps the leaves to rot.

Do I need to turn a leaf mould heap?

No. A standard compost heap is turned to add oxygen and increase the heat of the mixture. The production of leaf mould requires no oxygen so a settled, compacted heap of leaves poses no problem. There would be no advantage to turning the heap.

How can I make more nutritious leaf mould?

Leaf mould is normally seen as a soil conditioner and although it does add some goodness it is not as rich in nutrients as good quality home made compost. A very good compost can be produced by mixing fresh lawn mowings (high in nitrogen) evenly throughout a leaf mould heap in spring. The result is a nutritious mix which has the advantage of being free of weed seeds.

How long do I have to wait before I can use my leaf mould?

After one year the leaf mould should be good enough to dig into a sandy soil or to lighten clay soil. The picture below shows one year old leaf mould. It is mostly decomposed but some pieces of leaf remain. To create a potting mixture the leaf mould should be left for at least another year until it is rich and crumbly.

Should I worry about collecting leaves near a road?

No. The following is a quote from Lawrence D Hills (Founder of the Henry Doubleday Research Association, now known as Garden Organic):

‘Trees operate a ‘giro system’, throwing away surplus minerals they draw through their roots through their leaves, from which other trees select the trace elements they require. This is how they can grow for centuries in the same place without running out of something scarce. No tree is looking for lead, cadmium, mercury or any of the metals which industry pollutes the air, so that which falls on their leaves washes off and down in rain.’

We no longer have lead cars but the principle remains the same. My interpretation of this guidance is that I do collect fresh leaves which have fallen near roads. If any pollution is transferred to the soil only a tiny fraction would be absorbed into the crop. We absorb more pollution in the air we breathe than the tiny amount that would be present in the crop. This being said I would avoid leaves which have been lying for weeks next to a road and always avoid areas popular with dog walkers for obvious reasons!

Will my leaf mould smell or attract pests?

No! The leaf mould should have a lovely earthy smell which is not unpleasant. The leaves will not attract any unwanted visitors such as vermin to your garden.

P.S If anyone out there is also collecting leaves at this time of year I would be greatly inspired to hear about your ideas and experiences...

Slow cooked sweet peppers with butternut squash & sweet potato

Now that the days are drawing in I have dusted off the slower cooker to create a rich, colourful and warming winter feast. If you do not have a slow cooker at home the recipe would work just as well in a long slow oven with the ingredients layered in a casserole dish.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 medium sweet potatoes, chopped into bite size cubes

Half a medium butternut squash, cut into small chunks

1 red, 1 green & 1 yellow pepper, sliced

2 medium onions, sliced

4 spring onions, coarsely chopped

50g grated cheddar

2 tbsp cream

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, leaves removed & roughly chopped

1 tbsp dried Italian herbs (I used Marjoram & Oregano ‘Hot & Spicy’ picked and dried from my garden earlier this year)

1 generous tbsp tomato puree

Olive oil

Milk

Salt and freshly ground black pepper for seasoning

1/2 tsp paprika or more to taste

Method:

-      Use a little amount of olive oil to lightly grease the base of the cooking pot.

-      For the first layer add the sweet potato and butter nut squash chunks. Sprinkle over the cheese, cream and rosemary. Add a little salt & pepper to taste.  

-      For the next layer add the sliced onions (leave the spring onions aside).

-      Next add the sliced peppers followed by the spring onions.

-      Sprinkle 2tbsp of milk and 2tbsp of water over the dish (This should prevent the meal from drying out as it cooks).

-      Top the meal with the tomato puree, evenly dotted over the surface.

-      Drizzle a little olive oil over the dish and sprinkle on the Italian herbs and paprika. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

-      Cook for 1 hour on the high heat setting then reduce to low and leave to cook for several hours. Approximately 1 hour before you plan to serve the dish check the moisture level, if there is too much liquid turn the pot to high heat and this should reduce the mixture nicely.

-      Try serving this strongly flavoured dish with something plain such as rice or green vegetables.

Ten Questions

I've been tagged by Jade of Bunnykind to answer 10 questions about myself.

What you have to do if you want to join in, is:
1) Answer the 10 questions below.
2) Tag someone to do the same.
3) Go and leave a comment on the original blog post over at Super Amazing Mum to say that you’ve joined in, to find out who else has been tagged and to compare answers!

