Spadework’s trainees and staff will be harvesting an amazing selection of vegetables from their two-acre plot this autumn. The large show-stopping pumpkins (see photo) will be auctioned to raise money for the charity — which provides work-based training for ninety adults with learning and other disabilities — when Spadework hosts Offham Farmers’ Market on Saturday October 14th. The market starts at 10:00, and the auction begins at Midday. Everyone is welcome to join in the fun.
Other crops on the horizon, include Crown Prince, Turk’s Turban, butternut and other squashes, pak choi, choi sum; white mouli, Munchener bier and black winter giant radishes; purple and green kohlrabi; white, purple, golden and striped Chioggia beetroot, plus very colourful ulluco tubers. Yields of staple crops such as leeks, turnips and swedes also look very promising this year.
All the products grown in Spadework’s Vegetable Patch will be available from the Farm Shop and the charity’s stall at Offham Farmers’ Market. However, if you don’t fancy cooking them yourself, they will be featuring heavily in the new autumn specials menu at the Spadework Cafe, between now and the end of November. The cafe’s manager Richard Perton is told us ‘It’s wonderful to have these fantastic vegetables arriving in the kitchen within minutes of being harvested. It makes our Daily Specials even more special! Our chefs are working on recipes such as rainbow-beetroot and goats cheese tart, half a garlic-butter-grilled chicken with kohlrabi coleslaw, ginger infused beef with pak choi and honey, crispy smoked mackerel with beetroot and yoghurt dressing and watercress; and sweet pumpkin pie with Chantilly cream. Follow us on Facebook to make sure you don’t miss your favourite!’
Spadework’s Garden Centre, Cafe and Farms Shop are all open to the public 7 days a week.
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