Strawberries are early this year...

[merciasounds]

Huge and sweet as can be - my brother has just sent me a 5lb basket up from Devon and a 1lb of clotted cream - so after our dinner we will have some - can't decide what to do with the rest - would it be a shame to make some ice cream with them? (using the clotted cream too)

[redman41]

Good crop as well due to the favourable weather !

[Bbbananas]

As a matter of interest mercia, how does he get these to you? (not via the Post Office I guess!!)

[merciasounds]

uh-huh, he grows them in poly tunnels - but would it be a shame to make ice cream with them Red?

[Ratty2E]

Real strawberry ice cream is dreamy. I can't wait till mine are ripe so I can make some too.

[mazie]

No it wouldn't be a shame mercia...it would be exeedingly good ice cream (save me some).....I'll be jammin' this week-end ( and not in a Bob Maley sort of way)

[Bbbananas]

A shame? Hell no - home made ice cream with clotted crea, yum.

[Barmaid]

Mine are in a polytunnel and only just have flowers on them. Must get out there this weekend - everything needs some real attention.

[merciasounds]

My other brother, the one who fishes came up tp Birmingahm to bring me my fish and he bought my dogs back home they've been on the farm in Devon because I'm unable to exercise them, but my husband is back from work now so he can do it. My farming brother sent me new potatoes, spring greens, asparagus (that was from a friend they don't grow it) and some new season carrots

[Bbbananas]

Nice one. Since we left the farm, I do miss all the free fresh produce. I took it for granted when we lived on one, now I have to pay for just about all my veggies, I realise how lucky we were.

[merciasounds]

He planted early - there is this old guy who sits on the end of the bar in his local, who predicts the weather - he must be ninety if he's a day and he's never wrong, he uses seaweed, trees in his garden and watches the wild animals - when there was snow before Christmas he told my brother it would be a very warm dry spring, and stuff being in poly tunnels is protected anyway.

[Barmaid]

"Stuff in polytunnels is protected" - not if you've got chickens and you forget to put the door barrier up. The little buggers have eaten ALL my onions. I just have green stumps now.

[merciasounds]

You made me laugh barmaid, these would have to be might tall chickens to get to my brother's strawbs!!

[redman41]

fresh Strawberry IceCream..............yes please !!

[Bbbananas]

Do you have midget chickens barmaid, or does mercia's bruv have giant strawberries? ;-)

[Barmaid]

No I have normal size chickens. Unfortunately, the onions were on the floor (I've run out of shelf space). I hope they don't lay any eggs any time soon, they'll taste disgusting.

[Bbbananas]

Less ingredients needed for a savoury omelette though?!!

[Barmaid]

I'll be asking Mercia for chicken recipes if they don't behave!!

Talking of which, I had a lovely dish in a Norfolk pub once - chicken stuffed with strawberries. Was lush.

[Bbbananas]

Sounds gross - but I'd never diss until having tried the dish ;-)