Home Pumpkin Celebration Day 4 - First Recipe Workshop - Pumpkin Pancakes and Toffee Sauce!

 Today, we're linking with Refugee Roots again to bring you our second cooking workshop 

- pumpkin pancakes with toffee sauce!

Tracey will be part of a second Zoom Call at 5pm today, showing a video of her making the recipe in the her kitchen. She will be able to answer any questions you have, and after that, you'll be able to access the video at a link we'll post below. There will be a Zoom launch for a recipe video on Friday as well, at 5pm, but don't worry if you can't make it, as the recipes will be hosted afterwards on the Refugee Roots site.

If you'd benefit from being given the ingredients to help you make the recipe, you can apply for a recipe box - we have quite a number to give away. Comment under each of the posts if you are interested in the ingredients for that recipe. Happy cooking!

Pumpkin Pancake Recipe Zoom - sign up using this link. Scroll down to get an email with your invite to the zoom.

Home Pumpkin Celebration Day 3 - First Recipe Workshop - Pumpkin Risotto!

Today, we're linking with Refugee Roots to bring you our first cooking workshop 

- pumpkin risotto!

Tracey will be part of a Zoom Call at 5pm today, showing a video of her making the recipe in the Windmill Polytunnel. She will be able to answer any questions you have, and after that, you'll be able to access the video at the link below. There will be Zoom launches for recipe videos on Thursday and Friday as well, at 5pm, but don't worry if you can't make it, as the recipes will be hosted afterwards on the Refugee Roots site.

If you'd benefit from being given the ingredients to help you make the recipe, you can apply for a recipe box - we have quite a number to give away. Comment under each of the posts if you are interested in the ingredients for that recipe. Happy cooking!

Pumpkin Risotto Zoom Launch - sign up here to get your invite to the zoom.

Pumpkin Risotto Video

Home Pumpkin Celebration Day 2

Welcome to Day 2 of our Online Pumpkin Celebration.

Today we have the Advanced Pumpkin Carving Workshop for you. This is lead by Tracey who normally does our group pumpkin carving, so she's helped lots of people to get great results.

Watch the Videos to see the tools and techniques Tracey recommends, then have a look at the resources info for places to find the patterns if you need them. And remember to save the insides to make some of the lovely recipes we'll be sharing this week!

Great patterns here - many of them free -

https://www.pumpkinlady.com

https://www.stoneykins.com

The wood carving chisels are here (and in many other places!)

https://preview.tinyurl.com/y4bgkcub

Lino cutters

https://preview.tinyurl.com/yx92lgea

Hope you find it useful, and if you do, why not send us a photo of what you create. There are prizes for Primary, Secondary and Adult carvings!

Video 1

Video 2

Video 3

Home Pumpkin Celebration- Day 1!

Welcome to Day 1 of our Home Pumpkin Celebration!

Today we have the Beginners Pumpkin Carving Workshop for you. This is lead by Tracey who normally does our group pumpkin carving, so she's helped lots of people to get great results.

Watch the Videos and then have a look at the resources information below for ideas on where to get the kit you need and the patterns if you need them. 

Pumpkin carving workshop part 1

Pumpkin carving workshop part 2

Pumpkin Pile - is a great place to go for easy carving patterns that can look really impressive.

One of their pages HERE - has very easy patterns that you might even be able to draw on the pumpkin with a biro and will give you ideas for how to make a face look scary or funny.

Home Pumpkin Celebration Calendar of Events!

 

Home Pumpkin Celebration!

 

                               

 

                                LOCKDOWN AT WINDMILL GARDENS

 I'm lucky enough to be one of the four core volunteers who have been working away in the community allotment since the spring.  I say lucky, because it has got me out of the house, where I tend to listen to the radio all day long, including the news, and kept me healthy.  I decided that it was safest to travel by bike, so I have cycled the mile and a bit twice a week, every week, except when I took a short holiday in Great Yarmouth.  The weather has been kind to us too, there have been very few days when we have been "Rained Off".  We have been lucky to have Tracey finding out the Covid restrictions and finding ways to keep us working.  Social distancing doesn't always come naturally, but we have managed, and used many bottles of anti-bacterial hand gel.

                                 Tracey shovelling shit!               

     We started in April with a massive pile of manure, which we cleared very quickly, despite the fact that we had to work in shifts.  We were helped by Jeremy and Ash and Clare.  In fact, there have been many other volunteers coming and going over the past six months, including one of our older members, Brian, who is invaluable for those DIY jobs, Tammy who has a magic touch with Calabrese and Kale.  Mo, Durbah and Ayaan who have been watering regularly all summer.  Also Shahnaz, Zarifah, Mary, and Adam who have been with us briefly, the list goes on.  More recently, old volunteers like Stuart have been returning.  We also had help from three year old twins, whose sister is shown resting below.  They planted so much salad, that we have been making money selling it.  Because of all these visitors, including people coming to buy plants, we had to install a bell, made by a friendly Blacksmith - Gavin.  It can be heard at the far side of the allotment.

 

  The Bell                                                        

  

 

                                                       

                                      Rosie with salad trays                                                                                         

                                                                                                       

     

                       

                                                                       Our youngest volunteer                                                                    

    

One of the benefits of having fewer people around, is that you don't stop to talk so much.  Consequently more work has been done.  We have been really impressed by the amount of vegetables that we have produced.  In fact, we have been giving a lot away because we can no longer have our Thursday meal cooked by the lovely Zarifa, Mary, Shahnaz and Mo.  We have donated food to community meals and given some to the Sumac Centre food hub, in return for Time Credits and goods.  We have also been sending supplies to Mohi and Mohamed, who are isolating because they are expecting a baby very soon.  They normally grow their own at the allotment.

Of course we mustn't forget the lovely Clare, who has started up a new project working with people with mental health issues.  She runs a separate session for them, but is encouraging people to join our regular groups.  As we have all found out over lock down, gardening and being outside in the fresh air and greenery is one of the best cures for stress, depression and anxiety.

      Bryn hard at work!

             John making Comfrey "Tea"                                

                                                                  

Rosie Jarrett 30/09/2020