Author Archives: farmers

1. Jam: a potted history

   24th August 2022 3:18 pm Leave a Comment

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   Jam: a potted history

   Ah, jam. The sweet, spreadable treat whose sugary delight is dotted throughout our childhood memories. This wholesome confiture makes us think of cooking with grandparents, picking fresh ingredients from the hedges, and homemade gifts from neighbours. Whether oozing from a freshly baked doughnut, spread on hot, buttery toast or dolloped on grandma’s delicious homemade scones, we all have that warm, fuzzy memory of old that involves jam. As humans, we’ve loved jam for longer than you may think, though; here’s a potted history of our favourite potted preserve.

   Jam with stones in

   Can you believe that the earliest known jam came from the Stone Age. Yes, 2.6 million years ago, we were making jam! Not quite the recipes we use at our Jam Shed at Farmers Food at Home, but a more rudimentary version that probably involved honey. Around this time, the Ancient Greeks discovered how to create syrups by encasing fruit in honey, preserving the fruit due to the lack of moisture. A very early version of our favourite treat was born!

   When in Rome

   We think of Rome as the gastronomic home of carbonara and great wine, but the potted history of jam shows that it was the first place in the world where a jam recipe was created. Marcus Gavius Apicius wrote it in a 500-page recipe book called ‘De Re Coquinaria’, or ‘How to Cook’, as far back as the 4th-century AD in the Italian capital. Much like the Greeks before him, it showed how to gently heat soft fruit in honey. Unlike our modern-day usage, the Romans used to consume their version of jam as a highly luxurious desert after their meat-filled main course.

   Traditional English jam

   Sugar reached mainland Britain from the Middle East in 1099 via the Crusaders. It was first described as a ‘new spice’ which was admired for its rejuvenating qualities…the English were having a sugar rush! It only became available for the public to buy in 1319, though, and was such a rare ingredient that it cost a whopping £36 a pound in today’s money!

   It’s my jam

   The potted history of jam is dotted with famous admirers, some of whom loved jam so much it became their downfall! Some famous jam addicts include:

   • Joan of Arc was said to consume large quantities of quince jam before going into battle.
   • French astrologer Nostradamus thought that cherry jam could attract love.
   • Mary, Queen of Scots, was the first person to eat marmalade. It was made for her by her physician as a remedy for seasickness by crushing oranges into sugar.
   • Louis XIV of France used to like to show off his enormous wealth by displaying jam with silver spoons at the end of every meal. Sugar wasn’t cheap, so it was a way of bragging about his money and plentiful fruit garden at the palace of Versaille.
   • Napoleon Bonaparte, a noted jam fan, tasked inventor Nicholas Appert to find a way of preserving food for the French military. He quickly became the ‘father of canning’, and now jam and other foods could be stored for long periods of time.
   • Other jam enthusiasts include Henry VIII who liked jam on his pudding, Queen Elizabeth II who has strawberry cream tea every day, actor Rachel McAdams, footballer Harry Redknapp, and model Kate Moss.

   If, like others ins our potted history of jam, you’re also a fan of the sweet, spreadable stuff, check out the tasty range of products in our shop and get yourself some delicious seasonal jam made fresh in our kitchen!

2. We’ve won a business award…and here’s why it matters

   3rd August 2022 5:39 pm Leave a Comment

   

   We scrub up well, don’t we?!

   This is a picture of us, Anne-Marie and Richard, just last week, collecting our Welsh Women’s Awards 2022 trophy for Food Entrepreneur of the Year, and to say that we’re chuffed to win this fantastic business award is an understatement.

   You see, we don’t think that having a trophy on a shelf (or even a blog about a trophy on a shelf) will make people buy more jam. Neither will it make our jam, chutney, or preserves taste one little bit better. No, the win for us isn’t having something else to dust. Winning a business award is far more valuable than you might think.

   Business awards – what are they?

   Over 1,000 organisations in the UK offer business awards. These are accolades offered to organisations and individuals who have developed outstanding initiative in their sectors. Many companies who offer business awards also offer the chance to go to glamorous award ceremonies, meaning the company makes money on the sale of tickets, and the award winners get a blinkin’ good night on the town! And, let’s face it, if you’re in a business like ours, where we’re either covered in soil from picking our fresh produce for our Farm Shop or covered in ingredients from the jam kitchen, putting on a posh frock is an enjoyable novelty!

   Why do we love our business award?

   Beyond the gorgeous meal and bubbly that we got to enjoy at the ceremony, this business award means the world to a small business like Farmers Food at Home. We started with a small batch of jams and preserves, and now we’re winning awards! But we’re especially thrilled because we were nominated for our business award. This means that one of our customers took the time to contact the company and recommend that we receive an award for the hard work, effort, and quality control that we put into every aspect of our small business. Being nominated for an award from our customers means we’ve done more than just provide food. Just like the wonderful reviews we receive and the media coverage we’ve had over the pandemic, being endorsed by real people who can see the blood, sweat, and tears behind what we’re offering as a small, rural business is priceless us.

   Why the process of the business award matters

   Business awards aren’t easily won. We’re not trying to blow our own trumpet here, but the process of vouching for your nomination is rigorous. Each detail of our business, from hygiene to profits, goals, dreams, and business plans, is scrutinised to ensure that the nominee deserves to be considered by the judges.

   While this process is onerous and may seem like just a lot of hassle, it’s actually a fantastic process for small businesses to go through. We’ve been running our company for quite a few years now, and like most people who have persevered through a pandemic, you can get tied up in the here and now of ordering jam jars and feeding the chickens and working out how to add that great image of the cake you just baked onto your Instagram reels. Phew!

