The Big Garden and Croft

This is how we dry lemon verbena. We select long green stems (no brownish hardwood) with tender leaves, and load them into a dehydrator, if necessary cutting up the stems to the length of the unit. We set the controls to 45degC (definitely not more than 50degC) and the timer for 12-14 hrs (usually overnight).  The leaves should be just crisp – not even slightly leathery – and the stems will just withstand a little bending. Run the tips of thumb and two fingers along the lengths of the stems, stripping off the leaves into a  bowl : and then fill air-tight jars over the bowl, to avoid bits going everywhere.   It’s important to get the dried leaves sealed in the jars whilst they are still warm – before they get a chance to re-hydrate with moisture in the air.  With the leaves stored in a cool dark cupboard, unopened, these leaves will keep for nine months to a year without significant loss or spoiling of flavour.

She was the first lamb born in 2018 – and the only pet lamb that year.  Her father, Foss Scott – who we have come to know well and love, was sold, late last summer, to a younger couple recently moved here and building up a working croft, just a mile or so away.  Scott won’t be replaced. So, alas, there will be no more lambs born to the An Gàrradh Mòr flock, and so Maisie is almost certain to be the final pet lamb we’ll have the care of

The Spotted orchids are not so common here, compared to the plentiful Marsh Orchids, and to see this group of six on the croft is particularly pleasing : we hope they multiply and spread, and the ‘purposeful re-wilding’ of our croft should provide the conditions for them to do so.