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Broom House Farm Newsletter
FEBRUARY 2017
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| Hello everybody! Snow flurries, frosty mornings and lots of muddy weather...better now than when we are putting the lambs out in March/April. With child number one back at university and child number two full of busy at school, the house seems unusually quiet...and unusually tidy! This leaves plenty of time for planning - it'll soon be time to get going in both the garden and lambing shed. We have a new trail in the pipeline for the Forest Adventure, opening once the weather cheers up (keep an eye on the facebook page) and lots of wooly events happening in the Spring, from crafts to lambing open days...! |
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Broom House Farming News
All ewes and ewe lambs have been scanned and sorted into groups according to how many lambs they are having, how thin they are and when they are lambing. This allows feeding to be tailored to each group - the thinner ewes and those carrying triplets will get the best quality hay and silage whilst the fatter single lamb bearing ewes will have a lesser ration.
The first lambs are due on 17th March and on the plus side, there were few geld (barren) ewes. On the downside the scanning percentage is never as high as the farmer would like. After 3 busy days the last of the winter sheared ewes are clipped
; they are feeling the cold just at the moment but will stay in the polytunnels and sheds until they lamb in April, by which time they should have enough wooly regrowth. It's certainly a huge advantage not having to walk the ewes and lambs back for shearing in June when the weather is (sometimes) very warm, the lambs are chaotic and there's enough to do with chasing silage around the fields. Some of the geld ewes are kept for mutton, the remainder have been sold at Darlington Mart, prices are currently holding up well both for cull ewes and lambs. Brexit doesn't seem to be having a negative impact yet...plenty of time for that, and certainly there is much debate amongst farmers about how best to 'Brexit-Proof' agricultural businesses.  This week the pregnant ewe lambs are being injected and sorted into groups and the remaining fattening lambs are being weighed and graded. The last of the 2016 crop will be sold next week (apart from those lambs that we will need to supply the farm shop until the first of the 2017 crop are ready in June/July). These lambs will go in an artic. lorry straight to Wales to supply Sainsbury's organic lamb. It's nice when local food businesses use local produce, currently Durham's Cellar Door are buying lamb, recently Finbarrs used Broom House pork and Baltic's Six bought beef.
Mornings are taken up with feeding, moving bales from one end of the farm to the other and checking livestock. Afternoons are filled with maintenance and mucking out sheep and cattle sheds and getting ready for calving next month. Muck is organic gold-dust, it would be good if all the livestock could be housed at this time of year so that more could be stockpiled, the cow muck on the outside wintering areas is largely washed away by the rain and wasted.
Surprisingly, considering that they are still stuck inside with the Avian Flu restrictions, the hens are coming into lay and even the 3 year old hens are producing nice big eggs. Hopefully the restrictions, which apply to all poultry keepers in the UK, large and small, will be lifted on 1st March in Durham and the birds can be allowed back out into the fields. It's amazing how many people have not heard about this news and ask where the hens and ducks have gone. 
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Broom House Butchery News
 Grass Fed? More and more people are coming into the shop and asking us about pasture fed meat. Amongst other things, it's all about the Omega-3s apparently, and those following Paleo principles with their diet are certainly supporters of pasture fed meat. Broom House beef and lamb is finished on the organic grass and clover from this farm (as hay/silage in the winter months). Organic grass provides the higher levels of Omega-3s and other nutrients such as selenium and iron, and this is passed into the meat. Aberdeen Angus beef cattle are small and fatten up easily without the need for 'hard feed' (grain from wheat/barley/oats).  Our pork is not grass fed as pigs require a higher protein diet and we buy in a specially formulated GM free pig cob for them. In February we have the contrast of comfort food being needed for these freezing nights and something a bit special needed for entertaining family and friends. Lamb is delicious at the moment, and our butchers can prepare a romantic rack of lamb, a succulent shoulder cushion or some tasty chops.Or for an everyday meal, how about a slow roast shoulder of lamb or a hot pot with layers of crispily melting potatoes. There are some great value aubergines in the shops at the moment, so perhaps a moussaka would ring the changes and bring back memories of warm sunny holidays in Greece.
You may have seen Countryfile at the weekend, and the feature on Herdwick Mutton. Our mutton, from the Lleyn breed is equally tasty, great value and worth a try for a change - mutton once took pride of place as the nation's favourite dish, it fed us all, from peasant to King.
It's Farmer's Market in Durham on Thursday 16th February and Sedgefield on Sunday 5th March. We'll be at the Saturday market in Durham every week if we can get there.
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Broom House Farm Coffee Shop News
Remember to pick up your LOYALTY CARD!
New this month? High energy fruity nutty bars created for the cyclists, beers from the
Steam Machine in Aycliffe and cider from Spain (?) I think the boys went for pretty label over food miles here!
The Coffee Shop is open every day and our friendly young crew can't wait for you to come and try their
new menu
with yummy ideas,winter warming specials and vegetarian options alongside our best selling Breakfast, Brunch & Lunch...and of course there's always cake! We're having a big campaign to jazz up our cake selection, after all coffee is so much nicer with something to nibble on, so please do let us have your feedback.
Weekend Brunch-Sunday Lunch
are
very popular and very delicious and a lovely way to spend some time with family or friends. There are some lovely walks on footpaths around the farm and food always tastes better after a little exercise! Little Farmer's Club Term time Monday mornings are kick started with these sessions starting at 10.00am on the dot (Little Farmers wait for noone!), great fun for you and your 3-4 year old preschool children and free of charge (as long as you stay for brunch afterwards!) - please wrap up warmly, we venture forth in all kinds of weathers. Afternoon Tea a perfect way to catch up with friends or workmates (please book a day or two in advance). Celebrate with a glass of fizz.