   The process of verifying your nomination gives businesses the opportunity to take a step back and evaluate the successes of your business, the weak spots that need attention, and give focus to where your business has been and where it’s going next. Having the opportunity to reconsider your goals a few years into your business can be invaluable as a tool to help you grow, learn, and succeed in a new economic climate.

   Why our business award means a better service for our customers

   The in-depth investigation into our business, and the subsequent winning of an award because of it, isn’t just a ‘yay’ moment for us. It means that our customers can be sure that the products that they’re buying, and the service they receive from Farmers Food at Home, really is the best!

   And that chance to step back and look at where we’re going only means that we can offer an even better service moving forward. As we write this, an extension is being added to the Jam Kitchen so that we can offer an even bigger range of our award-winning products for the winter to come…so watch this space!

3. Want to know what we grow?

   27th June 2022 5:28 pm Leave a Comment

   

   As with most small, local shops, you’ll find an array of goods on our shelves – from fresh produce to tinned goods, local meats, and dairy products. And while we support many other small businesses such as Carn Edward Meats and Dough bread suppliers, we pride ourselves on the fact that the majority of the fresh produce and ingredients in our jars have been grown on-site at The Paddock. Want to know what delicious, freshly picked produce we grow? Here’s what you should be adding to your shopping list!

   What we grow in the field

   Summer is the time for salads and BBQs, so what better to add to your outdoor dining than our very own new potatoes? That’s right, we grow our own here at The Paddock, and they’re at their best between May and July. These sweet, smooth, delicious earlies are a great addition to al fresco meals – we love our new potatoes smothered in butter. Pembrokeshire new potatoes are known for being the best salad potato, and if you’re lucky enough to live here or be visiting at this time of the year, you can enjoy the freshest crop picked straight from the field, popped into our shop, and straight to your plate.

   What we grow in the polytunnel

   If you’ve visited The Paddock Farm Shop before then you’ll have noticed our polytunnel sitting next to the Jam Shed. This is where the magic happens! Here you’ll find a plethora of perfectly fresh, lovingly grown produce.

   Row upon row of crisp, green salad adorns the inside of the hoop house in the summer, while creamy cauliflower, tree-like broccoli, and deep red cabbages develop in the autumn, ready to keep us all going over the winter months.

   From courgettes to peppers, runner beans to tomatoes, our rainbow array of produce is fresh and vibrant, giving you a great choice of your five a day!

   What we grow for our jars

   Of course, our fresh produce is not just for our veg boxes in our shop. What we grow on our land also goes into our famous jars to create our award-winning range of jams, chutneys, and preserves.

   The fiery chillies adorning our polytunnel go into making our popular Chilli jam. The cool cucumbers are pickled and the ripe red tomatoes are mixed with chunky courgettes to make Mediterranean chutney. Fresh strawberries, raspberries, currants, and gooseberries are the core ingredients for our acclaimed jams. In fact, without the fantastic Pembrokeshire soil and a sunny summer that produced a glut of red and purple berries, we wouldn’t be here at all!

   We grow our fruit and veg for you

   Whether you’re looking to buy jars of delicious produce or you want the freshest, most nutrient-dense vegetables for your plate, get in touch! We can put together a weekly veg box for you to collect, or come and have a freshly brewed coffee and some homemade cake on the porch of our farm shop with views over bucolic Pembrokeshire countryside before choosing your groceries from our seasonal pick. Either way, we’ll keep growing to keep you stocked up on the best fresh fruit and veg in the West!

4. 6 Jubilee recipe ideas fit for the Queen!

   16th May 2022 12:49 pm Leave a Comment

   

   The Queen’s Jubilee is fast approaching, and, for many, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Queen Elizabeth II is the first monarch to ever reach her Platinum Jubilee, meaning she’s been ruling Brittania for a whopping 70 years. If that’s not worth a bit of cake, we don’t know what is. So, if you’re planning a street party or gathering, or even if you’re not, here are 6 Jubilee recipe ideas to mark this special occasion and our remarkable Queen.

   1. Scones with jam and cream.

   This is at the top of our list of Jubilee recipe ideas, not only because it is quintessentially British, but because apparently, the Queen LOVES a scone! At around 3 pm every day, the Queen enjoys an afternoon tea complete with her favourite cakes…we daren’t ask if she likes jam or cream first! However way round you like it, we’ve got the perfect strawberry jam, made from our fresh crop grown at The Paddock Farm, that we think even the Queen would enjoy.

   2. Cucumber sandwiches

   If you’re running with the British afternoon tea theme, then come and pick up some of our freshly grown cucumbers. We grow these beauties in our on-site polytunnels, and you’ll never have tasted anything so fresh! Slice them thinly for your sandwiches, which you can make with bread from our shop, made by our local artisan bread company, Dough. Alternatively, add some strong cheddar to your sandwich and some cucumber slices to your gin. Cheers!

   3. Victoria Sponge

   Our Queen wasn’t the first to enjoy a bit of cake in the afternoon. Her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, loved a jam sponge so much that it was named after her! The Royal Victoria Sponge, as its name should be, was enjoyed by the famous monarch with her traditional English afternoon tea. We love our Victoria sponge with a generous layer of rich, tart raspberry jam in the middle. Come and grab your jars from The Paddock Farm Shop, and while you’re here, grab some fresh eggs from our hens, too! We also stock Freee flour for our gluten intolerant customers – cake should be for everyone!

   4. Sausage rolls

   Despite the fact that we think of sausage rolls as the ultimate British snack, it was, in fact, the French who began wrapping meat in pastry. Hot sausage rolls became a thing in the UK in the 1800s, and now, a British party wouldn’t be the same without a tray of mini pork goodness. Not only do we provide sausages from Carn Edward meats, but we also bake our own sausage rolls, available in our shop on selected days. Why not put our a jar of Beetroot and Apple chutney to give your guests an extra treat with their snack?

