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Penny Hemming

Penny is the head gardener at Riverford HQ. She can usually be found in 'Penny's Polytunnel', an Aladdin's Cave of unusual veg and herbs, used to supply the Field Kitchen restaurant. She also runs guided tours and farm walks, takes workshops and is a fount of knowledge about the history of Riverford and its land. 

 

Posts by Penny Hemming

    • Seeds
    • Grow your own

    The joy of a seed

    A seed is a little time capsule waiting to come to life, offering an antidote to the fast-paced, hectic and stressful life that many of us lead these days.

    By Penny Hemming - 27th February 2019

    1
  • Flowers
    • Grow your own

    How to grow your own

    Growing some of your own veg, herbs or flowers is a very rewarding and satisfying thing to try. It gets you outside, connects you with nature, and gets you on the move so is good physical exercise.

    By Penny Hemming - 30th April 2017

    0
  • Soil
    • Grow your own

    How to make compost

    As I get older, my body complains sometimes about the physical exertion I put it through, so I’m becoming a bit of a fan of the no-dig approach to growing.

    By Penny Hemming - 8th March 2017

    1

Latest posts

    • Climate change
    • Environment & ethics

    Lifestyle changes won’t stop the climate emergency

    Lifestyle changes are certainly welcome, but the scale of change required for us to avert ecological disaster can only be made by governments and fossil fuel multinationals, writes Tom McDonough.

    By Tom McDonough - 16th August 2019

    1
    • Eating & drinking
    • Environment & ethics

    Why we should spend more on food

    Can we simply steal from the Italians? They see food as their identity, a friend and even a work of art, writes Joe Atkins.

    By Joe Atkins - 15th August 2019

    1
    • Farming

    Extreme weather hits broccoli and caulis

    Some growers in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire have lost much of this year’s brassica crop after extreme rainfall causes flooding in fields.

    By Nina Pullman - 15th August 2019

    0
    • News from the farm
    • Farming

    Rain, wind and weeds

    With the right conditions, it is possible to throw enough soil into the rows to bury emerging weeds without smothering the crop, achieving almost complete weed control without any hand work.

    By Guy Singh-Watson - 15th August 2019

    0
    • Eating & drinking
    • Recipes

    Top five summer sweetcorn recipes

    From July to early October is the season for fresh corn – deliciously sweet, golden like the sun and bursting with flavour. Read our favourite recipes and enjoy summer sweetcorn at its best.

    By Becky Marshall - 12th August 2019

    0
    • Plastic
    • Environment & ethics

    The real reason why McDonald’s straws matter

    The only thing being recycled this summer is a story about how rubbish eco straws are, but why?, asks Lucy Siegle.

    By Lucy Siegle - 9th August 2019

    0

Articles from other authors

Lifestyle changes won’t stop the climate emergency

It can be easy when it comes to environmental issues for my concerns to narrow down to the individual level. Weighed down by guilt, I continually ask myself…

1 comments / Climate change

Why we should spend more on food

‘I can’t afford good food’ is a common and understandable statement I hear frequently among peers. At the end of the month it is tempting, and frequently…

1 comments / Eating & drinking

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Wicked Leeks is an online magazine powered by Riverford Organic Farmers.
Riverford grows and sells organic food through its award-winning veg boxes, alongside campaigning for its core values of sustainable food and ethical business.

