Home Farmer Magazine February 2016 issue Edizione posteriore

The February issue of Home Farmer is now available to download, and as we head towards spring, getting the basics right is our motto – preparing the soil, getting the weather protection right, germinating seeds to plant out in spring, and getting the pesticides right for later in the season – home-made ones too; targeted tools to do the job without damaging all the good bits. We also welcome a new contributor – Sue Stickland. This month she tackles getting the most from older seed packets – you’ve paid for them so you want them to germinate, but how can you know which will; and which veg seed has the longest life, and how should you store them for next year to keep them viable? We’ve also included a list of some Potato Days around the UK, and a chance to win tickets for the Edible Garden Show – a fantastic opportunity to get inspiration from many of the nation’s experts at the start of the growing season, and we have a DIY planting project for herbs using pallets. As regards recipes, we’ve included some great ‘one-pot’ meals to keep things simple and reduce the washing up, and a caramel masterclass to pep up your desserts for 2016. There’s also a sense of bringing in the new in our livestock section, as spring is when everything begins again, so we’re reviewing poultry housing and bedding, and covering what you might find as you open up the hives for the new bee-keeping season. It’s really a question of hitting the ground running and not losing any valuable time – just remember how quickly last year went by – so make Home Farmer your constant companion for the coming season to make the most of your valuable space!