On the 22^nd, 41 school children from the Cantarrana Primary

School from Muskiz spent the morning with us.

Unfortunately two farmers’markets were cancelled again at short

notice in Bilbao and we thus only sold our produce there on the

10^th and the 24^th. We are trying to sort out this issue with the

Bilbao Town Council. This year we returned to the “Enkarterri-

Fest” held in Zalla, June 17^th and 18^th.

We also sold our produce in Karrantza on the 17^th, during the day long

events organized around the local sheep breed known as the

“Karrantzan black face”.

Once again, the Cruces Hospital offered its patients an organic menu

on June 5th, International Environment Day. The menu included natura

l yoghurt and mature cheese from our dairy.

We really prefer to make hay as this is far better for our cheeses,

however the weather was unfavourable until the middle of June,

when we managed to gather in a hay crop from 4 fields.

A load of dried alfalfa and a load of dried vetch and peas were

delivered from an organic farmer from Aragón. The difference

between the dried alfalfa and dried grass (hay) can be seen in

this photo.

Upkeep of farm machinery is a constant on the farm.

Our pasteurizing tank in the dairy works as a “bain marie” and we use

a closed water circuit to save water. We usually do two batches (tank

loads) of pasteurized milk on Mondays and in order to improve the

rapid cooling of the tank during the second batch of pasteurized milk

we have conditioned some land near the dairy ready to install  a

second tank of cold water.

Scarlet pimpernel is also known as red pimpernel, red chickweed,

John-go-bed-at-noon, poorman’s barometer, poor man’s weather-

glass, shepherd’s weather glass or shepherd’s clock. The origin of

the name “pimpernel” comes from pympernele, late Middle English

derived from Middle French Pimprenelle, itself derived from the Latin

"piper" for "pepper". The plant contains several toxins and is usually

avoided by grazing due to its fortunately bitter tasting leaves

(which give the plant its name).  It has been used for medicinal

purposes in the past, including as an anti-depressant in ancient Greece

and to treat mental disorders in European folk medicine, from which

it’s German name “Gauchheil”, the word gauch meaning “fool” or

“cuckoo”.  The English names referring to the weather are due to

the fact that Scarlet pimpernel flowers close if the sky clouds over

or if it rains. The flowers also close at midday giving rise to the name

John-go-to-bed-at-noon.

The European Green lizards (Lacerta viridis) are increasingly active

around this time of year.

There is a fascinating variety of insects around at this time of year,

not all of them welcome, however. We have had to destroy a nest

of Asian Predatory Wasps (Vespa velutina) which are gradually

colonizing the area and which capture local bee species to feed

their larvae.

We also spotted this handsome insect, which is some sort of weevil

(possibly Otiorhynchus sulcatus ) although we haven’t been able to

positively identify it. When in large numbers weevils are also a

nuisance as in different stages of their life cycle they eat plant foliage

or roots.

We have also seen quite a few large green crickets this year (no

positive identification of particular species).

Recipe of the month: Celery in yogurt sauce

Serves 4-6

900g celery

Salt and pepper to taste

1 medium sized onion

25g bacon or pork drippping

50g butter

560ml chicken stock

For the sauce:

15g butter

15g plain flour

150ml sour cream

150ml natural yoghurt

Grated nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste

Cut celery in short lengths (15cm), steam for 5 minutes or blanch

in boiling water with salt and drain. Peel and chop onion. Heat

dripping and butter in a large frying pan and fry onion until trans-

parent. Add the celery and sprinkle with pepper. Add stock, cover

and cook over a low heat for 20-30 minutes.

Remove from heat and drain liquid into a measuring jug. There

should be about 300ml – make up the amount with a little extra

stock if necessary. Keep celery warm in a serving dish.

To make the sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in the

flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually stir in the reserved stock.

Bring to the boil, stirring. Add the soured cream, natural yoghurt,

a pinch of  nutmeg and seasoning. Stir until smooth and creamy.

Pour sauce over celery and serve hot.

The weather in June has been remarkably unsettled. Minimum tempera-

tures ranged from only 5ºC one morning to 19ºC others, whilst maximum

temperatures were also very variable ranging from only 16 to 34ºC.

After rainy weather at the start of the month we had over two weeks

of dry, hot weather with drying high winds. Thus, despite thundery

weather towards the end of the month which provided more rainfall

(a total of 102 litres in June), the overall picture is of dry conditions

and the need for a lot more rain. There is grass in the fields, but

rather coarse as it tends to seed rather quickly. The differing weather

conditions provided some unusual cloud formations.

The cows were able to graze every day and we also gave them some

freshly mown grass from outlying fields. They were given a little

supplementary feed.

A bull calf was born in June and was sold on for fattening. The two

female calves born have, as usual, been kept for rearing as milkers.

They spend their first days in the big barn near their mothers but

not mixing with the herd for safety reasons.