Ducks Got Big!

I can't believe how fast these ducks have grown! They are huge! 

We moved them into a bigger pen the other day and it was far easier than moving chickens! The kids loved herding them as they waddled along (the ducks not the kids waddled).

Cherries!

Few fruits I love more than properly ripe cherries 

But few things do I struggle growing more. 

We netted our trees but still struggle to get more than a few berries. Time to go to the professionals. 

Love is...

I'm struggling to get my eldest daughter to read at the moment, puts up a huge fight everytime.

So to convince her, this afternoon I said I was doing a boring job (oiling a unit in the workshop) & needed some entertainment as my audio books weren't working.

No fuss & she seemed to enjoy it.

Anyone else have to deal with a reluctant reader? WE have a house full of books and she loves being read to, I just hope she gets past this hurdle.

Homegrown Tea & Carrot Top Pesto!

I'm know I'm preaching to the choir here but a fully homegrown lunch does feel pretty good!

I had a forage around the garden and decided if I could pull a meal together from what we have growing for the five of us. My wife and children love a salad type meal and I tried to make it as interesting as possible.

Elderflower Fritters

For tea last night I decided to have a decadent foraged pudding - elderflowers fritters. 

Now I know the main calories are from store bought ingredients but it's the elderflower that really makes them taste amazing!

Ingredients -
Elderflower heads - fresh picked.
oil for frying
100g of self raising flour,
2 tablespoons cornflour,
2 tablespoons caster sugar,
1 egg
175ml of sparkling water.

Mix all the ingredients for the batter together, heat the oil, dip the heads in the batter and fry!

Make sure you dust them with icing sugar when cooked and try not to eat any stems (they don't make good eating).

We all loved these and ate far too many! Might have to try it with meadowsweet later in the summer!