HF ISSUE 2 P4-5 CONTENTS
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20/3/08
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CONTENTS
Inside the May issue Cover Story 14 ALTOGETHER ALLIUMS From a sandwich to a fry-up – where would we be without an onion, a leek, garlic or chives? 18 GROW YOUR OWN WHEAT Cottagers grew their own bread wheat in their gardens for centuries. Perhaps, in these troubled times, we should start again! 22 ROTOVATORS A touch of petrol power to your digging goes a long way, but don’t throw out your spade just yet. 03 FIRST WORD If the budget is getting you down, plan your next row of beans.We will be doing just the same. 06 NEWS Ban the Bag,The Real Food festival, Sunflowers, Organic growing. 10 YOUR Q&AS We have had so many compliments from our new readers, so thank you! You write about making butter, leaf mould, sausage skins, tomatoes, mushrooms and honey. 28
26 SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW We look at catching and cooking trout, probably the best tasting freshwater fish.
44 MAKE CHEESE! Everyone should make their own cheese – it is simple and fun.We make a start by looking at the basics.
50 BEGINNERS’ BEES In part two of our beekeeping series we look deeper into the hive.
32 ELDERFLOWER CHAMPAGNE There are some prerequisites for a summer evening, and this is one!
53 LOCAL HERO This month we highlight Osney Lodge Farm near Gatwick Airport.
Reaping a Golden Harvest SOWING
There are four main classifications for sweetcorn varieties: 1) normal sugar type (the traditional ones which tend to be early), 2) sugar enhanced (increased tenderness and sweetness, normally mid-season), 3) super sweet (much sweeter than other types), 4) extra tender (most recent introduction, thin skinned, sweet and tender).
42 THE IMPROVING LEASE This way of getting your dream country cottage isn’t for everyone – make sure you understand the pitfalls.
28 REAPING A GOLDEN HARVEST Jayne Neville takes us step-by-step into growing sweetcorn.
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Varieties
41 SUBSCRIBE Don’t miss out on a single copy of Home Farmer – subscribe today!
Cover Story
GROWING SWEETCORN
summer in order for the cobs to develop to their mouth-watering best. In Britain the yields will vary from year to year depending on the prevailing weather during the growing season. Prolonged hot summers are excellent for sweetcorn growers, but cool, wet ones are quite the opposite. Despite slight unpredictability, this crop definitely deserves a place on your plot because it is relatively undemanding to grow, especially regarding soil type, suffers few pest and disease problems, and can be used to protect other crops grown near or next to it because of its open growing habit. Modern varieties have been bred to be more tolerant of our climate conditions and there are many types to choose from. There are also early, mid season and late varieties. In general, expect to be eating sweetcorn any time from mid-summer to late autumn, depending on the variety chosen and the location.
38 FAT MAN IN THE KITCHEN The chicken, pork and sundried tomato pie threatens to become world famous.
48 TALKING POINT Could you kill an animal for food?
Cover Story
Jayne Neville takes us step by step into growing sweetcorn
IF YOU LIKE the idea of tucking into your own freshly picked sweetcorn this summer, now is the ideal time to sow this tasty crop. The popularity of sweetcorn in recent years and its all-year-round availability in supermarkets. both fresh and frozen, guarantees it a place as a favourite vegetable here in Britain. Originating in South America, sweetcorn (also known as maize) is believed to have been introduced here in the 15th century. If you have never eaten sweetcorn straight from your garden, then you are in for a real treat! Sweetcorn really needs to be cooked within minutes of harvesting – the longer the delay, the less sweet and more starchy it becomes. Even buying ‘fresh’ from a local or farmers’ market won’t come anywhere close to that you have grown yourself. Sweetcorn is fairly easy to grow but needs a good
34 WRIGGLING MAGIC A revolution is quietly taking place as composters appear in kitchens and gardens across the land.
The earliest option for sowing sweet corn is under cover in pots or modules (although they can be transplanted, corn does not really appreciate having its roots disturbed, so careful handling is needed). April to early May is an ideal time to sow sweetcorn indoors. You might wish to take a tip from organic gardener Bob Flowerdew who sows his sweetcorn in several batches a few weeks apart. He maintains this increases the chance of hitting a period of ideal weather during the summer. Alternatively, sow more than one variety (i.e. one early and one mid season) which should have a similar effect. Sow the seeds about 3cm deep, and place module trays or pots in a propagator or warm room (this needs to be a minimum of 18oC/65oF for germination). Expect to wait a week or so before you see the shoots break the soil surface. The young plants will need lots of light in order to encourage strong growth, but not too warm which will cause stretching. As long as they are kept frost-free, all should be well. Just before planting outside, after all risk of frost is past, harden them off for several days in a cold frame. When deciding on where to site your sweetcorn try to choose an open site, but one that isn’t too exposed to the wind. To protect the young plants in the open ground, cover them with cloches, polythene tunnels or even plastic bottles – these can come off once the plants become established. Sweetcorn should be planted in blocks, not rows. This helps maximise wind pollination. Each sweetcorn plant has tassels at the top (the male part) and cobs (female) with ‘silks’ lower down the stem so block planting is the best way of obtaining optimum pollination. Adding some compost or well-rotted manure to the bed before planting will both improve the soil and aid moisture
retention, as sweetcorn should not be allowed to dry out, especially while the cobs are developing. Plants should be spaced about 18 inches/45cm apart each way. While this may seem quite wide, in general, the more space they have, the more moisture is available to each plant, resulting in larger cobs. At this spacing you could intercrop by planting another low-growing vegetable between the rows, such as French beans, lettuce, or even courgettes, useful if space in your vegetable plot is at a premium. The alternative to sowing under cover is direct sowing outside (same spacing as before). This can be done in late spring and the area covered with fleece or cloches, as long as the soil temperature is warm enough (at least 13oC/55oF). The coverings can be removed during the daytime once the seeds have germinated to ensure the seedlings receive enough light. In early summer sowing can be taken a step further by direct sowing without any protection. Sow two seeds per position, and if both germinate, remove the weaker one. All you need to do now is to make sure the plants have adequate water, particularly in dry spells, and keep weeding!
HARVESTING By late summer each of your plants should have one or two cobs, but how do you tell if they are ready to eat? Each cob will have a silk still attached to the top; this will turn dark as the cob ripens. To check for ripeness, pull back a couple of leaves and puncture one of the yellow kernels with your fingernail; if the liquid is milky the cob is ripe, but if it is clear and watery be patient for another day or two. If the kernel is
54 THE HEN HOUSE Janice Houghton-Wallace writes about the various breeds of chicken for the garden or smallholding. 58 WHEN IS ORGANIC NOT ORGANIC? When it pollutes the atmosphere. 59 HUGH’S BIRDS We look at what is happening to Hugh’s birds now and delve a little into the company that provided the huts for the film. 62 MIND YOUR SKIRT, MADAM! Goats eat anything, are smelly and inedible! Not in our book, they’re not! 64 GOING BROODY For some they’re a pain, for others a