Bedford Foodbank...

Students at Redborne often carry out various social enterprise tasks. This not only enriches the curriculum but helps build life skills and more importantly involves students within the community...

Redborne Students cooking some of Redborne's Sausages...

Our Environmental Studies students were set the challenge of raising £10 each in order to purchase food for Bedford Foodbank..

So they set about organising a BBQ for staff and students at Redborne School. They advertised, arranged the event and did all of the cooking; raising a very impressive £100 for the project...

In order to purchase one of everything from the list takes approximately £10 so all that was needed was to head to teh shops...

There are several drop off points for those wishing to donate:
Brickhill Baptist Church, Brickhill Drive, Bedford MK41 7QFMonday 2:00 to 4:00pm and Wednesday 1:00 to 3:00pm
Christ Church, 117 Denmark Street, Bedford, MK40 3TJ
Tuesday 1:00 to 3:00pm
St Mary's Church, Church Lane, Goldington, Bedford MK41 OAPWednesday 1:00 to 3:00pm
The Salvation Army , Bedford Congress Hall, Commercial Road, Bedford MK40 1QS
Friday: 1:00 to 3:00pm
Project 229, 229 Bedford Road, Kempston, MK42 8DA
Friday: 1:00 to 3:00pm (opening 12th July 2013)...

We delivered to Brickhill Baptist Church who were very pleased to have received a van load of food...

There is often a misconception over foodbanks; that they supply benefit cheats and people who cannot be bothered to find work. This is simply not true, when we visited the centre was busy supporting a large number of elderly people who are living on the bread line as well as a disturbingly large number of young children...

food stamps are ghiven out by key workers such as GP's, Social workers and Police and so they are a truly valuable resource for many...

Buying the shopping at a local supermarket...

10 of everything...

All boxed up and ready to go with a few extra donations...

Starting to fill up the drop off point at Brickhill Baptist Church...

http://bedford.foodbank.org.uk/

Fibre East II: A Woolly Weekend...

Over the weekend Fibre East came to Redborne. 140 exhibitors and various demonstartions made for a fantastic weekend...

The farm was open to visitors and many folk made their way around the farm to see what we offer students and the local community...
The exhibitors also came for dinner...

What to do with Mutton...

Here at Redborne we produce Mutton seasonally and it is that season again. A few folk have asked for mutton recipes and so I thought I'd place just a couple of easy guides to cook delicious mutton dishes:

If you fancy some mutton to make either the dishes below or anything else then we have joints priced at £7 per kg...

The Pie...

This does make a BIG pie reminiscent of Despertae Dan.

Ingredients:

Pastry:

400 - 500g plain flour

150 -200g Fat, cubed (I prefer lard but stork will do)

150g grated cheese (Proper mature cheddar)

Cold water to bind

Filling:

One large onion diced

A little olive oil

1 kg Mutton shoulder, diced (or left over mutton from the delicious roast)

250g new potatoes

100g frozen peas

1/2 Jar redcurrant Jelly

4 tablespoons Mint Sauce

1tr Lamb Stock (Stock cube stuff is good)

Corn flour

Method:

 

1. For the pastry add flour and fat and rub until fine crumbs, add a generous pinch of black pepper (Don't add salt as there is plenty in the cheese)

2. Add the cheese and work in as you have the fat but not too much

3. Once mixed add just enough cold water to bind

4. Bring Pastry together into a dough.

5. For the filling, add the diced onion to a hot pan with a little olive oil. Saute until golden

6. Add the lamb and brown (Unless using left overs then skip to step 7)
7.Cover the lamb with the stock and add the peas, mint sauce and redcurrant jelly. Stir until Jelly has dissolved.
8. Place pot in the oven for at least four hours, adding the potatoes during the last hour. (If using left overs just add the potatoes and simmer for 45 mins)
9. Once the lamb is deliciously tender and the potatoes are cooked, add 4 teaspoons of cornflour to a mug and mix with cold water. Once mixed, stir cornflour into lamb to thicken the gravy.

10. Roll out 2/3 of the pastry and line a genrous pie dish.

11. Fill with meat, veg and gravy
12. Roll out the remaining 1/3 and place as lid. Cut a hole to let steam escape and crimp the edges
13. Glaze and cook one 170 degrees C for 40 mins - 1hour or until golden and crisp

Job done!!!

 

Roast Mutton

 

1. Take one of our legs or shoulders of mutton

2. Place on a trivet of onions in a large roasting dish

3. Fill the bottom of teh roasting dish with white wine until it just touches the bottom of the meat

4. Sprinkle the mutton with a little salt, pepper and either chopped thyme or rosemary.

5. Cover tightly with foil

6. Cook in a low oven (160 degrees Celsius) for 6 hours

7. Serve with whatever takes your fancy, sauteed cabbage and roast potatoes are a personal favourite)

As happy as a pig in...

With the recent warmth the pigs have been making the most of their attention and facilities. Our indoor pigs have been having regular baths and those outside have been making the most of their wallows...

 

Pigs use their wallows for many things especially covering their skin from the sun to avoid sunburn...

Learning to butcher a pig...

Ever fancied learning a new skill? Keep livestock and fancy exploring the production process? Well we haved and do and wanted to see if we could teach others...

Doug had asked if he could help with the butchering of a pig and so we thought lets see if we can transfer the skills needed...

Looks like success to me...

If you fancy a go then why not search our blog for our step by step guide to butchering your own pig and keep your eyes peeled for our adult courses in pig keeping, butchery and sausage making which will be coming soon...

Join us at Fibre East...

Fibre East is a regional event that brings together all things natural fibre...

Spinners, producers and crafts people will all be present and of course the sheer sheep experience will also be visiting with the road show...

 and the Farm will be open to visitors...

The Great Escape...

Anyone who keeps livestock especially sheep, realise that to our stock the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence...

In this case it was just as green but loaded with fruits, vegetables and interesting plants to munch...

After a bid for freedom, a mad dash back to the fields and barn...

Still eventually all the escapees were rounded up and we can rest assured that this years lamb will have been fed a truly varied and healthy diet of fresh fruit and the best pastures...