7am it's still dark, a sign that Autumn is now upon us! The daytime temperatures remain high but growth is now slowing as the day length reduces. It now feels as if we are starting to take the final cuts of some of the annual herbs; our basil this year has been an excellent crop and once we have cut it for herb bags this week, the final leaves will make a last pesto – so that we can fondly remember summer in mid winter. The winter jobs list is taking shape on the farm; our 1953 Ferguson tractor goes away for refurbishment and will come back looking pristine with a new coat of paint, and a full service. We use local contractors for any big jobs on the farm, making hayledge, trimming hedges.

The Ferguson is our workhorse, topping thistles, towing trailers, moving animal feed, even on occasions driving into the village to get the Sunday papers! We have several field gates at Howbarrow that large modern tractors and farm machinery just can’t get into as they still have the original gate width created for a horse and cart or a Ferguson Tractor. We also plan to refurbish our main box packing area and improve our watering system so that, with the borehole supply, next spring all our polytunnels will be on timed watering improving their growth and quality.

Pumpkin Competition - Again this year we are having a ‘guess the weight of the pumpkin’ competition; view and enter on line at www.howbarroworganic.co.uk or visit the farm shop, or see the pumpkin at Apple Day at Acorn Bank on Sunday 15th October. First Prize is a fabulous day course at the new ‘Lucy Cooks’ cookery school in Staveley, (A ‘Cooking with your local vegetable box’ course – on the theme of Ready Steady Cook!) a second prize of £25 voucher to spend in farm shop and 3rd prize of a ‘Boxing Clever’ Cookery Book.

Lucy Cooks -We are really proud to now be the supplier of organic produce for Lucy Cooks, if you haven’t popped in to have a look around then do; it is an amazing place – if your looking for an alternative Christmas present for someone who loves cooking then Lucy Cooks could be it.

Quality – The quality of veg and fruit is paramount and we are constantly striving to deliver the best through the box scheme. We have had great feedback recently on the quality of the produce, as well as the odd glitsch. Please do let us know if you are unhappy with any of the items on your box.

Howbarrow Meat – Now selling fast, so if you want some of our seasonally available meat place your order soon. Half lambs £45 and box of assorted pork cuts £45.

Spotlight on ….Potatoes –Did you know there are 4000 varieties available in the world at present? In countries such as the US, potatoes are classified by their shape and the colour of their skin or flesh – hence recipes call for red, yellow, russet or white potatoes. This week we have 10 different types of potato, including Sante (in all of the boxes), good for mashing and baking; Pink Fir Apple, (in farm shop) which are good for steaming, boiling and shallow frying. More info at www.howbarroworganic.co.uk

Christmas Cakes – Now is the time for those of you who make your own cake to think about collecting all the ingredients together – did you know you can buy all the ingredients for an organic cake in our farm shop? Or online at www.howbarroworganic.co.uk ? We have flour from The Watermill at Little Salkeld, eggs from Yorkshire, and all the dried fruit and spices you need, as well sugar and icing sugar. Call us to check stock availability if you haven’t got access to the internet.

Recipe - Italian Fennel Casserole Preheat oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Discard the root base and coarse outer leaves of 1 or 2 bulbs fennel (depending on whether it is a side dish or a main course for 2) and slice bulbs thinly. Keep some of the feathery tops for a garnish. Heat olive oil in large pan. Fry 1 chopped onion and 1 clove garlic. Add slices of fennel. Cook for few minutes, turning them over in pan. Add half tin chopped tomatoes to fennel and onion mixture and season well. Cover pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer to a lightly greased ovenproof dish. Mix 2oz cheese and 2oz wholemeal breadcrumbs together and sprinkle over top. Bake casserole for 15 - 20 minutes until top is nice and crisp. (Recipe courtesy of  Sarah Brown, Vegetarian Kitchen)

Now for the Joke – Two snowmen standing in a snow swept wintery field, one says to the other “That’s funny, I can smell carrots too”. Thanks to Sandford family, Arnside, for this joke.