So here goes….

1. Describe yourself in seven words
Christian veggie who loves the great outdoors

2. What keeps you awake at night?
Daydreams of the sea, hiking, birds, camping, beekeeping, coppicing and smallholding...

3. If you could be anyone for day, who would you be and why?
Nick Clegg so for one day David Cameron would actually listen to the views of the ordinary working Briton.

4. What are you wearing now?
Teddy bear PJs which say 'I need a hug'.

5. What scares you?
Earwigs, my garden and allotment seem to be infested with them this year. Having earwigs in my hair and inside my clothes wasn't quite what I imagined when I encouraged polyculture on my plot!

6. What is the best and the worst thing about blogging?
Best thing - I love being part of the blogging community- it connects me with likeminded people and gives me more recipe ideas than I can ever get around to trying!
Worse thing - There are never enough hours in a day to put everything on here that I would like. Between working full time, working an allotment, looking after pets and cooking it's amazing that I ever find time to write anything!

7. What was the last website you looked at?
4OD to catch up on The Closer - the best cop show on TV (closely followed by The Mentalist & The Killing)

8. If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?
I would love to be less shy when meeting new people.

9. Slankets – Yes or no?
No! Throughout the winter I rely on a Pifco heated throw to keep me warm.

10. Tell us something about the person who tagged you?
In a world of convenience, cruelty and selfishness Jade of Bunnykind blog has made the selfless decision to put animals first by changing her eating & buying habits.

I'm tagging:

@AllotmentAli
@veggiexperience

Beetroot Pancakes with a Mushroom, Spring Onion and Cashew Filling

After a very successful year for growing beetroot it's great to still be harvesting a good sized crop in early November. At this time of year the more mature beetroot is not as sweet as it was earlier in the season so I have stopped using the larger beets for salads and sandwiches, however it's still good for cooked dishes. The recipe below is a fun and inventive way to use beetroot. The pancake intentionally has a mild flavour to compliment the cheesy filling.

Makes 4

Ingredients

For the pancakes:
50g cooked beetroot finely grated

1 egg

150ml whole or semi skimmed milk

50g plain flour

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Sunflower or vegetable oil for frying

For the filling:

8 Spring onions

400g  mushrooms

100g cashews

4 tbs crème fraiche

50g butter or margarine

2 tsp plain flour

Salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper

50g mature cheddar cheese finely grated for garnish

Accompanying salad

Bag of prepared baby leaf salad, broad beans and cherry tomatoes with fresh herb dressing

For the dressing:

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp white wine vinegar

2 tbs olive oil

¼ tsp whole grain mustard

1 tsp clear honey

1 tbs of finely chopped fresh basil, oregano and parsley

Method

1.   First make the batter. Sift the flour into a bowl and add the egg and milk.  Using an electric or hand whisk, whisk until batter is smooth.

2.   Stir in the finely grated beetroot and seasoning.  Cover and set aside.

3.   While batter is resting, clean and slice spring onions and mushrooms and chop cashews.

4.   Heat a very little oil in an 18cm/7 inch frying pan.  Remove from heat, pour 2 tablespoons of the batter into the pan and tilt pan until batter evenly covers base.

5.   Return pan to heat and cook until the top looks dry. Loosen edge gently with palette knife and shake pan, then toss or turn over and cook on the other side for a further 20-30 seconds.  Lift pancake out and place on plate in low oven to keep warm.

6.   Repeat process to make a further 3 pancakes.

7.   Next make the filling. Melt the butter or margarine in a medium sized frying pan and add the sliced spring onions.  Cook for approx. 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

8.   Add the mushrooms and cashews and continue to cook for 3-5 minutes.

9.   Stir 2 tsp plain flour into the crème fraiche, mixing thoroughly.  Stir into mushroom mixture and heat gently, stirring frequently until sauce thickens. Add freshly ground black pepper to taste.

10. Take pancakes out of the oven, divide the mushroom mixture evenly between the pancakes, placing filling in centre, and roll the pancakes around the filling.

11. Sprinkle finely grated cheese onto warm pancakes

12. Serve salad with herb dressing. To make the dressing: Put all ingredients into bowl or jug and whisk until thoroughly blended.

