Scroll through for some snaps of the week!

Hi everyone,

The peas are still tantalisingly out of reach (not least because of some of our four-pawed furry friends have been feasting – one of the consequences of organic and wildlife-friendly growing!), but we did harvest our first crate of broad beans this week – not enough to go around yet, but with a nice dose of sunshine, we might have them in boxes next week.

With the help of some lovely volunteers, we are working on updating our website and getting more photos up for people to see what we get up to in the field. One of the people who helped us out with a video last autumn was Peter from Primal Forest. Peter runs a men’s group in Carmarthen – sort of like a men’s shed but for the outdoors where they build fires, whittle wood, chat and just generally love being in the forest. If you or anyone you know would like to be involved, get in touch with Peter at [email protected] – he’s so lovely and welcoming, and it would be great to see the group grow.

In the true turning point of the season, the overwintered chard plants have been pulled out of the ground! So, this week really is the last of this winter/spring workhorse for a little while. Mushrooms are in all the boxes this week too, so I’ll be making an umami bowl to warm up these chilly May evenings. Fry some sliced onions in plenty of oil with a pinch of salt until softened. Add sliced mushrooms and cook over a higher heat until they’ve lost all their water (I find that pushing them down in the pan with a spatula helps, and gives you a very satisfying sizzle!). When the mushrooms are nicely browned, add sliced chard stems for 2-3 minutes, and then sliced chard leaves for an additional 1-2 minutes, then take off the heat. In a small bowl, mix miso paste and hot (not boiling) water until smooth and of a sauce-like consistency, and mix through the veg. Spoon some rice into a big bowl, add the veg on one side and a small salad of tomatoes and cucumber (if you have it) on the other. Top with toasted seeds, croutons, chilli oil or anything that adds a bit of crunch and contrast. You can find the full recipe here.

Have a lovely weekend!

Lauren and the Tir Awel team x