Summer's Bounty

It's that time of year again, and we have an abundance of produce!

We always plant a few potatoes, these are Roosters, and it's impossible to beat freshly dug, boiled potatoes with a dab of butter.

Mange Tout are in full swing and cook really well steamed over the aforementioned potatoes.

Blackcurrants are also on the go and Helen has been busy making jelly as well as lots of summer puddings!

Helen also makes homemade Ribena using a Darina Allen recipe which is absolutely delicious and freezes really well.

 Our earliest plums have just come ripe and Helen has made a wonderful jam this year which is really good on toast for breakfast and is also goes well with Moonshine Dairies organic natural yogurt.

 The clover and blackberry seems to have yielded really well for our bees. This is some brace comb that I cut off one of the supers, packed with honey and our first taste of this years harvest. Eating it is a bit primative and is a case of biting off chunks, savouring the honey and spitting out the wax. Once the initial frenzy has worn off, it's really good spread on buttery toast!

Poppies in the Barley

The barley will be harvested any day now, all it needs is for the rain to hold off. But in the meantime, is it possible to have too many photographs of poppies?

Westmeath Tasting Plate

We are members of the Westmeath Slow Food Convivium, and on Friday last at the Hilltown New Music Festival we put put together a Westmeath Tasting Plate to showcase some of the local produce and producers in the County.

Beef from Joe Brady of Lough Owel Organic Farm

Our Lamb

Smoked Mackerel from John Rogan of Rogan's Real Smoked Fish. Tel: 043 76264

Gouda from Mary & Gerry Kelly of Moonshine Organic Cheese

Salad from Kevin Harmon (Castlepollard on Fridays, and Mullingar Farmers Market)

Breads from 'Just Baked' 29 Pearse St. Mullingar

All served with a delicious glass of Prosecco from Wines Direct in Mullingar

The Tasting Plates looked really well going out and we served over 70 music goers!

We were very fortunate with the weather, and everyone was able to sit outside and enjoy the atmosphere.

The music got underway later in the evening.

The courtyard or castle keep to the rear of Hilltown House made a fantastic venue for the whole event.

Bailieborough Show

It's an early start on show days, and yesterday, at Bailieborough, was our first show of the season. Shows are a great opportunity to showcase our stock and compare them to others, and of course if a rosette is forthcoming it's another string in our bow when it comes to promoting and selling our animals.
We are showing Derrynagarra Celeste today who is a 5 year old Registered Irish Draught mare in foal to Crystal Crest (RID), and since we're only showing the one, Helen is off by herself while I go to the bog to save turf! Click here to read last years post on Turf.

There is quite a lot to do to get a horse ready for showing. There is no point bringing her if she doesn't look her best, and so by  7am Helen has Celeste shampooed and washed and ready for plaiting!

Starting with tail....

...and finishing the plait by stitching it into place.

Onto the forelock....

....and then onto the mane.

The reason Helen goes to all that trouble is that with the mane neatly held up out of the way, the judges can see the shape of the neck much better, and it makes it much easier to get an overall view of the horse from a judging prospective.

Derrynagarra Celeste plaited up....

...and off to Bailieborough. She's looking well, now it's up to the judges.

All the work paid off and Celeste won her class!

The red rosette in it's prominent position!!

 Home again and with the plaits out.....

...it's back to the field with the others.