Seasons of mists and mellow fruitfulness

Seasons of mists and mellow fruitfulness
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run;
To bend with apples the mossed cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For Summer has o’er-brimmed their clammy cells.

from To Autumn by John Keats

As we move again into a season of uncertainty, let’s remind ourselves of those things that are the same this year as last year and will be the same again next year – the intense beauty of the landscape in the low autumn light, colours lit as though from within; brisk walks to breathe deep and refresh our souls with chilly breezes set against unexpected warmth from the sun on your back; good harvests to nourish us – even amidst inevitable disappointments; the preparation of our indoor spaces for a new season that will see us draw together again in community after months spent busy outdoors – grateful for digital contact if we cannot meet in person; time to create with our hands and with our imaginations.

Let’s pause and enjoy autumn together…

Cushions for cwtching

The fiery glow of these iconic cushions is just the thing to pep up your sofa as we head into the new season. The sumptuously soft cosiness is offset by the striking complementary geometric designs, perfect for bringing a touch of autumn hiraeth to your home.

This popular colourway will soon no longer be available, so now is the time to take advantage of a terrific offer to buy one and get a second for half price.

*Stock is very limited for these cushions.
Please contact Sian directly to buy one and get a second at 50% OFF!

The grand naming of the Ash Farm Cria of 2020…

These little guys don’t go in for ceremony much, but they seem to appreciate the dignity of being called by name – though, as with all youngsters, there is no guarantee of compliance!

Thanks to all who offered your wonderful suggestions. In keeping with our tradition here, we would like to introduce this year’s first-born, a little white character called Chablis, a very suitably named Baileys in beautiful shades of faun, and spicy little Benedictine in chocolate brown.

They are wonderful additions to the farm and we love them!

Snuggly Strata cowls for chilly days.

Those autumn breezes can sneak up on you with a chilly bite at this time of year, but with the warmth of the sun competing for your attention, these reversible warm and cosy cowls are just the “little something” needed to keep your neck warm and keep you going the extra mile.

Get free postage on Strata cowls from now until the end of October. Do contact Sian if you would like a custom colourway, too!

To get your free postage – exclusive to newsletter subscribers – please use this code during checkout: SIANSTRATAPOST

2020 Winter Gallery at Ash Farm

Plans are still on course for the Winter Gallery that will replace our usual festive Open Studio this year. As you have come to expect, there will be plenty to delight the eye and solve your Christmas present dilemmas by a wide range of artists and crafts people (see the full list here); however, to enable social distancing in the studio, the creators will not be there in person this year. You can still expect a warm and seasonal welcome and plenty of assistance from Sian and her helpers as you browse and soak up some festive spirit.

To keep everyone safe, there will be limited numbers in the studio at any give time, but there will be lots of outdoor seating available if you need to wait a little while to come in, with hot food and drinks to keep you cosy and round off your day out!

If you are planning to come and join us and would like to book ahead to ensure that you can come in promptly, please get in touch below.

A warm welcome awaits!

Contact Sian

Winter gallery poster

Feeling the urge to stitch up a storm?

Those creative juices really start to flow once we head indoors at this time of year. If you are feeling a little crafty, why not see what you can do with a pack of Sian’s knitted fabric swatches. We have been blown away by the creativity and skill that you have displayed with these. If you are looking for some inspiration, check out this journal entry from earlier this year, then show us what you have made on Instagram using #sianodohertyproject. We can’t wait to see what you come up with next!

Workshop heads-up…

We are delighted to give a little ADVANCE NOTICE to our newsletter subscribers that Anna Lewis is running a wonderful workshop weekend on 6th-7th April 2021. 4-6 places are available for this course. It is not yet launched on the website or on social media platforms. If you are interested please get in touch soon and reserve you place before it is advertised more widely.

My absolute favourite hummus ever!!!

We all know that creativity doesn’t stop when we get to the kitchen door. Try out this wonderful seasonal recipe from Sian’s kitchen and let us know how you to put it to good use in yours.

“I’ve been making this hummus for years but  recently – in my quest for something different – I fell back in love with this delicious hummus all over again. It is super tasty, easy to make, and packed with goodness. You will make it time and time again.”

Ingredients:

500 grams carrots
2 cloves of garlic
juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp cumin
3 tbls of olive oil
½ can of chickpeas
2 tbls of tahini
salt and pepper to your personal taste preference

Method:

  1. First, preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
  2. Wash your carrots, peel and cut into chunks and add to a roasting tin. Lightly coat in olive oil and cook for 40 minutes or until they are lightly golden brown. I roast my garlic cloves as well by adding them to the tin for the last 10 minutes of the carrots cooking. Garlic cooks quickly and you don’t want them to burn!
  3. Drain and rinse the chickpeas and add to your blender with the lemon, cumin, tahini, olive oil, roasted carrots and blend blend blend until smooth!!
  4. I add a tablespoon at a time of water to get the right consistency to my hummus.
  5. My favourite way to enjoy the hummus is in homemade wraps, topped with a crunchy mixed salad, diced tomatoes, roasted seeds, grated beetroot, and a little homemade mayo for extra creaminess. Delicious!! Or simply on crackers with a slice of crunchy cucumber…. The list is endless but the hummus is scrumptious.
  6. Store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 5 days… but I doubt very much it will even make it to the 2nd day!

Notes:

Flavourings are so very personal, and we all have our preferred level …so I always advise to taste as you go along and add extra of either lemon, salt, pepper, cumin to get it just right for you.

© Sian O'Doherty, sianodoherty@hotmail.com 07983 453210 Ash Farm, Ivy Chimney Lane, Stepaside, Narberth SA67 8JU | Crafting Beautiful Website Design Hu Studio
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