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  • GUY’S NEWS: Rain, wind & weeds ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ A string of weather fronts sweeping in off the Atlantic have given us 3” of much-needed rain. The winds damaged 3 polytunnels & ravaged crops of squash, but we’re not complaining; seeing struggling crops revive after a good drink makes the damage a minor detail. Rain has brought a flush of weeds & if we get the timing right, for vigorous crops like cabbage we can cultivate between rows with weeding machinery: scuffles, brush hoes, finger tines, discs & ridging bodies. It’s possible to throw enough soil into the rows to bury emerging weeds without smothering the crop, achieving almost complete weed control without any hand work. Success is down to strong plants, good timing & obsessive attention to detail. For the last few days, Jaap, a visiting Dutch student whose family farm the flat, stoneless polders north of Amsterdam, has been steering the brush hoe (with rotating, flexible brushes that nimbly uproot weeds as it rolls). Watching him bump along our slopes, the machine bouncing around the slate & granite stones that litter our fields, I suspect he thinks we’re insane. Perhaps it’s time to invest in a stone-picking machine – though it feels wrong to part our soil from the stones that will eventually weather into the soil of future generations. Another visitor, Timothy Njakasi, an old friend from Uganda, thinks we should use the stones to build terraces as he has on his farm; it would be beautiful, but while only 0.7% of the UK’s GDP goes to farmers, it would certainly bankrupt us. Something must be wrong with a market where food is too cheap to warrant looking after the soil it comes from. Despite the stones, slopes & lack of tropical sunshine, the thing that both Jaap & Timothy admire about Riverford is the close relationship with you, our customers. When we sow a seed, we know that the cabbage, lettuce or leek, if halfway decent, will be sold for the pre-agreed price; a luxury very few First or Third World farmers enjoy.
  • RECIPE - Turmeric Coconut Rice & Tamarind Greens⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This aromatic rice dish marries the cooking techniques of a pilaf & biryani. The rice is laced with creamy coconut & livened up by fresh greens.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ You'll need (serves 2):⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 150g white basmati rice⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 onion, peeled & finely diced⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 piece ginger, peeled & grated⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 2 garlic cloves, peeled & grated ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 2 chillies, deseeded & chopped⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 200g runner beans, trimmed, sliced in 1-2 cm⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 200g spinach⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 tsp black onion seeds ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 tsp turmeric⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 tin coconut milk⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ½ tbsp bouillon powder⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 30g peanuts⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 15g coriander, roughly chopped⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 15g mint, roughly chopped ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 40g tamarind paste - add to taste⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 20g toasted coconut chips⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 lemon ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Soak the rice in cold water. Gently fry the onion for 10 mins in a large saucepan.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ To the onion, add the ginger, garlic & chilli. Stir in the onion seeds & turmeric. Drain the rice & add to the pan.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Stir in the coconut milk & bouillon. Bring to a low boil. Refill the tin ⅓ full of water; add that. Cook for 8 mins, while you toast the peanuts in a frying pan for 3-4 mins, then give them a chop.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ After 8 mins, take the rice pan off the heat, cover with a lid & leave to steam.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Stir-fry the runner beans for 3 mins. Add 3 tbsp of water & ½ tbsp of tamarind. Transfer to a plate. Add the spinach to the frying pan & wilt. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Mix in the beans & more tamarind, & stir in 1/2 the mint. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Fluff the rice & add the coriander. Serve sprinkled with the peanuts, coconut chips, remaining herbs, more chilli (if you like), & wedges of lemon.
  • At this time of year our farm is in full bloom, and the bees love it 🐝 These honeybees have a new home on our Devon farm, right next to our kitchen garden where we grow food for @riverfordfieldkitchen. The hives belong to and are looked after by Joe Harper, a hobby beekeeper whose interest began as a child, learning from his grandfather. For him it’s not about the honey, it’s about providing an example of beekeeping which is sustainable and as close to nature as possible. His method involves minimal intervention, using horizontal top bar hives which allow inspection without dismantling the frame, and allows bees to build their own comb. In addition to this, honey is only ever taken from the hive if the bees produce surplus to their needs. As an organic farm, it’s the ideal location for the bees with access to plants free from artificial pesticides, and in turn they benefit us via pollination. Here they are coming in and out of their hive. A credit to our fantastic photographer James for these beautiful shots 📷.
  • RECIPE - Asian Pancake with Sriracha & Sesame ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This vegetable-packed pancake takes its inspiration from Japanese Okonomiyaki, which is traditionally cooked with fish and meat. We’ve added ginger, sea salad and sesame seeds for an authentic Japanese flavour with a vegetarian twist. It’s drizzled with sriracha and served in the traditional way with a dollop of creamy mayonnaise. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ You'll need (serves 2): 1 small piece ginger 1 carrot 1 pointed cabbage 125g bunched onions 6 eggs 100g plain flour 1 tbsp tamari 1 tbsp sesame seeds sriracha sea salad (dried sea salad - nori/sea lettuce) mayonnaise 50g mixed salad leaves ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ - Peel and finely grate, or chop, the ginger. Peel and coarsely grate the carrot. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ - Finely shred a good handful of cabbage. Trim and finely slice the onions, including some of the green top parts. - In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and flour - keep going, it will come together! Add 2-3 tbsp of water to achieve the consistency of double cream. — Add the ginger, carrot, cabbage, ½ the onions and the tamari to the batter, season (lightly with salt as the tamari is already salty) and stir to combine. -Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Heat a thin layer of oil in a large frying pan over a low-medium heat. Pour in the vegetable batter. Cook on a medium heat, covered with either a lid or a loose sheet of foil over the mixture, for approx, 6-8 mins, until the egg is almost cooked all the way through and the base is golden brown. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ - In a dry saucepan, gently toast the sesame seeds for 2-3 mins, then transfer to a plate. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Place the frying pan under the grill to finish cooking the egg through, approx. 2 mins, then remove the pan from the heat. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ - Serve, either in the pan at the table or cut into pieces, drizzled with the sriracha and sprinkled with remaining onions, the sea salad and sesame seeds. - Add a dollop of mayonnaise for dunking the pancake into as you eat, and the salad leaves alongside.
