Relaxed Farming - our farm in your classroom

As we near the end of August and the days start getting shorter, we are making the most of the plentiful harvest that the polytunnel continues to give us.
The asparagus has now gone to fern and we are no longer cutting spears, rather letting the plants regain their strength over the winter so they can then provide a new crop in the spring.
The courgettes however (first photo), continue to be the stars of the polytunnel and provide enough for each evening meal without fail and have done so for several weeks now. We have also harvested half a dozen marrows (the courgettes which have been left on the plant to grow big), the heaviest of which weighs in at a massive 4.2kg.
Our peppers (second photo) are delicious - lightly stir-fried and dipped in some low fat yogurt, they provide an ideal snack or starter for the evening meal. There is a chilli farm just over the hill from us growing chillies and peppers in polytunnels using a technique called aquaponics. The plant roots take their nutrients from water which has fish living in it, perhaps the ultimate in recycling poo PLUS the most efficient aquaponics systems use fish that you can then eat when they are sufficiently grown!!
Our cabbages (third photo) have grown really well, although we have slightly lost the battle with the caterpillars as the outer leaves are well and truly nibbled now and have caterpillar poo on them - not a problem though as the damaged leaves are eagerly gobbled up by both the pygmy goats and the dairy goats leaving us with the solid heart of the cabbage.
It interesting to note that if we were to take the cabbage (or any other produce from the polytunnel) up to our kitchen and prepare it for our meal, it would then be illegal to give any spare leaves to the livestock. This is due to the possibility of contamination of the vegetables by meat products in our kitchen - such contamination being considered a health risk for both animals and humans. Coming straight from the polytunnel and with an eager audience awaiting the treats (Parsley, Sage and Co), there is however, no problem at all!!