   5. Eton Mess traybake

   The traditional pudding of the cricketers of Harrow, you cannot get more British than a good old Eton mess. However, if you’re trying to serve it up at a party, this traybake variety, with a layer of firm sponge underneath, makes it easier to dish up and eat. Pop into the farm shop for a selection of our fresh British berries, such as our delicious, plump strawberries which are grown on-site, to sprinkle over the top. A colourful, creamy winner!

   6. Bramble cocktail

   You’ll need something refreshing to help wash down all that delicious food, and what’s more fitting for a British celebration than a Bramble? The last of our Jubilee recipe ideas is sure to be a hit! Mix 4cl of gin with lemon juice and sugar syrup, and finish off with 1.5cl of berry liqueur, preferably blackberry. Garnish with fresh raspberries from our grower’s garden at The Paddock for a fantastic fresh drink for your Jubilee party guests.

5. Mother’s Day gift ideas from North Pembrokeshire

   23rd March 2022 4:13 pm Leave a Comment

   It’s been a tough few years for everyone, and it might be that you’ve not managed to see the people you love as often as you’d like, or be able to share Christmases and birthdays with them. It seems like we’ve turned a bit of a corner as far as pandemic lockdowns go, and with Spring in the air, it’s much easier to meet outside.

   So, with Mother’s day looking like we’ll at least be able to share it with our Mothers and Mother figures this year, we help you deal with the next question: what to get as a Mother’s Day gift? Here are some fantastic North Pembrokeshire companies offering fantastic, local Mother’s Day gifts.

   1. Farmers Food at Home Mother’s Day Hamper

   

   Of course, we think that our hamper is the best Mother’s Day gift! Packed full of delicious, homemade Afternoon Tea goodies, it’s bound to bring a smile to Mum’s face. Our famous sausage rolls can be paired with an added jar of chutney, delight in the best scotch egg you’ve ever tasted, follow it up with a bite of delicious homemade chocolate brownie, and then top off your scone with cream and a large dollop of our Strawberry jam! All that (excluding chutney) for £15 – sorted! Order yours by calling us today, before they run out!

   2. Buy her a handmade gift from Corfitzon Crochet

   

   Nothing says ‘I love you’ like something handmade, and while it might not have been something you made, a one-off piece is always super special.
   That’s why a handmade item from Corfitzon Crochet is the perfect Mother’s Day gift. The ponchos are perfect for cool Spring evenings, and the gorgeous throws and blankets, made from the most beautifully coloured wool, can be customised to suit your Mum’s favourite colour palette.

   3. Order a bouquet of freshly picked flowers from Pembs Petals

   

   Want something a bit more dazzling than garage flowers? If you’re in North Pembrokeshire, then Mum’s in for a treat! Pembs Petals only use seasonal plants and flowers to make their beautiful bouquets, and occasionally they’ll be straight from owner Gill’s own garden! Made with the freshest flowers, in stunning natural arrangements using eco-friendly and compostible wrappings, this is how flowers were meant to be…

   4. Give Mum a spa at home with Coastal Soaps

   

   This Mum of two is well worth supporting as she runs her own small company, Coastal Soaps. Their beautiful soaps and bath salts are made from totally natural ingredients and are gentle on the skin. The products are infused with essential oils and will leave Mum feeling – and smelling – divine!

   Coastal Soaps also offer a range of wax melts, wax burners, and snap bars, and a starter kit for your Mum’s home is around £15. Order via Facebook, on their Etsy page, or pop into our shop to collect some of their fantastic products!

6. Our top 4 favourite winter vegetables

   17th November 2021 3:58 pm Leave a Comment

   

   The clock has gone back, the evenings are getting dark, and the mornings are hat and scarf worthy. It’s a cosy season, and it’s our favourite time of year for using up some delicious winter vegetables. There’s nothing like a warming soup or a hearty stew to take the chill of nippy November nights. Our veg boxes are full of delicious produce to make meals that will keep your body healthy and happy right through till the Spring sunshine arrives – order yours from The Paddock Farm Shop today!

   Here are our top 4 favourite winter vegetables, and ways in which you can get the best out of them!

   Carrots

   The humble carrot is probably your best friend during the coldest time of year. This king of winter vegetables is one of the best health foods around. It’s packed full of Vitamin A from the beta carotene which helps boost your immune system, Vitamin B6 which helps convert your food into energy, as well as plenty of other vitamins and minerals to kick-start your metabolism, lower blood pressure, and promote bone health.

   Carrots are a great filler food; add them to stews for a splash of colour on a dull day, juice them as part of your winter diet, or add them to soups. We particularly love a steaming bowl of carrot and ginger soup to warm the cockles on a cold November day.

   Here’s a great low-calorie carrot and ginger soup recipe from Delicious magazine that includes tangy orange and plenty of garlic for that extra healthy punch.

   Leeks

   Well, we wouldn’t be a proud Welsh company if we didn’t include our national veg in our top winter vegetables list, would we? These bright green, oniony beauties are closely related to garlic, chives, and shallots. They provide a uniquely sweet and mild onion flavour to dishes, and are more versatile than people think!

   Leeks are low in calories, full of fibre, and contain no fat at all, so they’re the perfect winter vegetable for staying healthy while staying in. You can have them as a side to main meals with butter, you can add them to soups (because who doesn’t love leek and potato stew with a few rashers of chopped Carn Edward bacon fried into it?), or, our all-time favourite winter dish, use them in Cawl.

   Welsh actor Michael Sheen taught Jamie Oliver his Cawl recipe (yes, really!) which uses the traditional cut of meat neck of lamb, plenty of chunky root veg, and piles of sweet and delicious leeks. Blasus!

   Parsnips

   These winter vegetables are a bit like Marmite – you either love them or you hate them. They’re a close relation to the carrot but are known for being uniquely super sweet and cream in colour.

