Morning Folks,

Our growers have been sowing seeds for leeks and onions this week at Rouken Glen, where we have heated benches for propagation in the greenhouses. To help them through the grey days, they’ll be put under special low energy lights, providing them with part of the light spectrum that they require. We plan to grow in the region of 9,000 leeks, which will take up 15 beds.

The Munch of the Month competition is still running, so be sure to share your creations with us on social media, with the #locavorevegbox and #locavoremm tags. For those of you new to our veg boxes, you can join us and your fellow subscribers in our Facebook group.

In the veg boxes this week, the star of the show is purple sprouting broccoli from Organic Pantry, North Yorkshire. This beautiful brassica is entirely edible, although it would be wise to trim off the bottom of the stalks where it’s a bit woody.

They can prepared many ways, most simply boiled for 3 – 4 minutes. Cooking them for a short amount of time will retain that lovely crunch and vibrant colour. Serve as a side dish with a little olive oil, salt and garlic, or for the meat eaters out there, purple sprouting broccoli works excellently in a pasta, with some bacon and a creamy cheese sauce. I’m looking forward to having mine shallow fried in a light tempura batter!

Here’s what to expect in your veg box today:

small: potatoes, purple carrots, onions, white cabbage, purple sprouting broccoli

standard: potatoes, purple carrots, onions, leeks, swede, white cabbage, red kale, purple sprouting broccoli

large: potatoes, purple carrots, onions, leeks, swede, white cabbage, red kale, purple sprouting broccoli, cauliflower

extra large: potatoes, purple carrots, onions, leeks, swede, white cabbage, red kale, purple sprouting broccoli, cauliflower, parsnips, baby bunched beetroot, Sutherland kale

fruit #1: Conference pears

fruit #2: Kid’s Orange apples

fruit #3: Red Globe grapes

fruit #4: blood oranges

fruit #5: clementines

small foreign: fennel, garlic, tomatoes

standard foreign: sweet potatoes, fennel, garlic, tomatoes, flat beans

Enjoy!

Katie