Another beetroot idea: For tonight's dinner I have layered potatoes and uncooked beetroot slices for a bake which also includes cheese and spring onions. It is cooked in a long slow oven with a little milk and butter.

Tried & Tested Egg-free Chocolate Fairy Cakes

Have you ever wanted a reliable egg-free cake mix? If so this is the one for you. I can’t take any credit for this however as it took my Mum several years to make a good egg-less cake and she has kindly shared with me the recipe. There is quite an art to making a good egg-less cake but with practice it is possible to get really good results.

The basic recipe here can be adapted in a number of ways. We most commonly bake cherry cakes, mixed spice and dried fruit cakes and a plain fairy cake with a jam centre.

One thing I should note is that this recipe works best with a cheaper flour. If you use high quality fine flour the cakes will rise nicely but then come crashing down!

I have not yet tried a vegan version of this cake mixture but I am fairly confident that it could be adapted quite easily.

As a rule egg-less cakes don’t rise quite as well as those containing egg but they do have a good texture and tend to be a little moist, which I personally prefer to the drier texture of egg cakes.

Ingredients:

5oz/150g plain flour

4oz/125g butter like margarine or vegan spread (e.g. Pure)

4oz/125g caster sugar

50g chocolate cut into small chunks

5tbsp approx milk

1tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1 heaped tsp soya flour

1tsp baking powder

Vanilla essence

Method:

-      Cream fat and sugar together until light and fluffy.

-      Beat in the soya flour and 1tbsp milk with a few drops of vanilla essence.

-      Put the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder into a small bowl. Sieve in the flour mixture into the bowl in approximately three batches with the chocolate pieces and approximately 4 tbsp of milk to achieve a soft dropping consistency. Adding the flour in stages with a little milk when folding in each batch ensures that the mixture does not become lumpy. Do not over mix or the cakes will not rise.

-      As soon as the mixture is complete, divide equally into 12 cake cases and quickly place in the oven. Bake at Gas Mark 6/200oC/400oF in the middle of the oven for 15-20 minutes until risen and firm to the touch. Cool on a wire rack.

Creamy Sweet Potato Soup plus holiday photos

This creamy soup is lovely served with freshly baked bread warm from the oven. I am still harvesting squash direct from my allotment so this soup couldn't taste more fresh and seasonal. P.S please scroll down for a few of my holiday photos.

Ingredients:

500g peeled sweet potato cut into chunks

2 medium red onions sliced

2 large sprigs of fresh rosemary

Handful of fresh chives

1 tbsp sunflower oil

Small knob butter

700ml vegetable stock

120ml single cream

Freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1.      Heat sunflower oil in large pan, add onion and fry gently for approx 5 minutes until beginning to soften.

2.      Add sweet potato chunks to the pan with the knob of butter and fry gently, stirring frequently for 2/3 minutes.

3.      Pour stock into pan and add rosemary sprigs and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Bring to the boil then cover and simmer for 25/30 minutes.

4.      Allow to cool slightly, remove rosemary twigs (the leaves should have come away) then blend in a liquidiser until smooth.

5.      Return to clean pan, add cream and heat through gently.

6.      Serve with a swirl of cream and sprinkle with finely chopped chives.

Holiday Snaps from Devon 2011

On Monday 24/10/11 there was a huge storm in the south west which caused localised flooding. The wind and rain was so intense that it kept many seabirds at the shore. When the rain cleared in the evening we stood on the beach at Devon Cliffs (Littleham) and saw hundreds of sea birds heading out to sea. I cannot explain what an incredible spectacle this was. The sky was clouded with birds including different breeds of gulls, numerous cormorants and a great skua.

We took a long walk along the coast from Exmouth to Budleigh Salderton. This is the clifftop view looking towards the pebble covered beach cove at Budleigh. From this vantage point it was possible to see Portland through binoculars.

A panoramic shot near the halfway post between Exmouth and Budleigh Salderton. This shows the view back towards Exmouth estuary. We walked in the early morning and saw several birds of prey including 2 buzzards getting into a scrap with 2 sparrowhawks and several crows! Whilst walking to Budleigh Salderton we also saw two tiny Goldcrests, the smallest bird in Europe - a first for me and one of 5 new bird species I saw on the trip.