   They’re a more carby vegetable than their relatives but are packed full of antioxidants, which help your body to defend itself against some cancers and chronic health conditions. They’re also a great source of fibre to get things moving if you’re not moving your body as much in the cold.

   They can bulk out soups, or are even used coated in parmesan as crisp alternatives, but we love them just as they are, roasted in the oven to have with our Sunday dinner.

   The BBC Good Food suggest that a little mistard, along with a drizzle of honey, adds just the right amount of heat in their mouth-watering recipe.

   Swedes

   Rich in calcium and magnesium, swedes are a vastly underrated vegetable. Sometimes called a rutabaga or Swedish turnip, swedes are a great source of vitamin C. Swedes are classed as a carbohydrate, and are a great winter vegetable alternative to potatoes with your sausage and mash.

   Although we like to think that this is a stalwart of Welsh cooking, swedes were actually only introduced to Britain in 1800, when King Gustav of Sweden sent seeds as gifts to British noblemen – hence then name, Swede!

   Boiling is the least nutritious way to cook swedes. Why not try something different, such as The Great British Chefs website recipe for Swede, Onion, and Cheese pie?

   For more fresh ingredients, why not visit us at The Paddock Farm Shop? Call ahead and book your seasonal veg box, or take a look at our online shop for preserves and chutneys to add to your winter recipes!

7. Foraging: fresh food from our hedgerows

   19th August 2021 4:23 pm Leave a Comment

   Foraging seems to have been a bit of a buzzword before the world shut down, and in the days of the pandemic, growing our own produce and hunting for wild treats in our hedgerows became something of a coveted hobby.  But hunting and gathering is no new trend; our hominine ancestors had foraged for food for millions of years before we, as homo sapiens, began to develop agriculture.  Foraging is in our collective memory, and so turning to the abundance of nourishment that our ample hedgerows provide is a natural step for those interested in where our food comes from and how to eat well from our local surroundings.

   With wet winters and temperate summer seasons, foraging for berries in the laden hedgerows around Pembrokeshire meant that Anne-Marie, the owner of Farmers Food at Home, could fill her popular jars of jams and preserves with the freshest, most delicious produce available quite literally on her doorstep.  Autumn has always been a favourite picking time for foragers like Anne-Marie, with the British countryside offering up juicy delights such as blackberries, crab apples, wild strawberries, rosehips, sloes, hazelnuts, chestnuts, and bullace, or wild plums.  

   

   These gorgeous goods can help you to create wonderful autumnal dishes of your own. In Anne-Marie’s kitchen, they culminate in the fantastic Hedgerow Jar Range, which includes Dandelion Honey, Rosehip Syrup, Rosehip Jelly, Crab Apple Jelly, Bramble Jelly, and Sloe Jelly – yum!

   Farmers Food at Home advocate eating fresh produce from your immediate area, so here are Anne-Marie’s top tips for successful foraging:

   1. Only pick from the areas that have abundant supplies of the plant that you’re looking for.  If you clear the area of the plant, then it could stop the future growth of that plant, damaging the species.  Hedgerows help to fight climate change by absorbing carbon from the air and storing it in plants, so there are environmental consequences to aggressive foraging.
   2. It’s also useful to remember that other animals such as birds, dormice, and foxes all like to eat nuts, berries and their leaves and grains.  For some species, the plentiful feast that’s available in the hedges in autumn sustains them while they hibernate during the winter, so leave some behind for our wildling friends and leave the local ecosystem as well as you found it.
   3. Speaking of the ecosystem, foraging is not only an excuse for a lovely walk in nature, you might even find some species living right under your noses that you didn’t even know were there!  Foraging is a really good opportunity for kids and adults to be more mindful of the ecosystem of which you’re a part.
   4. It’s helpful to learn to identify plants and their uses so that you can use all of the parts of the plant that are edible.  This also allows you to understand which plants or parts of plants could be poisonous, and avoid a cookery mishap.
   5. When you know what’s good and what’s not, get picking!  Take a bag or basket and eat fresh if you can.  Foraged foods are far more nutrient-dense than their supermarket equivalents as the freshness locks in both the flavours and the goodness.  Saying that, don’t be afraid to freeze berries, but do it straight after picking for the same reasons – get as much goodness out of those delicious morsels as possible!

   

   If you’re in West Wales and you fancy giving foraging a go but you’re not confident to go out by yourself, there are many guided foraging walks on offer, including ones offered by Oriel y Parc in St Davids.  If it’s the delicious goodies along the seashore that you’re interested in understanding a little better, why not book yourself on to a course Coastal Foraging with Craig to learn how the sea offers an abundance of food.

   And if you like the taste but don’t fancy the effort, then why not just buy the fantastic Hedgerow Jars straight from the online shop?  All the goodness of Autumn is captured for you in a gorgeous selection of jars from our kitchen to yours.

8. From Pubs to Paddocks: the growing success of Farmers Food at Home

   22nd July 2021 5:33 pm Leave a Comment

   

   It’s fair to say that every small business across the UK has had to work doubly hard to keep going during a worldwide pandemic, but few have made a growing success of their small, homemade business quite like Farmers Food at Home.  When shops were shutting down, the team at Farmers Food at Home were opening one; The Paddock Farm Shop in Llanreithan served Pembrokeshire families with fresh fruit, veg, dairy and baked goods, and meats throughout the pandemic, ensuring that residents were never without fresh produce when supermarkets were struggling to keep up with demand.

   Growing success in business runs in the family, though.  The Farmer family began when Sally and Bryan met in college and, with Bryan’s love of Pembrokeshire stemming from his childhood holidays, the family moved to West Wales.  Bryan worked on arable fields while Sally worked as a domestic science teacher – the makings of great food producers were there long before daughter Anne-Marie took up the growing success as Farmers Food at Home.   

