Olga Booker

We are only aware or conscious of time because we are alive.  Without life, there would be no time, so it is my most precious asset. It is my life.

It starts when you catch that first breath and it will end with the last one - make it count.

We get bogged down by the clocks, the calendars, the timetables, all that man made stuff created to try to control the uncontrollable, but we've all experienced that time is not bound or restricted by those limitations.  Who hasn't felt the intangibility of time, you know, that special break that went so fast that it did not feel like a week or that last hour at work that feels like it will never end, every 5 minutes feeling like an hour.  That beautiful summer that went in the blink of an eye or that grey winter that seemed to go on and on.  Yet still squeezed within the confine of those months, days, hours, etc.  

Nature does not confine itself to those borders, why should we.  Because of all those time controlling devices, we've lost the ability to listen to our inner clock and forgot to live.

The birds know when it's time to migrate, the bear knows when it's time to hibernate, the apple tree knows when it's time to blossom, even a mother feeding her child will know when it is time by the hardness in her breast.

Because my precious time on this planet earth is so short, I do try to make it count and I never feel that I am wasting time whether it is sitting at a desk at work, bringing up  children, mucking up the stables or watching a film, as long as I am grateful for every day that comes.

Time is marching on and my time is coming, so yes, every moment of my time is valuable and precious.

Most of the time, no I don't, unless the potatoes are quite old and wrinkly, or I specifically want to make some deep fried potato skin snack (dipped in sour cream & chives or some hot sauce. Yum!).

If the skin is too old and wrinkly, usually by the end of winter, then I peel them and boil the skins.  I give them to the chickens, mixed with some old bread that has soaked in whey.  They love it and by that time of the year. they also deserve a treat!

If canning them, then I also peel them, more threat for me!

This morning, I got an e-mail from Martin:

In 2025 the garden was under threat when we were given notice to quit by our landlords. The protest petition site at change.org gained 35,000 signatures and helped stop the immediate threat.

The great news is that we now have the opportunity to purchase the forest garden which will safeguard it in perpetuity!

We have already raised some of the funds, but are looking to raise £100,000 towards the total needed to cover the sale price and legal fees. Whatever you can afford, it will all help and you will know that you have contributed to securing the forest garden for future generations. If you are a UK taxpayer then we can also claim Gift Aid on your donation.
You can donate at www.justgiving.com/campaign/savethefg
Please share!

Thank you!

Martin - ART Director

I am so relieved and maybe some of us can help!

https://www.agroforestry.co.uk/about-agroforestry/

I don't think Martin is stepping down or ever wanted to.  They were just going to be evicted from their land to make room for a property developer, as far as i can gather.

This morning, I got the following e-mail from Martin (part of it, anyway):

In 2025 the garden was under threat when we were given notice to quit by our landlords. The protest petition site at change.org gained 35,000 signatures and helped stop the immediate threat.

The great news is that we now have the opportunity to purchase the forest garden which will safeguard it in perpetuity!

We have already raised some of the funds, but are looking to raise £100,000 towards the total needed to cover the sale price and legal fees. Whatever you can afford, it will all help and you will know that you have contributed to securing the forest garden for future generations. If you are a UK taxpayer then we can also claim Gift Aid on your donation.
You can donate at www.justgiving.com/campaign/savethefg
Please share!

Thank you!

Martin - ART Director

Hope maybe some of us can help!

Like someone mentioned above, washing up and hand washing anything will make sure all that dirt disappear!  I, for one, like to  keep my nails short as I don't think I could garden otherwise.  I have a bar of soap and a nail brush by the kitchen sink and I remove the rest of the dirt with my pocket knife (like a nail file).  

Most of the old folks in France do have one of those in their pockets:

https://www.amazon.fr/-/en/OPINEL-Pocket-Blister-Stainless-Virobloc/dp/B00422M4VA/ref=sr_1_3

Wouldn't be without it !

Olga, reading your post is making me crave baguettes! I think I will have to bake some very soon!

I hope there will be a revival of small bakeries run by bakers who do things their own way.

HI Kate,

Glad I made your mouth water!

Yes, I hope so too.  Actually it is happening in France quite a lot , because as you may know, bread is a serious matter here.  After all, it started a revolution when Marie-Antoinette told the peasants to go and eat brioche when they had no bread!

Baguettes are not what they used to be.  For sure, they are still deliciously crusty, but they are made with quick rising agents, which doesn't do much for your guts' health.

The new generation of bakers are quite often ambulant and you will find them in the markets.  Luckily, there are markets everyday of the week somewhere nearby.

Anyway, I hope you will bake en enjoy your baguette!

Yes it does keep it's shape for frying. It is extremely salty and fairly dense, I would not use it as a paneer but obviously taste is a personal thing.  Paneer is so easy and cheap to make that it seems a shame to use Haloumi for this purpose.  However I'm happy to be convinced!

Well, it goes without saying that fresh, crusty French baguette was the staple in our house.  Such a staple it was, that even to this day, I cannot eat a meal without bread!

When I was young, every small village had it's own bakery and everyone bought fresh bread everyday.  In those days, bread was made on the premises and I remember, as a kid, going to chat with the baker on a summer's evening while he had a smoke at the back of the bakery, waiting for his dough to rise.  He often invited us in on a cool evening, to show us how it was made and to keep us warm.  It was of course made with sourdough.  My grandma's village had 3 bakeries and the bread tasted different in each one of them!

A lot of villages still have their bakeries but I doubt that the bread is baked on the premises, and even if it is, the dough is undoubtedly made commercially somewhere else.

My favourite way to eat Haloumi is to cut it in thick wedges and fry it  until golden brown and serve it with a salad, houmous and flat bread.  A few black olives don't go amiss, it is a Greek cheese after all !  Enjoy!!

Wane