To book or for any information please ring the coffee shop 0191 371 8382 to book
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Things to do at Half Term at Broom House Farm 
We have a wooly indoor activity - join us this half term from 17th Februuary and make a pom-pom sheep for our flock. Every finished sheep will be rewarded with a free 2017 day ticket to the Forest Adventure.
These sheep will create the first stage of our May 2017 wooly art installation "THE WOOLY BOMBERS!" (see our knitting section) so come along and take part - all ages welcome.
Broom House Farm is all about fresh air: we believe in providing plenty of wide open empty green space for your little ones to run freely and use their imaginations. If you'd like to do something more structured with your little ones why make a list of things for your children to try and spot around the farm and down the lane - "signs of Spring" - snowdrop, sheep etc or a list of things to collect: feather, sticky bud, prickly leaf etc...a great activity for colder days.  The Forest Adventure Trail will open once the weather warms up. In the meantime we are busy with Broom House Birthday parties, head for the cafe to discuss your requirements or telephone 0191 371 8382. Derek is also still taking Laser Tag Bookings through the winter months and Fury Events offer great activities for teenagers/adults.
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Thank you for reading our newsletter and for visiting us. Please let us have your Broom House Farm news and stories, thank you to those of you who give us feedback by email and on our Facebook pages. We're looking forward to seeing you all up at the farm or down in Durham Market Place again soon.
With best wishes,
Mark, Jane and
The Broom House Farm Team |
| SAVE £5 ! |
Broom House Farm
Bring this voucher to claim £5 off the price of a frozen organic chicken (whilst stocks last!).
You can really taste the difference.
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Offer Expires:1st March 2017
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Broom House Events
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Monday mornings term time "Little Farmers" all 3-4 year olds welcome - meet at the Coffee Shop 10am. Thursday 16th February Durham Farmers Market Sunday 5th March Sedgefield Farmers' Market Saturdays 9am-1.30pm Visit our stall in Durham Market Place Sundays - Roast Angus beef - lunch in the Coffee Shop First Wednesday every month Knitting & Nattering afternoon in the Coffee Shop from 1.30pm, all abilities
Find our more details by checking the Broom House Farm Website
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| WOOLY HAPPENINGS PLEASE BRING US YOUR WOOL!
At 1.30pm on the 1st Wednesday of every month we hold our drop in knit and natter sessions, and this Spring we are hoping to broaden our horizons with some great fundraising wooly activities open to all ages and culminating with a wooly spectacular in May. We'd be so grateful for any leftover wool that you can spare - please leave it in the baskets at the Coffee Shop/Farm Shop. We'd like everyone to join in either by joining our knit and natter sessons during the half term and Easter holidays or by getting creative at home or school.Help us by knitting or crocheting some small colourful farm animals, flowers or insects, we want to end up with as many of these as we can so please get in touch, we have patterns available for all levels of ability.  We will be rewarding children with day passes to the Forest Adventure, whilst adults will recieve a free pot of tea. School/group entrants that sign up will be rewarded with a free group visit to the Forest Adventure. |
Supplier of the Month
STEAM MACHINE
These "bold flavoured new wave craft beers" are brewed in Aycliffe and available for sale at the Coffee Shop. Why not try the Earl Grey tea infused IPA?
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FEBRUARY RECIPE
Rainy Day Hotpot
INGREDIENTS
Pre-heat the oven to 170°C
900g diced stewing lamb
900g potatoes, peeled and sliced
salt and freshly milled black pepper
1 tablespoon flavourless oil
butter
350g onions, sliced thinly
2 stalks celery, chopped small
1 pint hot water, mixed with ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce and a
teaspoon tomato puree
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh thyme
METHOD
In a large frying pan, heat the oil until it is very hot, then brown the pieces of lamb until it has a
good brown crust. As they cook, remove them to a wide casserole.
Next, fry the onions till they turn brown at the e
dges, then gradually add the hot water and Worcestershire sauce, tomato puree
. Season with salt and pepper and bring it up to simmering point, then pour it over the meat in the casserole. Add the
bay leaf and thyme, then arrange the potato slices on top, in an overlapping pattern. Season the potatoes and add a few
flecks of butter.
Cover with a lid and cook in the oven for 1½ hours, then remove the lid and continue to cook until the potatoes are crispy and brown
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Bird of the Month
Tree Sparrow
Passer montanus
Tree Sparrows are easy to separate from House Sparrows, they have a conker coloured cap, white patches to the sides of the head and a small black cheek patch.
The Tree Sparrow is a red-listed species, numbers having crashed since the 1970s, but at Broom House Farm there is a large population.
- Egg laying April - August.
- Two or three broods
- 5-6 eggs. White with brown blotches
- Incubation time: 12-13 days
- Nestlings fledge after 15-18 days.
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and finally...
snow
If the weather's wintery and you don't have a snowmobile, then the road from Witton Gilbert up to the farm is your best bet, as we are clearing/gritting this at the moment. First thing in the morning the road can be a little challenging, but with a little help from the the sun it's amazing how little grit you need to get back to tarmac and most of the time the road is back to black by mid morning - any worries and ring before you set off 0191 3718839.
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