Once again, we supplied the Bilbao Cruces Hospital with organic

natural yogurt and mature cheese for their special organic menu

on June 5^th, coinciding with International Environment Day. We

were also involved in an event organized in a second big hospital

near Bilbao in Galdakao, on June 11^th. The Hospital organized a

morning Seminar entitled “We are what we eat, think and breathe”

concerning the benefits of local, organic food, linked to Interna-

tional Sustainable Gastronomy Day celebrated on June 18^th. The

morning break offered organic finger food, including Vista Alegre

cheeses, yoghurt and milk and we could also sell our dairy produce

in a small farmers’ market organized specially for that day.

Several calves were born in June, including this half

Jersey half Friesian mixed calf which we have since

sold for fattening up for beef.

As in previous months, the weather was extremely varied, with

hot sunny days and cooler damp days. Maximum temperatures

reached 35,5ºC whilst the thermometer dropped to below 10ºC

several mornings. Although it didn’t rain a lot (64 litres), it was

enough for the fields and allotments and actually more than usual

for June.

Alternating wet and dry spells means we have plenty of grass for

the cows and heifers to graze,

for us to mow in outlying fields and take to the cows in the barn and

even to silage and make hay. We did more of each during June.  In

fact we have now mown some fields three times.

The absence of hail storms or torrential rain along with a latish

Spring means many fruit trees are laden with flowers, in this case

promising many apples!

The red currant and loganberry harvests this year

are being particularly good.

All machinery, whether from the farm or the dairy, needs to be

inspected regularly and, sometimes, repaired. The mower in the

photo is being reassembled following repair work.

The name of this species is due to its bloated calyx which

is why in some areas it is also known as White bottle. Bladder

campion secretes a lot of nectar and is visited by bees, but 

is generally  pollinated by moths. The leaves of bladder cam-

pion were and are still used as a foodstuff in many Mediterra-

nean countries (Cyprus, Italy or Spain, for example). In Spain

those who used to pick the leaves to sell as a green vegeta-

ble were known as “collejeros” from the Spanish name for the

plant. Amongst the dishes prepared with the leaves were

widowers’ gazpacho, stews, scrambled eggs or rice dishes.

It has no forrage value.

Recipe of the month: Trout stuffed with cheese and bacon

Serves 4:

800g trout fillets

100g cured cheese

100g bacon in finely sliced rashers

5g parsley (preferably fresh)

Salt

Preheat the oven to 180ºC.

Cut the cheese into fine strips. Place a trout fillet on an ovenproof

tray and sprinkle a little salt on it. Then place a rasher of bacon and

a slice of cheese on top and cover with another fillet of trout, but

adding no more salt. Repeat with all trout fillets. Place in the oven

for 15 to 20 minutes. In the meantime, chop the parsley as finely as

possible. Once out of the oven, collect the juices from the tray and

mix with the parsley. Pour the juice back over the trout.

Serve hot.

The usual solstice celebrations or “San Juanada” were held in many

places throughout the Basque Country and once again the Bilbao

event included offering hot chocolate using our milk.

This quite long slow worm was spotted enjoying the

sun

We went to the farmers’ market every week in Bilbao and to the

June fair held in Karrantza to coincide with an annual event to

promote the local black-faced Karrantzan sheep breed, this year

held on June 15^th.

In February we mentioned how the local parish council has repeated-

ly detected nitrate-related pollution of sources of drinking water in

the valley, the systematic tests being used to try and identify where

the nitrates are entering the hydrological system and the fact that

on February 27^th , the test was carried out on our farm. There was

no positive result, neither has there been to date from any other

test carried out in other parts of the parish. This is, obviously, good

news for the farm, but on the other hand means that the Parish

Council has yet to identify the source of the problem.