   Moving into the next phase of this enterprising family’s growing success story, Bryan and Sally bought a large house with small acreage and opened a Bed and Breakfast.  The land allowed Bryan to begin working for the Pembrokeshire Vegetable Growers Association, and in 18 polytunnels on the land that now houses The Paddock Farm shop, Bryan grew cauliflowers, cabbages, and potatoes annually – over 8 million plants per year!

   When the demand for Pembrokeshire cauliflowers lessened, and never ones to rest on their laurels, the family moved on to their next go-getting adventure; running a popular Pembrokeshire pub.  The Farmer family bought The Farmers Arms in Mathry where Bryan pulled the pints and Sally prepared the delicious meals for 16 successful years.  It was here that Farmers Food at Home was born.  Daughter Anne-Marie offered jars of homemade jam, chutney, and preserves for sale from the counter of the family pub.  With an abundance of home produce available one bumper summer, along with blackberries gathered from Pembrokeshire’s hedgerows, Anne-Marie jumped at the opportunity to perfect her jam, chutney, and preserves recipes.  And with the experience of veg growing and excellent cookery skills running in the family, as well as the family’s ambitious attitude, the jars were soon selling out!

   One successful online shop and a brand new Farm Shop later, The Paddock now sells fruit and veg grown on the same land that Bryan, who is no longer with us, grew his cauliflowers for many years.  The go-getting family is also setting up a campsite on the family’s beautiful land, and Sally still tends to the veggies while Anne-Marie fills the jars and runs the shop with the help of her boys.  But is it Bryan’s hard work and care of this fertile green land that still feeds the magic into the fresh produce that fills the shelves and jars at Farmers Food at Home, making it an ever-growing success? We like to think so.  

9. Farmers Food at Home – providing a dollop of happiness into your everyday meals with our award-winning jam.

   10th May 2021 12:51 pm Leave a Comment

   We’ve been busy over the last year helping our community to access the freshest local produce via our newly-formed Farm Shop, The Paddock.  While it’s been wonderful to collaborate with lots of local food producers to create a community hub for fresh food, we want to draw your attention back to our roots (if you’ll pardon the pun)…jam.

   

   Yes, jam season is upon us – with a little Spring sunshine comes berries galore, and our courgettes aren’t doing too bad, either.  We’ll be putting together fresh and fruity jars of goodness together ready for your afternoon tea or al fresco light lunch, so we thought we’d remind you of the delectable range of delicious flavours we offer, including a fruity new treat for 2021!

   Soon to be In Season

   Blackcurrant Jam

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   The blackcurrant bushes will soon be overflowing with small purple beads; rich, dark and distinctly earthy.  This is the perfect season for British blackcurrants – they make an excellent, tart addition to a hot, buttery crumpet.

   Gooseberry & Elderflower Jam

   

   Another late Spring giant is the intricately unfolding elderflower, lending its musky-sweet taste to tone down the totally tangy and undeniably British gooseberry flavour.  These two are a match made in heaven and are a great substitute for strawberry jam packed inside a lovely sponge cake.

   Runner Bean Chutney

   

   One of the easiest vegetables to grow and with it yielding an early crop, these finest beans give our chutney a yellow-green glint.  Perfectly paired with a strong cheese and some freshly baked bread from our friends at Dough.

   Great taste award-winners

   Rhubarb & Ginger Jam

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   A firm favourite, this sticky-sweet and warming jam is perfect on a round of toast for those not-quite-warm-yet mornings, teamed with a nice hot cup of tea.

   Chilli Jam

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   Aye aye aye! This spicy little number will really warm you up!  If you’re looking to start barbecue season early, then you must have a jar of this to add to your meat and veg skewers.

   Summerberry Jam

   

   This jar is jam-packed (ahem) with all of our favourite seasonal berries – strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and currants.  Order a jar today in readiness for showing off your recently learned baking skills when you invite the family around to the garden for afternoon tea.

   Courgette & Tomato Chutney

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   A Spring picnic isn’t complete without a good, tangy chutney to go with your favourite cheese and a slab of locally-sourced ham.  This award-winning chutney is the perfect concoction of everyone’s all-time favourite garden delights.

   New Product Alert!

   

   We’ve been busy creating the perfect new flavour to really get your tastebuds active after lockdown, and we think we’ve nailed it with this fruity, cheeky, and very yummy Fruity Banana Chutney!  The sweetness of the banana contrasts well with the vinegar and is sweet, salty, and moreish in perfect proportion.

   We think you’ll go bananas for this new flavour, so we’re offering a 15% discount if you buy today – check it out here.

   Come and say hello and pick up your favourite flavours today!

   

   We’ve been open throughout lockdown, but if you’re only just venturing out, we’d love to say hello in the sunshine at our place – come and visit us at The Paddock Farm Shop!  We’re open from 10 am to 5 pm Tuesday to Saturday, and we know you’ll be tempted by the locally sourced fresh bread, meats, fruit, veggies, and cakes we have in store, too!

   Still not sure about the outside world?  Then just order your jams, chutneys, and preserves online here!

10. Anne-Marie’s Favourite Easter Recipes

    17th March 2021 9:06 am Leave a Comment

    The sun is shining, the daffodils are springing from every hedgerow, the lambs are prancing through fertile green fields and Easter is nearly upon us!  For this blog, I wanted to share my favourite Easter recipes with you for your family feast.  None of us knows what the next few weeks and months will bring in terms of who we’ll be able to have around our dinner table, but that’s no excuse to just pop a pizza in the oven.  With my favourite Easter recipes, you’ll be able to create a delicious meal for your family without slaving in the kitchen for hours, and you’ll be able to get most of the ingredients right here from us at The Paddock Farm Shop.  Take a peek at our social media pages for our opening times or message us for the ingredients you need for your easter recipes.

