Spring on the farm

Spring definitely feels like it arrived this weekend. The wild daffodils are everywhere brightening up the woodland and the chickens are looking magnificent at the moment producing a glut of eggs daily. There is definitely a lot of baking happening on the farm trying to use them all. what's your favourite dish with eggs?

I have made some delicious breakfast muffins and you can add any filling I chose chocolate chips but berries work well too or lemon and poppy seed. The best thing about these muffins is they freeze really well so you can use a lot of eggs at once. Just defrost and warm on the oven delicious for breakfast or elevenses with a cup of tea.

Recipe:

400g caster sugar

430g self raising flour

280g melted butter

2 whole eggs

2 egg yolks

tbsp vanilla

240ml milk

230g Greek yogurt

100g choc chips

1. preheat oven to 180 .

2. add all dry ingredients together and mix. melt butter in a saucepan slowly you don't want to overheat the butter. Let the butter cool slightly

3. add the wet ingredients to the dry adding the melted cooled butter last.

4. mix well add fillings

5. add to muffin cases and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. if freezing don't bake too brown.

6. dust with icing and enjoy!

in the next few weeks we will be putting some eggs in the incubator hopefully hatching easter week to add to our flock. everyone who visits enjoys the chickens so much they are great characters and will always come and say hallo. unfortunately due to avian flu they have been in their own lockdown for a few months but they have a very large covered run so plenty of space to stretch their legs. Hopefully the restrictions for poultry will be relaxed soon so you can go in and sit with them and give them some treats when you visit. Five of our chickens the brown warrens are ex battery hens and you wouldn't know looking at them now, they look in great shape enjoying the fresh air and space to roam. we might even add a few ducks to our enclosure.

This spring means lots of jobs on the farm one of our main jobs is creating a picnic area for you to enjoy when you come visit. Either pack your own picnic or order one from our great local supplier the forest foodie . The picnic area will be in our woodland maybe you will see our bluebell fairies when your down there?? did you know about the fairy folklore and bluebells?

With the bluebell one of the most iconic flowers of Britain, it is no surprise that folklore surrounds them. Although for such a dainty flower, much of the folklore is quite gloomy.

1. If you wear a garland of bluebells, you will be compelled to tell the truth

2. When a bluebells bell rings, it calls all the fairies to a gathering, but if a human hears the bell, they will be visited by a malicious fairy and die soon after.

3. Bluebell woods are enchanted. Fairies used them to lure and trap people in their nether world.

4. If you turn one of the flowers inside out without tearing it, you will eventually win the one you love.

5. If a child picks a bluebell in a bluebell wood, they will never be seen again.

6. In the language of flowers, the bluebell symbolises constancy, humility and gratitude.

taken from national trust