I’m sure we are all pleased that last week and the Beast of The East has now moved on. It is always challenging at Tuppenny Barn when the snow and ice arrives and last week was no exception. We worked out that we haven’t had weather like what we experienced, since the building has been completed. This was also the reason why we only discovered that the initial plumber we employed for the toilet and kitchen main areas did less than a satisfactory job. This led to us having frozen pipes underneath the building due to lack of lagging and poor positioning, giving way to no water or toilet facilities for 2 days. Thankfully, normal service is now resumed, however, we need to retrospectively get the pipework sorted out. If anyone knows of a good plumber your recommendations would be warmly received!

This week, we have kohlrabi is the vegetable bags. Kohlrabi is a vegetable that many people are unsure of what to do with it. The bulb has a flavour like the sweetest cabbage heart, and a water chestnut-like crunch that is perfect for coleslaw or remoulade where it combines perfectly with roots and cabbage, but perhaps most happily with apple and sprouts. It is hugely adaptable for roasting with a little oil and seasoning, or thinly sliced it can be used as a dauphinoise instead of potatoes, you can even add the shredded leaves. Grated kohlrabi, combined with pork or white fish, makes a splendid rösti. At its freshest, a bulb of kohlrabi contains more Vitamin C than an orange. For an instant pickle, peel, slice into matchsticks and toss with a couple of pinches of sugar and one of salt, along with 2tbsp cider vinegar. The leaves can be used in the same way as kale, green cabbage or spring greens. They go well being finely shredded and sautéed in oil with garlic and chilli to go with pasta. See below for a recipe for Spicy Kohlrabi wedges.

Coming up on March 23rd, we have our inaugural film night. Join us for an evening with Producer and Director Nick Stringer from Big Wave Productions Ltd and South Downs National Park’s representative Nick Heasman for a Q&A session after the screening of the film. This will be an opportunity to watch the fascinating documentary, where Peter Owen explores the landscape, wildlife and people of Britain’s newest National Park. This is the first UK-based film made by Emmy Award winner Nick, who has travelled the world making documentaries for the BBC, National Geographic and others. He has received numerous awards including Emmys for Lighting Direction and for Special effects. Learn more during the Q&A session about the skills – and patience – required to visually capture natural treasures through the seasons, such as a 2,000 year-old woodland that explodes with pollen and chalk grasslands that take a thousand years to mature. Nick Heasman is the Countryside and Policy Manager for the South Downs National Park Authority. He leads teams that develop programmes to support and promote the protected landscape of the UK’s third largest and most populated National Park. There will be a bar and an opportunity to purchase a copy of the film on the evening. Tickets can be purchased by the link http://bit.ly/2FmfxXG or through the office. Do come along for what will be an interesting evening.

Finally, we have been busy making gifts and treats for Mother’s Day so do come along to the shop to see what we have crafted. There will be some lovely willow hearts, a variation of what we made at Christmas, seasonal bulbs in pots, jams and preserves packaged for mothers or grandmothers alike and a few sweet treats and bakes made by Christine. If any of our delivery customers would like anything, please do let me know and I can always send a picture so you can see what we have on offer.

On March 13th, the lovely Diana Tibble will be giving another of her Introduction to homeopathy sessions at 7pm. Diana is a qualified Homeopath & hypnotherapist with a medical midwifery & nursing background. She attends some of our Tuppenny Tots sessions to give advice to parents and carers. To find out more on Diana please go to www.dianatibble.co.uk.