    One of the best traditional Easter recipes:
    Lamb dinner

    

    As I said, you can have all the joy of a delicious Easter dinner but without having to go to too much effort, and with this one-pan Easter lamb recipe, it’s almost as easy as the pizza option but will seem as though you’ve been working for hours!

    The trick with this recipe is to make small incisions into the lamb joint and let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour before you begin to marinate the meat in the oregano, lemon zest, rosemary and oil.  Then all you have to do is to add the other ingredients to the pan and place the lamb on top!  45 minutes of roasting at 200C and make sure you’ve saved some of that wine for pouring on the lamb, as well as the stock.  Then you have 45 minutes of additional roasting at 200C – just enough time to lay the table and prep some additional veg like vibrant fresh carrots if you want, and voila – your one pan lamb is ready to serve!

    Ingredients:

    1.6k bone-in leg of lamb

    50ml olive oil

    3 oregano sprigs

    4 rosemary sprigs

    1 lemon, zested

    1 garlic bulb, separate cloves

    1kg potatoes, skins on, cut into wedges

    3 fennel bulbs, cut into quarters lengthwise

    250ml white wine

    250ml chicken stock

    Goes well with: a large helping of our delicious apple-based Mint Jelly.

    Easter recipes for a sumptuous fish supper:
    Salmon and Spring Veg Stew

    

    Starting with a suitably Welsh leek, onion and thyme combination, frying it gently over low heat for 6 minutes before adding some beautiful early Pembrokeshire potatoes and boiling the mixture in white wine creates a perfect, zesty base for one of the most sumptuous Easter recipes.  When the potatoes are tender, add the cream and mustard to the pan before adding the thick salmon fillets and pressing them gently into the vegetables.  Cover and cook for 6 minutes, allowing the fish to steam in the beautiful fresh sauce.  Then add the peas and cook uncovered for a further 3 minutes and add some seasoning before serving.  This fish dish is a  delicious alternative to more traditional Easter recipes.

    Ingredients:

    1 finely chopped onion

    1 thinly sliced leek

    2 chopped fresh thyme leaves

    500g Pembrokeshire earlies, halved

    100ml dry white wine

    250ml fish stock (veg will also do)

    100ml single cream

    1 tsp dijon mustard

    4 salmon fillets

    150g frozen peas

    Goes well with: some fresh chunky bread to dip in the rich creamy sauce – we stock local suppliers Dough’s fantastic baked goods.

    Easter recipes for the little bunnies in your life:
    Vegan Carrot Cake

    

    It’s not just the bunnies who love our freshly grown carrots, and in this recipe, you get all the goodness and all the sweetness for half the hassle with this one-bowl cake recipe – gorgeous!

    Just mix the oil, sugar and vanilla in the bowl.  Stir in the almond milk and let it all dissolve.  Separately, sift the flour, baking powder, spices and salt and combine with the wet mixture before stirring in those gorgeous vibrant carrots and some walnuts.  Honestly, that’s it!  Pour into two 8” round cake tins and bake for 25 minutes at 180C, allowing you some time to make whatever topping or filling you’d like – I suggest a twist on the usual with a lemon drizzle frosting and a whipped oat cream filling, with a few extra walnuts on top for good measure.

    Ingredients:

    300g / 4 medium carrots

    125 ml vegetable oil

    175g light brown sugar

    2 tsp vanilla essence

    300ml almond milk

    375g plain flour

    2 tsp baking powder

    1tsp each of ground ginger, cinnamon & nutmeg

    ½ tsp salt

    70g chopped walnuts

    Goes well with: some lovely fresh lemons for your drizzle topping, adding even more Vitamin C to our fresh carrots!  A great way to get your kids to eat veggies as well as chocolate this Easter!

    Child-friendly Easter Recipes:
    Easter Egg Nest Cupcakes

    

    There’s nothing like ending Easter Sunday with a cup of tea and a little slice of sugary loveliness, and if it helps to keep the kids entertained with some family baking, too, then everyone’s a winner with our Easter recipes suitable for all ages!

    Beat the softened butter and the caster sugar together until smooth, and then add the 2 large eggs, mixing thoroughly.  Add the vanilla before carefully folding in the self-raising flour and adding the salt.  Spoon the mixture into 12 cupcake cases and bake for 15 minutes at 180C – for a little twist to thrill the kids, why not add a little food colouring for some colourful cakes?

    Then make the buttercream: whisk the remaining butter with the icing sugar and a little drop of vanilla and a splash of milk and then spoon the mixture over the cooled cupcakes, using a fork to rough up the top to look like a nest.  Then add some mini eggs and a few chocolate sprinkles for effect and there you have some delicious Easter Egg Nest Cupcakes to round off your delectable Easter meal!

    Ingredients:

    110g softened butter

    110g caster sugar

    2 large eggs

    ½ tsp vanilla extract

    110g self-raising flour

    For the buttercream:

    110g softened butter

    300g icing sugar

    1 tsp vanilla extract

    3 tbsp milk

    Goes well with: a nice cup of Chandler tea –  well, you wouldn’t be able to fit anything else in now!

    For more recipe ideas, nutritional and growing information, industry news, farm shop updates and more, visit our social media page and give us a follow.  Happy Easter everyone!

    Anne-Marie x

    

11. For the Love of Food

    12th February 2021 4:02 pm Leave a Comment

    As Valentine’s Day approaches and we all prepare to woo our loved one with a romantic ‘night in’ and our attempt at home-cooked, restaurant-quality meals (thanks, Covid), we examine why food seems to be the universal language of love.

