Seasons on the Farm - June

June has arrived, as the days grow shorter, there's a quiet stillness in the air, a gentle reminder that it's time for everything to slow down. The frenetic activity of spring and summer gives way to a slower, more deliberate pace. In the garden, the frost has made its mark, halting the vigorous growth and allowing us a moment to pause and reflect. This is the time when inspiration starts to seep back into my days, slowly stirring my creativity and dreams for the coming seasons. I love this cycle!

The last of the potatoes have been pulled from the market garden, with each tuber, there's a sense of completion, of the garden's cycle coming full circle, cattle now fertilising the soil and soon it will be ready to plant out again. I am beyond excited to think about spring this year, the second in the market garden and first with a small greenhouse that I can grow fun seedlings.

Amidst this quiet, the citrus trees stand out, their glowing fruits hanging like colourful ornaments. Every few days, I bring a basket of oranges and lemons into the kitchen, it's it kind of perfect that right now in the midst of seasonal sickness (seems everyone seems to have right now), the garden provides what we need.

In the kitchen, the warmth of cooking becomes a haven against the chill outside. Today like many days this week, we will be eating potatoes… they are simply delicious cooked many ways but when they are so fresh there is nothing better than simple jacket baked potatoes.  This dish, with its modest ingredients, epitomises the comfort and such a simple dinner, side or starter. Their crispy skins and fluffy insides a canvas for all manner of delicious toppings.. and if you are looking for something a bit special caviar would be the dream…

Recipe - Baked Jacket Potatoes with Sour Cream

Ingredients:

• 4 large King Edward or Russet Burbank potatoes
• Olive oil
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup sour cream

Toppings (choose your adventure):

• Crispy bacon, crumbled
• Herb butter
• Sautéed mushrooms
• Gruyère or sharp cheddar grated
• Fresh chives, finely chopped
• Caviar (when feeling fancy)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Potatoes: Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F). Clean and dry the potatoes thoroughly. Pierce each potato several times with a fork, then rub with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.

2. Baking: Place the potatoes directly on the oven rack or on a baking sheet. Bake for about an hour, or until the skins are crisp and the insides are soft.

3. Prepare Toppings: While the potatoes bake, mix the sour cream with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook the bacon until crispy, then crumble.

4. Serving: Remove the baked potatoes from the oven and let them cool slightly. Slice open each potato, fluff the interior with a fork, and top with sour cream. Add your toppings of choice. Finish with a sprinkle of fresh chives.