  • We've teamed up with @seasaltcornwall to giveaway a bumper organic prize 🎉 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Enter our competition to win a £100 Seasalt voucher and three months of organic veg boxes 🥕. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Fellow organic pioneers Seasalt were the first fashion brand to ever receive Soil Association certification for their organic cotton!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Three runners-up will a mini bundle too. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Enter via link in bio.
  • RECIPE - Charred Corn, Bean & Avocado Tacos⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ You’ll need (serves 2): ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 tin red kidney beans, drained & rinsed.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 refried bean spice mix (1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp bouillion powder, 1 tsp ground coriander)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ kernels from 1 peeled sweetcorn cob⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 4 tortillas⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 garlic clove, peeled & finely chopped⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 red onion, peeled & finely sliced⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 15g coriander, both stalks & leaves chopped⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 2 chillies, deseeded & finely chopped⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 200g sweet mixed peppers, quartered & deseeded⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds, toasted in a dry pan for 3-4 mins⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 corn taco spice mix (1 tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp paprika, 1 tsp herbs de Provence, ½ tsp mint)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 lime ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 avocado, diced⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 50g mixed salad leaves⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Preheat your oven to 200°C/Gas 6. In a medium pan, place beans, refried bean spice mix & water (enough to fill 2/3 of the empty kidney bean tin). Season. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Cook on a low boil, stirring often, for 10 mins - let it reduce, but not boil dry. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ After 10 mins, lightly mash the beans to a coarse, mash-like texture. Check the seasoning. If they look too sloppy, gently cook a little more, 1-2 mins. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Wrap tortillas in tin foil, then put in the oven to warm. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Heat 1 tbsp of oil in the frying pan & fry the corn until a little browned & charred, then transfer to a plate (take care, it may pop a little towards the end). ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Add a splash more oil to the pan. Reduce the heat & fry the onion for 2 mins. Add the peppers & fry for 3 more mins. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Add the taco spice mix & garlic. Fry for 1 min. Add the chilli (to taste) & corn. Season & add lime to taste. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Fill the tortillas with beans, a few salad leaves, corn mix, avocado, coriander & pumpkin seeds. Serve with rest of salad leaves, wedges of lime & more chilli if you like.
  • In this week's newsletter, we hear from James Foskett, who grows organic sweetcorn & more for us: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This is about our 10th year of growing organic sweetcorn, & we’ve definitely learnt a few tips & tricks along the way. We cover the earlier stuff under fleece to give it the best start, & then you really do have to be pretty vigilant in terms of pests.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The other thing is weeds: sweetcorn doesn’t give you the groundcover that will prevent any more weeds coming through, so it can be difficult to control. On some crops, once we’ve prepared a seed bed, we wait for weeds to show & then burn them off with a flame weeder.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ We’ve just started handpicking the first of this year’s corn crop & it’s looking good – I tried some last week & it was very sweet, it tastes delicious. Sweetcorn works quite well in our rotation, where effectively it’s our only cereal. We grow about 10 different crops organically, including sweetcorn, potatoes, onions, Tenderstem broccoli, cabbages, carrots, butternut squash, green beans, radish, peas, beetroot & quite a lot of parsley, which goes off to be dried.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ My father moved to this farm in 1955, so I’m second generation. We now have around 520 acres of organic land, with some fertility building going on within that – it’s not all vegetables! We’re in Suffolk, about 3 or 4 miles away from the sea, so tend not to get really bad frosts. In the summer this makes a big difference because our temperatures are lower than further inland so crops keep growing. We’re also classed as an ‘early’ part of the country in growing terms – we’re generally harvesting just after Cornwall.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ We started growing organically around the time of the financial crash, & after some consideration decided to stick with it. It’s been a pretty hard road, but I’m surrounded by an excellent team. There is a huge amount of skill involved & if you’re not on the button, you get beaten by the bugs, beasties & weeds. Personally, I like the buzz of organic farming.
  • RECIPE – Sweetcorn Dhansak Curry⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ You’ll need (serves 2): ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 100g red lentils⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 onion, peeled & finely diced ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 15g coriander, leaves removed & stalks chopped⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 150g black rice, rinsed in a sieve ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 2 garlic cloves, peeled & chopped ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 3 chillies, deseeded & finely chopped (or leave the seeds in for more heat) ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 125g cherry tomatoes, quartered ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 dhansak spice mix (1 tbsp curry powder, 1 tsp garam masala) ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 tin coconut milk ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The kernels from 1 peeled sweetcorn cob⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 15g chervil, roughly chopped⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 175ml yogurt⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 60g mango chutney ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 150g baby spinach⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 lime ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Put the lentils in a heatproof bowl or saucepan. Cover with boiled water & set aside. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Transfer the black rice to a medium saucepan, cover with boiling water & add a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil then then simmer for approx. 25-30 mins until tender.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large saucepan. Gently fry the onion & coriander stalks for 10 mins, stirring occasionally. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Add the garlic, dhansak spice mix & some of the chilli (add to your taste) to the onion. Stir for 2 mins. Add coconut milk. Drain the lentils into a sieve, rinse then add them too. Bring to a low boil then let it simmer for 10 mins.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Stir the sweetcorn, tomatoes & chutney into the lentils. Simmer for 5-8 mins, until the lentils are soft. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ In handfuls, stir the spinach into the lentils until wilted. Drain the rice. Stir ¾ of the coriander leaves into the curry. Season & add lime juice, to taste. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Mix the chervil & yogurt in a small bowl, adding a pinch of salt to taste. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Serve the curry with rice, yogurt, remaining coriander & some extra chilli if you like.
  • Ellis wonders whether the news about McDonald's new paper straws not being recyclable might be missing an obvious solution.... ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #WickedLeeksEllis

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