    Whatever you’re planning as your Valentine’s celebration this weekend, we can guarantee that it will involve food.  Whether you buy your beloved their favourite chocolates, make their favourite dinner for two, or surprise them with our fantastic breakfast in bed package, it’s typical for us to celebrate special occasions with food.  Think about it = it’s someone’s birthday? Bake a cake.  It’s Easter time?  Chocolate eggs.  Christmas?  Well, we really do go overboard with our foodie festivities at Christmas…bring on the sprouts!

    

    How did food become more than just fuel?

    The use of food during celebrations is a well-used tradition.  The idea of ‘breaking bread together’ goes as far back as the time that the Bible was written and indicates that people were sharing food to denote an occasion, whether it was a celebration, ritual, or tradition.

    It’s thought that, unlike spoken language or writings, food has always been a universal necessity, therefore it was an easy way of showing respect to people who didn’t share your methods of communication to provide them with food.

    After all, in by-gone centuries where food was not as readily available as it is now, having enough food to share was a sign of abundance that was beyond sustenance.  Sharing food became more than just a sign of respect to your guests.  It also denoted someone’s success and power – look at all this food I have because I am a successful person who can provide for my family.

    It can even be argued that the providing of food is due to in-built animal instincts.  Taking your partner to a posh restaurant on a first date isn’t necessarily the same as a caveman hunting and killing a Mammoth to feed a family, but the basic psychology about providing and sustaining basic human needs is the same.  

    We don’t think that ordering a Domino’s or cooking up some quick scrambled eggs has quite the same effect today, but it does show the power of food on our social behaviour. 

    Love sweet love

    

    It is interesting to note that we turn to sweet things when we choose food for celebrations.  Our jams are a good example of this and are often bought as fillings for birthday cakes or elaborate anniversary puddings.  Perhaps this is an evolution in the use of food – cakes, sweets, and puddings aren’t necessary for the survival of the human race (although a fair few of us have bought an extra tin of Quality Street to get us through Lockdown 3), but they are something special, a nice addition to our array of required sustenance.  Could it be that because these are treats rather than fundamental foodstuff that we choose them as our celebratory options?

    We know from the (slightly cheesy but we’re not telling you not to) tradition of buying chocolates that food is used as a romantic tool.  From the dopamine hit we get from eating our favourite food – and the aphrodisiac effects of certain food types – to the time, money, or effort someone has spent on that lovely meal for us, our love of food also helps us demonstrate our love, too.

    

    Whatever lovely dish you’re serving up to your dishy love this Valentine’s Day, don’t forget that we have all the fresh ingredients for a 3-course feast and a nice bottle of fizz available in The Paddock Farm Shop – visit us or call now to get all the ingredients for your romantic night in!

12. Why we should prioritise eating fresh local produce in 2021.

    12th January 2021 4:01 pm 1 Comment

    It’s the New Year, and while we’re all nursing some pretty heavy sugar hangovers from all of our lockdown Christmas baking, we may be looking to change our sugary ways and get more vitamin-dense fresh local produce in our diet.  The ‘new year, new me’ fad of replacing chocolate orange segments with carrot batons is all well and good, but have you ever thought about whether where you buy your fresh produce from makes a difference to your overall health?

    

    While Tesco deliveries are handy during a lockdown, the veg that arrives in plastic bags might not actually be fulfilling the health benefits tick list you’ve set for yourself this January. A combination of travel, chemicals, and commercial growing can mean that your celery stick isn’t as healthy as one bought just down the road from the local farm shop (yes, we mean us).  But we’re not just trying to get you to ditch supermarket food; while the big boys offer food cupboard essentials which we know we can’t do without; we also know that eating fresh local produce such as fruit and vegetables pulled from the ground in your area has benefits far beyond the waistline.

    So, what do we mean by local produce?

    ‘Local’ is a term which, in the food industry, broadly signifies anything produced within a 150-mile radius.  What we mean, though, is a little more specific to your region.  For us, local produce means that it comes from the fields, hedges, and soil around us here in North Pembrokeshire.

    What are the main benefits of eating local produce?

    • It tastes better.

    It’s true – food that comes directly from the soil to your plate has not been sitting in transportation containers losing moisture, slowly degrading any valuable nutrients.  This means that local produce usually tastes fresher, greener, and more, well, fruit and veg-y!

    • Local produce lasts longer.

    Another upside to not being transported vast distances is that our food has a much better shelf-life quality.  No soggy cabbages that have sat in hot supermarkets for weeks here!

    • It’s better for your body.

    The more picked fruit and vegetables are away from the root, the more degradation of that produce occurs, and the fewer nutrients are available.  Ripe fruit and veg contain the most nutrients, so eat food that’s freshly picked to get the most nutritional value from that plateful.

    

    • Get back to seasonal eating.

    We’ve got far too used to being able to have whatever we want whenever we want it.  But that is not actually naturally very good for us.  The natural cycle of complex food supply which exists directly around us has been perfectly designed to suit our immune systems. Eating in season actually supports our organic health – Mother Nature knows exactly what we need and provides it.

    • Local produce, smaller carbon footprint.

    We won’t spell it out, but cutting out overseas transportation, air miles, storage facilities, refrigerated vans…well, nipping up the road for your carrots and spuds is bound to be better for the planet!

    • Pesticide and preservative-free.

    Most small businesses selling locally grown crops aren’t having to smother their offerings in chemicals to withstand transportation or to keep them artificially fresh in readiness for a long shelf life at a store.  Equally, when the soil is as lush and fertile as it is in Pembrokeshire, pesticides are also redundant, meaning that eating local produce negates harmful chemicals on food, which in turn helps with digestion and allergy complaints.

    •  Eat local and support local.

    Supporting local businesses by eating local produce has far-reaching effects.  Firstly, it empowers us as consumers as we know exactly where our food has come from – not something we can usually tell.  Supporting local businesses such as The Paddock Farm Shop not only makes our local businesses thrive and boosts our immediate local economy, it also helps support other small businesses such as our friends at Lochmeyler Ice Cream, who we supply with produce to add to their delicious ice creams, or other local suppliers who stock their local cuisine at our shop.

