During lockdown with all its travel restrictions, we have revisited, in our own kitchen, some of the culinary delights of earlier travelling, including the delicious food of North Africa. And what could be more delicious and exotic than a dish…
May is always a very busy month in the garden. Last night, after working all day in our gardens planting out lots of flower and vegetable plants from the greenhouse ahead of the forecast rain, I went in, tired out.…
It is apple blossom time again. Our old, gnarled apple trees are covered in pink and white blossom, some even tinged a dark red, making our little orchard so beautiful in the Spring sunshine. A romantic picture if ever there…
Who invented the hamburger? That is a good question, and one that is not easy to answer. And there will inevitably be arguments… There is no doubt that the origins of the name “hamburger” lie in the “Hamburg steaks” that…
This week is British Beef Week, an event designed to promote the value of beef as part of a healthy balanced diet. At Top Meadow Farm we are proud of our locally produced beef. Much of it from our own…
The one event, more than any other, each year that makes my spirits soar and my heart beat faster is the arrival of the swallows and house martins after the long months of winter. And the great news is that…
One of the interesting sights when travelling through the Perigord, in southern France, is the large flocks of free range ducks and geese in the fields. In the town and village markets there are ducks for sale in every form…
There is something strange happening in our woods… At this time of year our woodland is peaceful and beautiful. The banks and hollows are scattered with clumps of primroses. The ground is covered with the fleshy leaves of wild bluebells…
A roasted chicken with all the trimmings is a great traditional Sunday lunch. A succulent chicken with its skin roasted golden, bacon rolls, giblet sauce, sage and onion stuffing, creamy bread sauce, crispy roast potatoes, broccoli or cabbage, roasted parsnips…
Spring is a busy time on the farm. There is lambing, calving, rolling grassland to repair winter damage, ploughing and seeding…all to be done in the space of a few weeks, and, of course, there are still the routine daily…