    

    There we have it – eating carrots grown from the farm down the road won’t just help you to see in the dark! Local food production and consumption enhances a cycle of nutritional, environmental, economic, and communal benefits that enhance the welfare and well-being of everyone.

    For more information on The Paddock Farm shop opening times and fresh local produce, as well as our famous Farmers Food at Home preserves, please visit our website here.

13. Christmas hampers, gifts, and goodies on sale now at Farmers Food at Home

    9th November 2020 3:09 pm Leave a Comment

    With Christmas just around the corner, we’re usually on a hectic dash between one festive fair and another at this time of year, our Christmas hampers filling stalls across West Wales.  This year has been pretty different to most and 2020 certainly has put a stop to a lot of usual business activity for many.  Never fear, though: at Farmers Food at Home, our delicious preserves are still available online, and this year, we’ve added a few new fancy additions to our festive food stock.

    Whether you’re ordering gifts for loved ones or stocking up for your own festive feast, our delicious seasonal stock and variety of fantastic Christmas hampers will bring a little yuletide joy to the end of an uncertain year.  Read on to learn more about what’s on offer this year!

    Christmas Hampers

    

    It’s Christmas, and whether it’s a quieter one than usual or you’re a large family bubble, one jar simply won’t be enough for the holiday season.  So, we’ve put together a large variety of Christmas hampers to suit everyone.  They make beautiful gifts to send to loved ones that can’t spend the holidays with you, too!

    Christmas Essentials Hamper: does what is says on the ahmper! If you don’t have these 5 delicious jars of essentials, including Piccalilli and spiced chutneys, on your Christmas table then is it even really a festive feast?

    Snowman hamper:  This 3-jar hamper allows you to choose your festive favourites while being eco-friendly: this perfect gift option’s hamper doubles up as a planter in readiness for some spring flowers!

    Chilli hamper:  Make a cold Christmas hot, hot, hot with this ever-popular spicy feast, complete with chilli flakes and our award-winning chilli jam.

    

    Limited edition luxury Melin Tregwynt topped hamper: This is the best of our Christmas hampers – 8 of your preferred preserves are elegantly topped with beautiful, warm, colourful Melin Tregwynt material.  This is a very popular gift item so order now to avoid disappointment!

    Mini jar hamper:  if you’re just a small party for Christmas this year but you still want to savour all the delights our Christmas hampers have to offer, then this is the perfect option.  Choose from 7 mini jars of your favourite Christmas accompaniments.

    Great taste award-winning hamper:  If you can’t choose, then let the judges guide you; we won awards for all four jars in this beautifully presented hamper over the last few years.  Contains our sumptuous Summerberry jam, our top choice chilli jam, our cheese sandwich favourite Courgette & Tomato chutney as well as our punchy Rhubard and Ginger Jam. 

    The Hedgerow Hamper: want to be totally sure that your jar contents have been locally sourced?  Well, you can’t get more local than our Hedgerow Hamper, packed full of goodness that’s been foraged from our immediate locality for your Christmas table.

    2 & 3 jar boxes: These delightful boxes are perfect stocking fillers, allowing you to choose a few items to compliment your Boxing Day buffet.  Why not choose our Blood Orange and Mulled Wine Marmalade for a spiced breakfast treat along with Damson Cheese to go with your charcuterie board for a post-Christmas-dinner picking feast? 

    Christmas stock

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    We know that many of our customers will be opting to buy their loved ones a jar of their firm favourites as a gift, and while we’re thrilled that our year-round stock is selling well, we’ve added some Christmassy corkers to our online shop this year, and we know you’re going to love them!

    Spiced apple chutney: Opening the jar will make your Christmas complete – it smells wonderful and can be eaten with cheese, leftover turkey…or (and we have) straight from the jar!

    Cranberry & Port sauce: A stalwart of the Christmas dinner table, this tangy cranberry sauce is made even more sumptuous with the richness and warmth of a drop of Port accentuating the aftertaste.  A must-have jar for your table!

    Gooseberry & Elderflower Jam: If you’re more of a scone person than a mince pie person, then this is the perfect jam for you – tart Gooseberries are perfectly complimented by sweet elderflower overtones, a great, wintery dollop of joy.

    Cranberry & apple chutney: This mouth-watering chutney is screaming out for a wedge of strong cheddar and some crisp crackers.  The perfect choice for your Christmas cheese board.

    Damson cheese: A cheese to go with cheese?  Damson cheese is a thick, fruity preserve that can be sliced like cheese and goes perfectly with – you guessed it – cheese.  A luxurious item that’s perfect for the Christmas buffet.

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    Beetroot & Apple Chutney:  This sticky-sweet chutney is ideal for those who have a sweet tooth but can’t fit in any more Christmas cake!

    Blood Orange & Cranberry Marmalade: We’re all for preserves for the main meals, but why not make your Christmas breakfasts just as merry with this palette-cleansing fruity festive twist on the traditional marmalade?

    Mint Jelly:  Not everyone opts for traditional turkey, and our mint jelly, made with a pleasing apple base, gives that Welsh leg of lamb a little oomph!

    Apple, date & walnut chutney: This is luxury in a jar.  This is already proving to be incredibly popular due to its clever combination of sweet, festive, and crunchy ingredients.  We’d get that order in soon as we can’t make this Christmas must-have fast enough!

    

    Don’t forget that all of our new Christmas stock can be mixed and matched with our usual award-winning and popular jars to create your own personalised Christmas hampers, stuffed with your favourite goodies!

    To order your Christmas hampers today, simply visit our online shop or message us on Facebook to tell us your hamper choices.